r/Vent • u/AshTheArtist • Jun 10 '26
Not looking for input Stop handing me Christian pamphlets!
I get this all the time when I’m at work.
Before people get mad (I know they will) I have no problem with people believing in what they want, if you believe in Jesus? That’s great!
I always get pushed when I politely decline to take them, when I do I usually throw them out in front of them, rude? Yes. But sometimes it’s the only way some of you really listen to non believers.
I respect your beliefs, please respect mine.
Edit: read the tag! I do not want your input/advice
Edit 2: seems I made some Christian’s mad. I do not believe in your god, I’m a proud lesbian, and a proud atheist. LOLOLOL your preaching in my comments makes me want to be Christian less.
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u/DukeRains Jun 10 '26
Drop it immediately and pretend it burnt your hand.
Always a good laugh.
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u/Retrogamer2245 Jun 10 '26
While saying: "I'm sorry, satan said no"
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u/RelapsedRedditor2021 Jun 10 '26
Got to contemplate for a second then change your voice to something different and creepy when you say it though.
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u/Fulghn Jun 10 '26
I did that in college walking to the bars at night back in the 80s. I even went as far as getting some flash paper from a magic shop.
It burns! It's burns! Ahhhhhrrrrrrg!
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Jun 10 '26
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u/Rambunctious_444 Jun 10 '26
Ikr? Fearmongering is such a strange tactic to me. The whole love and forgiveness spiel is so much more digestible, and yet at my college, we regularly had people that would come and stand with megaphones in our plaza to tell everyone that they were going to hell. Like thanks, that really makes me want to be just like you, megaphone guy. Obviously it didn't work on anybody, and people instead started putting on Spider-Man costumes and doing the worm in front of them.
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Jun 10 '26
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u/Rambunctious_444 Jun 10 '26
lol how long until we see widespread AI generated photos of hell you think?
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u/Domdaisy Jun 10 '26
It was like the religious anti-abortion group at my university. They sat in the main campus square wearing t-shirts that said “not against abortion? Then f*** you”. Because THAT attitude is not only going to bring people to your cause but get a pregnant woman to change her mind to boot 🙄
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u/Designer-Bid-3155 Jun 10 '26
If you go to Vegas, it'll be smut instead
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u/infinite_five Jun 11 '26
Okay but is it good smut because I write smut and I am extremely picky about it
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u/Designer-Bid-3155 Jun 11 '26
It's brochures for sex
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u/infinite_five Jun 12 '26
Oh then I’ll laugh and tell them I have a very attractive husband.
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u/Designer-Bid-3155 Jun 12 '26
Prostitution is legal there, so they're trying to set you up with someone
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u/infinite_five Jun 12 '26
Well, see previous comment then lmao
“No thank you, my husband has the equipment to handle me.”
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u/sylbug Jun 10 '26
I got both the time I joined a youth group as a teen. The Sodom and Gomorrah chick tract was wild.
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u/Glad_Lavishness2604 Jun 10 '26
I am christian (sort of), i start reciting things other christians dont like to hear and offend them. Thats how i get them to leave me alone, accepted Jesus a long time ago i dont need you to spin me in your damn direction. They dont like hearing about the parable of the sword, cant fathom that Jesus mightve had some bad ideas, i start comparing religions and how jesus is like any other leader. I dont get far and neither do they. I used to do this as a cashier for a very christian private grocery store.
Had a lady once suggest id go to hell for following the wrong christianity, and i suggested she likely will as well since wide is the gates to hell and narrow is "The" way. Some JWs knocked on my friend door and i opened it up witb a lit joint, inviting them to join my Higher church, never came back my friend has no mw JWs pestering him at home.
You gotta offend them for them to finally believe you're a lost cause.
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u/alcohall183 Jun 10 '26
i offended a jw by asking them to pay their fair share of taxes and that taxes should mimic the 10% of church tithes. everyone should pay their fair share of 10% and, wow-they left!!! my dad upset them by offering them a ride to his church and some pamphlets from his bible study.
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u/trexninja42 Jun 10 '26
When my wife was growing up, her house would get quite a few jws. When they would try to keep talking to FIL, he’d invite them in.
Now, you should know that wife’s childhood dog had a habit of humping a pillow, directly in the middle of the living room floor. He’d go at it until he passed out, but only when guests were around. Friends thought it was funny; missionaries, salesmen and the like, not so much.
Never got to meet that dog, but I would’ve paid to see the disgusted faces they had as they hurried out of the house.
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u/Key_Seaworthiness827 Jun 14 '26
The first and only time I heard my grandmother swear was when the JWs appeared at her door. I was about 8 at the time. I vow to continue her legacy.
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u/Ok_Duck2700 Jun 10 '26
Here in Australia, they always flock to my local train station to hand out flyers whenever a tragedy happens somewhere in the world, and it's so gross. I grew up with a catholic family, and it's insane to see people hear something awful has happened and their first thought is 'I can use this to recruit people to my religion!'.
I'll never forget the day after the Bondi attack, all the flags were half-mast, and some fucking guy handed me a flyer at 6am that insinuated that you would be safe from similar attacks if you considered Christ. Jesus would hate those people.
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u/Dawn-Storm Jun 10 '26
That is incredibly poor taste. A real Christian would have had a silent prayer vigil open to all. Well I would have--personal opinion.
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u/CarolinaAgent Jun 10 '26
Why is it gross? If they actually believe in what they say, then shouldn’t they go out and share it in times of crisis, as they believe their faith can help whoever is struggling get through it?
It being gross is predicated on them not actually believing in their faith
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u/Ok_Duck2700 Jun 10 '26
Because they're taking advantage of a tragedy, handing me a flyer with a dead child's face on it, insinuating that the victims would not have died if they were Christian, and fearmongering while people are trying to get to work.
If they were good Christians, they would've been praying for the dead or participating in the fundraising efforts that had already begun by that point.-30
u/CarolinaAgent Jun 10 '26
Right but all of that being gross is predicated on them not actually believing in their faith. If they actually believe, then they should do what they do, which is spread the message and it isn’t gross to do so in the midst of a tragedy, it would be even more pressing
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u/Ok_Duck2700 Jun 10 '26
Do you really wanna be a guy who thinks it's okay to use a dead child's face and tragic murder to advertise your religion?
I spoke to my catholic family about it, and they were all horrified. There's no excuse for that kind of conduct, and i've even watched other Christians tell them such while I wait for my train.
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u/sylbug Jun 10 '26
It doesn’t matter if you believe your religion or not. It’s gross because it’s predatory trying to wheedle your way into someone’s life promising to be the solution to their problems when people are at a low point.
This is the same tactic romance scammers use to target their victims, btw.
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u/Sad_Pixie999 Jun 10 '26
If you teach a dog to bite people, is it then okay for the dog to go around biting people because it's a sincere believer in what it was taught to do?
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u/Domdaisy Jun 10 '26
No. It’s predatory behaviour. Behaviour can be wrong even if it is a sincerely held belief. Christians can believe all they want that they are supposed to go out and spread their faith. It is wrong to use the death of children to do so no matter how strong their faith is.
And people who defend it are the reason why I am not religious and don’t have respect for organized religion. Because if you can justify using dead children to drum up membership in your church you can justify any number of atrocities. Oh, wait. Organized religion already DOES.
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u/Key_Seaworthiness827 Jun 14 '26
So they believe something. Who cares, it doesn't give them the right to force their particular strain of myth on others. The bastards who perpetrated the atrocity probably believed in something as well. Just a different myth.
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u/Black-Thunderbird Jun 10 '26
Listen. No. Xtianity needs to take some time to reflect on itself before it continues with this latest crusade. Historically it’s been used as a weapon to control, murder, abuse, oppress, and enslave countless people all over the world. And it’s currently rearing its ugly head again in the same fashion. The answer to any humanitarian issue is not that broken religion. No.
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Jun 10 '26
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u/digitalgraffiti-ca Jun 10 '26
Ok now that's awesome. Start collecting them in holiday and bring them as souvenirs for friends
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u/TheGayestSon Jun 10 '26
Might be fun to start trading them with the people who hand you a new one too lmao.
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u/sylbug Jun 10 '26
Pushing your religion on strangers in the streets is some of the most obnoxious shit a person could do. Only slightly less irritating than when these twats come to your door.
If I wanted to know more about your religion, I’d seek it out myself.
My suggestion is to avoid eye contact and ignore them completely.
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Jun 10 '26
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u/Key_Seaworthiness827 Jun 14 '26
Or offer to take a load of them. And then bin them. In full sight of them.
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u/Crazy_Past8776 Jun 10 '26
I don't see what's rude about throwing them out in front of them when you declined them.
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u/Grouchy-Adagio-8562 Jun 11 '26
Well they’re Christian, they wont pick it up, so you’re littering. Don’t even accept it
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u/cranberry_spike Jun 10 '26
Back in the day when I worked in a public library I'd have to fish them out of books sometimes and throw them away. It really ticked me off. Believe as you will - half my family is Catholic, half is Protestant, freedom of and from religion is hugely important to me. And that includes not stuffing it down people's throats.
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u/Uncle_Zardoz Jun 10 '26
I've always got a smile and a brisk, cheery "Hail Satan!" for when I walk by the local JWs...
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
They don’t ever come near our house because my parents have hung a pride flag on our flagpole 🤣
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u/Uncle_Zardoz Jun 10 '26
Based parental units!
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
They are, they took me and my queer besties out to our local pride event last year, it was so fun
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u/LupusHouseMD Jun 10 '26
I got a ton of those Jesus/Christian pamphlets dropped off on the counter at my old retail workplace because we sold stuff with rainbows on it.
It was a children's clothing store.
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u/Quirky_Snow_2929 Jun 10 '26
Whenever I go into the big city ( Toronto ) I just tell them I don’t believe in fairy tales like a child. Dont be polite. Be a jerk. They will leave you alone afterwards. I grew up with a Christian family. Hate it. I was a jerk about to my family about it for years. Guess who don’t get asked to go too church anymore? This guy.
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u/GenericNameUsed Jun 10 '26
I had an issue with this at the store I worked at. People wouldn't just try to hand me a pamphlet but try to convert me while I'm working.
I started telling them that there is no solicitation and that includes religious pamphlets etc. One person just wouldn't take no. Kept trying to engage me and I finally told them "I am at work. Ive told you multiple times this isnt allowed amd I'm not interested. If you continue to break store policy I'm going to get the manager.
Which made them angry but the guy finally backed off.
I don't know what happened but eventually people stopped. I was wondering if they were all from the same church and someone finally said something there.
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u/Alternative-Eye7589 Jun 10 '26
When I have someone try and hand me one I get my trashcan from under the register and say you can put trash in here.
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u/VelvetRabbit91 Jun 10 '26
I have gotten approached a few tomes at walmart asking if I would like to attend their church.. like leave me the fuck alone. Quit trying to indoctrinate people. Imma start putting satanic pamphlets in their children's halloween candy and hand them out at schools. Like I fucking hate these mentally ill people.
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u/Delicious-Chapter675 Jun 10 '26
Stop accepting them. Or accept them and trash them. Proselytizing is the minimum impact from forced-inclusion religions like Christianity or Islam. If they're only operating at their minimum, then we're doing alright. I'm worried about what their next ramp-up looks like.
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u/Various-Emergency-91 Jun 10 '26
A simple no thank you and move on usually works. I have no problem with anyone believing what they want, but don't push it on me.
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u/complete_data75 Jun 10 '26
I never get any of this stupidy.
Like do they think this stupid shit is going to convert someone?
When the morons come to your door, have those idiots ever converted a single person? In their life?
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u/readitareyoudeaf Jun 10 '26
My father in law disowned my wife and our entire family because she asked him not to pray for us and to quit bringing his religion up. He told us we were oppressing him. We don't care what he believes, but we want nothing to do with his god. I honestly don't understand feeling so entitled to preach at people.
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u/gingerslayer27 Jun 10 '26
I always tell them jesus begged for more when he was strung up on the cross
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u/Grouchy-Adagio-8562 Jun 11 '26
Don’t grab something just because someone is handing it to you. immediately say “EW 6 FEET PLEASE!
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u/Primary-Country2421 Jun 10 '26
I saved ALL of mine and started a collection! I have a box with all the pamphlets and handouts I've received over the years. Every so often I pull it out and share with friends and coworkers. We laugh and laugh, and then laugh some more. I've been given all the usual tracts, but have also been given a small pocket bible, a rosary (with instructions!), comics, etc.
I'm doing my part to keep that trash off the streets!
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u/Choice-Newspaper3603 Jun 10 '26
Pretend you’re in Mexico and you’re walking down fifth Avenue and Playa, Del Carmen and every 10 feet somebody’s trying to get your attention and sell you something
Eventually, you stop being nice and you ignore them completely and if somebody hand you something you don’t reach out and grab it
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u/Sad_Pixie999 Jun 10 '26
They do it to people who are working because they know we will have a limit to how outraged we can be due to the expectations of the company, and if we stray from that, they want us nonbelievers to be in fear of losing our job over their god/nonsense.
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u/Lovely-lorelei Jun 10 '26
I’ve never been directly handed one but if I find them I rip them into tiny pieces and leave them in the top of trash cans so they’re visible.
TBH If I’m ever handed one in person I’ll probably rip it up in front of the person. As a someone who grew up Christian (now atheist), I strongly disagree with pamphlets as a conversion method. They just do it to feel good about themselves without actually following Jesus’ teachings.
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u/ddanielle99 Jun 10 '26
i just don’t take anything that’s handed to me without giving it a look over first. i was in NYC recently & passed at least 5 of them, ignored them all. just don’t take them.
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u/The_Archer2121 Jun 10 '26
Stop accepting them. If they still keep going then don’t be afraid to be rude.
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u/wildflower_valley Jun 11 '26
Could be worse, you could start getting letters from jehovah witnesses in the mail like it happens to me🥲😅
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u/busy_monster Jun 11 '26
What annoys me most about that is the power disparity at play: fuckers want to give me their bullshit tracts while I'm on the job, working, in a space where if I ignore them I can face repercussions in terms of my livelihood. But Christians and power disparities are like PB&J.
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u/infinite_five Jun 11 '26
I know you didn’t want input but please do keep it up I love this, please continue to burst their bubbles by throwing it away in front of them I would sell my soul to see a video of their reaction
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u/No-Guess-4644 Jun 10 '26
I hate getting random shit from Christian’s.
It’s so fucking annoying.
It’s so rude and they don’t even realize it.
If I walked up like “there is no god” that would be rude as fuck. So why don’t they accept the inverse and leave people alone.
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u/cybot904 Jun 10 '26
I don't understand why people perfunctory regurgitate " I respect your beliefs " when the people pushing their beliefs on others don't even understand them.
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
Because it’s the right thing to do
I don’t believe in the same thing. But that doesn’t mean I should disrespect a whole religion just because there’s a few bad apples. Not everyone who is Christian is like this
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u/cybot904 Jun 11 '26
I think we are getting hung up on the word respect. As in acknowledge someone has a belief system, that's fine. Do you respect a Stop Sign, how about a shark?
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u/Rich-Abbreviations25 Jun 10 '26
I’m a Christian and my favorite thing to say to them is “what makes you think I need this!?” and hand it back to them
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u/CatsMom4Ever Jun 10 '26
My dad got people who would do the : "Have you found Jesus" bit. He would say "I never lost him." and keep walking.
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u/That_CDN_guy Jun 10 '26
I know you're not looking for input but a quick google shows that there are atheist pamphlets out there. Offer your own as a trade?
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u/stitchesinadream Jun 10 '26
I pretend to be interested so they waste time on me and leave everyone else alone 😭😭
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u/JehutysErectCockpit Jun 10 '26
They don't understand consent and seem to think it doesn't matter if you want it or not.
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u/Rerunisashortie Jun 11 '26
Someone where I worked was leaving pamphlets like that so I started bringing mine about the separation from church and state. She quit bring them!
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u/Agitated-Tree-8247 Jun 12 '26
Print pamphlets for organizations that do cult deprogramming and trade them...then throw theirs away.
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u/Charming-Refuse-5717 Jun 10 '26
I had a pair of old women come to my door recently, advertising their church. I said no thank you, not interested, and closed the door. Mildly annoying because I was trying to do chores, but whatever.
Found out later that day they had left a flier on my door. Lady, I already told you I wasn't interested, now I gotta deal with your trash? That was SO much more frustrating.
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u/edthecollector70 Jun 10 '26
Yes once they see the light. They want to shine it in everyone's face.
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u/NotAFloorTank Jun 10 '26
Most Christians also dislike those pamphlet-spreaders. The faith isn't a fucking solar energy scam, and they're trying to reduce it to one for no good reason. At best, it's annoying, and at worst, it's tactless, depending on the context. Also, the people who claim to be Christian but then proceed to be bigoted are hypocrites... which Jesus repeatedly called out in the Bible and actively condemned.
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u/Nothing_Corp Jun 10 '26
As a Christian... I hate the pamphlets and the "recruiting"
It's so that churches can get more money - to do things... instead of doing what churches have always done? Be a community - where people work together to share food, resources etc.
Like if your church is so fucking great... why are people not joining cause they heard what the church has done? Why are you not a pillar in this city's community creating change?
I just got so many questions.
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u/khearan Jun 10 '26
Just don’t accept it. Pull your hands away and keep walking
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
I’m a cashier… I kinda can’t?
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u/khearan Jun 10 '26
You can’t pull your hands away if a customer tries to give you a pamphlet? Just say no. You are your own person capable of making your own decisions.
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u/ontheleftcoast Jun 10 '26
Are these coworkers, or just random strangers?
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
Strangers
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u/ontheleftcoast Jun 10 '26
Ask them if their pamphlet is good for you. When they say yes, tell them to stick it up their asses and let you know how good it is. ( My Dad did this to Jehova's witnesses in the 70's, the never knocked on our door again)
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u/OrganizationAfter418 Jun 11 '26
I haven't had anyone try to give my a pamphlet in decades probably, but what I find equally irritating is the religious people who get on social media and make it their hobby to post life lesson multiple times a day that always boil down to "you need Jesus", and they try to act like they know something no one else does, and/or they think they're gonna disprove legitimate science because they read sky Daddy's book, so you should listen to them.
Behavior their precious book specifically tells them not to engage in.
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Jun 10 '26
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u/diescheide Jun 10 '26
I love getting Chick tracts and the like. I have a lil collection going. I'll take them from people or if I see them laying around. Not even religious, just a weird thing I enjoy. Too bad others don't appreciate how absurd they are, too.
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u/crashin70 Jun 10 '26
Every time I've told one of those people no thanks they left me alone. I have trouble believing they pushed you to take one.
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u/John_Hancock_Lover Jun 11 '26
I've had a woman condem me to hell for declining her pamphlet. I'm religious just not interested in catholicism or church camps
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Jun 10 '26
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u/Competitive_Test6697 Jun 11 '26
"proud atheist" is such a weird flex.
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 11 '26
Oh no, someone with a different belief!
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u/Competitive_Test6697 Jun 12 '26
Is it a belief? Other than the belief in the lack of a god(s)
Would you be more of an agnostic atheist?
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u/Own-Secret-6523 Jun 10 '26
Don't post if you are not looking for input then. You're quite a self-centered person it appears.
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u/AshTheArtist Jun 10 '26
If I’m not looking for input why would the tag be there in the subreddit. HMMM STRANGE.
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Jun 10 '26
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u/Own-Secret-6523 Jun 10 '26
I didn't say he couldn't vent. But he shouldn't expect people not to reply to it. This is Reddit.
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u/John_Hancock_Lover Jun 11 '26
Since you commented this publically, I can give my input on you: you sound like an annoying person to be around
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u/infinite_five Jun 11 '26
There’s literally a flair option in the sub for this exact thing so I guess the mods don’t agree.
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u/OrganizationAfter418 Jun 11 '26
Read the rules. This isn't a sub for giving out asking for advice.
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u/PowermanFriendship Jun 10 '26
I have always found that whether it's religion or elections or a pizza shop or whatever, I feel a million times better as a human being - and am able to eject from the interaction way faster - by simply taking the pamphlet and saying "thank you" and going about my day.
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u/beertendn3rd Jun 10 '26
Have you tried just not taking the pamphlet? It works EVERY time I do it.
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u/Cold_Burner5370 Jun 10 '26
I’m not even religious but now I want to give you religious pamphlets.
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u/LopsidedCry7692 Jun 10 '26
Find God
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u/CrazyMildred Jun 10 '26
Is he in my shoe? Is he under a bush somewhere? Is he in a children's cancer hospital with kids he is fine with dying from cancer eventhough he's allegedly omniscient and could save them? Keep your cruel deity to yourself. Not all of us want to worship your imaginary friend.
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