When choosing a topic for conversation, do you try to avoid the "Big Three" or are you comfortable talking about these subjects?

When describing the “Big Three”, I’m specifically talking about race, religion, and politics. My coworkers and I refer to them as this when we sit around and try to have an intellectual conversation now and again.

If we do decide to talk about any one or all of these topics, we try to agree beforehand that we’ll be civil about it and agree to disagree since these subjects can be controversial and prone to serious disagreements and even outright arguments due to differing opinions and feelings.

I was just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on these subjects and how they’re treated by people who choose to discuss them with others such as family, friends, relatives, coworkers, and even people here on Fluther.