Polite way to avoid religious conversation?

Question

At work, a lot of religious people will come in and hand people pamphlets and other stuff we all just throw away and then throw them out for. So, for me, it's not that big of a deal because I can simply tell them if they don't leave me and the customers alone, I will have them thrown out.

Today, however, while I was ringing people up, something different happened. A little girl asked me if I "knew Jesus." Not wanting to be mean to a 10-year-old I told her "Not personally." Then she replied with, "No! Do you have Jesus in your heart? Were you baptized?"

I looked at her grandmother, and she only smiled, which really pissed me off that she let her kid do that. For all she knows, I'm Jewish or some other religion. She doesn't KNOW I'm an athiest (though I am)

I simply told the little girl, "Well, maybe! have a good day!" And ushered them off. I wasn't sure how else to handle it. I didn't want to lie, but I didn't want to be mean.

I mean, she wasn't handing me a tract or anything, though her grandmother not telling her that she was being impolite really irked me. Especially when the woman could tell I was clearly uncomfortable.

How should I handle those sorts of situations? I get them in other ways, like white and black people assuming I'm the same religion as them and so they want to talk about a religious book with me (I work at a book store). Again, I don't want to be rude, but I also don't want to lie. How should I handle this? I seem to get a lot of religious people coming at me when I'm at work.

Answer 1

If people were more polite face to face they'd avoid talk of politics or religion till they get to know you a lot better (or get to know you at all).
I get messages almost every day from other users telling me stuff like that if I found jesus I wouldn't be a niceguyfinishinglast, I'd "finish first". I think the people mean well so I just delete the messages without replying. Whatever I might say in a reply (positive or negative) would just feed the fire.

My last girlfriend had The BEST way to get out of talking religion. When people asked her if she believed in god or (my fave time) someone asked her at a party if she has jesus in her heart so she said (in her incredibly wickedly good Gollum (from Lord of the Rings movies) voice she said "There's no one in here but us" and the woman trying to convert her looked horrified and ran to get the guy she was with. The guy (no joke) smacked my lady in the forehead with his bible and said "I command you to come out of there" and I was ready to flatten to guy but my lady said in her Gollum voice "We likes it in here. You leave. Leave now and never return. LEAVE now and never return." (You have to be a LOTR fan to appreciate the leave now part.
The guy went pale and left us alone for the rest of the party and I almost p'd myself laughing when I went into another part of the house with her after the bible thumpers (literally!) walked away.

Answer 2

You actually handled her feelings very well. Good Job, it was as polite in a politically correct way that you could be .
BUT<

You turned away the Holy Spirit again. He used a little girl, and you denied him. I am pleased that She pays attention ! Only the Holy Spirit it would bring it to mind. He will only try so many times to reach you through events, people, tv or music or something seemingly to be directed right at you, etc..

The grandmother shouldnt have said anything. She knew it wasnt her place . Why should she interrupt the Holy Spirit !

I am sorry that
I know you hate that answer but it is true. It doesnt matter if your religious or not, Jesus said>


Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 24 tells you about the last days, and what is going on right now in todays world.


You could at least read some of the Bible, and give it a chance, even if you dont believe it or adhere to it, it is a history book, and much physical evidence of the events have been proven.

Answer 3

I completely understand. My cousin lil girl goes to catholic school. She is like 9. She asked me if i believe in God? I was stunned i didn't know what to say since i don't but i didn't want to piss of her mom and dad. That i am teaching there girl not to believe in God while there spending big money on her catholic education. So i said YES. I think she has a lot of respect for me and knows i think differently. Now that i think about it I should have told her ask me this when your older. Then i will be able to give you a honest answer. Or i should have said sometimes.

When it come to kids im a strong believe in not being the person that tells them there is no Santa clause.

However older people you are welcome to be rude to them especially if they come to you. If you are at work you can get fired for being mean to ppl so dont do it there. I think you did the right thing.

Any way there pushing the belief on you so you have right to respond. I tell them i will read there stuff if they read a book i recommend cover to cover. For example "the end of faith" by Sam Harris

I feel like atheists should hand out there own literature. I think i will start a chain letter.

Answer 4

I would be "up-front" and say..."My religious beliefs are private and I do not share them." Then put up a sign at work that states... like a "NO SMOKING" sign... but "NO SELLING ALLOWED WITHIN THESE PREMISES." You can buy signs already made at Printing Shops that say something like that... and all you have to do is post it on the door of your work place. If it is a public access business, this will also make them aware that selling is not allowed. Go to your local Print Shop and ask for a sign... they will have them. Post one on the front of your desk and if anyone repeats the situation you wrote about, just point to the sign and then make the sign for silence with your finger to your lips. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Hang a sign in your store and do your Religious customers a favor.

Better yet quit being a hypocrite and selling Religious books and material.
Get rid of those customers if you don't like them. You really would be doing them a favor. They would much rather do business with a genuine good person who likes the books they are selling instead of some phony that's selling the books but cant stand them or the people who are buying them.....

Answer 6

Okay, I deal with that a lot, well I use too, but people use to come door to door and it was so annoying. So, us being annoying bitches, we would just say, "hell yeah, Jesus just left." Or tell him that your trying to do something and they are getting in the way, "go out and tell Jesus that I'm right here waiting for him." Or say if you want to be mean, "You worship satan too." I know you don't, but they might think you do. Or the next time a little girl walks in with her grandmother and starts telling you about God and ask if you have been baptized, say loudly, "your being really rude, so please don't preach to me." But, you sound like a guy I use to work with out on a farm.

Answer 7

Say hon this is a Business. We all have to respect the fact that not everyone believes the same thing so here we don't talk about it or keep anything on it. Leaving things like that just wastes them because they are thrown out without being read.
Or hang a sign on the door that says please remember to take you pamphlets with you when you leave


oh you handled it well

Answer 8

Polite is one thing but you left the child with no answer that was true. That is what you need to do. You see religious folk never stray far from roping you in and telling you to find God. I never know he was lost? But I digress, If someone directs a question like that at you whether man, woman, or child, you direct your honest answer back. Better to teach the young ones correctly. If the grandmother would intervene with some bs about her kid, you can politley tell her that in the future it would be proper etiquette to teach her granddaughter wjen to speak and not to speak. An d that an honest quetion deserves an honest answer

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Answer 9

Coming from a very Missionary church I would just say point blank You know I am not allowed to discuss this at work .Company policy! Sorry. Nice and to the point! I am sure you have a policy on this most work places do.If they hand you a pamphlet hand it back say thanks but no thanks I can't accept this sorry its against store policy .No need to lose a customer just be nice and to the point.Then there's no lie involved.

If your at home do what my sister did put a nice sign out doors ((((please no religious solicitors)))) My sister is non religious but believes in God. She has no religious solicitors hounding her day and night. Personally I would prefer something like that then to waste my time with someone who does not share my interest in God.
I would never go in a store and start a conversation like that.

Answer 10

I think you handled it rather well, but I probably would have moved that issue off to the side, if she wanted to wait until you are off of work to discuss it, great, but right now I'm working, thank you for asking. And I would tell the young lady the same thing as a Christian. Work is work, hermeneutics can be discussed on personal time.