I am participating in a dialogue on race here in my small town. It is sponsored by the local Episcopal Church, which interestingly enough has NO minority members at all. (Gotta give the priest, a friend of mine-how did THAT happen?-props-he is TRYING.) The priest is aware that I am neither Christian by upbringing nor by practice and that there are other people participating who are also non-Christian. HE tries to keep the god-bothering to a minimum. But there are some other participants who come to the table who do NOT. They bring god fully into the conversation with each paragraph, practically. Last night was esp. bad (or "good" ). One mad recounted how delighted he was when his doctor asked he (the surgeon) would mind if he PRAYED FOR HIM right before the operation. (I was quietly appalled. That would have me asking for a different doctor, forthwith.) And how he was inspired to stop cursing by the godly example of his church-going employees. (I was having to stop myself from laughing aloud and/or saying something like, "well, fuck, that would have just inspired ME!) I felt more and more out of place. I keep attempting to do the difficult stuff, step out of my comfort zone, not live in a bubble, yada-yada-yada. But, sometimes I wonder WTF am I thinking?