"You're going to hell!"

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

You don't need to wear a pentacle, or a star of David, or even a cross to get asshole SCs telling you you're going to the hot place. I don't ever wear identifying marks and I get told that all the time. Or maybe it's my store...which is most likely the problem!

[Jay 2K Winger]

We were congratulating ourselves on being so tolerant of each others beliefs when the wife of the couple casually says, "I mean...I DO think you all are going to hell but it's nice that we can sit here and talk and have fun and such!”

Reminds me of a classmate of mine my senior year in high school, in my AP U.S. Government class. He and I were very much on opposite ends of the political spectrum, and by happenstance sat next to one another. But we were quite civil to one another, even had candid discussions about various issues. During an in-class project during which we each spoke on different sides of an issue for our respective sides, he said to me later that my argument was very well-spoken and it was just a shame that the rest of my side completely undermined my argument with their own. So I had developed a good amount of respect for him over the course of the year.

Then, in May, less than a month from graduation, we were having one of our discussions on some subject (I forget what), and I realized the discussion wasn't going anywhere. I said something on the lines of, "Well, you have your opinion, and I have mine--" and then he says, "Yeah, but you're wrong." And he said it in a flat, matter-of-fact way that very clearly stated he wasn't joking around.

Right there, I lost a lot of respect for him, because it became clear he wasn't the tolerant, open-minded person I thought he was.

[Jester]

But we were quite civil to one another, even had candid discussions about various issues.

I have had some experiences like this in my life, where I was discussing, disagreeing, or debating some person or people about something that we were on opposite sides of, but we were able to do so civilly and with respect.

At Arizona State, we often had "God Sqadders," non-students who would come to the Fountain (the central area on campus) and preach what they believed to be The Truth. And they ranged the spectrum from polite and respectful to the fire-and-brimstone-you're-all-going-to-hell-women-who-wear-skirts-are-whores types. The latter got some entertaining responses from me, as you can imagine (one of which ended up with police intervention, actually), but the former were kinda cool. One group in particular I would often debate with, and we were nice and even friendly to each other. And every now and then I would quote their very own Bible to prove my point against theirs....and sometimes cause them to seriously stumble in the process. At least once, I clearly caused one guy's faith to be shaken. (That was rather impressive, actually.)

On a different note, I once worked with this lovely young lady "Sandy." Sandy was a Mormon, and adhered to their rules rather strictly. I was definitely not a Mormon, and was a party animal college student wild child. And at work, we got along great, and even often went out after work, usually to the local Denny's, where we would get a bit to eat and, well, basically compare notes. Because while she would never have engaged in some of the things I did, she seemed fascinated by my lifestyle. Equally, while I would never sign up for her church, I learned quite a bit about it by talking to her. She was one heck of a lady.

[Kogarashi]

/Insert random useless trivia.

A lot of people confuse a pentagram with 1 point up with a Sigil of Baphomet which is a Pentagram with one point pointing down. The Sigil is a symbol for Satanism, while the normal pentagram is not.

Christians are believed to have used it also, as a representation of the five wounds of christ (head, hands, both feet), and various other representations.

Not to mention Mormons (A Christian sect) still use it.
/end random useless trivia

Huh, I must have missed that. Where do we use it?

[Mytical]

If you mean Mormons, mostly in archetecture. If you mean Christians, as I said..use to. Of course not all Mormons still use it either.

[Kogarashi]

Sorry, yeah, I meant Mormons. I'll have to pay more attention to the architecture when I visit older buildings now.

And incidentally, thank you for correctly identifying Mormons as Christian. That tends to be the biggest misconception I get about my own religion, rather than discussions over whether or not it or my religious jewelry is evil.

Bunny, you have my sympathies.

[Mytical]

Please let me know if my infomation is not correct, I have it through a outside source (in communication with somebody who professed to be a Mormon when I was attempting to learn about the religion). I love learning about all religions, and am apt to take peoples word on things .

Hmm not sure if 'recently' is a correct term unless you consider the entire length of time in the universe :. I've done some digging, and the old Nauvoo Illinois Temple, supposedly had 138 of the symbols..but I do not know if when it was rebuilt they were retained. Think..1865 would be time of the original building? With either 1999 or 2001 (conflicting information from different sites) being the rebuild date. However, supposedly they used the old design with few deviations for the rebuild. Guess one day I will have to visit it first hand. Again..never having been there, nor being Mormon..I CAN have the wrong information, and if I do I appologize..it is not intentional.

Nor am I Christian, so the information I was given as to the upright pentagrams history, meaning, and signifigance could be erronious as well. If anybody finds credible conflicting evidence, please by all means correct me.

[Canarr]

"Why is New Jersey called "The Garden State"?"
"Because it's too hard to fit"Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State" on a license plate?"

Love that quote.

At Arizona State, we often had "God Sqadders," non-students who would come to the Fountain (the central area on campus) and preach what they believed to be The Truth. And they ranged the spectrum from polite and respectful to the fire-and-brimstone-you're-all-going-to-hell-women-who-wear-skirts-are-whores types. The latter got some entertaining responses from me, as you can imagine (one of which ended up with police intervention, actually)

I'd love to hear that story... pretty please?

As to the OP: others have already said why letting yourself be drawn into any kind of potentially heated discussion at your workplace is a bad idea - you can't win against people like that woman, and you have a lot to lose. I can relate to how that'd be difficult on occasion; I hate being questioned like that, myself.

[Becks]

(one of which ended up with police intervention, actually)

Story time!!!

[Caractacus_Potts]

At least once, I clearly caused one guy's faith to be shaken. (That was rather impressive, actually.)

A few summers ago I was at a popular beach with my wife and I was in a particularly good mood. I went to get us ice cream cones and two Mormons asked me if I would mind talking to them. I explained that I was going down the boardwalk to get ice cream and if they wanted to walk with me I wouldn't mind talking to them. A young guy and an older gentleman; I think the older man was training the younger one as the younger one did all the talking and the older man just observed.

When asked if I believed in God I explained that while I would not rule out a higher power I did not believe in a God watching over us and judging everything we do. This led to a question of how I could lead a moral life if I did not believe that my actions were held accountable. I explained that if this life is all we have then it is even more important that we treat people the way we would like to be treated. That led to his asking my thoughts on what death was like if I did not believe in an afterlife. I told him I figured that death was probably a lot like how things were before I was born and since I don't recall anything too unpleasant from that time I wasn't going to worry about the afterlife.

That really seemed to fascinate the younger guy and the older guy had had enough. He took the younger man by the arm, thanked me for my time and led him away.

I like to think the older man was worried that I was converting the younger one rather than the other way around but more likely he just realized I was a lost cause.

[Little Retail Rabbit]

My mum actually used to be a mormon. It was her idea of "rebelling", and being as she loved the Osmonds...

I'm sure we've all been approached by street-preachers and recruiters, but I tell you what, if these black-suited mormons who creeped me out do not see anything weird in approaching a teenage girl in the middle of a darkened street on a cold winter's night, then they really need to stop and think about what it was exactly that chased me away. I mean, I was annoyed by the talk anyway...but they said "Well, if you come with us, we can take you to watch a video about..." blah blah god stuff. Only a small part of me was thinking "not interested." The other part of me was thinking..."Two strange men are trying to get me to go somewhere with them and apparently 'watch a video'! Where is my bus!?"

Eh maybe a bit paranoid, but you can't take a risk like that nowadays!

[thansal]

At Arizona State, we often had "God Sqadders," non-students who would come to the Fountain (the central area on campus) and preach what they believed to be The Truth.

That was Brother Jed for us. I went to a fairly damn crunchy college. Jed was awesome, he would preach right out side of campus, generally drawing a good crowd, and would always be up for a debate with students.

On a different note, I once worked with this lovely young lady "Sandy."

And she sounds exactly like the type of religious person I love. For an agnostic I actually really like religion. I believe it gives people a good sense of community and hope for those that need it. One of my best friends in college is rather religious (hell, she is working on becoming a pastor). Religion was never an issue between us, though we had a number of good talks about it.

Sorry, yeah, I meant Mormons. I'll have to pay more attention to the architecture when I visit older buildings now.

And incidentally, thank you for correctly identifying Mormons as Christian. That tends to be the biggest misconception I get about my own religion, rather than discussions over whether or not it or my religious jewelry is evil.

Bunny, you have my sympathies.

The discrimination against Mormons bothers me to no end. Your beliefs are (to my understanding) fairly damn close to most other Christians, just with some different interpretations here and there (you know, like every sect of Christianity). The misinformation out there about Mormons is just staggering.

I actually liked the Mormons that would come knocking on our door when I was in High School. They were perfectly ok with having a talk about religion and morality with me. They always seemed to leave happy knowing that I was leading a good life, even though I think it was fairly clear they were not going to convert me.


The only religious intolerance I ever had to deal with was when I used to wear and Ankh all the time. It had not religious significance to me, however I constantly had double takes of people realizing it wasn't a cross. I think I was suckered into talking about it all of once before I realized I really didn't want to deal with people trying to save me.

[AdamaGeist]

Man, I can't believe I'm actually replying to something after so long lurking, but in that it seems nobody else was making this note, I might as well...

(Well, except for Mytical, who went into details on the pentagram instead...)

I wear a pentagram, pentacle, whatever you want to call it. It's a pewter five-pointed star, not inverted, so one point up and 2 points down. It also has a snake and a rose wound around it. I wear it all the time. It mostly has sentimental reasons for me, as I got it just before my grandfather died, but I also feel it represents the 4 elements and the spirit (the top point being a spirit- pentacles can have numerous meanings). It can also be a protection symbol.

The upward pointed star is, yes, called a pentacle, and while it's design may have gained many meanings over the years, the specific purpose assigned to it mystically is that of defense. The pentacle is meant to ward off evil in any form, to defend a gate, location, or person. By all technicality, your soul is much safer than that woman's was, just for wearing it.

Well, that and she's probably going to hell for twisting the bible to suit her own bigotry, but I think I'll leave any diatribe on that for a more appropriate thread. XP

[Imogene]

women-who-wear-skirts-are-whores

... Really? The 'traditional' manner of dress for their gender makes them whores? How out of it was that guy?

[PatchO'Black]

... Really? The 'traditional' manner of dress for their gender makes them whores? How out of it was that guy?

Probably believed that women should wear long dresses, rather than short skirts.

Now, in regards to the original post, I find it good to remember one should never feel they have to justify their religious beliefs to a stranger. If I find a customer attempting to engage me in such a discussion, I let them know that I do not discuss such matters will "on the clock" or with strangers, as it is one of three topics that will typically lead to an argument, with politics being the second.