Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I Can't Give This Book Away

A few months back I picked up a copy of Daniel, The Man and His Visions from the library's freebie cart. A few pages in, I learned that the book is written from a very Christian perspective. After reading an introductory chapter, I put the book aside. It just didn't hold my interest.

So, what to do with it? One day, after a missionary (if that's the term) came knocking on my door, a solution occurred to me: I'd just give it to the next person to stop by my house who wanted to talk Christianity (it doesn't happen often, but one of the joys of working from home, is that it does indeed happen). Today, I finally had my opportunity.

A nice lady and her son knocked on my door and offered me a Jehovah's Witness pamphlet. As she was preparing to walk away, I told her that I actually had something for her.

I explained the conundrum: I had picked up the book, but it wasn't for me. But maybe it would be for her?

She kindly told me she couldn't accept it. Oh, why is that? Is it because you're not allowed to accept gifts?

Nope, it's because she doesn't know the content of the book. She can't just take a random book and start reading it.

The irony was almost too rich: she goes around handing out pamphlets, asking for people to just take a few minutes to read something new, and she herself can't do the same thing.

That, my friends, is chutzpah.

I certainly don't mean any disrespect with the above story. And I've got no problem with nice old ladies knocking on my door to talk about the Bible. If anything, it's a wonderful exercise in Freedom of Religion and Speech.

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