Same way at the Senior Center in my town, where I go to eat lunch most weekdays of the month, not to socialize, but to have the free meal. There are only a few people there that I ever talk to or sit with by choice, as they are the only other people there who, like me, are politically liberal and non religious. The rest are all clearly Trumpers, conservative Christians, or both. A few years ago, before they moved into their new, fancy building, they had all that bullshit you mentioned back there. The weekly Pledge of Alligence, the daily prayer before eating, which they called a Moment Of Silence, even tho it had obviously replaced a formal moment of prayer, but someone probably bitched about it and separation of church and state, so they simply altered it in title in order to get around the constitution.

At least they dropped that shit as soon as they moved to the new building, because they knew the new place would start attracting people who actually had some money and more education, so they decided to alter things for a more secular population of seniors. But what hasn't changed at all, is the politics of the group, and most of them are still conservative Christians. I have been asked why I am so seemingly anti social there, as in like why I always seek out an empty table to sit at, if none of my few friends there are present to sit with, and I've told them I simply don't want the hassle and friction of interacting with people that have nothing in common with me besides being age 60 or older and coming there to eat lunch, as almost none of them share my politics, non belief in religion, education or intellectual level. I tell them that I'm doing a favor to all concerned, by keeping to myself or my small group of friends there. And if they call that snobbish or rude, they can go fuck themselves.

It's better than getting into daily arguments there, or stifling myself and playing along to get along, by doing small talk and avoiding any real conversations. One can only discuss the weather and college sports for so long.... and I've always hated small talk.. And before they moved to the new building, I had already established myself as an outcast and misfit rebel to the group, because I would always sit by myself, at an empty table in the back of the room, and remain defiantly seated during the weekly Pledge, and also begin eating on my own, defiantly, while they did their stupid Moment Of Silence. I still remember all the death stares I would get from many of them during those moments, while I would simply smile back at them.

And true to the midwest enforced politeness and chickenshit nature of those sorts of people, none of them had the guts to ever speak to me about my boycotts of the Pledge and Moment Of Silence, because they knew that I had the law on my side, knew all of my rights, and would rip their face off verbally, if they had tried to confront me on my behavior regarding those rituals..

"...look around and see who else is looking around."

@TomMcGiverin Good to know what I can look forward to!!!

I agree with you. Well said.

It's simply beyond their level of intellect, experience, and education. May as well be talking to a Martian or someone from a foreign country who has no previous knowledge or experience with America.

Atheism does not "answer these questions" but pretending that you have answers to those questions is the biggest lie. It is OK to say "I do not know." I like those people who claim not to know and then explain why they cannot know. An honest person can see these things and know that they also cannot know. Nobody knows.