I used to be an agnostic-atheist.  Now atheists make me want to be religious.

I hate their disrespect for others' beliefs.  It makes me want to embrace the Lord.  But I don't.  Because it's not in my genetics.  At the same time, hating religion is not in my DNA, either. 

But hating the disrespectful is instinctual for me.  That's why I hate atheists who want to do away with Christmas.  And I'm not even Christian.  Atheists are doing themselves a disservice.  They are alienating their own breed.  I am moving out of the stable of doubt.  I am embracing religions that I don't believe in just to throw it in the atheists' faces.

I'm an American.  I am a Jew.  I say "Merry Christmas," not "Happy Holidays."  If you can't respect the predominant religion of the country you live in, then you don't know the meaning of respect. 

I am tired of whiny atheists who want their own holiday.  How can they be so stupid as to celebrate the absence of God?  I don't believe in Him.  But I celebrate other people's celebration of their God.  I am missing the God gene.  So what?  I'm not proud of it.  It is what it is.  And I am not the jealous type who wants my own holiday of nothingness to be hung from an absent tree.

There's a sign in New Jersey that says "Keep Christ in Christmas."  A Freedom from Religion group has posted a sign near it: "Keep Saturn in Saturnalia."  What dozen kooks feel that they have the right to compete with the billions of followers of Christ? 

I'm not one of those bitter people.  I'm ashamed to be associated with those atheists who fail to respect a beautiful, productive, honest sentiment and religion in place of some ancient nonsense which is long dead.

You can't believe if you can't believe.  I have not been called to religion, and I probably never will be.  But I am not jealous or competitive with those who respect their own religions.  I hate modern-day atheists, even though I am a bit of one.

David Lawrence has a Ph.D. in literature.  He has published over 200 blogs, 600 poems, a memoir (The King of White-Collar Boxing), and several books of poems, including Lane Changes.  He was a professional boxer and a CEO.  Last year he was listed in New York Magazine as the 41^st reason to love New York.