Ok, I'm worried... :( (kinda complicated)

I attend a wonderful UU church that I have to cross the state line to go to, & have to have a ride to also, since I do not have a car at this point.

Recently, another church out that way - even farther away - has members from our congregation attempting to revive it; it has been basically abandoned for something like from 3-5 years. The church itself is a lovely Victorian building with beautiful stained glass - probably close to twice as big as the tiny church I attend.

(Yes this is going someplace, bear with me here... )

There are people from the area that are coming in to our fellowship meetings there (there is not a full-blown congregation as yet - there may be about 10 of us there at any given time, or less.) Among them is a lady with whom I had been slightly acquainted previously (she owned a coffee-house which she then sold to a young couple who had to since close, which is a pity).

She started reading Tarot about a year & 1/2 ago, & she wants to use the huge social room of this church to have a Goddess-oriented event. I was there when she proposed it & naturally I am the 1st reader to sign on - we are planning it for the beginning of June.

Now to the main gist of the problem I face here...

You see, this area is REACTIONARY.

She (Dawn) had been planning on reading in a tent in a block party that they recently had in "downtown" (haha) Towanda; she was consequently approached by her sister who is among those who live there & think this way (i.e. the demons are gonna getcha if-you-don't-watch-out). Yes, they are serious.

Her sister told her that the area churches were going to band together & come down en masse simply to challenge her, & who knows what else, if she were to do this.

Ultimately she DID back down - it was only because, she said, it was her own sister who asked her to do so.

This area makes me more nervous than anywhere I've been in this broad area - where I'm living now (the Southern Tier NYS area) is bad enough, & where my own church is, is not exactly "weirdo"-friendly (our congregation is composed of lovely & VERY DIFFERENT people!). That is just over the border in PA. Towanda is "deeper in" you could say...

I am thinking I wish I had a bullet-proof vest!!

About 2 years ago, there was a shooting in a Tennessee UU church - & yes, people DIED.

When I talked to Dawn, I even told her that I was concerned for my own welfare (it may not be likely - but it does happen!!); she said what am I afraid of, I said maybe being KILLED, which I am not ready for because I have too much I feel I have left to do. She reassured me that if that's the case, I won't die. I understand what she means - if your number is up, it's up, if it's not it's not.

Probably in all realistic sense, I will only be confronted with local Bible-thumpers coming in to challenge us...

I have already pictured the scenario (that is, the one SANS a gun) & I can't even keep a straight face at the thought of someone that is terrified of life & reality telling me that I am at risk for "hellfire & damnation" &, as Dawn's sister apparently announced to her, that "every card I pick up will conjure a demon".

Demons, suffice it to say without making this post even longer than it already is, do NOT scare me. In the least. Which is why I can't keep a straight face at the thought of being threatened with them...

Now, probably a lot of you out there will think I am being paranoid, that I shouldn't do it if I'm that scared, etc. Well, maybe that's correct & I shouldn't - but I am also in a serious (I mean short of tp-money serious) financial bind. Not only do I need whatever money I can make desperately, I also feel that this IS something that needs to happen.

I guess I just want advice as to what to say to these people when they show up (as they are, I firmly believe, bound to)...

Sorry the post got so long!!

What's tp-money?

If one or two people confront you you could try saying that could they please leave you alone and that you don't want to discuss your beliefs with them.
Then just ignore them.

Hope they go away if you refuse to take part in any confrontation.

Or you could quote some law to them about them trying to take away your right to religious freedom. I think you have laws about that, don't you?

But if they come en masse, to be perfectly honest with you, I'd pack up and piss off.
Or if it was getting too critical too fast I'd bugger off sharpish without packing up and damn what I left behind.

Tell them that freedom to practice our own religion doesn't mean "freedom of religion as long as you only practice Chrisianity". Freedom of speech does allow them the right to demonstrate, which might dampen your turnout of customers, but in some states, there are laws that say people who demonstrate have to stay a certain distance away from where you are. I'm not sure whether all states allow peaceful demonstrations, but I think they do. You might want to find out. You may have the right to have them arrested if they set foot on church property, too.

It seems to me that demonstrations against a particular religious group's activities might be against the law, though, freedom of speech or not. I'd look into that if I were you. You may find a loophole there that would prevent them from bothering you.

On the other hand, this person may just be blowing smoke. Threatening to come after you en masse might seem like a powerful threat, but might be harder to organize in reality.

Lillie, "tp money" is toilet paper money. Some of us on a fixed income occasionally find that hard to fit into a tight budget. I never do because I will have that even if I have nothing else. I put that at the top of my shopping list. I think it's just a figure of speech, though, to express how difficult times have gotten. Those of us on social security didn't even get our $4 "cost of living" raise this year.

Hmmm.

When I have been that broke I have been known to steal it from public toilets.

But only if it looks clean.

I have also eaten food from skips (dumpsters?).
If you find a good one that's a proper money saver!

Most people hate confrontation BRI, so swallow about 95% of your fear and poop it out.

I can think of any subject (Palin, deep sea drilling, spotted owl...) where there are reactionary people who will spew spittle and claim (and believe) everyone else thinks like they do. In truth, most people are live and let live because they are too lazy or tired or busy to be anything else. The sister is one of the rabid ones...

Choose your fight and then make it a good one. If the city approves the venue no one can stop you from taking part.

(((BRI)))

AJ said:

If the city approves the venue no one can stop you from taking part.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

Also, Griz is right, if it comes to that- say that its ok with your system of believes which happens to differ from theirs.
Please, whatever happens, the most important thing is that you remain calm and centered; i do think/feel it will go well.
(((BRI)))

ETA: i observed my teacher of Kabbalah when confronted by fundamentalists of various kinds - he would say 'thank you for your concern, i see what you mean'. Very calmly.

Grizabella said:

Tell them that freedom to practice our own religion doesn't mean "freedom of religion as long as you only practice Chrisianity". Freedom of speech does allow them the right to demonstrate, which might dampen your turnout of customers, but in some states, there are laws that say people who demonstrate have to stay a certain distance away from where you are. I'm not sure whether all states allow peaceful demonstrations, but I think they do. You might want to find out. You may have the right to have them arrested if they set foot on church property, too.

It seems to me that demonstrations against a particular religious group's activities might be against the law, though, freedom of speech or not. I'd look into that if I were you. You may find a loophole there that would prevent them from bothering you.

On the other hand, this person may just be blowing smoke. Threatening to come after you en masse might seem like a powerful threat, but might be harder to organize in reality.

Lillie, "tp money" is toilet paper money. Some of us on a fixed income occasionally find that hard to fit into a tight budget. I never do because I will have that even if I have nothing else. I put that at the top of my shopping list. I think it's just a figure of speech, though, to express how difficult times have gotten. Those of us on social security didn't even get our $4 "cost of living" raise this year.

Click to expand...

Thank you muchly for this, G. & yes, I think that some people here know I am on SSI - it's not even SSD, that is, for those in "foreign parts," Supplemental (?!! ) Security Income vs. Supplemental Security Disability. I've been on it for WAY too long, & I'm going to go out for a job after declaring bankruptcy for the 2nd time in my life (yeah, it's been 14 years, so I can do it again by now). The 1st time it was an outstanding hospital bill (the reason I was put on SSI in the 1st place), now it's just plain ol' debt. I've been trying to be "responsible" - suffice it to say that years of it not only isn't working, it seems to be getting WORSE (& no I haven't even been able to use my credit in at least a year!).

At any rate, to get back on subject here... (Pardoning the digression!)

I will certainly go ahead & look into the local laws. My main concern is lack of faith in the local police dept. - but THEY can be sued, & my sister is a lawyer, so what the hey, right?

Ah - & mdr, thank you also, that's the only way to go really. I know, I know - I will have to try very hard to NOT laugh in their faces. In general, that is probably A Very Bad Idea...

ETA - & also, the Figure of Speech is getting A Little TOO Literal for my comfort, btw... (If I take AJ's advice I'll certainly NEED it! )

I grew up in that area. I'll pm you with what I know of the laws, but things may have changed.

Wow, that's amazing! Thank you very much indeedie.

As I say, my sis is a lawyer, should be able to fill me in on anything I need to know that is general - she may be able to research the specifics too...

Aha.

Well, it looks like the issue is basically moot unless we get church sponsorship, which Paul (our leader) had specified was not happening for this, at least when he didn't realize that we'd be renting the space for an illegal activity without board approval & sponsorship!

I am gonna hold off here until next (not this as I am away for the week) Sunday, when I can report that little fact of which I was reminded to him (i.e. that PA law DOES term "fortune-telling" an illegal activity, which only goes to prove my point about the area even further, if you ask me!!).