Limiting the number of excellent quotes was extremely challenging, there were so many.

I agree, which is why I'm thinking maybe I can scratch that short term itch with a form letter. It just seems better than doing nothing ... after all silence is often interpreted as "consent" or agreement.

Good points. The fact that I am considering this at all is largely due to now being retired and don't have to have a job to live. Otherwise, yeah, it could be bad.

@Normanbites I am turning 61 here in a couple of months and I cannot wait to retire and move. I plan to move closer to DM. I hear there are a bunch of likeminded individuals that meet up for a brunch Sunday Mornings in town. Up there, no one really cares I am an Atheist, down here, its a huge risk, I dated a Christian for awhile. He turned out to be a fundamentalist man is the boss type, wanting my farm put in his name, wanted me to get baptized in his crazy church, I could not kick him hard enough or fast enough to that curb. He wanted me to lie to his Church elders etc, Thankfully I never revealed my Atheism to any of these people as they are all up in your business. As a farmer, who has to hire help and needs to buy and sell locally, I would be royally screwed if they knew the truth.

@misstuffy I would have loved to have been a "candidate partner" for a lady with your mindset. Sadly, my partner picker has always been broken and I never seemed to make good choices in that regard with devastating results.

I do understand the caution you need to exercise to protect your livelihood and I would not advise any differently.

It does seem you make good choices for yourself. Please keep doing that! Good Luck!

@Normanbites Know the feeling
Friend, know it only too well.

@Normanbites Thank you, I try!

I'm not up for managing donations .... but I could find a way to insert a "learn more here" link that they will probably never use.

I have a few in mind already.

Yes and as I have found from the 50 + decades of dealing with these Psalm Pedlars and their ilk, a PLAIN straight out " No, I am NOT Interested" is to them as water is to a ducks back.

@Triphid True, but part of the objective is to feel that I've kindly and firmly explained why I'm not interested. But I'm sure you will state as have many others, they will never read it.

But there is such a thing as "futile hope" and possibly a christian fence sitter might happen across the note.

@Normanbites My attitude has altered over the years from one of a "Let the Fools worship the nothing in the Universe that they want to believe in, to one of, TRy shoving it down my throat and I WILL return the favour Threefold at least.

@Triphid I understand. I have stopped ignoring the "subtle symbology" and have started displaying my own including an "Atheist A" pendant, an IXNAY fish emblem on my car with an occasional response of "Namaste" to the inevitable "Bless you's" that crop up ..... yes I know "Namaste" can have religious connotation, but the almighty FSM has not provided a different handy response yet.

@Normanbites Well, over here I have managed to teach a number of people, from their early years through to adulthood, to react/say when a person sneezes, Gesund Heit instead of religious garbage such as " Bless you," etc, etc, and it seems to have caught on quite well.
Perhaps between us and any others who care to join in and try we can "create" a NEW non-religious type of greeting specific to we, the Atheists and Agnostics, etc.

Hmmm well I did steal it, but I can't remember from where. .... I'm not opposed to the idea of a "soul" so long as it is a concept inside a living body .... but I will consider this.

That is a risk, it's pretty well known their attention span is short, which is probably part of why they buy into silly crap.

What's wrong with making myself feel good?

@Normanbites Why do you ask?

@Alienbeing Because I don't see an error on that basis?

@Normanbites I didn't say or imply there was an error.

Ooooo I like it! Thanks! Your brilliant idea has just been stolen.

Ha!! Pretty close to the note I sent the clergyman. However, I feel some sympathy for those duped or manipulated by clergy .... though you could argue it is their own fault for not thinking things through .... of course I've NEVER been in such a situation (it's a miracle I still have all my fingers and toes.)

Mom had a lot of shortcomings. But I think the person she wanted to be would have approved as well. Thanks!

<Yes, I recognize this could be sarcasm. But given the choice I would prefer to think I encountered a friendly person.>

I know the words can be shoved together to make a word that is recognized as a word in it's own right, but since the meaning is the same either way, I just don't bother to pay attention .... sorry! Thanks though. I have many other quirks that are indeed errors or just out right (see I could have used outright) clumsy .... I was hoping you were going to catch some of those.

I also love "good friday" or as I like to call it, "Savior on a stick day".

@Normanbites

I wouldn't have thought someone had a more hard-hitting name than I do for Good Friday, but yours is in the running.

Well, since it is a response to a letter (so far), they do know where to find me already.

Thanks! Though prompted by some of the comments here, I am now tempted to sneak into many church reception areas and post it on their bulletin board .... that might be crossing a line somehow.

@Normanbites I used to enjoy going to church as part of my work. There is a growing network of American Mega-Churches across this part of Scotland and a client I supported (special needs) liked to attend. Not because they believed in God, but for the free food and music. Very country and western (uuuuurrrrgghhhhh) well played and rehearsed etc. Every time the music died down, I would give them a nudge to get it going again.... paid by the hour I didn't care, make 'em wait before they could escape over the road for a pub lunch!
The preacher who I always used differing priest like terms for would without fail call for those in the congregation who do not have Jesus in their heart to let him in. All this preaching only left me with strengthened atheism...

@Sofabeast I definitely like the idea of a community center for camaraderie and entertainment. In my mind that would serve a useful purpose, but I think religious centers parasitically suck away most of the energy that could be spent on such a cause. Very sad.

@Normanbites I have found the child like preaching very silly.
One of the silly tales was a woman 'singing in tongues' which a number of the congregation were so happy about. She was praising the lord in Portuguese.... because she's guess what? She's Portuguese! Oh what a miracle, a woman speaking in her own language, praise be.
I must say, they do have some of the best coffee in town though.

@Sofabeast I think I would have liked to see that. I think it would have been less cringe worthy than when they don't have another language. .... .It's a shame that someone smart enough to be bilingual could still be religious.