Showing posts with label Public Square. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public Square. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A Simple Suggestion
Last night, I got to the Union Center area of West Chester (northern suburb) a bit early for a meeting with an engaged couple prior to their wedding. As the restaraunt we were meeting at was close to a bookstore, I decided to do some perusing.
While strolling through, I saw that they had a 'Thought Provoking' table in the center of the store. Hmm..., being the intellectually curious fellow that I am, and already having too many books on my 'to read' shelf, I still had to examine the titles.
Of the twenty or so books on the table, two were from a decidedly anti-religious perspective. Disappointed, I started to walk towards the check out when I happened upon one of the clerks who had asked me earlier if I needed any help. "Ah, why not?" thinks I. Simply asking him a question, "I was wondering why you had two books on the table that are atheistic, but nothing here that was from a pro-religious or Christian perspective? Obviously it is important for me, and it seems like a bias to me."
To his credit, this young man was very pleasant and responded: "Hmm.. The list comes to us out of New York, but I'll ask my manager and see what she thinks." I was pretty satisfied with that answer and proceeded to check out with my small stash of books.
I had to walk back through the store to exit, when I passed this same young man (early twenties, I guessed) as he was combing through the Christianity section looking for books to place on the table. I thanked him, gave him the suggestion of GK Chesterton's 'Orthodoxy,' as it is celebrating 100 years in print, and left the store.
It seems to me that as Christians, Catholics especially, we're used to getting run over and not letting our voices be heard. Sure, I could have demanded that he take off the atheistic books; but a simple suggestion of wondering why their were no Catholic/Christian books led to a change. Who knows, perhaps someone will pick one of those newly arrived Christian books off the table and be opened to the Spirit's movement.
A simple suggestion and the courage to speak up in a loving way for 'Positive Orthodoxy.'
While strolling through, I saw that they had a 'Thought Provoking' table in the center of the store. Hmm..., being the intellectually curious fellow that I am, and already having too many books on my 'to read' shelf, I still had to examine the titles.
Of the twenty or so books on the table, two were from a decidedly anti-religious perspective. Disappointed, I started to walk towards the check out when I happened upon one of the clerks who had asked me earlier if I needed any help. "Ah, why not?" thinks I. Simply asking him a question, "I was wondering why you had two books on the table that are atheistic, but nothing here that was from a pro-religious or Christian perspective? Obviously it is important for me, and it seems like a bias to me."
To his credit, this young man was very pleasant and responded: "Hmm.. The list comes to us out of New York, but I'll ask my manager and see what she thinks." I was pretty satisfied with that answer and proceeded to check out with my small stash of books.
I had to walk back through the store to exit, when I passed this same young man (early twenties, I guessed) as he was combing through the Christianity section looking for books to place on the table. I thanked him, gave him the suggestion of GK Chesterton's 'Orthodoxy,' as it is celebrating 100 years in print, and left the store.
It seems to me that as Christians, Catholics especially, we're used to getting run over and not letting our voices be heard. Sure, I could have demanded that he take off the atheistic books; but a simple suggestion of wondering why their were no Catholic/Christian books led to a change. Who knows, perhaps someone will pick one of those newly arrived Christian books off the table and be opened to the Spirit's movement.
A simple suggestion and the courage to speak up in a loving way for 'Positive Orthodoxy.'
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