three boys, who couldn't have been older than thirteen, just came up to my door to ask me if i have accepted jesus christ as my personal lord and savior.

how do you tell three very earnest young boys, who are wearing suits on an 85-degree day, that no, as a matter of fact, you haven't, and you have no immediate plans to?

they asked me if they could ask me a few questions. i consented and had to be honest, if tactful.

what is your church background? i don't go to church regularly.

do you believe the bible? parts of it; not literally.

do you believe you are a sinner? i guess i am, yes.

do you believe in heaven? i'm not completely decided about that.

are you sure that when you die you will go to heaven? no.

he gave me a small book and nervously read a few passages to me, explaining what they meant. finally concluding that all sinners can go to heaven if they pray to jesus with their hearts.

have you prayed this prayer to jesus? not in a long time, no.

would you like to pray with us tonight?

i gave the book back as gently as i could. i just said thank you very much. have a nice day.

ohh, how fucking manipulative can you be? sending fucking children? i should have marched across the street and quietly lambasted the adult waiting for them, hands in his fucking smug pockets. in a way that i don't think adult door-to-door spiritual salesmen would be affected, i think i really hurt those boys. they were scared as it was; they didn't need to hear my sugarcoated agnosticism, they didn't need the words they believe so strongly in shoved back into their faces.

whatever the situation, whatever the beliefs in question, don't, don't put children in the middle of it. it's dirty, and it sucks.