Bob: So hey, what religion are you?
El Ráy: Well Bob, I'm an atheist.
Bob: Are you serious?
El Ráy: Yes.
Bob: I'm a Christian. I've been Born Again.
El Ráy: Um, okay.
Bob: You don't believe in God?
El Ráy: No Bob, I don't.
Bob: Aren't you worried about going to Hell?
El Ráy: Nope.
Bob: What do you mean, 'nope?'
El Ráy: It's like this, Bob: I don't believe in God, which means I don't believe in Heaven. It also means that I don't believe in Satan or Hell, either. It's a package deal.
Bob: Did you ever believe in God?
El Ráy: For a while, yes.
Bob: What happened?
El Ráy: Not enough added up. I couldn't roll with the contradictions.
Bob: But the Bible says that if you don't accept Jesus as your savior, you'll go to hell.
El Ráy: That's assuming that the Bible is true.
Bob: It IS true! It's the word of God.
El Ráy: Actually, it's not. It's a bunch of books written by a bunch of guys, who all had axes to grind.
Bob: It seems like you know a lot about the Bible.
Bob: Why?
El Ráy: Because if I tell people I'm an atheist, I'm usually treated to incessant questioning and attempts to "Save" me. Have you ever read the entire Bible, Bob?
Bob: I've read some parts of it. Have you?
El Ráy: Yes, I have.
Bob: Why?
El Ráy: Partly because I think that if I'm going to be called on the carpet for my non-belief, I'd better have my ducks in a row. Besides, the Bible was largely responsible for my realization that God doesn't exist.
Bob: How can you say that?
El Ráy: I'd be a liar if I said anything else.
Bob: You know, I went through a rough time in my life (this is where Bob spent about ten minutes attempting to witness to me and, of course, save me).
El Ráy: That's great, Bob. I'm glad you found something that works for you. You do realize that what you were just doing was attempting to save me, right?
Bob: I was just...
El Ráy: Bob, I respect your right to believe however you see fit and I won't try to convert you. Can you do the same for me?
Bob: Um, sure.
El Ráy: Great.
This peaceable agreement lasted until the following weekend when we went out with them again and Bob, who was driving, wanted me to hear a CD of "this really awesome band" he liked. It was, of course, a Christian band.
More often than not, this is how it goes. I have to be prepared for the full-on assault of the religious types because they are wholly incapable of abiding any belief (and especially non-belief) that they can't understand. I am ready and willing to agree to disagree and respect their rights and yet, they just can't or won't do the same.
So, Bob and I became polite neighbors, but never really friends. It wasn't for lack of trying on my part and while we never spoke of it again, the reason was obvious: when puch came to shove, Bob just couldn't roll with a friend who doesn't believe. So it goes.
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