Happy Thanksgiving to all the sexy ladies and gent’s here on Pherotalk !!!
There are a lot of special people here on PT and your all on my list of things I am thankful for. 
Have a great day
Tisha
Thanks for the Happy Thanksgiving.
Here is a question for you.
If you are an athiest and someone sends you a Happy Thanksgiving email (from the US) that consists on One line saying Happy Thanksgiving then 6 lines cut and pasted from the bible saying be thankful, is it rude to put in your thank you email (from Afghanistan) “Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer.”
Just curious?
In all seriousness, I would first consider it slightly rude for them to send you a religious themed mail if they KNOW you are an atheist. IF they know, then they should respect that. However, in either case they are doing it from a well meaning if misguided place in either case and sending a reply that quite frankly insults their religious beliefs is in fact rude and petty. If you don’t care how they take it or if it effects your relationship to them then by all means feel free. If however these are people you want or intend on keeping a pleasant relationship with then being above the petty need to be right and being the bigger person by responding with a simple and sincere “thank you” is the better way to go.
Hope you had a great one too Tisha!
Meh, I’ll be out in Afghanistan for a few more years and will never see that person again. He just wants to stay in touch with me incase I can hook him up with a job.
Hmmm, so if I say something counter to their beliefs then it is rude and petty, but when they send random people bible quotes then they are well meaning.
Got it! I just need to send the anti-religious statements before they send the bible quotes and then I will be the good guy and if they reply then they are the rude and petty ones!
Thanks!
No I dont think its rude really as long as you do it in a positive manner and without anger. This person shared his/her beliefs with you and you will just be sharing yours with them.
I have been getting bible quotes thrown at me since I was a child. Happens when you have pagan grandparents. Sometimes I respond sometimes I dont. It depends on the motive of the person and whether I really think its worth possibly getting into a debate with them.
Does this person know you are atheist ? If not then he/she may have just been trying to bring peace to you since you are away from home during the holiday. It was done without malice.
If they do know then they are probably trying to influence you to there way of thinking. I see nothing wrong with responding in kind.
Say something like…
Thank you for the Thanksgiving wishes. I hope you had a great thanksgiving. I am diligently working to do my part to bring peace and religious freedom to the world so that all people will respect and honor each others beliefs and non beliefs without judgement and live in harmony.
I am grateful that I have the ability to be a part of the effort for peace and although it is hard to be away from family and friends I am grateful for your friendship and support.
“Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer”
Razor
Now you dont have to use those exact words of course that was just a example but you can see how I am getting the point across in a non threatening and non confrontational manner.
I am free to believe or not believe what I choose.
I respect and honor your right to believe and I expect the same for myself and all people.
The mention of peace indicated you do not wish to argue the point.
Then your quote indicates what you believe in.
There was no rudeness there but there was influence.
Oh and ((((Razor))))) I hope you had a good thanksgiving and I thank you for the sacrifice your making to bring peace where it is needed. I understand its war and some will say that is not peace but sometimes peace comes quietly and sometimes it can only come followed by a big roar. Stay safe.
Tisha
Not really what I said at all. I did add the condition of them knowing your beliefs being a factor. If they don’t know, then you really can’t hold it against them, if they do then yes it’s probably well meaning but still rude.
As for pettiness in your reply, it’s as much a matter of why you are doing it as how they perceive it. If you’re doing it with the intent of offending or insulting their beliefs (which it sounds like it is) then it’s petty. Regardless of who does it first. The fact that you’re basically wanting to offend them in what sounds like an act of revenge is testament to that.
I’m Roman Catholic, I have however had people wish me well in the spirit of many religious holidays include Jewish, Muslim and Pagan ones. I have never taken offense as a Christian. I simply accept that they wish me well in a manner that runs in line with their own spiritual beliefs. I do not feel as though they are forcing their beliefs on me, but rather sharing a very important part of themselves. “This is who I am,and I wish you well”. Nor do I feel a need to mock, ridicule or correct them on the “wrongness” of their belief system.
If you feel like they’re shoving their religion down your throat, simply say thank you and tell them that you’re an atheist and would appreciate if they respect that. Sending an anti religious greeting first is simply a matter of beating them to the punch. Your motivations and the personal satisfaction you would likely gain from mocking them is still there and still petty…doing it first does not change that and I never said it did so please don’t try and twist what I say to fit what you want to believe.
Gobble, gobble, Tish. 
Have a good one this year?