@ Ireland Michael
Actually I agree with you 100%!!! I also take it that you don't live in the South, known as the "Bible Belt"
When I became older and started questioning things, it was treated as something as being sacrilegious, and to be quiet an fall into place, it was all very militant, which most Baptist are!
I have seen many HORRIBLE things done in the name of religion, and can not imagine any Deity in any form approving of such atrocities.
Where I live Baptist can be interchanged with Zealot.
So I left the Church and religion in that form behind.
I do as you say, "Leave them Be!" "Live and Let Live" is my motto as well. I thought if I left them alone they would leave them alone, to my dismay, I was wrong.
They have weekly "Visitations" where they show up unannounced at your house trying to proselytize me back into their religion. When I ask them," I leave you alone, and don't come to you and judge you, why can't you leave me alone and let me live my life according to my values?" I get told " Your values are WRONG and you are going to HELL!"
You see, I live the life of "Live and Let Live." That is until you come intrusively into my life and try to "Force Convert" me to your way of thinking.
It is quite tough in my life, because so many of my family members are so entrenched in the church, Pastors, Teachers, Deacons and such.
I on the other hand, turn away from all that, and chose a different path for myself. At EVERY family function, I am Judged and sentenced, to the point where if anything it pushes me away even farther.
What is so, ironic, their very teachings they profess, are the exact opposite of what they do! So while they profess their Deity in their churches, they walk out of those doors and deny him by their lifestyle and actions.
So Michael, if I in some way offended you with my comments, I apologize. That was never my intentions. I respect your right to worship or not worship in whatever form or manner you so chose.
I was just speaking of my personal experiences with my family, in how they choose to celebrate religious holidays, and how when you bring up the Pagan Mythos having some foundation in their celebrations they cover their ears and go..LA LA LA LA LA LA..at the top of their lungs!
If they choose to do that, ok, that is their choice!
Sorry if I offended you Michael.
I guess, doing little things in belief, like buying Easter chocolates and eating them without understanding them is ok, but if it leads to larger things, like Mass Murder or Discrimination, then I have problems with that type of ignorance. As long as those little things don't lead to much larger intrusive things, then fine. Unfortunately it usually is the little things, that lead to much larger unfortunate things, well in my experience anyway.
Now when it comes to Easter Eggs in Video Games...I am all for that type of Religion...ROFL!!
As the Joker said..."Why so Serious!"
