Evangelistic Duo

Sometimes, when I am waiting on the bus, evangelists show up.  Most of them just give me the tracts that they are carrying, but some take the time, because I use public transportation, to try to proselytize me into their social paradigm.  I find most religious tracts to be useless.  Every single one that is given to me winds up in the trash.  I don't believe in trying to force my belief or my social construct on anyone else. 

It usually happens that someone shows up and this time it was ridiculous.  I am standing there waiting for the bus, and the man in the due says "Are you waiting for the bus to go to work?"  It is probably the most obvious statement someone could make at that point in time.  The young woman who was there then says that she would like to leave a tract with me.  I said what I usually say.  I understand that some people have a belief in doing what they are doing.  So, I said ok to receiving the tract.  Then, the man looked into the covered bus stop where I had my belongings for my daily travels, and he said, " I see you have a Bible."  Then, she says "Then there's just three questions left..."  She said it in the most rehearse obviously staged robotic manner.  My mind immediately thought, "Wait a minute....  I agreed to receive the tract not your quiz." 

So while a lot of people wouldn't agree, I took her tract and threw it away into the trash can where we were standing.  It is exactly where the tract was going anyway.  This man claimed that I was rude. 

I would like to address this accusation.  You interrupted my life.  I didn't go to you; you came to me.  The longer you stayed standing near me, the more you began to intrude into my life.  Just because I am using public transportation doesn't mean that you have permission to start going eyeballing everything I own that I have with me.  I agreed to let you leave a tract not search my heart with your "come to Jesus" questions.  I don't appreciate your quiz.  It is probably one the main problems with Christianity.  It is not for you to intrude into my introverted life with your extroverted activity.  I am merely waiting on the bus. 

This couple was the third or fourth set of evangelists at this bus stop.  They seem to show up for me. 

So, while I realize that you think that killing trees for no reason, using non-biodegradable ink, sucking away my life in the morning with your obviously overly coached statement, and converting me to your stepford ideology of rude is evil; I think waiving my fee for your impermance lesson was important.  Waiving my fee to even talk with you about evangelism when you show up is enough.  I was waiting to go to work. 

Surely, they must realize that their tract was headed for the trash.  They are offended by seeing it.  Don't give it to me then.  I didn't choose for you to show up in my life.  It was courtesy to these people to have a conversation with them.  One yes, and they started intruding far beyond their need to.  If it is about giving me the tract, then keep your eyes out of my stuff.