Earlier this evening I sat through yet another compulsory Chapel service and was forced to listen to a preacher talk about 'us' as if I was a willing participant who believed in her opinion. I believe in respecting all religions, so I stand, sit, sing compliantly. I respect her beliefs, but she won't respect mine.

I worship at the alter of science, an increasingly popular view. Evolution is my 'theory' of how we came to be here and the big bang is my 'theory' of how this world came into being. If Rev E. wants to believe that God created the world in 7 days, good on her for having the faith to maintain a belief that all the evidence goes against, that shows commitment. My issue is not with the belief, it's the manner in which the belief is forced down my throat as 'fact'.

When you go to a science class at school, everything is presented to you as a theory. We have principles that we need to put our faith in, in order to establish and further develop our understanding of the world. Yet even when you investigate theoretical math or advanced chemistry everything is presented as a 'theory'. Despite significant evidence, scientists are never as self-righteous to state that their belief is unequivocally and beyond doubt 'fact'.

As I sit through yet another speech about the holy spirit and how "history shows us that this significantly impact upon all of our lives, as the holy spirit is god" I have to bite my tongue and simultaneously stop myself from pitying her because, there's nothing to pity, she's justified in her belief. At the same time however I feel betrayed as it's like she's just turned history, my favorite subject, against me. She has simultaneously lumped me in with 'the believers' as she does almost every week, and stated that not only is the holy spirit a tangible thing but so is god.

Why is it that my belief has substantial evidence and is labelled 'theory' whilst her belief is based on a book written a few hundred years ago and faith and is labelled 'fact'? Why must I endure her speak and yet be given detention when in biology class I state that the theory of evolution is the only justified theory? Day after day I am asked to respect her, and other, religions. I do so willingly. In fact, I would go as far as saying I admire people who can honestly place belief in something greater then what they know. Yet, when it comes to my belief, my 'theory', I am told that I am too young to understand the greater being, too naive, too small minded, too shut off from the 'truth'?

If all beliefs were labelled theories rather then fact perhaps we'd all be a little more open minded, but labeling your belief fact and forcing it down my throat in a 'the power of Christ compels you' way, only makes me resent religion. I envisage readers will take offense, I guarantee I mean none. All people should be entitled to their beliefs, and these beliefs should be respected. I just ask that you give my belief the same respect that you give yours. Sharing opinions and beliefs can be a beautiful thing, but labeling your opinion as fact and forcing others to believe it makes it very difficult to respect your belief. The world would be a much kinder place if we could all show some courtesy for the opinions of others.