O come all ye faithful
Conversation on the shuttle going from where I work to where I eat lunch:
(Woman is talking to driver)
Woman: I know this couple, he is a Lutheran and she is a Methodist. They couldn't really decide and now they don't go to church and their kids aren't raised as anything. I mean, I can understand not going to church on Sundays, but never going and bringing your kids up without faith? (To driver) You aren't an atheist, are you?
Driver: No.
Me: I am.
(Woman looks at me, pauses)
(Then, assuming I'm kidding:)
Woman: No you're not.
Me: No, I am.
Woman (unconvinced): No! (pause) You don't look like an atheist.
Me: What does an atheist look like?
Woman: You look kind, you look like a kind person.
Driver (possibly to change the subject): Yeah, he's a pretty mellow person. (conversation drops off)
Perhaps surprisingly, this is the first time I have experienced such outright, casual bigotry.
(Woman is talking to driver)
Woman: I know this couple, he is a Lutheran and she is a Methodist. They couldn't really decide and now they don't go to church and their kids aren't raised as anything. I mean, I can understand not going to church on Sundays, but never going and bringing your kids up without faith? (To driver) You aren't an atheist, are you?
Driver: No.
Me: I am.
(Woman looks at me, pauses)
(Then, assuming I'm kidding:)
Woman: No you're not.
Me: No, I am.
Woman (unconvinced): No! (pause) You don't look like an atheist.
Me: What does an atheist look like?
Woman: You look kind, you look like a kind person.
Driver (possibly to change the subject): Yeah, he's a pretty mellow person. (conversation drops off)
Perhaps surprisingly, this is the first time I have experienced such outright, casual bigotry.