On a recent vacation to India, I had met a african american guy sitting next to me praying to god before takeoff. Once airborne I talked to him. He was a cool guy intially. He hailed from a suburb of Los Angles and we got talking. Soon enough he asked me what I was doing, I told him I was on vacation and I was going to join my family back in the US and start a new semester. ... the conversatoin continued.. and he told me that he was part of a missionary group. I said that's cool. Then he started. Here are the excerpts.
Conversation: MB -> Me FD -> the missionary guy
FD -> "Do you know who Jesus Christ is".
MB -> "Yes"
FD -> "Do you know he is the saviour?"
MB -> *thinking: Who will save me now* " No I didnt, what did he save?"
FD -> "Have you read the Bible"
MB -> "Yes the Old Testament & the New Testament"
FD -> "You shouldnt read the bible you should live by it"
MB -> "Isnt reading enough?"
FD -> "What religion do you follow"
MB -> "Classifed Hindu by Indian law (born in India)"
FD -> "Ah so you dont know about all the good that Jesus Christ has done"
MB -> "Yes I do know, saved the people from world hunger like what your doing"
FD -> "You dont understand to me from my childhood days the only person I looked upon is Jesus Christ"." He has shown me the way of why things happen and why things dont"."Like why the sky is blue, why the sun shines, why do we exist, where did we come from".
MB -> "Isnt that what L.Ron Hubbard said?"
FD -> "Not him" - snickers and continues "My life wont be the same if I didnt have Jesus Christ in my heart"
MB -> "Ok that is good for you, I am glad you found someone to believe in."
FD -> "Have you read the Bible?"
MB -> "Yes.. I answered that already" - getting irritated.
FD -> "The bible starts with the words 'In the beginning'"
MB -> "humm.. lets see if history serves me right Jesus Christ comes about in 0000 so anything before that would not exist in your claim"
FD -> "No but In the beginning is how it starts everything starts here"
MB -> "How can you say that.. read other world religions and ancient civilizations, If you say that what happened to the egyptian god 'RA' or the civilization of Harappa and Mohenjadaro, or even Pompeii?"
MB -> "I dont think you should make a bold statement trying to prove a claim of profile when actually there is a claim of fact to prove things that your saying is wrong. Plus every Major religion says this go read them.. it may not be direct as it is but it does say it. I suggest you read them first before making your 'In the beginning' claim"
MB -> "The biggest problem with christianty and Hindiusm is that there is no verifiable records, all the events were transvered before printed or tabulated, look at Buddhism or Jainism they have written history of those periods."
FD -> "Ok we will talk about this later"
*Dinner is served and me look at my watch 2 hrs to go.. yikes*
After dinner I conversated with him again, with the topic getting around again.. finally I said "I need a glass of water".. head back and started to chat with a cute airhostess... then we landed in Madras I disappeared quickly.
Ah.. what an experience..
I dont mind religious differnces or people telling me something about thier religion but I hate people who try to convert or not listen to facts or people who dont know a $hit about other religions."