Dinner Conversation

Dinner conversation this past weekend:

“Did you hear they think they found that God particle?”

“You know they don’t really mean God, right?”

“Ever the atheist. Why don’t you believe in God anyway?”

“You mean why don’t I believe in the god you believe in.”

“Semantics.”

“Not really. Technically speaking you’re an atheist too. You don’t believe in Zeus, Odin, Amun-Ra, the gods of the Incas, the Aztecs, the Aboriginals of the western plains, or the tribes of Papua New Guinea. I’ve just added one more god to the long list of gods you don’t believe in.”

“Then why do you celebrate Christmas?”

“Who doesn’t like feasting, drinking, getting presents and a paid day off work?”

“You’re usurping the birth of Christ for your own gratification.”

“The date was adopted from the Feast of Saturnalia to make Romans more accepting of the new political regime. The trees and lights were stolen from pagan traditions.”

“You’re just anti-Christian.”

“I’m anti-religious.”

“People have a right to their own beliefs.”

“People are welcome to believe the moon is made of green cheese if they want to. But if they start teaching it in schools, making laws based on it, and enforcing it as social mores, I have the right to object.”

“Society needs to be based on a code of morality and decency.”

“You aren’t really going to equate morality and decency with religion, are you? I have to have the sitter home by midnight.”

“Let’s order specialty coffees.”

“And some of that chocolate cheesecake.”