9th
Excuse Me
I always thought that the onset of spring meant four things: iced coffee, flip-flops, finals, and trying to find a decent pair of $5 sunglasses. It turns out that I can add one more thing to that list: Korean people trying to get me to join a Bible study group.
Just me?
For the past week, every time I have stepped foot on the Columbia campus—whether to sit and study or to sprint across 116th street to hand in a term paper—I have been accosted by a demure Asian person with an agenda. Yesterday I was stopped, mid-sprint, by this girl who looked really lost and, hey, I had 4 minutes left to hand in my paper so I stopped when she said, “Excuse me.” I figured she would ask me where a building was and, frankly, I enjoy answering easy questions. Needless to say, when she continued with, “I was just trying to find student leaders who would be interesting in joining a Bible study group and spreading the word of God,” I was disappointed.
I think I cringed when I heard the word “Bible.” Not because I don’t like the Bible; I think it’s an interesting book, but I’m not going to, and I don’t want anyone else to do things and act a certain way just because a book says so. Good actions don’t become good because they are in the Bible. They are in the Bible because they are good.
You don’t need God to have Good. You only need it to spell good.
I didn’t say this to Bible Study Girl, though. I had to hand in an essay. Maybe I’ll mention this stuff next time I get trapped by an inconspicuous Bible-freak. But I’d much prefer it if they just started carrying super noticeable, Bibley clipboards. That way, when I saw one coming, I could just put my headphones on and cross to the other side of the street like I do when the Greenpeace people ask me if I have a “moment for the environment.”
Or maybe I should just start carrying my own clipboard.
Excuse me. Do you have a moment to stop strangers from talking to you?