Unexpected Inconsiderations

Today I encountered one of those situations in which it was very uncomfortable to be a godless heathen.

It happened when I went out to lunch with several of my colleagues from work. While we were waiting for our meals to arrive, one of the very lovely ladies I was with suggested (nay, demanded) we bow our heads and say a blessing. Now, where I live, it is not uncommon to see people holding hands and praying in public restaurants. Therefore, this is not something I am unaccustomed to witnessing.

However, what got my panties in a bunch was the fact that everyone at the table just assumed that it would be alright with everyone else at the table. Never once did anyone appear to even consider the possibility that one or more of us might not be inclined to pray to a particular god, or (horror of horrors), might be an outright atheist.

So there I sat, head bowed, eyes involuntarily rolling at the servile platitudes being offered to "the" deity supposedly responsible for providing us with our lunch (which wasn't of the healthiest variety, I might add), feeling like a complete fraud. And why? Because I felt compelled to be considerate of the others' desire to thank an imaginary, invisible sky person for providing the overly-processed food we ordered.

Yet, without realizing it, these otherwise very kind women had been incredibly inconsiderate of my desire to NOT do so, and I can't help thinking about Mr. Ben Stein's rant about how Jews and Christians don't like being "pushed around." (See blog entry from 12/29/09) Once again, it seems rather ironic to me that a member of the vast majority would be complaining of discrimination and/or inconsideration at the hands of the overwhelming minority and I wonder just how offended my colleagues would have been had I refused to participate in their ritual due to my (ir)religious beliefs. Perhaps one of them would be blogging about me tonight. ;)

Quote of the Day:

"The dull pray; the geniuses are light mockers."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson