Hug a Mormon!
Sep. 17th, 2008 02:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flamingswordSince the discovery of a real unidentified object in space I have been having some strange thoughts. Here, have one:
Latter Day Saints has a habit of sending missionaries, usually men 19 to 24, out in pairs to preach their holy word to people whose language they may not speak, all over the world. And I thought: what a great tactic! When I start my own religion, I'm totally going to take boys at their most neurotic and acceptance-seeking period and throw them into an environment where they don't know anyone, to do cold-conversion which I know doesn't work, while the only people can relate to or depend on are others in my church. The strength of that kind of enforced bonding will last a lifetime! And if LDS can get them to volunteer for it, I bet I can, too!
Then I realized how that's the bad kind of manipulation that I'm not supposed to let myself do. So instead, the next time I see a pair of the dudes in white shirts and ties, I'm going to buy them a caffeine-free soda and ask them how they're getting along. Maybe leave them my number in case they need some logistical advice, since I'm local to here and know where everything is and can explain how stuff works. I'll tell them about the sympathy I have for their situation, seeing as my ex-girlfriend is LDS. Because there's nothing to combat closed-minded churches who wish you didn't happen to exist than by befriending their followers. :D
Latter Day Saints has a habit of sending missionaries, usually men 19 to 24, out in pairs to preach their holy word to people whose language they may not speak, all over the world. And I thought: what a great tactic! When I start my own religion, I'm totally going to take boys at their most neurotic and acceptance-seeking period and throw them into an environment where they don't know anyone, to do cold-conversion which I know doesn't work, while the only people can relate to or depend on are others in my church. The strength of that kind of enforced bonding will last a lifetime! And if LDS can get them to volunteer for it, I bet I can, too!
Then I realized how that's the bad kind of manipulation that I'm not supposed to let myself do. So instead, the next time I see a pair of the dudes in white shirts and ties, I'm going to buy them a caffeine-free soda and ask them how they're getting along. Maybe leave them my number in case they need some logistical advice, since I'm local to here and know where everything is and can explain how stuff works. I'll tell them about the sympathy I have for their situation, seeing as my ex-girlfriend is LDS. Because there's nothing to combat closed-minded churches who wish you didn't happen to exist than by befriending their followers. :D