Reply #75: If a person said to you seriously,"Hi! I show my faith in the almighty..." [View All]

[UdoKier]

"I show my faith in the almighty Weedwacker of the universe by shoving banana peels up my butt and mumbling the word "frappucino" repetititvely for 20 minutes a day as a holy sacrament. By doing so, I know that the great Weedwacker will come on judgement day and bring me back to the planet of the daisies to live in joy forever.", you might pretend to respect his "faith" but you would be condescending to do so since you know that every word he's just said is BONKERS.

Now if Weedwacker boy got together a couple dozen followers, wrote a book and passed down his knowledge over a couple of generations, he'd get the greater respect of being called a "CULT LEADER". Beliefs are no less ludicrous, but given slightly more credence.

Now let that continue for a couple thousand years, eventually getting millions into the group, even killing doubters and heretics on occasion, and suddenly you've got a LEGITIMATE, RESPECTABLE RELIGION. Again, same zany belief system based on no facts or empirical science whatsoever, but an entire NATION can be forced to conform to its looney standards of conduct. So I guess we all better get the banana peels and vaseline ready.


So anyway, I try to respect the "beliefs" of the "religious" by avoiding conversation with them beyond small talk as much as possible. The same way I would avoid eye contact with Weedwacker boy if I saw him pushing a shopping cart in my direction chanting about Starbucks' products.