Offended a bookstore worker...

RyB17 · January 20, 2011, 03:42:12 PM

I wanted to buy "The God Delusion" by Dawkins so I went to the bookstore in the mall. I had my 6 month old daughter with me. I picked up a magazine and I found "God in NOT Great" by C. Hitchens. I just recently learned other people thought like me and understood I'm not alone. This is the first book I've bought on this topic.

Anyway, the guy asked me how I was doing, how old my "beautiful daughter" was and if I found everything I was looking for. I answered all his polite questions and thought the guy was a nice guy...until he rang up my book! He glanced at the cover and I saw a switch flip in his eyes. He looked at me, down at my sleeping daughter and back at the book. He became short in his comments and was just plain rude. This was the first time I had ever experienced judgement like this. I told him to have a good day and his response was a very short "uh huh...".

Has anything like this ever happen to any of you? I thought it was rude but it proved a point. This book was in his store!? Wow...

Asmodean · January 20, 2011, 04:04:49 PM

Never happened to me... He was a crappy salesman though. They are supposed to look polite and helpful at work pretty much no matter what.

AnimatedDirt · January 20, 2011, 04:10:10 PM

Quote from: "RyB17"I wanted to buy "The God Delusion" by Dawkins so I went to the bookstore in the mall. I had my 6 month old daughter with me. I picked up a magazine and I found "God in NOT Great" by C. Hitchens. I just recently learned other people thought like me and understood I'm not alone. This is the first book I've bought on this topic.

Anyway, the guy asked me how I was doing, how old my "beautiful daughter" was and if I found everything I was looking for. I answered all his polite questions and thought the guy was a nice guy...until he rang up my book! He glanced at the cover and I saw a switch flip in his eyes. He looked at me, down at my sleeping daughter and back at the book. He became short in his comments and was just plain rude. This was the first time I had ever experienced judgement like this. I told him to have a good day and his response was a very short "uh huh...".

Has anything like this ever happen to any of you? I thought it was rude but it proved a point. This book was in his store!? Wow...

That's interesting and very sad. I have this book and am more than half way through reading it. This guy you encountered is a poor excuse for a Christian (assuming that's why he treated you like that). I know many Christians that own and have read The God Delusion.

That is unfortunately the thinking of a good majority of Christians. His attitude is not that of a Christian. But then again, my attitude fails my beliefs a lot also. Sorry you had to endure that.

LegendarySandwich · January 20, 2011, 04:51:20 PM

Quote from: "AnimatedDirt"That's interesting and very sad. I have this book and am more than half way through reading it. This guy you encountered is a poor excuse for a Christian (assuming that's why he treated you like that). I know many Christians that own and have read The God Delusion.

That is unfortunately the thinking of a good majority of Christians. His attitude is not that of a Christian. But then again, my attitude fails my beliefs a lot also. Sorry you had to endure that.

Exactly.

How did he know you weren't a Christian? Do people solely read books they agree with now?

pilchardo · January 20, 2011, 05:31:28 PM

Quote from: "RyB17"I wanted to buy "The God Delusion" by Dawkins so I went to the bookstore in the mall. I had my 6 month old daughter with me. I picked up a magazine and I found "God in NOT Great" by C. Hitchens. I just recently learned other people thought like me and understood I'm not alone. This is the first book I've bought on this topic.

Anyway, the guy asked me how I was doing, how old my "beautiful daughter" was and if I found everything I was looking for. I answered all his polite questions and thought the guy was a nice guy...until he rang up my book! He glanced at the cover and I saw a switch flip in his eyes. He looked at me, down at my sleeping daughter and back at the book. He became short in his comments and was just plain rude. This was the first time I had ever experienced judgement like this. I told him to have a good day and his response was a very short "uh huh...".

Has anything like this ever happen to any of you? I thought it was rude but it proved a point. This book was in his store!? Wow...

Perhaps he was just surprised to see a book with such a "daring" title, and maybe it even interested him. I used to work in a bookshop and it was always very interesting to see what people were into. Did you manage to find the god delusion? I've seen it in libraries, apparently it's very popular.

hackenslash · January 20, 2011, 05:36:32 PM

Another vindication of Hitchens' subtitle. methinks.

Asmodean · January 20, 2011, 05:54:05 PM

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"Do people solely read books they agree with now?

Would it surprise you..? Really? :hmm:

LegendarySandwich · January 20, 2011, 05:56:24 PM

Quote from: "Asmodean"
Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"Do people solely read books they agree with now?
Would it surprise you..? Really?

No, but I don't think it's a valid assumption to make.

Yesterday, someone saw I was on this site and asked "You're an atheist?" I am, obviously, but how did he know I wasn't a Christian that decided to debate with some atheists? Is everyone who goes to an atheist forum an atheist now?

If that's true, sorry AnimatedDirt...hand in your Bible and soul before 5:00 PM, Eastern time.

Tank · January 20, 2011, 06:01:46 PM

Quote from: "hackenslash"Another vindication of Hitchens' subtitle. methinks.

Would that be the UK one or the US one? They are different AFAIK. One is 'Religion poisons everything.' the other is 'The case against religion.'

Asmodean · January 20, 2011, 06:06:09 PM

Quote from: "LegendarySandwich"AnimatedDirt...hand in your Bible and soul before 5:00 PM, Eastern time.

Can we cook the soul afterwards?

A person who himself only reads books he agrees with would be likely to impose that same attribute on strangers, like customers, for instance, or passengers on the same train... I think.

elliebean · January 20, 2011, 06:20:43 PM

Quote from: "Tank"
Quote from: "hackenslash"Another vindication of Hitchens' subtitle. methinks.

Would that be the UK one or the US one? They are different AFAIK. One is 'Religion poisons everything.' the other is 'The case against religion.'

Haha, I didn't know that! I love the US subtitle though; it just sounds so, "This is why we can't have nice things! *pouts*" lol

That should be the title of a book, if it isn't one already.

hackenslash · January 20, 2011, 07:07:00 PM

Quote from: "Tank"
Quote from: "hackenslash"Another vindication of Hitchens' subtitle. methinks.

Would that be the UK one or the US one? They are different AFAIK. One is 'Religion poisons everything.' the other is 'The case against religion.'

I didn't know that. I read the US version.

RyB17 · January 20, 2011, 07:19:20 PM

I have the "Religion poisons everything" version. The only thing that kinda pissed me off was the way he looked at my daughter. It amazes me how ignorant people can be. He was an older man too. I just feel if you're living a "christian" life, aren't you supposed to love and accept everyone? Or is that just something most christians say but forget to live by?

Honestly, I feel sorry for the guy.

Most "hard core christians" I have known personally are the biggest hypocrites I've ever met.

lundberg500 · January 20, 2011, 08:21:10 PM

QuoteMost "hard core christians" I have known personally are the biggest hypocrites I've ever met.

I agree, completely.

To this man you are an anti-christ. They don't like that. By the way, are you from the southern part of the US by any chance? I ask that because I have had similar experiences down here in TX.

KDbeads · January 20, 2011, 09:55:42 PM

Quote from: "RyB17"Has anything like this ever happen to any of you? I thought it was rude but it proved a point. This book was in his store!? Wow...

Yeah.... don't ask for any type of vampire, demon, werewolf or even romance novels in my local library. You will be asked to leave, politely and in so many words but you will be run out the door. Within 24 hours of this request at the library the ENTIRE town will know you read horrific literature and you will be shunned until you move.

But this is central TX, doesn't matter if it's a public library. This is par for the course. Hence why I get all my books either from online bookstores or paperbackswap.com

News:

Offended a bookstore worker...