So yesterday evening at Union Square I lost it. I was there by myself watchin' Skater Bob's bag while he skated around the park, and these blond Christian people came from behind me and started in on this black man sitting next to me. They asked him the last time he'd been to church and if he'd ever heard of Bla-bla Church of Times Square, or something.

It was two of those typical white, suburban, southern, middle age mothers and they had like 3 or 4 kids with them, ages 14 to 17, something like that, and they were all standing over this older black man next to me, treating him like a poor soul. I sat there listening to them getting all worked up, watching these adults demonstrate to these kids how to spread their misinformation to the weak. I saw a couple of the kids looking at me out of the corner of their eye. I know they noticed my tattoos, and that I could overhear them. This went on for like 10 miniutes. Then Bob skated up, and I was trying to control myself, and I handed him a handful of God is Fakes, and he immediately started giving them to the ladies, and then he skated off. Without even looking at what he gave them they looked at me and said "How are you? Are you interested in hearing about the love of Christ?" or something along those lines, and I let go.

I was in rare form last night. I took on a whole team of Christians and sent them packing. It was a sight to behold to say the least.

When I arrived at Union they had their booths already set up on both sides of the park. I sat down directly in front of the one on the west side of Union Sq South, and immediately one of them in their yellow smocks came up to me and asked if I would like one of their pamphlets. I replied "No thank you. I don't believe in God."
They love that answer a lot.

And that began what was probably a 40 minute discussion with this girl. Then her coworker friend came over, both of these girls were from Alabama and probably 19 years old or so. And her friend, let's call her Amy (because I forgot her name), was total cult member status. Trained with the best of 'em to repeat phrases like "God made it that way," and "I don't believe in fantasies. I believe in Jesus!" She even, at one point said, during a discussion of a good father going to hell, and a murderer going to heaven, that this was a beautiful thing!
Anyhow, this was all as usual. No new exciting arguments from their side.

This last time when I was up visiting my folks we were discussing doing favors and having expectations of appreciation afterwards. My mom was telling me how one of the issues she deals with is having expectations after she does something nice for someone, and how this isn't what a true favor is. Doing something for someone shouldn't have any expectations, and this is something she wants to improve on with herself.

I agreed fully, even elaborating that it's not even a favor or a gift once you're expecting something in return. She agreed, of course. I have to admit now that I was baiting my mother. I elaborated a few more times saying that the truly gracious act is one that even refuses repayment, or blushes at thankyou's. In fact, the most gracious act is doing a favor anonymously so that you're not given any sort of credit at all. It's something done for the soul purpose of gift giving, and nothing else. That's the true heroic act.

So I'm up visiting my family and my dad almost walked into a spider web. It'd been constructed right on the sliding door that goes outside. He didn't walk through it however. He brought the little kids, nieces and nephews to see the giant web in the doorway. It was really neat, actually. Then he cleared it from the door with his hand.

This morning I walked into a web on the same door. I came out brushing my face of the web and said "That spider didn't learn its lesson!"
My dad laughed, and then he said something that started an interesting conversation. He said, "Did you look at that web yesterday? It's a feat of engineering! How do you explain how a spider can do that?"

I've always hailed my father for being a pioneer of logic, excluding his dedication to the bible. Indirectly or not I know he was suggesting that the only answer to how a spider can construct a web so structurally impressive is because God made it that way. Of course I was more than ready to explain something to my dad that I had always assumed he believed in despite the bible. I said, "Dad, it's a talent that's been developed over hundreds and thousands of years. It probably started with many unsuccessful attempts at web constructing that left those spiders to starve to death, and not pass down their talents to their kids."

My dad answered back, "You think the spider showed its babies how to make a web, or gave them instructions verbally somehow?"