Differences

The single biggest reason why things are getting so bad with our young people these days, is that they've taken God out of our schools. That's not a quote, but its pretty close.

I had reason to sit through this little speech the other day, in a semi private function, and listen to reasoning such as this time and time again. This was after a little religious invocation that I wasn't consulted on but respectfully sat through.

It made me think about the circumstances of the religious vs the secular in our country. It seems to me two comments need to be made.

1. A sea change has happened.
2. Who is more obnoxious?

First in my memory, and perhaps this is just a fanciful rosey scenario, people used to respect a person's private religious belief without throwing their own belief's out in the public spectrum as right and righteous.

Second, isn't it noteworthy that Atheists and Agnostics DON'T try to jam their point of view down everyone's throat?

There are things that I, as a reasoning human being, don't believe, that I'm constantly hearing by this shrill set of reglious people. Things that I'm sure aren't true. Certain. Such as the earth is only 5000 years old. There are other things, that again as a reasoning and educated person I know fit better in a historical context of mythology, than in reality. Robin Williams aside. (Reality. What a concept!)

Out of respect for the individual, for my elders, or just for another human being, I usually manage to keep from telling people like the aforementioned speaker, what I really think.

But what I'm wondering is why is it ok for him to espouse in public, his rehortic which I, which I what? Am repelled by? Reject intellectually? Am unconfortable hearing? Am just plain sick of? And yet I sense it would be not only offensive, but an outrage, if I told him what I believe? I think he's wrong. Completely. Just as I think the people who believe this other religion are wrong and that other religion are wrong and that other other religion are wrong.

If they believe differently from each other, they can't both be right. Since none of the religions of the world have a majority, the majority of the worlds people, think your religion is wrong!

So do me a favor, keep it to yourself.

The world would be a better place if religious people stopped trying to force their beleifs on everyone else.

There. I said it.