today's entry will be reserved for complaints. first, i don't think any of the remaining "survivors" actually deserve the grand prize.

secondly, i got an email about a week ago -- one of those "forward this to a thousand people or you'll have bad luck for seven years" emails. it was a poem about a young person dying and being denied access into heaven. the part that bothered me fell at the end, the "forward this or die" sentiment often found at the end of such emails. except this was what followed:

"please show this to everyone you care about. (((which should be everybody))) if someone had a gun held in front of your face, and asked you if you believed in god, what would you do? say no and feel ashamed the rest of your life? or say yes, i do, and die standing up for god? if you'd say no, then delete this email. if you would stand up for jesus christ, then send this to all your friends."

am i the only one who finds that disturbing? i am not quite sure why it bothers me... maybe because it included a gun. maybe because i would fear that scenario, or maybe feel i couldn't answer the question. maybe because i've spent a large majority of my life surrounded by people who insisted on preaching to someone. for example, this girl used to sit at the lunch table in middle school and tell two of my best friends (on more than one occasion), flat out to their faces, that they were going to hell because they weren't christians.

maybe i'm just bitter b/c of experiences like that. i'm by no means an ideal human being, but i do try to be tolerant of everyone's beliefs... except i have a hard time when they are thrust into your face and pushed on you -- insisting that their belief is the ONLY belief. that all bothers me, and i guess that email just struck a nerve... rant over.