The late George Carlin once said, "Religion is like a pair of shoes; find a pair that fits you but don't try to make me wear them". All of us have strong opinions about things (not just religion), which is fine. What starts to sometimes make me a bit testy is when people are convinced about themselves being right and needing to convince me of this. While I will generally be polite and listen (it is good manners in my job to do so), there is a difference between fact and opinion that some people don't always separate.
If an issue is factual, and I am mistaken, by all means correct me (it is OK to tell me the world is not flat). If it saves me from going down a wrong path or looking silly, I am all for it.
In matters of opinion, the bar is a little higher. I am extremely opinionated and judgmental, but in my working relationships, this is not an endearing quality and something I want to keep in check and to not inflict upon people. I try to look at issues from other perspectives. Believe it or not sometimes someone else has a better idea. I respect people who listen and are able to change their minds when they need to, and I try to be one of them at work. It's also not a bad idea to practice this with family and friends as well.
That being said, the whole rest of the world is swirling around us with ideas or opinions that I may not agree with and don't have to. I once described Congress as "Monkeys with guns" because, as a group, I think they are useless. While this is me being opinionated and judgmental, I also don't feel the need to point this out to them, nor am I offended if you have a different opinion of the group. (Thank you, George.)
While I can be extremely opinionated about many things, there are even more issues about which I choose not to have an opinion. I am not going to Save the Whales or protest outside an abortion clinic (or anywhere else) or volunteer for anything. I will donate to Goodwill and the United Way because I believe they do good things without me needing to know a lot of details.
For those of you who want to get involved with a cause about which you are passionate, please feel free. As for me, I have my own shoes.
