Reply #28: I think that is a great suggestion

[TallahasseeGrannie]

and one I probably can't pull off because I rarely see folks I don't know at least in a passing way.

I know I am guilty of mindless "God bless you's" upon hearing a sneeze, but to me that is more an idiom than an expression of faith. Now, I wouldn't ever tell someone I was going to pray for them unless I had some level of understanding that they believed in God.

I have three colleagues I have worked with for over 20 years, and while I know two were raised Catholics and one Jewish, I know from discussions that they do not attend church/temple anymore and do not have any desire to, I really have no idea whether or not they are agnostics or atheists. It just seems to be WAY too personal a topic to discuss..kind of like your sex life.

And I am sure I have asked "what are you doing for the holiday" but I never mean "what services are you attending" or anything like that. I mean "how are you spending our time off?" Again, meaning are you going out of town, visiting family, whatever.

I have really been trying to think. I don't think I have ever told anyone (outside of this forum) my personal beliefs. Most folks I know will hear me refer to my church, or an activiity or a person I know through church. But I have never shared whether, for example, I believe in the virgin birth, yada, yada.

Maybe the very word, "atheist" is a bad idea. Since it describes a non-belief. I do think, however, that if you give a response to an automatic "God bless you" that you are opening yourself up to the conversation. Putting myself in an atheist's shoes (I know, impossible..but I'm imagining) I can visualize the following conversation:

Person: Would you like to come to Sunday services with me next week?
Me: No, thank you. Thanks for inviting me, but I don't go to church.
Person: What? Don't you believe in God?
Me: Excuse me? What did you ask me?
Person: Don't you believe in God?
Me: I thought that was what you asked, but I just couldn't believe you would ask something so incredibly personal.

That would probably end the conversation right there. One thing we do still have in this country, unlike some others, is the right to NOT believe and the right to keep that non-belief private OR make it public. Sadly, there are some countries where that will get you the death penalty. And that is very, very scary.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts candidly.