Quote:
Originally Posted by dlish
some of my best friends come from all walks of life, and i care not what religion people follow. i wouldnt even ask about their belief because its a non issue for me.
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Do you think that this partly came as a result of you growing up in a Western country, as opposed to total immersion in Lebanon? I know that for ktsp, his family is basically agnostic/atheist (despite their ethnic/legal ID's being Christian and Muslim--a relatively rare combination, as it is)--and that this shaped his worldview on religion quite a bit, much more than it would have if he was raised in a mono-religious, adherent household in Lebanon. I have also gotten the feeling that amongst his friends, most people are also like you and don't really care what religion other people follow... but I have met some Lebanese who *are* indeed interested in what religion their countrymen follow, and they always come off as being a bit creepy, somehow.
I feel that people who start a conversation with a stranger about religion, as a basis for getting to know that persona, are basically somewhat "off" in terms of personality. They have an agenda, and it makes everything awkward and unnatural. Might even be lacking in some kind of social skills, or I don't know what... due to their fervor. Maybe this is my bias, but I have felt it in many different cultures and religions (though come to think of it, never among Buddhists). It is a frankly insensitive way of getting to know someone, and usually ends up giving the exact wrong impression of your religion than you wanted to give. And yet, they persist...