Save the Unbelievers Day

[revena]

Jameson answered the door this morning to a pair of very polite Mormon missionaries. It was a bit startling to me, as usually when the Mormons come around, they're looking for my mother. I was also a bit startled because, under their cute missionary uniforms (short-sleeved white button-ups, dark slacks, sensible dress shoes, and plain black satchels... You can spot 'em a mile away), they were both rather dark-skinned. I'm so used to blond missionaries, it boggled me a bit to consider that this pair might actually be local.

Anyway, they talked to Jameson, not me. He engaged in polite handshaking and introductions with them, but said rather firmly that he wasn't interested in converting, and they went on their way.

It seems that today is Save the Unbelievers Day, however. I just ran next door to get my dobak before teaching my afternoon class, and when I came back there was a minivan full of Jehovah's Witnesses parked in front of my house. I used to have one in particular that visited me, Abby, I believe her name was, that I was quite friendly with. She brought me a copy of The Watchtower pretty much every month, and then I'd invite her in and we'd have a pleasant conversation about how I really am pretty content to be an agnostic. It turns out that my interest in biblical literature makes it really hard for me to say "no, I'm not interested in hearing your favorite passage from the Bible, actually," which means that I can never really be convincing enough to get the Jehovah's Witnesses to cross me off their list, or whatever. Abby has apparently moved on, but I've had two visits from a new woman, now, who conveniently enough keeps managing to come by when I'm about to leave to go somewhere else, which makes it a bit easier to turn her away.

I've got to start getting tougher with these well-intentioned religious folks, though. Perhaps I should adopt my friend Uri's protestation that I'm a -militant- agnostic: "I don't know whether or not God exists, and NEITHER DO YOU!"

I'm a bit worried about who might be on my porch waiting for me when I get home from class... Do the Catholics send people around?

Comments

[anariel-di-gaia.livejournal.com]

I don't think we're much into converting people, we'd rther just look at our gold. I usually tell people trying to convert me that I'm a catholic, they always go away immediately. I think for some reason they seem to have the impression catholics are unconvertable.

My friend Chris usually invites them in, sits them down and leaves them because "It's not like they're going to nick anything, c'mon, I'm busy!"

Whereas my friend Nick has the highly original method of opening the door naked. Apparently once they've seen 'little Nick' they lose their enthusiasm.

But hey! Free literature! Like you were ever going to refuse!

[revena.livejournal.com]

The Watchtower often has really interesting general interest articles, I've found. It's not the highest level of writing out there, but it's moderately informative.

My ex and very good friend, Uri, once opened the door to some Mormons in his boxers, and then proceeded to offer them beer and cigarettes, indulging himself when they declined. It was ten in the morning, and they beat a pretty hasty retreat.

[amarynth.livejournal.com]

Catholics seem to be rather like Jews - if you're not one at birth, they're not that interested. This may be why they're losing market share so massively to evangelical churches in the Third World.

The idea of militant agnosticism is rather appealing, since many people I know who describe themselves as agnostics do so because atheism seems too militant for them - that is, describing oneself as agnostic tends to lead to less defensiveness from the religious. But if that's what one's after...

[revena.livejournal.com]

I'm just too much of a soft-touch. I can't really bring myself to be rude to people, even telemarketers, but especially people I'm dealing with face-to-face. I may be -thinking- "No, I'll never convert, you're wasting your time and mine, please go away" but what I'll -say- is "I'm pretty happy with my faith actually... Er... Yes... I suppose I do have ten minutes to spare..."

I am an actual real-life agnostic, though. I used to be heavily involved with science, and I am all about evolutionary theory, but I still like the idea that there might be some higher being out there, and some sort of purpose beyond procreation and survival. That said, I tend to think that if there is a god, s/he ought to be sufficiently "greater" than humans so as not to really care about whether or not s/he is worshipped, as vanity seems to me an awfully human trait. So, I hope for a higher being, in some ways, but I'm content never to know, never to have proof or true faith. I feel that one should do the Right Thing because it's Right, anyway, not because one hopes for reward, or hopes to avoid punishment...

So, yeah, I'm pretty happy with my faith, actually... ;-)

[sonorajinn.livejournal.com]

Phil found this one when i mentioned the double-whammy to him
http://www.moviesaskew.com/movies2/missionary.mov

[revena.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Oh, wow... That was something.

The Mormons shouldn't have been wearing backpacks, though.

Plus, their nametags are always engraved.

Ok, I'll stop nitpicking now... ;-)

[lesbiem.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Jews don't go door to door, we just lure you in with pastries.

[revena.livejournal.com]

Quoth Jameson, reading over my shoulder:

"And delis. Jews have the best delis. If great delis aren't a good enough reason to be Jewish, I dunno what is."

[lesbiem.livejournal.com]

He knows his stuff.

My Great-Grandparents started a deli in Brooklyn when they first came to America. I got corned beef in my blood:)