She laughed, and, honestly, I did know if it was quite true. It had been a while since I had gotten into a good religious debate. But, I held myself back.

That is, until, “AND YOUR GOD KILLS BABIES!”

I’m walking up, and there is a crowd around him. Some are for him, some are against him, and everyone is screaming at everyone.

Mmmm… fun.

Jaz pulls and pushes me into the fray and, admittedly, I want it.

He is postured quite humorously… He knows what he believes and he’s willing to fight for it..

“Blah, blah, blah… Blah, blah…. that is why you must be a ‘Born Again’ Christian to be saved–”

“Excuse me..?”

“How can you atest to that, when the theory of ‘born again’ christianity has really only been around for the last century or two, and was not popular evangelized until the mid 1900’s by Billy Graham, who became at odds with the fundamentalists over it?”

“Uhm, well, er… In John 3:3–”

“I know what John 3:3 says, but those are not the same things.”

“Uhm, well, er… you’re asking me some very deep theological questions, and I appreciate it. I will admit I do not have a lot of knowledge. I simply want to share my experiences.”

Well, unless I am just a lot more haughty than I think, I hadn’t even begun to delve into “deep theological questions.” Those who know me, know I really do not like doing that. It’s really about daily life and living.

However, this “I do not have a lot of knowledge” is the same person who early stated he has read the Bible 23 times and now reads it once a month.

Not very closely?

I then let him talk his schpeil at me for a while, only adding comments or small questions here or there, while the crowd continued to yell at each other. That’s quite a surreal experience. Those close, though, seemed to be enthralled. I guess I was doing really good–I just wanted him to think.

However, he then brought up the rapture theory. Oh dear, I guess he had it coming. As most of my discussions with believers of the rapture theory, that part of our conversation ended with me holding his Bible and pointing to a scripture, while he vehemently shook his head repeating “No, No, No, No..”

Well, he admitted he didn’t want to learn anything and simply proved it.

“Well, I would really like to thank you. I want to tell you, I did not do this to attack or belittle you. I want you to know what you profess to believe. Research the rapture theory. I’ll be back to talk to you.”

I don’t think he believes me.

That, and, I do not ask that much of him. He asks me to give up my life and soul to his religion, which has a horrific history of death, oppresion, and senseless culling of the masses.

I just ask him to learn his religion.