What part of "I'm an atheist" do people not understand? It seems recently that the more I protest hearing about this god and that church and this priest and that pastor, the more people feel the need to discuss spirituality with me. I'm fine with it, in theory. Just not in practice. Kind of like heterosexuality. Hey, if it works for you ... But preaching to people who don't want to hear it needs to stop. Double for the pseudo-religions.
If it's not my in-laws, it's my own family. Every Sunday morning my mother comes by after church to visit her granddog. And for the past 5 weeks, my mother has launched into a diatribe about the new pastor, the fired choir director (who she pointed out was "an old fairy" -- so much for her political correctness) and the church's upcoming health screening. (No, I am not helping with the blood pressure screening again this year. Old women tend to wear pungent perfume that seems to linger in my nostrils for days.) For 45 minutes this morning she talked about the "new guy" and how he's changing everything for the worse, and how no one likes him, and how she misses the old pastor. I finally said to her "Mom, stop. I am interested in your life, but I am NOT interested in the catholic church. I don't understand your recent obsession with it. Nor do I want to."
For years she was as anti-church as I was. But I've been noticing her aging more so, these days. I can't help but wonder if that's part of it. Hearing loss and holy rollerness go hand in hand, I guess. Nevertheless, I don't need to be reminded of whatever feast day it is today, tomorrow, or next Thursday.
I guess it doesn't occur to people that, just as it may be insulting/horrific/mind-boggling to hear that someone doesn't believe in a supreme being, it's just as off-putting and insulting to be preached to/at.
I have enough explaining to do as it is about being gay, or why I am applying to med school later in life. I don't think I need to explain my beliefs, or lack thereof, on a daily basis, too.