Dad was an atheist, mom was not. He did not force his non-belief on us save for the odd scoff at the TV any time it showed religious rituals. I asked him about his views and he would simply say "This is what I believe but you make your own mind up". He was quite a straightforward guy and not given to overthinking.
When I pressed him why he thought this way? (bear in mind we had compulsory state religion in school so his atheism was not the norm amongst all the rest of the adults I encountered) Here is what he told me. He was in the royal navy and in Malta. One day he and his shipmates were walking down the harbour in Valetta when a local guy fell from a fishing boat in between the boat and the harbour wall. The boat buffeting and the poor guy was in danger of being crushed. All of his fisherman shipmates fell to their knees, crossed themselves and started praying. (Malta is a very Catholic country) Dad, being the NCO amongst them took charge and organised his navy guys to sit on the wall and brace their outstretched legs against the boat. Whilst one guy got a rope and tried to save the poor bastard. It was that incident that confirmed his atheism. "If your religion means you pray for a man's soul whilst letting him die, I want none of it"

Yeah, my oldest sister won't allow her evangelical minister husband and I to debate religion at all. Religion is off the table when I visit. I'm ok with that, plenty of family stuff to catch up on as I live 700 miles away.

I sat alone and debated with a Unitarian Minister for two hours once. At the end he said, "you are a good person, don't change and, I am glad I didn't have to debate you in college". Point is, they aren't invincible...they are just unchallenged. I say, bring it.

My son went into the Christian cult sadly. We get along, just don’t talk religion or politics. He was in a more cultish group, where the family had to waive their hands in the air and sing “thank you Jesus!” before every meal. Thankfully, that passed. His beliefs helped keep his marriage together when it went through a tough patch. So I respect his choice, just don’t bring it up. And he respects mine.

At the time this happened, my niece was just 6 years old at a family Thanksgiving dinner. She asked me if I had heard the good news. "What good news?" I asked sensing where this was going, "Jesus loves you!" she responded.. Her mother had always been a zealous Xian and it broke my heart to see this little girl was already completely brainwashed. She's a full grown adult now and is as zealous and psycho religious as her mother always was.

The problem is that so many "Christians" don't really follow the teachings of Jesus. The institutions, both Protestant and Catholic, are twisted by venal church officials into vehicles for acquisition of wealth and power. Not what Jesus had in mind at all.

Your vagina drops, eh? I was thinking something like Visine for the hoohah, Vagine for example, before I figured out what you meant. A whimsical way to refer to your next generation, and it did make me chuckle, probably as much as your v drops did. As for non-Baptists all burning in hell, well, I'll probably continue to take my chances. LOL