The Chat Thread

[Szykneij]

We're always talking about ears, here.

... and bananas

[Elgarian]

Banearnas, in fact.

[Elgarian]

Or is it Bearnearnears?

[knight66]

... and bananas

Oh....I did not know it was 'Stick it in Your Ear Week.' It comes round so quickly.

Mike

[greg]

Oh....I did not know it was 'Stick it in Your Ear Week.' It comes round so quickly.

Mike

Let's all celebrate that with Charlie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CbfH8AlO9j4

[greg]

So this girl I used to work with just told me on myspace she's pregnant (and added that it was "unexpected").
She lives in either Alabama or Georgia now, can't spell, is blonde... it's kind of funny, kind of sad... 

[MN Dave]

Say you were allergic to religion in all its forms. Say someone invited you to their religious event. Say you really didn't want to go. Say it's a relative; a kid. What do you say?

[karlhenning]

Is one going to go heavy on the religion question, at a kid's expense?

[MN Dave]

Yeah, I know. But there you are--going to something you don't really agree with.

[karlhenning]

I think it a fairly easy matter to report that one is unavailable for an event, without making the religion question a factor in the response.

[MN Dave]

I think it a fairly easy matter to report that one is unavailable for an event, without making the religion question a factor in the response.

Oh, I wouldn't do that: make religion the issue. But it would be nice if the parents got the hint somehow.

[knight66]

Oscar Wilde would claim that he unfortunately could not attend, due to a subsequent engagement.

Mike

[MN Dave]

Oscar Wilde would claim that he unfortunately could not attend, due to a subsequent engagement.

Mike

That will confuse the tyke anyway.

[knight66]

He also claimed that reply had all the charm of candor. Make sure you don your green carnation when you give your apologies.

Mike

[secondwind]

If the kid is old enough to understand this answer, and the parents won't completely and totally freak out, I'd probably say the same thing to a kid that I would to an adult,  something like,

"Well, you know I'm an atheist and I don't usually attend religious activities because I'm not a believer, but if it is important to you for me to be there, I'll be there to support you."  And then I'd do my best to look proud and supportive during the -- whatever it is -- and just not participate in any activities, prayers, postures, etc., that aren't part of my usual set of behaviors.  I don't assume that my attendance at an activity requires or implies that I "believe in" whatever it is.  Of course, it helps to look totally clueless about the proceedings--which I usually am, anyway!  You don't have to be Jewish to attend a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah as a friend/neighbor/mentor of the young person who is entering adulthood in the community. 

That's assuming that the activity isn't something that I actively oppose for everyone, always and everywhere, . . . trying to think of an example, here. . .

[MN Dave]

If the kid is old enough to understand this answer, and the parents won't completely and totally freak out, I'd probably say the same thing to a kid that I would to an adult,  something like,

"Well, you know I'm an atheist and I don't usually attend religious activities because I'm not a believer, but if it is important to you for me to be there, I'll be there to support you."  And then I'd do my best to look proud and supportive during the -- whatever it is -- and just not participate in any activities, prayers, postures, etc., that aren't part of my usual set of behaviors.  I don't assume that my attendance at an activity requires or implies that I "believe in" whatever it is.  Of course, it helps to look totally clueless about the proceedings--which I usually am, anyway!  You don't have to be Jewish to attend a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah as a friend/neighbor/mentor of the young person who is entering adulthood in the community. 

That's assuming that the activity isn't something that I actively oppose for everyone, always and everywhere, . . . trying to think of an example, here. . .

Good answer.

I wouldn't call myself an "atheist". I'm not sure what to call myself.

[Elgarian]

I'm not sure what to call myself.

'Me', a name I call myself,
'Fah', a long long way to ruuuuun,
'Soh', a needle pulling thread,
'Lah', a note to follow soh,
'Te', a drink with jam and bread,
And that brings ....

[fading into distance]

[karlhenning]

Good answer.

I wouldn't call myself an "atheist". I'm not sure what to call myself.

"Dave"?

[MN Dave]

"Dave"?

Yes. That works. 

[greg]

I call myself "Dave," too.