又中又英 | Dicey Topic | 褚簡寧

　　Religion is a dicey topic (sensitive topic) for columnists. That's why most columnists stay away from expressing an opinion on which religion is better than others. I wouldn't touch the issue with a ten-foot pole. If you wouldn't touch something, such as discussing religion or eating raw oysters, with a ten-foot pole, it means you avoid it completely. I also wouldn’t touch steak tartare with a ten-foot pole because this French dish consists of minced raw beef mixed with raw eggs and seasonings. I had dinner a few years ago with Hong Kong friends who ordered steak tartare to share. I told them I would never eat raw beef.

　　I sometimes listen to an American political commentator whose YouTube show has a large following. He doesn't discuss religious topics but sometimes points out that he is an agnostic. An agnostic is a person who believes nothing is known or can ever be known if God really exists. My late mother was a very religious person, but I have some agnostic friends who believe it is impossible to know if there is a God. Do not confuse the word “agnostic” with the word “atheist”. An agnostic is different from an atheist.

　　An atheist is a person who doesn't believe in religions such as Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism, or that God exists. I have many friends who are atheists. An agnostic neither believes nor disbelieves in God. They simply believe there is no proof or that there can ever be proof that God exists.

　　對專欄作家來說，宗教是個敏感的議題（dicey topic）。因此大部分的專欄作家都會對此保持距離，不去發表哪個宗教比較好的意見。我也完全不願意觸碰這個議題（wouldn't touch the issue with a ten-foot pole）。若你不願以十呎長的杆子（a ten-foot pole）去碰某事，例如討論宗教又或吃生蠔，那即是你完完全全避開它，不想沾上邊。我也完全不願碰（a ten-foot pole）牛肉他他（steak tartare），因為這道法國菜包含了免治生牛肉混合生蛋和調味料。我幾年前跟一些香港朋友吃晚飯，他們叫了牛肉他他（steak tartare）分着一起吃。我告訴他們我永不會吃生牛肉。

　　我有時會聽一個美國政治評論員的節目，他的YouTube頻道有許多的粉絲。他不會談論宗教的議題，但有時會指出自己是個agnostic。An agnostic是不可知論者，相信我們不知道或無法知悉神是否存在。我先母是個虔誠信教的人，但我也有些持不可知論（agnostic）的朋友，相信我們不可能知道世上到底有沒有神。大家可不要混淆agnostic與atheist這兩個字啊。一個不可知論者（agnostic）跟一個atheist是完全不一樣的。

　　An atheist是無神論者，不相信任何宗教，例如基督教、伊斯蘭教或印度教，也不相信有神。我有許多朋友是無神論者（atheists）。而不可知論者（agnostic）不是相信也不是不信有神。他們單純認為沒有證據，或不可能有證據證明有神。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻