Yes, question my faith, or lack thereof.

A colleague remarked that I am very quiet, and that I only talk when spoken to. Which is true - I hardly initiate conversations, but if someone else does I am more than game to carry on. I quite sincerely explained that I don't talk first because I'm afraid that people won't like me, in those words. The reason why I prefer other people to initiate any form of contact is because I can match their wavelength - don't wanna make any faux pas that I'll regret, y'know. This is extremely relevant in our interaction: he is one hell of a fierce-looking guy, what with arched eyebrows and a downward tilt to his mouth. But his intimidating face belies a humorous, and staunchly religious soul.

I never thought that our relationship would progress so quickly, but he suddenly shot me a question: Do you believe in God? Whoaa. Having the god debate this early in getting to know each other? Fine! I'll try my best not to provoke, but if someone asks for it...

After an hour or so of mind-numbing clothes-folding, I thought, hey, I should ask him why HE believes in God. So I did! I've never had the god debate with a non-Christian, so it was somewhat interesting to note that despite the different religion, people still have the same reasons for subscribing to a god. He is Muslim, and he said something to the effect of our miraculous existence necessitating a God. He asked me why I don't believe in God, and I explained why. He seemed bewildered that I am a godless, and asked me a seemingly benign question, "So what do you do?"

"Huh, what do I do?"

"Ya, what do you do in your free time?"

"Eh, read?"

"I read too, but I read religious books."

Okaaay... I know of people who do that, so it's fine by me, but no need to be bewildered that I read a wide variety of books INCLUDING the super awesome The Lucifer Effect! Philip Zimbardo defines evil as the exercise of power to intentionally harm people psychologically, to hurt people physically, to destroy people mortally and commit crimes against humanity.

I didn't really get to have a lively debate with him about it, because we both had stuff to do. I'll continue the debate in this entry. So, conceding that there might be a creator God (because I couldn't tell him how the Big Bang happened, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that God created the universe), I highly doubt the existence of a protector God. Life is pretty shit. I became vaguely religious by praying to a non-specific omnipotent being lately, and he/she/it didn't do shit for me. Whatever. I'm not doing something I can't get returns for.

It didn't feel like April Fools' today, in part because colleagues are so full of crap all the time anyway. Ha!