Yom Kippur (brief)

[cellio]

I'm home. I feel refreshed (and a little tired). I'm fed (at a pleasant break-fast with congregants). The caffeine headache didn't start until fairly late and is now under control. Services were good, and my part went fine. The afternoon classes were a success. I have ideas for things I want to do to improve things next year.

Maybe I'll write more about all that later, but right now I have to share an encounter I had Sunday night. I was on my way to services when I saw, walking toward me, two men. They were in black suits with white shirts, at least one was wearing a black hat, and each was carrying a book in one hand. This fits an obvious profile, so as we got close I got ready to say "shana tova". Before I could, though, one of them said "good evening" and then said they were out talking to people about the Book of Mormon and had I heard of it? (At this point he held up the book for me to see.) I said I had heard of it and didn't have time to talk more because I was on my way to Yom Kippur services. (I was trying not to be rude.) They seemed like nice folks, so I dropped the additional clue that tonight was Yom Kippur and they were standing smack in the middle of Pittsburgh's largest Jewish neighborhood, so they probably wouldn't get a lot of takers that night. (There are more non-Jews than Jews in the neighborhood, but a higher-than-average proportion of those out walking that night would be on their way to Yom Kippur services.) They thanked me for the information and we parted ways.

This is actually the first time I've met Mormon missionaries. I know that they go door to door (though they haven't come to my door yet), but I didn't know they also stopped people in the street.

I got a chuckle out of their timing.

Comments

[goljerp]

<paranoid> Hmm... maybe it wasn't a coincidence: what better time to get people to convert from Judiasm than at the beginning of a fast? </paranoid>

Nah, if they were really doing it on purpose, they'd be doing it on Monday afternoon, along with doughnuts and soda. ("Mmm, forbidden dougnut...")

LOL

[celebrin.livejournal.com]

Nah, if they were really doing it on purpose, they'd be doing it on Monday afternoon, along with doughnuts and soda.

You're not kidding. Heck there are moments in the middle of the fast when I know I'd at least listen to them for a doughnut and a soda.

Hope all have a happy and healthy new year.

Re: LOL

[chite.livejournal.com]

It would have to be caffeine-free soda. Not much use in that.

Re: LOL

[cellio]

Well, now there's an interesting question. Do Mormons view caffeine as bad in the abstract, or bad for them? If the latter, they might well see a Coke and a doughnut as an expedient way to get the guy on the street to sit down and chat, and later they can deal with the whole caffeine issue.

Or, alternatively, a really good ginger ale -- by which I mean the stuff that'll help with head colds -- can make up for a lack of caffeine.

Re: LOL

[chite.livejournal.com]

Well, at the Polynesian Cultural Center (in Hawaii), which is run by Mormons, there was no caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco allowed on the premesis at all. Only luau in Hawaii that didn't serve a Mai Tai. So, I think they think it's bad in the abstract, but it's a good thought.

At Brigham Young University's dance camp, you can't have caffeine the whole time you are there. But of course, they make up for that with the amount of sugar they serve.

Re: LOL

[dvarin.livejournal.com]

It depends on the strain of Mormonism. According to the various people I've heard from (why I've heard this at all is because I used to work at a company that was split between here and Provo, Utah), there are a couple schools of thought: one is that coke, etc is okay because Joseph Smith only prohibited coffee and tea. (The counter to this is "well, of course--coffee and tea were the only caffeine beverages at the time.") Another is that hot caffeine is bad, but cold caffeine is okay, because cold caffiene drinks don't give off caffeine-laden steam for other people to breathe in regardless of whether they want to or not. I think this one only applies to Mormon establishments that serve non-Mormon patrons, but I'm not sure, as it seems a little flaky for general use.

Apparently there is no shortage of Starbuckses in Salt Lake City.

Caffeine-laden steam???

[miz-hatbox.livejournal.com]

Um... steam is pure water vapor, which is why boiling a water-based solution (such as coffee) concentrates the solution, and why steam distillation works.

I grant you that people have to breathe in the aroma of coffee, but there's no caffeine in the aroma, at least not that I know of...

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I've found Mormon missionaries to be unfailingly polite, and basically decent people. I got my copy of the Book of Mormon from one of them. What can I say? When a missionary offers me a Free Religious Book, how am I gonna refuse? Doesn't do anything to make me want to convert, because nothing that any missionaries talk about has any relevance to the kind of religion I have.

[cellio]

If I had encountered them on my way home, I would have talked to them and taken a book out of sheer curiosity. (There is no risk that they could convert me, but I find religion fascinating and I don't know much about theirs.) But carrying a book of Mormon into a synagogue on Yom Kippur sends the wrong message. :-)

[tikvahope.livejournal.com]

all I can do is giggle.