Crazy Christians on the Streets

tipperaryguy

Okay, so one day I was standing outside a church in my hometown waiting for someone ( and also to see if the spire would fall off and pierce me through the heart) and this old man came up to me and started spouting to me about how jesus was coming and that i should be afraid and about how all atheists will burn in hell and such nonsense. He continued down the path of Day of Judgement etcetc and how it's our fault for turning our backs on "God" (How dare we) . it felt like he was blabbering on for ages and i think I must have had the same wonderful expression of bewilderment and confusion, with a sprinkle of astonishment, until he finally shuffled off to his world of rosary beads, hail mary's and benedictions

I was just wondering what the atheist population here feel is the right reaction to this kind of approach? should i refute and confront him or nod away to avoid inciting the poor ocotgenerian?? I'm moving to the big city soon and i feel this sort of encounter could be more common

Sarky

I'd be awfully tempted to egg him on and see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Describe your many and varied sexual exploits and ask if there's specific punishment for those. If you don't have many or varied sexual exploits, make some up.

Cabaal

Depends on the mood, I suppose

- Tell him to feck off...or whatever language you want to use.
- Do Sarky's idea,
- Go along with him but get numerous key things very very wrong and claim thats how you interpreted the bible, could have alot of fun with that one.
- Agree with him but then branch off into how harry potter and LOTR's is the work of the devil (I worked with somebody who thought this...not kidding!!)
- Try convert him to another god
- Try get as many references to Fr Ted in as you can, for example go on about cults and say that you've heard about them and how they all dress in black and say the lord will save us all.

Same as I would do with chuggers I suppose, say no thanks and keep walking


Hasn't happened yet though

vibe666

how did he know you were an atheist, were you waving a big sign? :pac:

Geomy

vibe666 wrote: »

how did he know you were an atheist, were you waving a big sign? :pac:

I was wondering the same thing lol

tipperaryguy

Geomy wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing lol

I'm not sure he did ( maybe just cos i looked under 30 or something) , i think he was talking that atheists in general in Ireland would go to hell, maybe he was talking directly to me, or just in general?? i didnt get a chance to utter a word in the whole "interaction"

Sarky

Cabaal wrote: »

- Try convert him to another god

Ooh, this! I had a great time a few years ago back in Galway when some Jehova's Witnesses came knocking. My copy of the Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster had just arrived earlier that week, so my flatmate and I started counter-preaching at them.

Beruthiel

Geomy wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing lol

You forgot to wipe the baby blood off your chin.

sbsquarepants

Cabaal wrote: »

- Agree with him but then branch off into how harry potter and LOTR's is the work of the devil (I worked with somebody who thought this...not kidding!!)
.

Lord of the rings is the work of the devil, and a slow ass, drawn out, coma inducing devil at that!

Cabaal

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Lord of the rings is the work of the devil, and a slow ass, drawn out, coma inducing devil at that!

blasphemy!
The dark lord Sauron will see to it that your days are numbered!

gaynorvader

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Lord of the rings is the work of the devil, and a slow ass, drawn out, coma inducing devil at that!

Lord of the Rings is the TRUTH and the WAY that the LORD Gandalf wants us to live. REPENT on your words of BLASPHEMY or burn forever in the fires of MOUNT DOOM.*


*These views are not necessarily those held by the poster.

Rev Hellfire

tipperaryguy wrote: »

I'm moving to the big city soon and i feel this sort of encounter could be more common

Quite the opposite, people mind their own business more in the cities.

Sarky

Only Irish city I've ever gotten harassed by old religious fogies is Dublin, but isn't the area around the Spire pretty much a designated bollocks-preaching zone? Pretty much asking for it wandering along there.

Real Life

i would identify as a satanist to people like that, just because it seems to annoy them even more

Frito

Real Life wrote: »

i would identify as a satanist to people like that, just because it seems to annoy them even more

Not as much as claiming to be god and giving out to them for zealotry.
Never done it, but I could imagine myself interrupting some quote from the bible with, "yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what I said. Look, the fishers of men I had in mind had better people skills, but if you wanna help then go find me a couple of loaves and fish...got a few people coming".

The_Valeyard

Claim you are Jesus and it was time for him to become your minion and do your bidding!!

FouxDaFaFa

I've never been stopped on the street by anyone in Galway, except for this lovely woman who comes out occasionally and yells at any women passing by who are wearing trousers. ("Whores!", etc)

Never had people come to the house either.
I've had about half a dozen people come into work though, either to yell at me for opening on a Sunday or occasionally engage me in normal conversation and then suddenly whack a leaflet down and explain to me that I've "lost my way". Most recently, a JW.

Those who yell bother me and I don't appreciate being lulled into a conversation only for it to descend into me being force-fed Watch Tower sound-byes, but I'm never rude to them. They think they're saving me. and while they may be imposing themselves on me to do that, if they're polite I'll be polite back. If they insult me, I'll insult them.

swampgas

Some of these people have genuine mental health issues. They have enough to cope with without being wound up by people who should know better.

[steps off soapbox/high horse]

tipperaryguy

swampgas wrote: »

Some of these people have genuine mental health issues. They have enough to cope with without being wound up by people who should know better.

[steps off soapbox/high horse]

....Christianity

Sarky

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

I've never been stopped on the street by anyone in Galway, except for this lovely woman who comes out occasionally and yells at any women passing by who are wearing trousers. ("Whores!", etc)

In my 10 years in Galway I never encountered this woman. Now I feel like I missed out on something wonderful

FouxDaFaFa

Sarky wrote: »

In my 10 years in Galway I never encountered this woman. Now I feel like I missed out on something wonderful

She hasn't been around in ages. Last time I saw her she was camped outside the new (at the time) gay club on Shop st.

I'm not kidding. She had a sleeping bag.

Sarky

Amazing. Well, I'm off to Galway this weekend for a Tweet-up (I'd blame the whiskey, but I can never stay mad at Glenmorangie), so if I'm lucky I'll cross paths with her.

Beruthiel

Sarky wrote: »

Amazing. Well, I'm off to Galway this weekend for a Tweet-up (I'd blame the whiskey, but I can never stay mad at Glenmorangie), so if I'm lucky I'll cross paths with her.

If you dress like a girl maybe she'll pop out of the woodwork.

Sarky

Eh, if a full ball-gown, tiara light-up sash and matching purse didn't do it...

Obliq

Sarky wrote: »

Eh, if a full ball-gown, tiara light-up sash and matching purse didn't do it...

PICS!!!

Sarky

Meh, I haven't exactly made them hard to find online[url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/[/url] There's at least one in the Mods forum. They make you do things before they let you ban someone, you know.

Obliq

Sarky wrote: »

Meh, I haven't exactly made them hard to find online. There's at least one in the Mods forum. They make you do things before they let you ban someone, you know.

I can't go there. Come on Sarky, I need a laugh here....:cool:

Beruthiel

Sarky wrote: »

There's at least one in the Mods forum.

Indeed there is Princess.

Turtwig

Obliq wrote: »

I can't go there.

It is no place for mortals.

Obliq

Jernal wrote: »

It is no place for mortals.

*Sobs uncontrollably. Takes out chainsaw for thorough CLEANING* :mad:

Oracle

Nothing will replace the woman who used to be in the middle of O'Connell Street holding a cross with ribbons, walking around talking to herself, muttering prayers loudly "Holy Mary Mother God, Pray for Us Now, Art Thou, .... etc ... " and all the while with an strange grin on her face ... she was a true trouper of religious fervour.

Hotblack Desiato

There used to be an oulfella a few years ago who was often outside the Bank of Ireland on College Green with a little case with a picture of the alleged virgin Mary in it and a harmonica, which he would 'play' in a fashion which could not be described as resembling music in any way.

I feel sorry for people like this, whether they really think this is the best thing to be doing with their lives, or they've lost their marbles... or maybe a bit of both...

bnt

I saw a great one on Monday near the GPO: speakers blaring bog-standard "Christian Music", while a bloke in a suit just stood there and shook a tambourine roughly in time. Yeah, that's going to get the punters flocking to Church ...

robindch

bnt wrote: »

[...] a bloke in a suit just stood there and shook a tambourine roughly in time [...]

You should hear Popette discussing tambourines and the people who bang them - they induce within her, the same general scale of apoplectic rage normally reserved for abortion providers, liberal priests, homosexuals, atheists and many more.

Hotblack Desiato

Sometimes, Rob, I do be thinking that you may have an ulterior motive for bringing up that sort of blood pressure elevating topic....

robindch

ninja900 wrote: »

Sometimes, Rob, I do be thinking that you may have an ulterior motive for bringing up that sort of blood pressure elevating topic....

On the topic of tambourines, I think Popette is right and that no church rafter is high enough.

Though I make an exception for Rameau:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xol4cEFiGOs