The mother of a college friend once advised us on ways to get rid of guys who were hitting on us. She said the best way was to turn to them with a sweet smile and ask, "Have you been saved?"
Years later I told this story at an after-church brunch. One young woman was quite offended that I would use the proclamation of my faith in such a twisted way.
A party of four people(my family and a guest) went to a pasta place in Berkeley(the most liberal place in the world). We were seated and then ignored. After about 10 minutes, our guest spoke very loudly, "Thank you, Jesus!!!" One minute later, he did it again. The waitperson was on us like white on rice. We were promptly served. It was wonderful!
When I was in college, somehow a trio of Mormons got it into their heads that our small household of girls was eager and waiting to "be saved," and kept showing up, over and over. Nothing we said or did seemed to discourage them. Until the day a recently-graduated boyfriend, who hoped to enter Episcopal seminary, was visiting for the weekend. Luckily, the Mormon trio just happened to show up, and ask what the state of our souls was that day. "Oh, I don't have to worry about that," I exclaimed, "I'm living in sin with a future minister right now!"
apparently the other technique that guarantees you get the seat on the bus to yourself is to beam widely at any approaching stranger and pat the seat next to you invitingly. I'm sure if you combined it with the Jesus top in the cartoon this would be even more effective.
Reading the other comments it's worrying me slightly that this is such a widely used tactic!!
If I make it through the pearly gates, I'll be quite disappointed if God does not have a sense of humor. From what I know of God in my time in the earthly kingdom, I'm pretty well convinced that the sense of humor is present and active.
On the other end of the spectrum, a couple of years ago I was in Mississippi at Camp Coast Care. On my last morning I was in the laundromat waiting for my construction clothes to finish the wash cycle. As it happened I had brought along my NRSV and Forward Day by Day, to get caught up on the lectionary. (Days were so full and started so early that I'd just read the psalms before bed and let the other readings go most days.) A man in his 60's with matching white belt and shoes, a big smile, and a thumb-indexed King James Bible approached me. He looked at me, looked at the Bible, and was at a complete loss as to what to say - how do you evangelize someone who's already reading the Gospels?
I was sitting out on the second-story back porch one Saturday afternoon several summers ago, when a young "evangelist" come up the stairs and invited me to come with her to her Baptist church.
I thanked her, but said that I'm an Episcopal deacon and I'll be going to my own church tomorrow - "in fact, I'm preaching," I said, showing her the sermon notes I was going over.
She looked at them and looked at me for a second, and said, "Well, how about next week?"
The mother of a college friend once advised us on ways to get rid of guys who were hitting on us. She said the best way was to turn to them with a sweet smile and ask, "Have you been saved?"
ReplyDeleteYears later I told this story at an after-church brunch. One young woman was quite offended that I would use the proclamation of my faith in such a twisted way.
A party of four people(my family and a guest) went to a pasta place in Berkeley(the most liberal place in the world). We were seated and then ignored. After about 10 minutes, our guest spoke very loudly, "Thank you, Jesus!!!" One minute later, he did it again. The waitperson was on us like white on rice. We were promptly served. It was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteperfect! LOL
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in college, somehow a trio of Mormons got it into their heads that our small household of girls was eager and waiting to "be saved," and kept showing up, over and over. Nothing we said or did seemed to discourage them. Until the day a recently-graduated boyfriend, who hoped to enter Episcopal seminary, was visiting for the weekend. Luckily, the Mormon trio just happened to show up, and ask what the state of our souls was that day. "Oh, I don't have to worry about that," I exclaimed, "I'm living in sin with a future minister right now!"
ReplyDeleteThey never came back.
apparently the other technique that guarantees you get the seat on the bus to yourself is to beam widely at any approaching stranger and pat the seat next to you invitingly. I'm sure if you combined it with the Jesus top in the cartoon this would be even more effective.
ReplyDeleteReading the other comments it's worrying me slightly that this is such a widely used tactic!!
by "this" I meant the "thank you Jesus" approach ...
ReplyDeletewv - "drabb" - well, that top in the cartoon is pretty drabb
If I make it through the pearly gates, I'll be quite disappointed if God does not have a sense of humor. From what I know of God in my time in the earthly kingdom, I'm pretty well convinced that the sense of humor is present and active.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end of the spectrum, a couple of years ago I was in Mississippi at Camp Coast Care. On my last morning I was in the laundromat waiting for my construction clothes to finish the wash cycle. As it happened I had brought along my NRSV and Forward Day by Day, to get caught up on the lectionary. (Days were so full and started so early that I'd just read the psalms before bed and let the other readings go most days.) A man in his 60's with matching white belt and shoes, a big smile, and a thumb-indexed King James Bible approached me. He looked at me, looked at the Bible, and was at a complete loss as to what to say - how do you evangelize someone who's already reading the Gospels?
ReplyDeleteI was sitting out on the second-story back porch one Saturday afternoon several summers ago, when a young "evangelist" come up the stairs and invited me to come with her to her Baptist church.
ReplyDeleteI thanked her, but said that I'm an Episcopal deacon and I'll be going to my own church tomorrow - "in fact, I'm preaching," I said, showing her the sermon notes I was going over.
She looked at them and looked at me for a second, and said, "Well, how about next week?"
Welcome, DeaconScott.
ReplyDeleteAnd did you show up at the Baptist church the next week?
That is so perfect. I have to admit to using answers in that vein to shut folks up :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it :)
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine. Good to hear from you.
ReplyDeletePaddy, thank you.
Sorry to say, no.
ReplyDeleteAh well....
ReplyDelete