May your God go with you but remember, he may not be mine!

A comment was once attributed to Voltaire who supposedly said I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Now as it happens I don't disagree with M'lord Piggott but even if I did I would always follow the tenet of Voltaire ergo here personally paraphrased as: It's your opinion and you're welcome to have it with no hindrance from me only don't belt me with it constantly ok?

However why is it that a certain breed of religious fanatical believer thinks that it's their given right to disapprove of everybody else's views and belief structures save their own?

They also seem to believe that it's their right to interject these views where-ever and when-ever they deem fit to the complete ignoring of the wishes of those who they wish to convert.

When approached in the street these people are sidestep-able; when they appear on your doorstep they are dismiss-able (usually with very short shrift from yours truly) and loads of barking from the dog however what about when they're in your house for other reasons?

We've been having loads of renovation work done at Naq Towers recently. The various workmen who've been here have been excellent at their respective trades and all with a great work ethic (and also all British too as it happens!).

However one of these people, from the moment he arrived made short work of telling me his religious beliefs and trying to convert me to following them.

I have, as I have said, no problem with anyone's religious beliefs with the proviso that they don't feel the need to belt me incessantly around the head with them.

This was exactly what this person chose to do. It seemed to be his entire raison d'etre. Forget that he was supposed to be working here for which he was being paid, instead he'd rather beat his religious drum.

I put up with his sudden and regular appearance at my office door to propound some new facet of his belief, not caring if I or my wife was working or even on the phone, and eventually he started virtually demanding that I read a book he was insisting he'd bring me in.

At this juncture I rather forcefully pointed out to him that I had made my views more than clear on several occasions and that he was now on very dangerous ground. His one comment was "So our discussions are over?" to which I simply replied "Yes".

As an aside why do these people always wear the same inane, patronising, mealy mouthed treacly smile while they talk to you; treating you as some sad little child who needs sympathy?

Now this may have stopped him from waving the hand of god in my face but it didn't stop him playing his religious radio station constantly. One advantage of me being deaf is that I could simply shut off the hearing aids and this "Lordy,lordy, praise be, hosanna, hallelujah" music and drivel simply faded away.

I spoke to the job foreman and explained that when the rest of the work was to be carried out I did not want this man involved. The foreman understood and agreed. He explained that this had happened before and he only continued to use him because his work was so good.

I think that I was extremely tolerant of this intrusive behaviour in my own home and only stood it for as long as I did because the rest of the team were and are highly professional and expert at their work.

I simply do not understand why someone feels that from the moment they have their foot inside another persons door, especially when they are a trades-person being paid to be there, then they have carte blanch to start their religious crusade.

I have no doubt that this particular fervent believer took the view that because I choose to look the way I do and live the lifestyle I appear to do, then I needed saving from the pits of hell. Well maybe if I was a participant in his world I might but perhaps he should consider the wider view before acting.

Although of course almost all forms of religious indoctrination seems to preclude personal thought, opinion or action.

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