Write & Wrong

To Believe or Not To Believe.

So, let's get one fact straight - I have respect for people of all religions. If you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or if you don't know what in the hell you are, that's great, keep doin what you're doin. But I do not have respect for people who try to convert you right on the spot. It makes me want to punch this person right in the mouth. Like, if I did not ask to hear all about how I'm wrong, please do not lecture me all about why I'm wrong.

As an atheist, the admittance of this sparks something in some people's minds. It's like this instinct to rid the world of all atheists, because they're clearly a burden to our human race, right?(*cough* for all of you who did not get my sarcasm: Thomas Edison, Mark Zuckerberg, Ernest Hemingway, Bill Nye the Science Guy: all atheists.)

A lot of times, I tell someone my religion, and they have this mental freak out, like they cannot even begin to process the pure idea of someone living happily without a religion. It probably happens something like this:

What I say: "Yeah, I'm an atheist, so I don't believe in a God. But it's okay if you do - I'm fine with that. I don't want to control your life or try to shove my religion down your throat."

What they hear: "HELP ME PLEASE, I AM TRAPPED IN THIS VORTEX OF NO RELIGION!!!!! OH GOD PLEASE SAVE ME!!!! I AM DROWNING IN ATHEISM AND I NEED GOD TO HELP ME!!!! OH HOW I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT A RELIGION!! OH IT'S HORRIBLE, WOE IS ME, WOE IS ME."

Then this person, trying to be nice, (and not realizing their hearing problem) goes and thinks, "Oh, I should help this poor soul! My religion can save her! The poor thing, I wonder who put her up to this, since atheists don't believe in what they believe because of their own thinking, right?"

Wrong, bitch.

If we are on a mutual respect for each other's religion, great. No, that's awesome. But if you're trying to get me to "come to Church" with you, or "get saved" when I didn't ask for it, uh, we gon' have some problems. Look, I appreciate your concern, but if I don't ask for religious advice and how to find Jesus and whatnot, I don't want it. Could you be a little more concerned with, like, my geometry grade? I would appreciate that kind of concern/help even more, mostly because it doesn't make me want to hit you with a brick.

The thing is, this thing mostly happens to atheists. Now I'm not hating on Christians, as most of my friends are Christians, but Christians are also, a lot of times, part of this argument (from personal experiences). But there's nothing saying that the opposite has never happened; I'm sure an atheist has walked up to anyone of any rellgion and tried to get rid of this person's beliefs. Dick.

When approached by a religious person trying to shove their beliefs down my throat, there are multiple things, as a nonreligious person, I can do.

1. Punch them in the mouth.

2. Nod and agree to be converted, accepting the "need for help."

3. Punch them in the mouth.

4. Raise an eyebrow and walk away.

Me, being the sassy but respectful person I am, I normally choose the latter, but there are cases when things get bloody. (No, I'm totally kidding, I've never been in a fight in my life.) I'm surprised by the amount of people who actually have the nerve to flood me with Bible verses and religious sources. I am perfectly content with my belief system, and I'm only hoping that you are as well. When it comes to people choking me with their religion, yeah, it's obvious that they're really content with their religion.

I was not born an atheist, I was not raised an atheist. That's another thing people don't seem to realize. Parents will most likely teach you what to believe. It's a fact. It's how it goes. It's how things roll. I have no one I know that has a different religion from their parents. I know people mean well when they ask, "So your parents are atheists, too?" but really, I'm interpreting it as, "Wow, so you don't have a mind of your own and that's why you don't believe in God?" I take pride in developing my belief, and saying this is, I dunno, like a punch in the mouth. Maybe it's just me, but hey, this whole damn book is "just me."

I'm going onto a broader topic spectrum here, but atheists get their fair share of "You're wrong, you're an idiot," and hey, some of us might come off as heartless assholes, but I am thoroughly offended by that.

Christians on the internet are mostly the people who come at atheists with this argument, but I'm not saying atheists don't retort with the same thing. People on the internet are vicious as hell (just trying to keep the theme), and this coupled with the never-ending To Believe or Not To Believe argument, things can get horrible, and fast.

There are two types to each religion: the good and the bad. The good atheists and Christians, (and other religions, if applicable - I just find that these are the most common opponents) will respect the other person's argument (a lot of times they'll say so), and they won't deny the other person's beliefs while giving a supporting case for their side. The bad side of each belief will disregard the other person's argument completely, call them an idiot, and probably close with "God is real u just need 2 aksept him" or, vice versa, "God is not real u fkin idiot ur wasting ur time."

Well give these folks jobs as lawyers, for crying out loud, because, damn, I am sure won over. You got me, it was definitely the last line. That was great. So eloquent.

 I keep my religion on the down low, so if I tell someone, I'm at least hoping I'll get something neutral, it doesn't even have to be positive - if I tell you what I believe, I'm hoping you can respect that as I respect your beliefs.

But actually, atheists aren't the only ones sought after. I have a good friend of mine who's a Jehovah's Witness, and she wears it with pride. (you go girl, work that Wittnessing) She's ultimately proud of her religion, and I have great respect for that, even when most people don't.

She's told me how her beliefs were a source of bullying, and that kind of blew my mind. I have asked her about it, and Jehovah's Wittnesses in general, and it's, sad,  really, (it damn pisses me off, too) that people can accept atheism (almost), Judaism, Muslim, but a derivative of Christianity is frowned upon. Like, hey, Jehovah's Wittness is actually a really interesting religion, and there is no need for you to be ridiculing anyone just because you're sad, lonely, and don't have diverse friends. 

Check ya self before I wreck ya.

{vote for religious social equality yeah} 

(if this offended you in any way, I apologize - this was not intended to be harmful to any person/specific religion. Purely a rant as an atheist from past experiences.) (well, if you make fun of people's religions, I hope you're offended, actually. Someone should punch you in the mouth.)