THE MISSIONARY AT THE DOOR was polite but insistent as she tried to hand me a tract.
I bowed my head and pointed to my yarmulke. “No thank you,” I said.
Her eyes widened and her mouth made a little “o” of consternation as she backed away. “Thank you for being so courteous,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” I said, and closed the door.
Usually, my “yarmie” acts as a lighthouse for interesting conversations. It’s good, and a little sad, that it can also act as a conversation stopper.
These days, unfortunately it can provoke a negative and sometimes dangerous reaction.
That it can. I generally wear a hat over it when I go out, but I’ll be damned if I stop wearing it around the house and environs. (Not damned in the Xtian sense, though!)
I’m sorry to hear that. Why are people threatened to the point of violence, I wonder.
As do I.
I have actually been so lonely that I’ve invited Mormons in to chat. I can do that now that I’m old and self-possessed.
My evangelistic upbringing had left my young adult self athiestic, fearful, disdainful, threatened, and more than a little horrified that grown people believed in absurd stories and magical sky wizards.
Later, I studied mythology as part of my liberal arts education, and was able to ease my mind in and around other people’s beliefs using that as context.
Now, I’m fine with it all, as long as they don’t do it in the street and frighten the horses.
The Mormon sisters did not convince me of the existence of their particular supernatural being,
but they were good for kind words, hugs, hand holding, and listening to me. And now they are occassional social media friends.
As an atheist, I don’t have a dog in the fight, so I can listen to anyone without the need to argue. Being intellectually curious about most things, with the possible exception of football, I will listen with an open mind.
As a lifelong skeptic/zetetic/agnostic, I can relate. Well put.
Thank you :>)
Oy vey iz mir, I put an extra S in “occasional,” and this medium won’t let me edit. I hate that.