Dear HappyTrails:

Unless you are merely trying to stir up trouble (a distinct possibility), I would suggest to you the following:

You cannot discuss, debate or educate these people. They are followers of "The faith." As soon as you begin to question or confront, you are immediately the recipient of biblical quotations, and if you persist, you are quickly called "ignorant," rapidly followed by the the accusation that you have not read "enough" bible.

At this point, the proper response is for you to meekly say, "Welll..., you have a point, I really haven't spent a lot of time with it (Inserting "Sir" here is optional), but I will now shut up and go read the bible a few times, and come back and discuss. Or maybe the Bible will cure me of my ignorance, and I won't have any more doubts."

If you say anything else, anything at all, you are quickly re-categorized from "ignorant" to being called a "swine" (immune to "pearls") and thus, ipso facto, subhuman, uneducable, and therefore, ineligible for entry into "heaven." Problem solved. Brilliant in its simplicity. "Purity of heart [and mind] is to will one thing."

As far as the need to stuff this nonsense repetitively in your face (aka known as "evangelism" or "ministry"), it seems to be a unique problem of Christianity, partly shared by other successful sadomasochistic cults based on shame and guilt, such as Islam. Of course, they all preach at you because they love you and want to share the bliss -- this is the position of all cults, successful or not. Older, successful religions, such as Hinduism, are able to practice their faith and rituals privately, within their own cult, with dignity and grace.

Now I am gonna go and read my bible... Or maybe I'll just eat some of these turnips and pond scum that the good farmer threw in my pen. Praise Heum!

Ben B.