Is this a forum for questions & answers about religion & spirituality, or for religious & spiritual people?

You're very right on all of that.

Except for one thing. I know of no other religion (except perhaps Islam) which talks about believers being persecuted by outsiders because of their belief.

Please don't let Christianity define all religion for you. They have enough power and influence over our society already.

Some people think it's the latter. In fact they think it's specifically for people of their religion. But this is Yahoo! Answers Religion & Spirituality. That means it's for asking and answering *questions about* Religion & Spirituality.

Otherwise we're going to have to get all of the humans out of the pets section.

It's the first a lot of time the religious & spiritual people that ask why atheist are here are just looking to be owned.

Ask a legitimate, sincere question and you will get an answer, and probably a hug too. For a lot of believers, not getting caught up in a question that is only meant to harm is difficult. Few unbelievers come here for real sincere answers. It takes a lot of courage for any believer to come to this forum and stay and wait for a legitimate question about their beliefs.

I thought it was about religious and spiritual cows with dreams of wet prophetic zebras, but then again I'm silly.

"You're an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks

to collect a bill."

"Why ? Why would a nice guy like you wanna kill a genius ?

You know that the man really likes you. He likes you, he

really likes you. He's got something in mind for you. Aren't

you curious about that ? I'm curious, I'm very curious. You

curious ?There's something happening out there, man.

You know something, man, I know something that you don't

know. That's right, jack. The man is clear in his mind, but his

soul is mad . Oh yeah. He's dying, I think. He hates all

this, he hates it! But ... the man's ... uh ... he reads poetry out

loud, alright? ... And a voice! A voice. ... He likes you because you're still alive. He's got plans for you. Nah, nah, I'm not going to help you, you're going to help him, man. You're going to help him. I mean, what are they going to say, man, when he's gone, huh? Because he dies, when it dies, man, when it dies, he dies. What are they going to say about him? What, are they going to say, he was a kind man, he was a wise man, he had plans, he had wisdom? ********, man! Am I going to be the one, that's going to set them straight? Look at me: wrong! ... You!"

Yes, it's for religious people just like the Celebrities section is just for celebrities and the Fish section is just for fish.

Seriously, they ask questions all day like "do you believe in god" because they WANT atheists to come in and say no, so that some will become offended and report us.

Hee, you are right on. Some people just don't want to hear anything but reassurances that they are "right." They think the rest of us should just sit down and shut up (as it says in the e-mail that keeps going around and around).

I like to think we're 'testing their faith'. Surely they'd be pleased to have a chance to defend their convictions?

Oh. It appears I was misinformed. They're not pleased at all.

It makes me wonder that the thought doesn't occur to them.