Religion

I've had it go both ways: dismissed as not knowing the "true" intent or--and this is always popular--"that's a mistranslation of" the Greek or Aramaic or whatever.

But I've also clearly had an impact. Don't know if at the end of the day it changed any minds, but I definitely saw some wheels turning as it dawned that maybe THEY were the ones in spiritual peril.

One discussion in particular stands out--a long cross-country ride on a Greyhound with someone sitting next to me. It began innocuously enough until he asked "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?" I told him to stop right there, this conversation would only end with his beliefs shaken, not mine. He persisted anyway, and back then I was conversant enough with Scripture to take him on point by point. He was your typical conservative Evangelical--well, maybe not so typical in that he clearly was shaken by our discussion.

Finally, in exasperation, he asked, "How do you know that God didn't put me next to you on this bus to show you the Light?"

To which I answered, "How do you know that God didn't place me next to you to show YOU the Light?"

That shut him up for the rest of the trip. He was, I think, clearly shaken.

So like I say, it depends on the person.

Best wishes.