Have Faith

I had a bunch of atheists over the other night to tell them all about my vacation...but none of them believed a word I said.

So annoying….

But not so much as the group of agnostics that are in my book club. All they ever say is, “I don’t think so, I’m not sure, I don’t know…I could be persuaded, maybe, if you say so….”

Right…?

I know…sort of…maybe....

Then I had to drop off a cake at my friend’s daughter’s christening…or maybe it was a batmitzva…not sure…but it was something religious...and a lot of the folks I was talking to weren't paying attention or just didn't understand a thing I was going on about.  But they said they’d take me at my word…which was nice.

So they’re all exasperating…in their own way.

But the Atheists seem to have the best taste in liquor.

Not sure why.

Okay…did I manage to annoy just about everyone?

Because it’s always my hope to be an equal opportunity annoyance.

But you have to admit, there’s no more interesting debate than religion…and politics.

And if you can figure out a way to combine the two, which is becoming more and more prevalent these days…then you’ve really got something.

For the most part the circle I travel in doesn’t really get into any of those kinds of issues.

They have their own politics and personal faiths, and for the most part keep them to themselves.

In fact, except for a small minority, I couldn’t tell you where most of my friends stand on almost any pertinent issue.

Of course some of them give it away when they wear their Duck Dynasty beards out to dinner, but their husbands are usually able to talk some sense into them and get them to take them off, at least during desert.

The funny thing is I grew up with most of my closest friends. Went to school with them—Catholic schools, at that—knew their parents, siblings, cats and dogs…but none of us ever discussed much, other than sports, movies, TV...other cats and dogs…and did I mention sports.

Typical boys will be boys type chatter, but not much more.

I’m not sure why that is...maybe because we wanted to remain friends.

But I have my views on politics and pews, and other such things, so occasionally I’ll try to throw them into the mix, but it doesn’t really seem to matter. They’ll all just look at me and roll their eyes, then tell me I’m being argumentative and condescending…which I usually take offense at, because I’m not—I’m right— and I’m just smarter than everyone else.

So it never really seems to take.

Not sure why....

Plus, whenever I bring up some controversial topic or another at a friendly gathering, Z will usually zip my lip for me, if I don’t myself, which aside from being painful, is a terrible waste of Onion Dip, dropped on a person’s head.

But maybe all this polite neutrality, or at least considered conviviality, is a good thing…wasted onion dip, aside.

These matters usually just end up with lots of unfounded accusations, name calling, hurt feelings and me not being invited back to anyone’s house for months at a time…you know, because of all the above.

So I guess the thing I’ve learned over time, and flavored sour cream, is it’s not all that important to wear your heart on your sleeve—even if you KNOW that other's are lost, misguided, simple minded (oops...sorry)—as long as you know it’s your heart and your sleeve.

Sure….you gotta have faith in whatever it is you believe…even if it’s nothing, or something beyond explaining

And the more faith you have in that faith or non-faith, then the less you should care about what other people think.

If you stand on solid ground, are firm of mind and spirit, no manner of storm can take your castle down.

And if you’re not…then I guess that’s what Facebook and Twitter are for….

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