2:02 Mid Wednesday Afternoon (12 August 2009)   It's Between Me and My Dogma Why is it that people want everyone to believe what they believe? In some circumstances I understand - politically, for example, because if everyone agreed on the ideas for how society is affected by government, running the place would be so much easier. In matters of personal beliefs, which shouldn't affect anyone but the holder of the beliefs, why does everyone want everyone else to believe in the same thing as them? Why do you* want me* to believe in the same god, gods, or lack of god/s that you do? You see, what I really wanted to talk about was how people react to others' spirituality or religion. I have seen a lot of people proselytizing their religion to others, even if I myself have never been the outright subject to such evangelism in memory. A lot of my nontheistic and theistic friends a like have been, by their theistic "friends." I've seen bibles and other works holy to particular religious organizations being gifted to nonbelieving (or differing-in-belief) friends, often with heartfelt notes penned in the cover or on a slip of paper accompanying the book. I just thought of a time when I was vaguely being propositioned to a certain religion that dominates here - I had a friend who hinted at a desire to see me baptized in the religion he holds dear to his heart once or twice. However, it was merely hinting, and it didn't take much to dissuade him..just a gentle reminder that I already have beliefs - beliefs that I hold close and irrationally dear. It wasn't even all bad of an experience - I understood more why his religion was so important to him and I like to think he then understood why I refuse to let go of certain beliefs (and truly, lacks of belief) that really can only be held by me and me alone. I didn't really mean to talk about myself though - I just want to understand why some (and I truly believe the group is a minority) people really can't let go of the idea that it's OK for people to have differing beliefs. Lately I've sat on the outside and listened to some friends and friends of friends and acquaintances who used to be extremely religious and now are extremely...is anti-religious the word? is militantly atheist better? Where once there was militant, deeply held and believed Mormonism or Catholicism or Protestantism, now lies anger at religion as a whole. A burning desire to see everyone converted to their religion is replaced with a burning desire to step on those who believe and tear down the systems of any believer in any religion. These militant now-atheists scoff mockingly at those who hold any sort of tenet of faith - when only a few years ago, they just as fervently tore down any other belief but that in their own precious God. In some ways it makes me even angrier than people who blindly force their pamphlets about Jesus upon any passers by, because these people have been in those shoes, or they have had pamphlets or doctrines or arbitrary rules forced upon them. It makes me angrier. they should know better. It's even worse that they hide their true faces and only come out with a thin, sheer mask of anonymity. If you have a problem with my faith, especially one that I have kept mainly to myself except when asked to share, you should tell me to my face so that I can tell YOU to YOUR face why I believe what I do or why I don't believe what I don't. It's just that it would be SO MUCH easier to be confronted and to step up face to face and have a civilized discussion instead of me writing this passive (?) aggressive (definitely) rant and rampage against your writhing, whining hypocrisies. Next time grow some balls and get off of Facebook, your favourite forums, the news sites' comment pages, Myspace, etc, and tell me to my face that my beliefs are stupid so I can tell you to YOUR face what an asshat you're being, and I never asked you to believe what I do so why are you so feverishly ripping down what gives me comfort and light. I just ask that the evangelistic Christians and evangelistic atheists alike do not kill each other when you all figure out that the internet is not an appropriate place to revert to to scare tactics invoked mainly by playground politics, and actually tell people your judgments to their faces. please. *there is no specific "you" or "me;" the you is whomever, atheist or theist, has violated or ravaged on the me's, atheist or theist, quiet personal beliefs. Consider this a disclaimer.