It is a rare thing to meet an atheist in Idaho, or at least someone who will admit to it. Our world here often focuses on two things: agriculture and religion. This area is known for its conservative (and that's putting it conservatively) outlook; it is naturally assumed that you will go to church on Sunday (preferably the LDS Church, but any church will do in a pinch) and will vote Republican. When you are all done, you will sit down to a nice steak and baked potato for dinner.
I just don't fit that mold.
As I have pointed out, I am an atheist, and will not step foot inside of a church for fear of implosion; however, that is not the only thing which makes me an anomaly here, for I am also an old school liberal and I don't eat meat. At all. EVER. To say I don't quite fit in here is like saying one just figured out the earth really is round.
Well, no shit.
Now, I don't hide any of the above facts from any of my friends, nor my acquaintances; I am who I am, and if they don't like it, it simply is not my problem. I use to apologize for my beliefs, but no longer...if I am willing to compromise who I am and what I believe to fit into a society unable to recognize my worth simply because I am not what, nor who, it expects me to be, then what am I teaching my children? That conformity is the best road to take? That it is alright to lessen your standards and sacrifice your sense of self simply to "fit in"?
And what am I doing for myself? Nothing; I am doing nothing for my own esteem.
So I've stopped apologizing, and I now I'm proud to say I'm proud of who I am. Does it make life easy for me here? No. But am I going to stop being me? Not a chance in hell.
But, even the most outspoken of people need an outlet to vent about the rather interesting things I encounter day in and out, being who I am and where I'm at. So as I go through the days, I will vent and bitch and moan and just shake my head in word after word.
Hope you all enjoy the ride...and if you don't, don't read it.
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