Are they all that bad? I haven't got a clue.

Hi there. You're right. I think I'm right in saying that in the UK, religious beliefs are kept private. Theists may do crazy stuff while they are in their religious congregations, but they tend not to take it outside. It's not like a complete stranger walks over to you and ask if you believe in God like it apparently happens a lot in America... well apart from Jehovah's witnesses knocking on your door (lol), but even then, I've never had sanctimonious and self-righteous ones. However, like you've met several, I'm sure there are some people in the UK who fit in the above definition of religionist.
What I also find interesting is that in America, it seems that Christians are assumed to be right-wing by default, whereas, as you know, the reverse (Christians being left-wing) is also true in the UK.

@Ryo1 I think that the link to the left in the UK may depend on where you are. My impression is that there may be a left leaning in the church in some urban areas, but in the rural areas, where I live, there is a lot of right wing thinking within the church. Most of those I have encountered are on the right, and certainly our own former rector, was as right wing as they come, especially with regard to womens rights, being one of those who threatened to leave for the Church of Rome if they ordained women. ( A threat which he did not have the courage to carry out, when it came to it.) And that would fit with his attitudes generally. (The police have been called over issues of wife beating.) He and at least one other local rector have also been involved in scandals involving the planning laws, and their borderline legal support for large capitalist corporations, at the expense of local communities, as well as a completely illegal land rental scam, which did go to court.

"May the Lord of Misrule be your Master!" (Woops, He already is!)

@anglophone wow, ok then.

I live in England. Some people I know, including the lady next -door and the couple across the road, and some of my relatives, go to church every Sunday, but they never get "in my face". This can be a British character? I don't know. I think I'm right in saying that Brits are not confrontational, generally speaking. I'm sure there are religionists in England, too, though.

@Ryo1 Hi, I live in Australia and I have friends who are religious but never are they in my face either. I have also travelled in Islamic countries and have dealt with people from there but have never ever had anyone of them in my face. Only when I have travelled in the US have I encountered religious people who were aggressive when religion came up in conversation.

Hi Jolanta, Yeah, that's the impression I get from people in America. Must be down to societal and cultural differences.

@Jolanta Yeah, we’re loaded with arrogant oppressive hateful pricks here, fact. I keep to myself anymore, have for years....

@Buck How is that working out for you?

@Jolanta Good, I’ve always pretty much been a loner anyhow. Truth is, I’m looking to leave this shit hole sometime this year. How did you like Sweden, lol....

@Buck I liked Sweden very much, did not like the weather there though.

Hi there. Does that mean you had to fall out with your own family?

My family fell out with me. When I did my research, and found that Moronism (oops, Mormonism) was a scam, I asked the leader of my congregation (the bishop) to prove me wrong. He would not. Instead, he had me excomunicated. At that point, my wife took our two children and disappeared. A month or two later, I was served with divorce papers. At first, I mourned the loss of my family, but later I came to understand that being free from Moronism was worth it.

That's not how I normally encounter people. So, I wait.

There are certainly those who "SAY" they are religious but anyone can "SAY' anything.

In America, maybe. Not always so obvious in England. Plus, I grew up in a non-religious environment, so, I've hardly ever had anything to do with any religion in my entire life.