I have two sisters, and my family is very close. I speak with my sisters constantly, and we all stay in contact with our parents. Whenever I am speaking out against christianity in their presence, I am told that I am disrespecting them and their beliefs. In many instances, merely making a statement that vaguely refers to religiousity is enough to provoke them.

Now, I totally respect my sisters because, well, they are my sisters. Disrespect for religion and religious-born ideologies does not equal disrespect of the person. Yet they seem to suggest that if I say that christianity destroyed civilisation and we are still trying to recover, that is not the same thing as making a direct attack on someone's person!

This is where the argument rages. Why don't I have respect for religious beliefs and values that other people hold to? Just because I don't believe them, supposedly I am to respect that fact that other people do and remain silent about them.

Ok, that won't work. The religious around me rarely remain silent on any issue, and constantly invoke their god as a means of settlement on them. Thus, it becomes a matter of necessity that I make my position very clear! Furthermore, I have no respect for a religion that is continually forced upon me.

It's like this. I am told that I can be an atheist just so long as I don't "flaunt" my atheism. Do christians have to uphold that same standard? Not from what I've seen. It basically boils down to, it's ok to be an atheist just so long as you act like a christian.

I don't support christian dogma, don't believe in christian values and morality systems, and directly oppose christian views on practically every issue. Why would I want to act as though the reverse was true? Not going to happen. If christians can publically proclaim their christianity, constantly directing religious statements at me, I can do likewise.

Christians have stomped all over the Constitutional Bill of Rights, so it seems totally appropriate to me that I should stomp all over the christian holy book. Total disrespect intended.