gimme sympathy.

Today I was walking through Mac Hall on my way to the Loft. On my way there, I walked past a table display with a banner proclaiming "Talk to me about Islam." It was, obviously, fronted by a group of muslim students. They had pamphlets and brochures, and for a moment they seemed to approach me. Mentally, I came up with what I would say to them - "No, thank you, I'm not interested in becoming muslim." This led me to a conclusion and a question: Why, am I as a Christian, far more tolerant to things like this when compared to non Christians? It's true my own faith in organized religion as an institution has diminished to the point of nonexistence, but my own beliefs and morals concerning God and Jesus are still there. While I may not always be the "best Christian example" I still hold on to the truth that I know exists. Why then, am I able to say "No, thank you" in the most polite tone to advances from other religious sects? Especially when non Christians can become extremely offended if approached by someone proclaiming to have "the good word" behind them? If anything, I should be the one most offended as I already lay claim to relationship with a different God than is presented in the Islamic tradition. It comes off as shocking how quick to anger certain individuals are when faced with someone who fundamentally thinks different than them in the areas of religion. But why? Why is it that non Christians seem to be angered, offended and everything in between, when as a Christian faced with the same situation, I am not? A few years ago the Gideons were handing out Bibles in the SU at UPEI, and the outcry that I witnessed was ridiculous "Ouch, it's burning my hand," "Let's go put this in the shredder," "Should I reroute my trip to avoid the SU building?" Come on people - let's be serious. How difficult is it to be polite rather than be angered and offended and make a big to-do about it? More importantly - why become angered and offended?