Devotion

The pathology of religious fanatics is one that has always intrigued me. What exactly is it that drives these people to follow whatever their chosen religion is so ardently? I ask this because today I was approached for the second time in as many days by a young man asking me to join his christian prayer group. Now, yesterday I was kind enough to listen to his plea, and calmly decline his invitation. Today however, he approached me yet again, however this time I was much more firm in my answer in the negative, considering it was quite obvious he recognized me from yesterday, along with his attempt to duck under my umbrella while asking. Now I certainly am not some atheist zealot who denounces all region as propaganda and hearsay. I have my beliefs, which I play close to the vest because they are MY beliefs, and they help me get through my days, or other moments of uncertainty that could be troubling me at any given time. I cannot however understand the fanaticism that sometimes comes with being a firm follower in any particular religion, much less those that seek to impose their beliefs upon you because they feel it'll make your life better. Perhaps for me it's just a matter of personal respect, over personal belief. What I do know for certain is that if I see dude again tomorrow, I'm going to have to give him a bible lesson the likes of which he never would have expected while trolling the campus of Columbia University.