Somebody rang on our door today, I am home alone, so I opened. There were two women around my age who told me that they came to talk to me about the meaning of life. I immediately knew they were Jehowa's witnesses.
I never discuss my religion with strangers - especially not with ones who ring our door. I always find way to politely say goodbye and close the door.
One of them showed me her smartphone and invited me to read numer 28:
28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, *Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over every living thing that †moveth upon the earth.
It took my breath away.
Can you imagine anything ruder or more impolite to read to a childless woman? I thought for a second whether I should educate these two silly women but then I decided that they weren't worth it. Besides - you never know who is recording you with intention to put you on youtube.
So I just ended the conversation quickly, said goodbye and closed the door.
Luckily this happened now, when I am well. An incident like that would have ruined me for days if it had happened 10 years ago.
Wow, how stunningly insensitive of her. I'm sorry you experienced that, even now when you are doing better than ten years ago. Personally, I've found that reciting the Nicene Creed (especially the bit about "God from God, Light from Light...") can be remarkably effective at getting Jehovah's Witnesses off my front step! :)
ReplyDeleteAargh. I'm sorry they did that to you. But I certainly support your right to decide not to educate them. I think we all deserve to decide who hears our stories, and to decide when or if we use them to educate. Sending hugs.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, how thoughtless.
ReplyDeleteIt kind of reminds me of when I was shopping at a fabric store this weekend. They were having a sale and the store was very crowded. One woman was trying to get by another woman and the first woman told her child, "Let this other mommy get by." The second woman didn't have a child with her so I guess the first woman just assumed she was a mother. It totally annoyed me. And I wondered what/if I would've said something if she had been talking to me. People can be so thoughtless and assumptive. Anyway, like you, I was glad I heard that stupid comment now instead of years ago when it would've ruined my week.
I'm glad you quickly closed the door on those intruders.
Aaarrrgghh I would have hated these two women! Unfortunately, I think that religion has traditionally contributed to make childless women abnormal. Still today, involuntarily childless couples don't seem to be a topic of interest for the church. That's a pity, because it would be a meaningful task for it.
ReplyDelete