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As a runner, I frequently stop at any of the water fountains that I come across on my runs and refresh myself. Last week I ran up to a fountain at the same time as an older lady with her mid-sized dog. I was happy to let the lady go first. As she drank she was fighting off her dog?s attempts to drink from the fountain. When she finished she started talking to her dog, and I stood there waiting for my turn to drink. Finally she said to me, ?would you like to go before my dog drinks?? I was floored, but my shy public side couldn?t do anything but quickly take a sip and run off with negative feelings about what had happened. I simply want to know if it is unreasonable for me to expect that people should keep their pets from drinking directly from our public water fountains. I love animals, but those fountains are for people, right? They make collapsible dog bowls that could be filled in that instance anyway, right? Am I way off base? This seems like simple common courtesy.

posted 4 years, 10 months ago
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I grew up in a strong practicing christian family. I have seen all my siblings (5 of us total) abandon christianity, and I have seen both of my parents fall away from the strict adherence to literal christian interpretation. We all still hold onto high ethical and moral standards however. I strongly believe that we can teach morality and ethics (to our children and others) in very convincing ways without attaching the idea that morality and ethics come from our religion. I also think its culturally criminal how the big western religions have and continue to wipe out the smaller tribal and native religions that are as or more important to smaller and less developed parts of the world. This aspect makes me take high offense to anyone trying to sell their religion to me, even though I am a very peaceful person. I don't like the way the idea of 'mission' feels to me at all.

posted 4 years, 10 months ago
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