rickyray: I would agree with the relative sanity of Canada, however we can't be too cocky. Our current government is filled with theocons from the West. It is just a matter of time til they start in on the private members bills to bring in more religious crap. SHit has already set up a section for religion in the Foreign Affairs department. He is buddy, buddy with with the religious wrong, eg the odious Charles McVety. Having said that, I used to have to do business in Alabama and I always felt as if I needed a long hot shower after getting out of there. I hope we never descend that low.
If someone, such as that mentor, asks if you are a Christian, I think a reply such as 'my beliefs are a private matter' would do. If you don't want to be polite say ' why would you ask such a personal question that is none of your business?'. The latter is probably not recommended if you are job seeking or grade-dependent.
One group used to wake me up on Sunday am just after I had gone to sleep after working the night shift. The air was blue and the door slammed. At one point while suffering from excruciating pain from bursitis following serious surgery, the doorbell rang and I got to the door in agony to find two "missionaries" of some variety. The air was very blue and the door as slammed as hard as I was able. My response in more normal situations is "I am not interesting in your crap" and when they respond "it is not crap", I respond "if it is religion, it is crap" . That generally gets rid of them, but occasionally it requires a bit more 'blue'. Thankfully I live in a very Jewish area, and I think most of the idiots realize my town is a lost cause, so we don't get many visits.
I have a slightly different take on this. I am Canadian, so atheism is not a big deal, but I run my own business and the majority of my clients are ultra-orthodox Jews. It requires me to keep a straight face over all the ridiculous laws and requirements of their faith. I am sometimes asked if I am Jewish. My response is that I am a non-believer, but was raised Protestant. I have to say, that I have never had a really negative response, although some have been a bit surprised. In general, they are accepting of the fact that they live the way they do, and I live the way I do.
In contrast, I used to work for a software company located near Boston and with a division in Huntsville, Alabama. It was a huge shock to find the office filled with bibles and bible-thumpers. Less than perfectly fundie colleagues were harassed with hate mail. The airwaves were filled with reiigious programming, which was virulently anti anything not Christianist. I always felt dirty by the time I left for home and couldn't wait to get on the plane. I really pity anyone who has to manage in an environment like that.
Nor does the Bible say anything about providing roads, bridges, airports, police and fire departments, schools etc., etc. Only the military might be OK. I'd just love to see those wretched fundies screeching if there was no place to drive their pickup trucks, no prisons to house criminals (and in the case of the US, plenty who should not be there), no one to fight fires and forget about taking a plane or a train. They really do like to pick and choose from their Bibles to justify their basic lack of empathy.
My comedy program of choice was Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. They gave me many hours of hilarity. I don't think I got Pat Robertson, or at least he wasn't on TV at a convenient time.
The Richard Dawkins Foundation is taking godless donations for Haiti through Paypal. You can choose to support either the International Red Cross or Doctors without Borders or 50/50. His foundation is paying the Paypal fee.
Because your parents went at it like rabbits and accidental combination of biological elements took it from there. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.
Seriously though, I find meaning in the beauty of nature, my friends and family and my work and hobbies. Strength must come from within. No one else can provide it for you.
I would go if it is open to Canucks too. I am sure the convention would be organized to have very interesting seminars and talks.
I'm sixty four and the only phase I went through was about a year and half of temporary insanity when I was a teenager and got sucked into the Pentecostal Church. As a child I would say I was agnostic although I certainly wouldn't have been able to articulate my thoughts that way. I was always faintly embarrassed and uncomfortable in church where I was dragged every Sunday. I thought the sight of adults praying was just silly. After my "phase" was mercifully over and I returned to rationality, I embraced my atheism and have been completely comfortable in my choice.
I just got back from a church funeral. The Paul Robeson clone singer and the food and wine following the service made this funeral quite tolerable.
I will go to wedding and funerals, but do not participate in prayers or readings, but I do sing the hymns because I like singing just about anything and don't care what the words are. I would never attend a religious ceremony for anyone I didn't know well. I am also known for being very vocal in opposition to prayers or grace being said at secular events. I have been know to stalk out of a tournament dinner when it was announced that grace was to be said.
![[Avatar]](/images/avatar26.png){kind=avatar}
Company