STOPPED BY MORMONS ON STREET.
Two young Mormon missionaries, girls, stopped me on the street in Stornoway yesterday and asked me a stupid question: 'What was the best thing you did today?' The taller of the two asked. Talk about scripted. I mean I've done sales jobs where I've had to ask prepared questions, but you've got to make them sound at least a wee bit convincing. Cringeable. I felt slightly embarrassed for her.
The same girl began to go on about their faith. Looking down, I noticed she was wearing brand new brown Doc Martins. Trendy.
After letting her waffle on for a wee bit I asked her why she believed what she believed. She said something about, 'just feeling that it was true.' I told her that she would need something a bit better than that if she was hoping to convince me. I went on to tell them that it must be very easy to do what they do because when you're born into a culture you obviously have every incentive to tow the party line especially when everything is laid on and paid for. Very cushy, very easy. I mean how hard would it be to be honest with yourself, stop, and actually think about what you are doing, be a bit independent and say, 'I'm tired of this nonsense, I'm getting out.' You'd be ostracized at best I'm sure. Life would go from being very easy to very difficult. Money, home, companions, all gone. Not easy. This is how they all work. One particularly famous false religion even stipulates that you must be killed if you attempt to leave. You know the one.
There are multitudes of religions of all shapes and sizes believing all manner of things - why should yours be the true one? Because you were born into it? An obviously easy reason to choose to believe something I grant you - but a good one? No.
I felt it was time to cut to the chase. I told them that Joseph Smith was a liar. That he joined the Free Masons for one day and used their secret ceremonies to start the Mormon church, that it was evil and a lie and that they needed to dump it fast and get out.
With that, I went on my way.
She called after me: 'can I say just one thing?'
'No', I said. Feeling the better for having given them short shrift.
Two young Mormon missionaries, girls, stopped me on the street in Stornoway yesterday and asked me a stupid question: 'What was the best thing you did today?' The taller of the two asked. Talk about scripted. I mean I've done sales jobs where I've had to ask prepared questions, but you've got to make them sound at least a wee bit convincing. Cringeable. I felt slightly embarrassed for her.
The same girl began to go on about their faith. Looking down, I noticed she was wearing brand new brown Doc Martins. Trendy.
After letting her waffle on for a wee bit I asked her why she believed what she believed. She said something about, 'just feeling that it was true.' I told her that she would need something a bit better than that if she was hoping to convince me. I went on to tell them that it must be very easy to do what they do because when you're born into a culture you obviously have every incentive to tow the party line especially when everything is laid on and paid for. Very cushy, very easy. I mean how hard would it be to be honest with yourself, stop, and actually think about what you are doing, be a bit independent and say, 'I'm tired of this nonsense, I'm getting out.' You'd be ostracized at best I'm sure. Life would go from being very easy to very difficult. Money, home, companions, all gone. Not easy. This is how they all work. One particularly famous false religion even stipulates that you must be killed if you attempt to leave. You know the one.
There are multitudes of religions of all shapes and sizes believing all manner of things - why should yours be the true one? Because you were born into it? An obviously easy reason to choose to believe something I grant you - but a good one? No.
I felt it was time to cut to the chase. I told them that Joseph Smith was a liar. That he joined the Free Masons for one day and used their secret ceremonies to start the Mormon church, that it was evil and a lie and that they needed to dump it fast and get out.
With that, I went on my way.
She called after me: 'can I say just one thing?'
'No', I said. Feeling the better for having given them short shrift.
