Just try not to be an asshole. That's all I'm saying.

So, you guys have some random ideas for me to cover over the last few posts before we hit 1,000.

And, I'm sure I'll half-assedly cover some of them, but I'm sorta keen to delve into another topic of great controversy because why not and all...

Religion.

Yep, I said it. It's a big touchy DON'T GO THERE subject with everyone and, you know what, I'm just totally going there.

I'm four posts from 1,000 and I'm probably going to alienate the rest of you who haven't already been alienated by my other offensive posts when I tell you that I think that organized religion is bunk.

For me.

I do not embrace it.

That said - I know lots of good lovable people who totally DO embrace it and, you know what, I think that's fine, too.

And I think it's great that we live in a country where you can decide to embrace it or not embrace it and that's technically OK.

Sadly, much like the No Kids thing, saying that you don't believe in organized religion is also frowned upon and inspires many Askers of Why.

The part of it that gets me is that it's not that I'm saying that YOU or PEOPLE shouldn't believe in organized religion, I'm just saying that *I* don't.

I am not into organized religion.

Much in the same way that I'm not into NASCAR or MMA or golf or birding or the color pink or a million other things that *some* people get REALLY into - as though it's a religion. 

I'm not into those things.

And no one gives one fat rat's behind that I'm not into any of those other things that I'm totally not into.

People only seem to pipe up with their obnoxious WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUs when I say that, although I was born into a Jewish household, I don't practice and I don't believe in God and I don't follow the teachings and avoid eating bacon or delicious lobster because a book says that it's a no-no.

It's just not what I believe. It's not what I'm about. Although I am a spiritual and curious person who seeks out enlightenment and some other usually-reserved-for-organized-religion types of activities, I don't go to church or synagogue and I don't believe in God.

I won't go into the whys and hows of why I don't embrace organized religion or believe in God because that's not the point. The point is that, much like the fact that I don't want kids and don't watch NASCAR and don't bow at the altar of Wal-Mart or wear head-to-toe pink - I don't do organized religion.

Are you offended that I'd lump Christianity or Judaism or Catholicism or Buddism in with NASCAR? Probably.

I imagine that might really bother some people.

And it bothers me that my ski season gets lumped in with Christmas and my fall honey harvest is lumped in with the Jewish high holidays.

Because snowboarding and beekeeping are two things that I *am* into and they are inextricably linked with these events in organized religion - something I *am not* into.

But, that all falls into the category of WHATEVER because, in my mind, we are not all here to be the same.

In my mind, the best thing I can do to contribute to my happiness and to the happiness of others as they go about their lives doing the things that they are into is for me to just try not to be an asshole.

That's basically as close as I get to religion - I try not to be an asshole to people and let them go about their lives in pursuit of happiness as I go about mine.

I guess my beef has to do with the fact that, for whatever reason, my not being into organized religion is an issue for other people. Even though those same people don't care that I'm not into NASCAR or Nickleback or reality TV or whatever.

Why is that?

Why care that I don't believe in one book that you've read but then not care that I don't believe in one TV show that you watch?

To me, that's a conundrum.

Not that I want these people getting on my back about whatever it is that I'm *not* doing that they think I *should* be doing, but it makes a godless heathen wonder.

Anyway, my solution to this is to give zero fucks and just go about my life trying to not be an asshole to people despite their Askings of Why and When and whatever that has to do with me not doing the things they think that I should be doing.

And for those of you who ARE into organized religion or NASCAR or beekeeping or birding or Nickelback or weaving your dog's hair into unitards for your other dogs - keep on keeping on, if it makes you happy and fulfilled.

Just do whatever the fuck makes you happy and, maybe, if you're into it, try not to be an asshole while you're at it.

That's all I'm saying.

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Countdown goes to four posts and the next one I'm really answering your questions. All of them.

Should be interesting. Or at least really, really confusing.