I answer a knock at my door to find a young boy about 14 and a girl perhaps 18-20. The boy says "Good morning ma'am, my name is Joe and this is Jane. Can you tell me some things you think would make marriages last longer?" "Say that again," I say.
By then my brain has caught up with the situation and I explain my husband has died recently and I doubt I'm the person they need to be asking.
Joe, the boy, expresses his sorrow and asks if I'd like him to read me a scripture passage assuring me I will see my husband again in heaven. By this time my sense of mischief and amusement has kicked in. I was sorely tempted to exclaim in horror, "Don't tell me I've got to spend eternity with him. Could I go to hell instead?"
Fearing I might scar the boy for life I simply assured him I was at peace with my situation and it would not be necessary for him to read scripture.
After closing the door (Jane never uttered a word by the way) the situation made me laugh.
Whoever sent this kid out to proselytize needs to rethink that opening question.
They both were carrying iPads. He raised his when preparing to read scripture to me. Do you think he had the Bible in its entirety on his iPad? If so, King James is surely flipping in his grave. Everyone knows the Bible is not holy unless its on onion skin paper bound in leather.
This situation is a good example of how poor we are at communication these days. I live in a community with a lot of international people. Wonder what they thought about that approach?
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If you have a spare minute I encourage you to read this blog post from the blog Murrmurrs.
Bless his heart! He gets credit for walking up and knocking on a stranger’s door! However,!in this day and age I don’t think that’s a very good idea......
ReplyDeleteThere is a bible app that has all the translations and will even read them outloud. I have it on my phone.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible app is very popular and can be searched by topic which the boy was prepared to do for you. One of the mission stores around here uses all their money to ship solar flashlights with Bible apps embedded in them that reads the Bible in various 3rd world languages.
ReplyDeleteWe get a lot of those proselytizers coming door-to-door around here. It's required of them---Jehovah Witnesses and 7 Day Adventist. Never take their handouts to be polite because they take it as a sign you're open to be worn down to listen.
I would not be opening the door to these two. Who knows what they might do?
ReplyDeleteYou were much more polite and gracious than I typically would be. I especially dislike when an adult comes with a child in tow because I am inclined to be more polite in front of children. I am sure that is the intent so that makes me all the more irritated. I like to tell them that I would not buy a vacuum cleaner from a door to door sales person and I am certainly not gonna buy a religion that way.
ReplyDeleteShowing kindness to all people is a good virtue. You need not agree. You need not invite them in. Just be kind.
ReplyDeleteI agree, dkzody. It's part of their religious doctrine go out in the field to try to bring "the word" to people. So if we believe in religious freedom as our constitution gives us we have to be tolerant. We can be polite but still not give them a reason to believe we'd be interested so they come back again.
DeleteNot sure I totally agree. I totally believe in religious freedom. Not so much in agreement that it gives others the right to invade my privacy to share their religious beliefs.
DeleteYou probably did just right. Polite but clear. They don't bother me and I'd rather see them doing that than joining gangs or doing drugs.
ReplyDeleteTo me they're like telemarketers. Intrusive to personal space and privacy. I do not proselytize my beliefs or non-beliefs, why should anyone? And the pimping of a child is appalling.
ReplyDeleteI'm polite. Always. But firm. I do state I would never do to them what they are doing to me.
XO
WWW
Yes--the whole Bible is on the internet!! Shameful, I know. I am kind also and have, at times, invited them in or the Mormon "Boys all dressed in their suits, and we discuss. Once they see my "Abide in HIM" metal art on the wall, my Bible and my angels, they leave pretty quickly. They are just doing their duty, looking for converts and they see I'm going the same direction they are. LOL
ReplyDeleteI’ve responded to these differing religious groups in various polite ways over the years as I do understand they believe they have to do this as part of their religious beliefs. I tend to view people I don’t know who come to my door these days just as intrusive as telephone solicitors since they don’t know or seem to care what they may be interrupting. The questions they devise to try and draw people into conversation are interesting. Now I simply say I have my own spiritual beliefs and I’m not interested in discussing them or anything else and I close my door. I’ve been tempted to say to them I hope you know you’re doing this to make yourself feel better and I hope it helps you.
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