So a while ago I was walking through my local town centre, minding my own business, when I passed a bunch of Christians who were handing out leaflets and preaching Bible passages. I just kept on walking, and didn’t give them eye contact because I really couldn’t be bothered with the inevitable fight which always seems to ensue when I find myself in these types of situations.
Despite me trying to be invisible amongst the crowd, somehow one of these guys singled me out. He immediately ran to me, and grabbed my arm. When someone just grabs me in a crowded place, my first instinct is to deck them, so he’s lucky he didn’t get his teeth rammed down his throat! I kept my cool, and politely (but firmly) asked him to remove his hand from my arm. He apologised, and acted courteous, politely asking if I’d like a free Bible to make up for it. I declined, but he kept hounding me about it.
He followed me along the street until I finally had enough, I spun around and just said “please leave me alone, I’m busy and not interested”. As I turned around the light must have glanced off my Mjölnir pendant, because he suddenly noticed it. He shouted for his friends to come over, so I had six of these guys surrounding me, brandishing leaflets, screaming Bible quotes into my face. They begged me to “let God into my heart” – I replied “I have no space left in my heart for anymore gods, I’ve already got plenty in there” and I swear to Odin these guys went completely batshit crazy… They were screaming insults at me, attracting the attention of half the town. Yet no one stepped in. There were six well built, 6ft6 men hurling abuse at a solitary 5ft5 woman, but no one seemed bothered. They just stared.
The Bible bashers started calling me a Satanist, and I completely flipped out. I explained to them (with facts, and offered to show them evidence on my phone) that Mjölnir had nothing to do with Satanism. But they refused to listen to reason, and continued hurling abuse at me.
After a while of standing my ground, I gave up and walked away. When the original guy tried once again to grab me, I informed him that if he did it would be the last thing he ever did, and that he would invoke the wrath of my gods. He soon turned tail and ran!
I’m not sharing this story for sympathy – I may be a woman, and I may be relatively small in stature, but I’ve got a warrior’s heart. I will fight to the death if needs must, but I also know that there are some instances where its best to just walk away; this was one of those times.
Does walking away make me weak? No, because I recognized the fact that no amount of common sense or evidence was going to change the closed minds of those poor, deluded, brainwashed souls. Far from being angry, I actually pity them. They spend half their lives praying to a deity who’s very essence is a lie, and the other half trying to indoctrinate others into the worldwide web of holy deceit.
The thing which struck me most as ironic was the fact that, a minute before they turned on me, they were telling me how as Christians they had to “love thy neighbour”. I’m guessing the Bible missed out the second half of that sentence – “as long as they believe in the same things as you do”.
Christians like to preach peace, but practise hatred. This is nothing new. It wasn’t the first time this sort of thing has happened to me personally, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
But the thing which annoys me the most, far more than the abuse, is the lack of common sense. If I see someone wearing a symbol I don’t recognise, or hear them talk about something I’ve never heard of before, I take it upon myself to conduct my own research. I don’t make assumptions until I’m sure I fully understand what I speak of.
I openly invite any Christians (or people of other faiths) who cross my path to ask questions. I will never be angry! I will be happy to discuss my beliefs and explain what heathenry is all about. I will be only too glad to explain the significance and meaning behind the symbols I wear around my neck, and those which are tattooed on my skin.
Its occasions like the one I’ve just described which remind me how lucky I am to possess a free a mind, and a curious spirit. I do not fear the unknown – I embrace it! Maybe more Christians should try it sometime. Knowledge is power, and it truly can change lives!
Modern Norse Heathen 
And what happened to you is one of the reasons I left Christianity. I was wandering for years until one day I needed a hug and a old man with an eye patch gave me a hug and said “be at peace shieldmaiden”. I firmly believe that Odin visited me that day and haven’t looked back since.
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I believe He did as well. When my first love was murdered, I was stuck in an abusive relationship 2000 miles away. Several hours before he was killed, I picked up the phone to call him and ask him to help me get out (he would have). I chickened out and didn’t complete the call. He died that night while helping another friend. During my time of grieving and my struggle to get free, Odin appeared to me in a vision, and I could see the Hall of Valhalla behind Him. He said, “it’s okay, he’s okay. He’s with Me.” That’s when I started on the Northern Way.
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Wow, that’s pretty full on! I think you handled the situation very well. Sadly, it’s a waste of time even trying to explain anything to people like that who don’t want to hear it. And the logistics of trying to dispose of the bodies of six dead bible-bashers would be a real headache! 🙂
Seriously though, they displayed some real cult-like behaviour. Did you lay a complaint with the police about it? I very much doubt anything would happen, but it may be part of a bigger picture of harassment and intimidation. I’m not a lawyer, but I’m pretty sure blocking someone’s path and grabbing them in the street is technically assault. I’ll bet there’s plenty of Christians who would be embarrassed to know of that sort of behaviour too. Good on you for standing your ground. If they keep carrying on like that they may get struck by lightning!
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Thank you! Yes I did report it although as you can imagine nothing was done haha.
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Actually, as soon as they touched you without your consent it became battery. And legal parlance assault is talking about doing something, battery is actually completing it. When they grabbed you they committed a criminal offense, especially when they repeated the grabbing. At that point you would have been legally justified in defending yourself, however you do have to remember that there are consequences to actions, and even if you are legally Justified if you do not have a bank of witnesses to support you then you are probably going to come out on the short end of that stick.
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Nice story, my mom once got attacked by odinists once for being a jew.
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That is terrible, John. People should not have to put up with such oppression.
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I am sorry this happened to you. That’s why I am still in the broom closet so to speak.
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That jerk had some nerve putting his hand on a complete stranger. Were these Christians of European descent? It bothers me that so many European Americans follow middle eastern gods instead of our own. We need a spiritual revival.
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Couldn’t agree more! Yeah as far as I’m aware they are British Christians (I’m in the UK), but yeah it really irritates and saddens me when they would rather worship a desert god than their own native deities.
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When you had those men surrounding you you could have screamed rape and the insults and ignorance would have been over right there. For men all you have to do is drop your pants to be seen as mentaly ill and in that situation the men would walk away. It may seem outrageous or funny but you are forced into extreme situations when involved with Christians. I know this because i used to be one and yes i know a small percentage are not like the rest.
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It is not necessary to publicly display your faith. Let me explain my statement.
I used to wear a pentacle on the outside of what ever I was wearing , much like Christians and a cross or you the thors hammer. In doing so you invite chaos.
Like Jesus or the Buddha or Odin faith is not a badge to display it is a way of life.
For the last 4 months I was working for a Christian values theme park. Tattoos were to be covered up if you wanted to work for them regardless of what they were.
I am a good pagan and my morals and values echoed the true nature of a good Christian and I was honored by may of the patrons of this park for my morals and ways I treated people there. Statements like you are a true credit to all Christians. Yet I am not one. I didn’t have to say that because its not their business to know my faith.
What I am saying is that being a good human has nothing to do with religion. Loving your fellow man is its own reward. Anonymously.
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Reblogged this on mainer74 and commented:
There is a reason I am an open heathen, at six foot one, two hundred ninety pounds of scarred, ex military, leg breaker. It is for people like me to educate people like this heathen women encountered that they need to keep the dialog respectful or they will be seeing their god that day to explain why they are giving him such a shitty reputation.
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This is one of the reasons that I am an open Heathen. I stand six one, weigh in at about 290lbs of scarred ex military former competitive martial artist. I believe in reasoned discourse, civility and frith. I also think that demonstrations as to what happens to religious extremists when they attempt to lay hands on people whose forbearance they mistook for weakness can be excellent educational opportunities for those who survive.
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a lot of the atheists and pagans I know know the bible better than most christians
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Just out of curiosity, where do you live that people think that sort of behavior is acceptable? It seems like situations like this happen when no one is around to put a stop to this. There have been Two or three times when I unexpectedly walked into a situation where Xtians were harassing pagan women, and the moment I showed up, they hastily went packing. Strange behavior, in my mind.
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Oxfordshire, England. Yeah definitely strange! This was the worst encounter I’ve had, usually they just tell me I’m going to hell lol.
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I have never been attached in that form but I do get a lot of Christians from this church called the house of prayer they like to corner me in the grocery store and ask me do I believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and savior and I played Italy tell them I follow a different path some of them leave some of them get offended and hand me a 1-800 prayer helpline card and some of them try to persuade me into believing their way then I have to tell them I’m not a Christian and then I do believe in a higher power and then I just have to walk away when my daughter is with me while they’re talking to me because I don’t like to be rude she likes to sneak away. It’s awkward and when I go to the grocery store I’m just there to buy food not to learn about God. I’m so sorry that was truly being bullied people like that make me so angry. I’ve been called a Satanist a devil worshiper been told I’m going to hell I just tell them I don’t believe in hell I don’t argue because there’s no point guy asked them have they ever seen or heard of The Dalai Lama or Gandhi most of them don’t even know who Gandhi is. I’m not a heathen but I do follow a pagan path and I was wondering if maybe we can exchange emails it’d be nice to be able to talk to somebody that I can learn from because you’re correct knowledge is power.
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Feel free to email me although I may be slow to reply – vikingmetalgirl93@gmail.com 🙂
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