First off, I would like to make some things clear:

1. This is NOT a religious debate thread so if you have come in to argue your view points...no one's going to listen because it is not one of those threads...and really, what is really more meaningless and a waste of time than trying to convert people-really!?

2. I am by no stretch of the imagination an Atheist. I believe in everything under God including God himself, the possibilities that God is male, female, both or neither and the possibility that at times there can be no God. All things are true but the emphasis is not on what, but on where and when.

Okay with that cleared up I'll get to my point.

Now I'm sure that all of you at one time or another have found yourself trapped in this situation (if you haven't then consider yourself to be very lucky) or maybe you are the one to trap unsuspecting people in said situation...and if you are he he STOP IT! SHUT UP RIGHT NOW! Especially when you are talking to little kids. Just think about it...when you were five or even sixteen did you want to hear about this crap he he NO!

I was at work and bagging for this old lady and happened to see her buy...dog food, dog toy and dog treats so I do as I always do in that situation: I ask what kind of dog she has for as a dog owner myself...I'm always curious about these things. Anyway, she tells me and also tells me that after she's done shopping, she's going to go and pick up her dog and drive her--for what could be--the last time back to her house because her dog is 12 years old.

Now I think as well as say "Ah that is so sad."

And then she says, "ah yes I know but she is just getting so old and can hardly move anymore-"

Then I say, "no stop you're going to make me cry."

Then she says, "oh please don't. Because I was like that before, crying all of the time but then God..." <--keeps talking

Then right then I think, "Oh God...heeeere we go!"

For some damn ass reason, I tend to bring this out in people and I know it's not going to be some two second sermon OH NO! These people are going to ramble on for five to ten minutes.

All the time she's rambling on and on about this "enlightened" experience I'm thinking, "Okay, think back...what did I doooo....or saaaay so I can avoid this little conversation all together the next time?

I swear...you are never more uncomfortable then when someone that you don't know (hell, even if you know them) is talking to you about God and their religious views...go on try to think of an even more uncomfortable situation I dare YOU!

Man all through out that "conversation" (you see I was just nodding at the right parts and not really listening) I was fighting the urge to just say, "SHUT UP GOD I DON'T CARE! I DON'T GIVE A F*CK! All I wanted to know was what kind of dog you have-just SHUT THE HELL UP! "

I swear I was even more uncomfortable than when earlier this older guy than I am (like around forty-five) kept on calling me Honey all the while I checking him and bagging for him. During that time I kept on thinking, "wow, I'm really uncomfortable right now...I better get this guy out of here before I have to call one of my managers to come over to hose his ass down." So I did and quickly sent him on his way. After which I thought, well, that was unpleasant well at least it is over..."

But then "...and then God..."

Ahhh geeze! So I am the only one that this happens to or are there others...please share.

It doesn't seem to happen to me a whole lot. But then, I live in NZ. Sounds weird, but we just don't seem to have the whole God-complex thing that America (from what I've heard and seen for myself) seems to have. I could be wrong in that assumption, but I'm pretty sure that a conversation like that is far more likely to happen in America than over here.

yeah, i think the majority has been in this kind of situation. what's even worst is when its your day of and you hear a knock at your door and because your tired you don't think twice on who could it be so you open the door and there they are missionaries. this happened to me four times, and they kept on coming so eventually i just cut them off in the middle of their speech and tell them i already have a religion which i don't and don't feel like having one. (yes i do beleive in god i just don't feel like studying him/her every week.)

well i do belive in god, but i think i'm more of a type of deist ( God created the universe and then left it for us to do with what we see fit) but i also believe in the big bang and evolution. so i'm not too sure where i fall. dont worry i'm not going to try and convert anyone. that also goes against my stance on the 1st amendment that you can believe what you want. and i dont have a problem if someone was changed because of god, but i know why i believe so i dont need to hear it. another thing is when churches try to get me to join up. i think there a lot of good church going people out there, but like every other group, you also have your assholes (these are the main reasons why i have renounced my religion, but not my faith). The fundamentalists and greedy bastards. Preaching hellfire and damnation or taking your money "for god" and driving a new mercedes the next day. But it the fundamentalists are by far the worst. judging people by the way they live their lives or what they believe. Hey, who the fuck died and made you god? you have neither the right nor the place to be judging me or anyone else. Judging us when they've probably got more skeletons in the closet than a mortician. They follow so closemindedly it's a wonder their brains can get any oxygen at all with their heads jammed so far up their own asses. i'd tried to tell a super-christian that there were stories left out of the bible (like the fact that adam had a first wife before eve. ever heard of the vampire Lillith?) but she wouldn't listen. And even though i believe in god, i dont pray to god. it seems a little arrogant and even greedy to me. to be given so much and still want more. god has given me enough, i'll do the rest from now on.

Well, I'm in the Philippines, the only catholic country in Southeast Asia, so God is supposed to be a major thing here. Weird as it is, we don't generally talk about God, it's considered a boring subject where no one/everyone is an expert.
But there are times when some "religious" people would go door to door and do sales talk to get you to join prayer meetings, rallies, indoctrination and stuff of their religion. I have nothing against these people other than the fact that they have lousy timing. They'd knock continously while I'm eating, having a siesta, in the loo, etc. Then they'd talk about what I've done for God lately, and how very, very happy He is gonna be if I join up in their religion, or donate any large amount of money. But as they continue to talk, the whole thing just turns into a speech of how much better their religion is than other religions (the fact that there are more religious sects in my country than islands). Usually I'd just nod and nod out of courtesy, but now I just call out to Marimar and her family to talk to them. Marimar is our dog, and we have liked 7 other dogs now. They aren't very fond of strangers. Dogs... don't you just love them.

^ Hahaha, trust you to sic the dogs on the Jehova Witness People people Samu. tell me, do they get scared?

They get pretty annoying though. i mean, i have a religion, and im happy in it. im probably not as devout as i should be, but i dont want to get converted. i know that im always getting chased by Jehova Witness people while im walking to school! its a blooody pain in the ass.

Quote by JenosydesWhisperMatrixFirst off, I would like to make some things clear:

1. This is NOT a religious debate thread so if you have come in to argue your view points...no one's going to listen because it is not one of those threads...and really, what is really more meaningless and a waste of time than trying to convert people-really!?

2. I am by no stretch of the imagination an Atheist. I believe in everything under God including God himself, the possibilities that God is male, female, both or neither and the possibility that at times there can be no God. All things are true but the emphasis is not on what, but on where and when.

Okay with that cleared up I'll get to my point.

Now I'm sure that all of you at one time or another have found yourself trapped in this situation (if you haven't then consider yourself to be very lucky) or maybe you are the one to trap unsuspecting people in said situation...and if you are he he STOP IT! SHUT UP RIGHT NOW! Especially when you are talking to little kids. Just think about it...when you were five or even sixteen did you want to hear about this crap he he NO!

I was at work and bagging for this old lady and happened to see her buy...dog food, dog toy and dog treats so I do as I always do in that situation: I ask what kind of dog she has for as a dog owner myself...I'm always curious about these things. Anyway, she tells me and also tells me that after she's done shopping, she's going to go and pick up her dog and drive her--for what could be--the last time back to her house because her dog is 12 years old.

Now I think as well as say "Ah that is so sad."

And then she says, "ah yes I know but she is just getting so old and can hardly move anymore-"

Then I say, "no stop you're going to make me cry."

Then she says, "oh please don't. Because I was like that before, crying all of the time but then God..." <--keeps talking

Then right then I think, "Oh God...heeeere we go!"

For some damn ass reason, I tend to bring this out in people and I know it's not going to be some two second sermon OH NO! These people are going to ramble on for five to ten minutes.

All the time she's rambling on and on about this "enlightened" experience I'm thinking, "Okay, think back...what did I doooo....or saaaay so I can avoid this little conversation all together the next time?

I swear...you are never more uncomfortable then when someone that you don't know (hell, even if you know them) is talking to you about God and their religious views...go on try to think of an even more uncomfortable situation I dare YOU!

Man all through out that "conversation" (you see I was just nodding at the right parts and not really listening) I was fighting the urge to just say, "SHUT UP GOD I DON'T CARE! I DON'T GIVE A F*CK! All I wanted to know was what kind of dog you have-just SHUT THE HELL UP! "

I swear I was even more uncomfortable than when earlier this older guy than I am (like around forty-five) kept on calling me Honey all the while I checking him and bagging for him. During that time I kept on thinking, "wow, I'm really uncomfortable right now...I better get this guy out of here before I have to call one of my managers to come over to hose his ass down." So I did and quickly sent him on his way. After which I thought, well, that was unpleasant well at least it is over..."

But then "...and then God..."

Ahhh geeze! So I am the only one that this happens to or are there others...please share.

You must really love your neighbors.

As for me, it makes me roll my eyes but I don't point out that I'm an Atheist since I wasn't asked.

Its pretty easy. I just hold up my hand and say excuse me but I really just wanted to know what type of dog you have because I own a dog as well and if they are polite no prob.
If they are not polite, I usually tell them to stop and move along please.

Give them a counteroffer. Tell them that you are a scientologist and try convert them over to your side.

If they are so intent on converting me over, might as well play along and give them a taste of their own medicine.

PS: Just make sure they don't find out that you are bluffing about being a scientologist.

All really good advice but I tend to just keep my mouth shut seeing as that people are so easy to offend especially when they think they are trying to help you out in some way when in fact they just become a big old crazy looking blow-hard that is REALLY hard to reason with. And seeing as that it is costumer service work that I do every day, I can't go off pissing off the customers and then get fired. In my eyes, it is better just to let them talk just so they can hear their own voices and then they'll leave. The worst thing is to try and engage them so they think they don't have to shut up. I mostly just smile and nod when it is necessary. This I find to be the best way so they can say what they want to say and leave it at that so if they happen to corner me again they will talk about something other than God.

Yeah, that really sucks..I can't say it's ever happened to me before, but there are plenty of times when people rant to me about things I don't really care about or want to hear. At those times, I do just that..nod and respond with a simple acknowledgement like "hm" or "oh". I agree with you, it might be best to just shut and and let them talk.

Had it happen to me once, it was funny. I think I accidentally converted him to my side... oopsy... >.> He just got annoying... ^^

Well, you're female and its hard to control the urge to talk sometimes for this reason: it creates micro-orgasmic effects in your brain when you talk so you will talk and it will make you feel better. But when listening to others talk, leaving no window for your participation, it creates another type of effect unsatisfying your primal urge to talk during a preaching moment. Do this next time, listen for a bit and during those nodding moments just say, "Ok, I think I'm going to commit suicide now, goodbye!" And walk off somewhere random. xD

I used to attend Christian schools so I'd always get schoolmates or ppl frm nearby churches approaching me on the bus and inviting me to their services. Usually I just politely decline, or feign interest ("yeah, sure, I'll drop by this Sunday...") when they get too persistent. Never seen any psychotic fire & brimestone (i.e. repent or burn in eternal Hell) or overly-enthusiastic (think Jehovah's Witnesses) preachers before. Would like the satisfaction of telling off one during my lifetime though.

Quote by eveningskyi know that im always getting chased by Jehova Witness people while im walking to school! its a blooody pain in the ass.

Never get that prob in my country. We have a simple, elegant solution - government bans Jehovah's Witnesses from holding any public meetings or conducting any form of the door-to-door preaching/missionary work they are so notorious for. We do that to the Unification Chruch too.

Quote by jasaiyajinWell, you're female and its hard to control the urge to talk sometimes for this reason: it creates micro-orgasmic effects in your brain when you talk so you will talk and it will make you feel better. But when listening to others talk, leaving no window for your participation, it creates another type of effect unsatisfying your primal urge to talk during a preaching moment. Do this next time, listen for a bit and during those nodding moments just say, "Ok, I think I'm going to commit suicide now, goodbye!" And walk off somewhere random. xD

When someone preaches to me, I like acting stupid and I ask questions like "who's God?" or "Jesus? Jesus who?" or the classic line that I like pulling out in the middle of the conversation like "Who are you again?" or I freak out and ask "Where can I find Jesus!? I must find him because I want to avoid total damnation" and when they tell me that I can't actually meet Jesus in person, I totally freak out and get depressed. It's funny as hell and it's always hard to keep a straight face.

Just be respectful of them. If you're not willing to listen to them talk about what they want to talk about, then don't engage them in conversation. Remember you're an employee, so you're obligated not to piss off your the people buying stuff from your store, as some have suggested. Instead you can tell the person you're just not comfortable talking about God or religion, but that you're both religious and you believe in God's existence (which they might ask). Being honest in situations like that is often the best idea.

You should never be ashamed to speak about that what you love nor be afraid to share your views with others. Neither should you be bored, offended or troubled when someone shares their love and believe of (in this case God) with you if you share the same love and believe.
Keeping this in mind, it is also not prudent for a person to go on rambling about something of which their audience have no interest in. Say your say, say what you need to say, and get it over with.
I guess with our right to freedom of speach we therefore have the right to say what we want to whom we want. It is only common decency that you shouldn't offend another person or their beliefs.
With the same respect of privacy and personal space that people who feel offended hearing about God want those telling them about Him to treat them, and perhaps avoid the subject all together, perhaps they should also allow those wanting to talk about God the same respect and allow them to say their say. When they are done, one can simply smile, nod and say goodbye.

Now that I got promoted to checker, we are suppose to engage the costumer but you know what? I really don't want to I mean after all what I might say might "earn" me a lecture on the all mighty. So I just play it safe and ask fail-safe questions that are so general that there is no room for "righteousness" and if they do start I know they are totally pushers so it's just..."did you find everything okay" and then SILENCE! It's not worth playing that game of Roulette especially when NO ONE can gage my reaction, catch my psychic thoughts, or even read my body language that says that I'm really uncomfortable...dense tards! I'm just happy that I'm not the only one going through this. Wooo hoooo!

Jenosyde, are you married? Have a ring? A lot of old folks watch for these things, and if you don't have them. Then they think, you need religion. I can't tell you how many times various different religions have tried to marry me into the fold. I've got the intelligent look, so most people are surprised, and pleased that I don't talk much. They think if you're single, you must be a sinner, and thus need what they are selling. If you are married, then they really must think you look like a sinner? Remember, dumb people have very little to bother their minds with, that is why they have religion. Stupid == pure in their minds.

Yeah I'm not married and will remain that way forever. Yeah I totally agree with you on the stupid part...always trying to sell be their horse's shit as if I would care. And they have to be stupid or blind not to see how just uncomfortable they are making me . In the end these people need to see that Religion can't solve everything let alone anything so HAHHAHAHAHA! Luckily I only get these little lecturers at least twice a year so I'm not completely in torture but when it happens WATCH OUT!

hey, u're so mean, jenosy