door to door salesmen

I know that I've ranted about this before, but I'm not sure if it was on my blog or somewhere else so I'm just going to go ahead and rant here (again possibly).

One of my pet peeves (I know, I have a lot) are door to door religious salesmen.  I know you know who I'm talking about.  They generally come in duos with their slightly vacant smiles all wearing their Sunday best.  Sometimes they bring along their children with them as if to say 'look at us, our kids love God too and they want you to join!'  And sometimes they come alone.  Which is somehow creepier.

But whatever.

Their devotion and enthusiasm for their religion is great.  For them.  And I respect that.  I just wish they would respect my non-religion.

I don't know if I've really discussed this here, but I don't believe in God.  Period.  Very strongly.  I was brought up Buddhist and then later followed Wiccan teachings, but mostly I identify with Buddhism.  Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism to be exact.  I even did the Buddhist equivalent to Catholic's Catechism.  I completely respect other people's need to have faith in a higher power.  I understand that some need to draw strength from religion.  And I respect that they have a place to do that.  I have an amazing group of friends who are very religious and I love them to pieces, but I will never join their church even though it might sound like fun.  It all comes down to the fact that I don't believe in God.  I just can't.  I would feel like a fraud.

So when I tell these people that I am not interested with my polite 'Thank you, but I'm Buddhist.' I expect them to say 'Oh, okay.  Have a good day.' and take their leave.

They never do.

Mostly they ask if they can leave their literature with me.  Or ask if I've ever thought about having a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Or maybe they will ask me to just come and visit their church, they're sure I'll change my mind.

Change my mind????  Ugh.

Today was the most irritating.  When I told them older gentleman I was Buddhist he said 'Oh, that's nice.  I know that in Buddhism they teach that Jesus Christ was a savior and a prophet.'

Say what??

Never, never, NEVER have I ever heard the name 'Jesus Christ' in a Buddhist temple.  Never have I heard one of our Reverends utter the name.  After overcoming my shock at this man's 'insight' into Buddhism I told him I'm pretty sure we were never taught that.  He told me I must have been studying the 'wrong' Buddhism.  I told him I wished him a good day and shut my door.

He's lucky that I was taught to respect my elders and that my kids were in the house.  Otherwise I probably would have given him an earful.  I don't understand this need for certain churches to send out their flock to amass more parishioners.  I feel like their religion, their God, their mythology is being shoved down my throat in my own home.  I feel like lashing out at them because they smirk at my religious choices or act as if I am 'wrong'.  I don't do that to them.  I don't belittle their beliefs no matter how unbelievable I may think they are.

The fact of the matter is, I love religion.  I love the romaticism of it, the fantatics, the lure, the weakness, the stories.  My favorite Christmas songs?  Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant & New Again by Sara Evans & Brad Paisley.  Both extremely religious songs about Mary.  I love them in the way you are intrigued by something.  I love the good in it, but cannot fathom the bad in it.  I recently read an article about a program a Catholic church was starting for their gay parishioners.  Their answer is for them to just stop having sex.  I felt this was rather hypocritical.  They should stop molesting their altar boys first.

There are churches out there that do nothing but good.  Pastors, Reverends, Ministers, Priests who mentor and save lives.  Who have sacrificed much of their own lives to help anyone who needs it.  Members of those churches who band together to lift someone up who needs help.  Even if that someone doesn't believe what they believe.

Going through the fertility stuff, my religious friends all told me how they would pray for me, were praying for me and I was grateful.  While I don't believe that God would grant my prayers, I do believe that positive thought that lifts you up lifts the stress off your body and you become healthier.  And dang it, it's nice to know that your friends are rooting for you and wishing you well.  One of my very good friends asked if it was okay if she pray for me.  I told her, of course!  She said she knew I didn't believed, but she believed for me.  She mentioned that she had told another non-religious friend that she would pray for them and they asked her not to, that it was rude seeing as she didn't believe.  She was offended by my friend's prayer request.  I love the idea that I am enveloped with the love and warmth of my friends.  I am blessed to have these wonderful people in my life.

But I've also read so much on the damage that has been done in the name of religion.  Closest to my heart?  The constant gay bashing that goes on by churches in the name of their God.  The hateful protesting by Westboro Baptists at soldiers' funerals.  Soldiers who have sacrificed so that WBC can stand out there and protest.  The Catholic church and the most obvious - the molestations and the turning a blind eye to it.  That infuriates me.  But less obvious?  They are one of the richest organized churches in the World and a huge number of their parishioners are below poverty levels.  How does that work?

I know that the good outshines the bad every day.  I know that for every evil person in an organization there are 100 who are pure in their intention and back it up with their actions.  All I ask is that when you come to my door you hold the same respect for my choice as I do for yours.

My dad, basically an atheist, always tells me I should just answer the door and immediately state that I'm a Satanist and slam the door.  'That'll teach them.' he says.  Maybe someday I should try that someday....