Religious Witnessing
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 04:16![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zachariahCustomer: Before I leave, and I ask this everywhere I go, if you died this very day...
And I knew exactly what was up. It's funny, I do the "New Atheist" thing (kinda, sorta, not really) on YouTube with no problems, but offline this kind of random religious confrontation doubles up my heart rate, I get lightheaded, and my mind goes to mush. Anyway...
Customer: ...do you know for absolute certain that you'd go to Heaven?
Me: As an atheist, I don't believe Heaven exists.
Him: Oh, come on, an atheist?! You may think you are now, but there aren't any in foxholes. (I am so not lying, this is what he pulled out.)
Me: So I've been told, so I guess we'll see!
Him: [disjointed speech on emotions, the clockmaker argument, there HAS to be a higher power of some kind!!1]
Me: I admire your convictions, but I can't share them, and I don't have time to have this conversation with you right now.
At that point there were two guys behind him in line, and he promptly shook my hand and left. These events are weird and leave me shaken for a few minutes, like someone not the mailman drives by my mailbox, opens it, and leaves. I am befuddled. I've told at least one other customer who brought up the topic that I don't believe in God, and he was shocked too. It'd be so much more fun to watch if it weren't always at my workplace, when I have important things to do and bathrooms to clean. o_0
And I knew exactly what was up. It's funny, I do the "New Atheist" thing (kinda, sorta, not really) on YouTube with no problems, but offline this kind of random religious confrontation doubles up my heart rate, I get lightheaded, and my mind goes to mush. Anyway...
Customer: ...do you know for absolute certain that you'd go to Heaven?
Me: As an atheist, I don't believe Heaven exists.
Him: Oh, come on, an atheist?! You may think you are now, but there aren't any in foxholes. (I am so not lying, this is what he pulled out.)
Me: So I've been told, so I guess we'll see!
Him: [disjointed speech on emotions, the clockmaker argument, there HAS to be a higher power of some kind!!1]
Me: I admire your convictions, but I can't share them, and I don't have time to have this conversation with you right now.
At that point there were two guys behind him in line, and he promptly shook my hand and left. These events are weird and leave me shaken for a few minutes, like someone not the mailman drives by my mailbox, opens it, and leaves. I am befuddled. I've told at least one other customer who brought up the topic that I don't believe in God, and he was shocked too. It'd be so much more fun to watch if it weren't always at my workplace, when I have important things to do and bathrooms to clean. o_0
