At some point in a non-religious individual's life in 21st century society comes a time where he or she or x will be told that "atheists should keep their lack of belief to themselves," no matter how discreet their set of beliefs or lack thereof has on his or her or x's identity and how they present themselves to others. Whereas theistic praise for the divine (such as "Jesus loves you") are regarded as spiritual and inspirational, atheistic (or otherwise non- or anti-religious) concepts are "ideologically sensitive."

Personally, I have no desire for a society that restricts its people to monotheism, nor a society that bans theism altogether. Freedom, one of the so many things that make me patriotic among things that embarrass me about first world society, is one of the strongest concepts in America. Though this country was founded on the defiance of religious persecution, though the separation of Church and State is clearly defined in our Constitution's First Amendment, religion has an all-encompassing existence among our freedom as a whole and has an inevitable, irrefutable impact on politics.

Ask me to keep my lack of belief to myself, and I'll have to ask you to reciprocate and keep your theism to yourself. Exhibit A (I'm too lazy to write a relevant Exhibit B, I just really like using that phrase): same-sex marriage and contraceptive rights; these issues are the most heavily influenced by religion. Along with freedom comes liberty and justice: hiding in the shadows and often forgotten, the "wind beneath [the] wings" of freedom, so to speak. Visualize yourself as a theist; which comes first, your all-encompassing belief of an omnipotent deity that you would defend to the death, or the freedom of others? No one has the right to dictate which you favor over the other, as you don't have the right to demand that I shut up about my own radical liberal, pseudo-intellectualism.

This inexplicably brings me back on topic: apatheism. I first heard this term described on a YouTube clip of Bill Maher discussing religious labels with Piers Morgan. Apatheism is an indifference towards belief or disbelief of theism. In itself, it is not a belief, rather an attitude with regard to belief. In general, theists insist that their god have a direct impact on all aspects of an individual's life. Lucky them, I can't claim to have such strong faith in any of my own little beliefs or ideas that nothing anything ever says or questions anyone ever poses could shake it. I have too much doubt and curiosity. I insist that I'm not sure which god, if any, made me for what purpose, if any. I'm almost certain that the purpose in life is to create purpose for one's self, regardless of what exists beyond the stars and where we go when we die. I'm disenchanted with the idea that a deity created me with the purpose of worshiping it, and if it was so, it's such a shame.