There is a hard rule at my coffee bar-no politics at the counter. Ever. No exceptions, even if it's just me and another person. No politics.

People exist who view politics with a cold eye and can make decisions as to what they believe and why and commit themselves to vote and support like-minded people in order to obtain their ideal government.  These same people, when voting doesn't go their way-suck up the proverbial upper lip go about their business trying to better their universe and plan on voting again next time, but in the meantime, to respect the leadership in place and all that implies.

Zealous politically-minded people will assume that you vote as they do-even if they have never asked you about your fundamental beliefs in how a country should be run-and proceed to trash the other side. Viciously and in deep detail and even while you remain mute they continue to harangue other peoples bumper stickers, stupidity or Facebook postings with opinions that DIFFER from THEIRS. This holds true for all political slants-and it is amusing to me.

Probably the most amusing though, is that this venom and zeal only appears around voting time. It's not a constant state of passion where they are always trying to get you to see through their platforms of belief to accomplish the goals they would like to see in our country. Oh no!

It's just when the popularity contest is up and running and, they want their pageant baby to win!

In this, politics reminds me so much of religion.

It's a people who have a faith they stick to year-round and try to convert people through actions that will be accompanied by words if questioned by curious people who are inspired and want to learn. 

The others assume you worship in the manner they do or that you are comfortable being prayed for and blessed with every greeting and parting or that you would never dare to contradict their belief system or religious hierarchy.

And then there are those who will trot out their holy garments at the holidays and pressure you to join them at cantatas, plays, meetings and homecomings so they can feel as if they have done their duty by witnessing hither and yon to godless souls in an attempt to save them-before we go to MeeMaw's for Christmas Eve dinner.

The correlation between the fervor which people apply themselves to religion and how they act on the political stage is astonishing.

This is not to be confused with separating politics from religion or incorporating religion into your politics or your beliefs reflecting how you vote. I'm not going there.

There is firm evidence that whole groups of people have replaced religion with politics. It gives them a support group of like-minded people. They can have meetings and gatherings to reinforce each others' convictions and plan how to convert other non-believers!

They can call people, they can take a bus around to take people to the meetings! They can send out mailers!! And they pour all this time, belief and effort into a political party... instead of a religion.