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Collimator

(2,000 posts)
10. Wish I had the ovum to be a bitch.
Sun Oct 5, 2025, 03:07 PM
Sunday

Unfortunately, I have "Resting Librarian Face", or maybe "Resting Customer Service Face"' people are always turning to me for help or answers, or just to chat to pass the time.

I'm probably more in the Agnostics camp, but I will sometimes tell people that I'm an Atheist if they mention god in a conversation because it usually puts them off and then they leave me alone. It didn't work a week ago with a guy at McDonald's, though. Instead, he actually drew in his breath and uttered the opening salvo of, "Well, the way I see it is. . . ", as if I had invited him to start a philosophical discourse.

Since I hadn't ordered my food yet, my knee-jerk response was to say, "No, no-- You know what--" (I was really talking to myself out loud), and then I walked out. And thanks to decades of social conditioning, I felt like I had been rude and had to work through vague feelings of guilt.

I finally decided that I had been hangry and the guy should have known better than to try chatting up somebody waiting for food. (He was also an idiot for ignoring my earlier social cues indicating that I Did Not Want To Talk.)

To get back to the main question, as long as I am well fed there is a 50/50 chance that I can keep my mouth shut when religion rears its head in public. Thanks to years of socialization and customer service training, I know how to be gracious and accommodating. . . Also thanks to years of working in customer service, I have prematurely run out of fucks to give.

I may not have the courage to be a bitch, but cracks are appearing in my benign personality and hints of bitch are seeping through, often to be patched over with a thin layer of Catholic Guilt. . . Even as I write this I can see how contradictory I am being-- I probably just need something to eat.

Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I am polite and respectful. My family is also. Srkdqltr Sunday #1
Out as an atheist. joshdawg Sunday #2
I certainly respect your view. I'm not there myself, but I respect it. NNadir Sunday #6
I say I'm not religious, I'm philosophical about my morals Nigrum Cattus Sunday #3
My family was also seriously catholic buzzycrumbhunger Sunday #4
"... the easter bunny left me a book with tarot cards in my basket..." CrispyQ Sunday #9
LOL at that last toon! Bayard Sunday #17
Wish I had the ovum to be a bitch. Collimator Sunday #10
I think being female adds another layer... buzzycrumbhunger Sunday #22
Standing up for yourself isn't "bitchy" IbogaProject Monday #41
Over the course of my life every Atheist I have met BigmanPigman Monday #45
In some certian circumstances i will show respect gay texan Sunday #5
I certainly am not "closeted" with complete strangers. I'll do it to avoid pain for people I love. NNadir Sunday #8
Yes..... gay texan Sunday #25
I am pretty much where you are rurallib Monday #40
Seems only other heathens would be aware that you didn't bow your head. CrispyQ Sunday #7
I do a fair amount of woodworking for churches. Woodwizard Sunday #11
"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called a twodogsbarking Sunday #12
I like that locution. Hopefully you will not be offended if I steal it regularly. NNadir Sunday #13
Epicurean paradox is another zinger IbogaProject Monday #42
I am out as an agnostic NewHendoLib Sunday #14
I feel safely out with professional colleagues, but very closeted with family. Religion strong on both sides of the tree eppur_se_muova Sunday #15
I suspect that Thomas Jefferson was an atheist. I also believe, although he clearly was changed by the Civil War... NNadir Sunday #19
with TFG... NewLarry Sunday #36
Closeted. I'm afraid if MAGA and the crappy fundies. AllyCat Sunday #16
I am an out Atheist. Eko Sunday #18
Closeted agnostic anciano Sunday #20
utterly out mike_c Sunday #21
Unapologetic atheist. no_hypocrisy Sunday #23
An interesting story. Your father could accept your atheism just so long as you weren't Muslim. NNadir Sunday #24
Oh, there's more. I "came out" to my mother. no_hypocrisy Sunday #26
I consider myself agnostic Skittles Sunday #27
That's pretty close to where I'm at. n/t. NNadir Sunday #31
I was closeted when my parents were alive. Girard442 Sunday #28
If they are obnoxious in my place, they cannot do what animals do. GreenWave Sunday #29
If ask I often say I'm a Red Letter Christian. multigraincracker Sunday #30
I openly admit I'm an Atheist LogDog75 Sunday #32
Out. sinkingfeeling Sunday #33
Open atheist. tblue37 Sunday #34
Closeted church musician atheist oberle Sunday #35
Every Christmas, my wife and I travel up to Bethlehem, PA for the Lehigh University Christmas Vespers. NNadir Sunday #37
I'm respectful to others, but... wysimdnwyg Sunday #38
Yep I don't seek it out but I will participate if I go IbogaProject Monday #39
It's rather amazing that our experience is so similar. NNadir Monday #44
I am out because I want to normalize non-believers Envirogal Monday #43
Proudly Open Faux pas 13 hrs ago #46
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