# Never hit on anyone who can't run away screaming **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 6, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978 "2010-01-06T23:42:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/81 "2010-01-10T00:44:32Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > What are the long-term psychological effects of a bunch of women flirting with you at work? Well, eventually you’ll wake up, which can be a little disorienting. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/82 "2010-01-10T02:18:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Finally onetime she had her kid with her. He was about 6/7, maybe younger (or older, I suck at judging kids’ ages). He tried to hand me a pamphlet while Mommy smiled on. I said “No, thank you. I don’t want one.” He said “Why mister? Don’t you want Jesus to love you?” I said “No”. He was confused and asked why. “Because he’s not real, he’s make believe like God or Santa or the Tooth Fairy!” I responded. He started bawling his eyes out and Mom had this shocked and horrified look on her face. She turned pale, very pale, and hurried out of the store. I never saw her set foot in there again Heh. You forgot to mention the Easter Bunny. While I’m a little bit sorry for the kid, that he had to get shocked that way, better that he learns early on that not everyone appreciates that people pushing that sort of shit. And even better that Mom learns that not everyone will shield her Precious Snowflake from the facts. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/83 "2010-01-11T20:22:20Z")
This happened to me one time, though I wasn’t at work. I was walking to class and this guy comes out of nowhere and asks if I believe in god. I was taken back by the suddeness and bluntness of his words so I think I stammered out a “Uh…no not really”. I guess my hesitation was something he felt he could exploit because he followed me for a whole quarter mile to my class door! I guess when he started using Pascal’s Wager as some invincible god tactic I lost it and called him out on his bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/84 "2010-01-12T07:17:25Z")
I don’t mind be witnessed when I’m not working as long as the proselytizers don’t mind discussing theology. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/85 "2010-01-12T08:05:28Z")
> [@Auntbeast](#): > > It is a good rule, a simple rule. > > Do not hit on anyone who can not run away screaming. This rule does not just apply to romantic advances. It includes any controversial activity you engage in with someone who is paid to be nice to you. > > To Wit: A very nice couple came in today and it was my job to wait on them. The man looked a bit bored, and I asked if he wanted a crayon. He laughed and said “Sure!” So I brought him some crayons and some paper. > > He drew a picture. A picture he added to as the meal progressed. A picture of a person standing on one side of a chasm and God standing on the other. Every time I went to his table, he continued the preaching and the preaching and the preaching. He asked me where I saw myself in the picture. I responded “I don’t discuss religion or politics at work, Sir” He ended up leaving me the picture and a God pamphlet. > … > > He did leave me a nice tip though. He should have, I earned it. Thank God! I was afraid it would end with the pic & the pamphlet! Mom & I go out to lunch after church with a bunch of our fellow church-goers. Fortunately, I’ve never seen any hard-core proselytizing from them, just a low-key invitation to church or “light witnessing”. BUT there’s a notorious inconsistency in tipping! Some of us are great tippers, others not. Mom & I are, of course, among the former. Some times, we’ll even toss in a few extra bucks to make up for some others at our table. I’ve never seen any of us leave a tract & NO tip! If I saw that, I’d be tempted to take the tract (as long as it wasn’t something offensive like a Chick one) & put it with our tip! _L_ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/86 "2010-01-12T17:19:10Z")
I don’t get evangelized a lot, so I’ll put it to you lot - would it work if you answered, “Do you believe in God?” with, “None of your damned business.”? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/87 "2010-01-12T17:29:23Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I don’t get evangelized a lot, so I’ll put it to you lot - would it work if you answered, “Do you believe in God?” with, “None of your damned business.”? Short answer: no. Long answer: “Well, it is God’s business, and I am doing the Lord’s business, and have you thought about where you’re going to spend eternity?” You can be consistently mean and get them to stop, but if you are working for a tip then I’d imagine that’s a lot more complicated. Which is the point of the thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/88 "2010-01-12T17:52:23Z")
“It’s a good thing I don’t believe in God, because if I did he might tell me to piss in your soup.” ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/89 "2010-01-12T18:15:10Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > pretty funny. > > My thought was more combative I guess. > > “Draw another person in it laughing. That’s me!” You’d have to be willing to kiss your tip goodbye but it might be worth it. Depending on my mood I go one of two ways: Non-confrontational: Sorry, I’m Jewish. Confrontational: Cool! Now draw Thor over there shooting lightning bolts! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/90 "2010-01-12T19:25:32Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > The common definitions of the term are not quite the same as those used in formal discussion. Scholars differentiate between explicit (“strong”) atheism, meaning a belief that there is no God, and implicit (“weak”) atheism, meaning a lack of belief in general. (Implicit atheism being akin to the commonly understood meaning of agnosticism.) Agnosticism more properly means not having knowledge (without _gnosis_) and doesn’t address belief or the lack thereof directly. > > So someone can be both an atheist and an agnostic, if we take time to clarify what kind of atheism we’re talking about. I don’t think we’ll ever know what agnosticism really means. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/91 "2010-01-12T19:26:01Z")
> [@](#): > > You can be consistently mean and get them to stop, but if you are working for a tip then I’d imagine that’s a lot more complicated. Which is the point of the thread. Even if you’re not working for a tip, but just working, managers expect you to be diplomatic in your answer to such a question from a customer, or client, or co-worker. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/92 "2010-01-12T21:02:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > You have _blue_ duck eggs? No, I have a cat. Duck egg is a shade of blue, though. [![](https://www.colourlovers.com/wallPaper/800x600/c/A6C0C5/COLOURlovers.com-Duck_Egg_Blue.png) ](https://www.colourlovers.com/wallPaper/800x600/c/A6C0C5/COLOURlovers.com-Duck_Egg_Blue.png) > [@](#): > > Are you cross-breeding with robins, or something? That wouldn’t get me any blue duck eggs either because I am not a duck. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/93 "2010-01-13T00:20:24Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Should I ever acquire sufficient wealth and power, watch out, the evangelicals are _ **fucked!** _ But… won’t that result in even more evangelicals ? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/94 "2010-01-13T01:44:18Z")
By default, I discount any sort of affection displayed by people working - waitresses, coffee servers, whatever. My default assumption is that any affection at any level by employees in that setting it is a matter of professional hospitality. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/95 "2010-01-13T01:46:55Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > But… won’t that result in even more evangelicals ? 😕 Not the way he plans to do it. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/96 "2010-01-13T04:18:18Z")
No, I’m going to have a Solomonic harem of 10,000 evangelical women. I will leverage this into persuading the rest of them to do my bidding. Problem solved! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/97 "2010-01-13T20:18:11Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Short answer: no. > > Long answer: “Well, it is God’s business, and I am doing the Lord’s business, and have you thought about where you’re going to spend eternity?” > \ Ah, of course. Like telemarketers, they have an answer for everything. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/98 "2010-01-13T21:12:59Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Not the way he plans to do it. > > -Joe The back seat of a Volkswagen? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/99 "2010-01-14T01:25:19Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Mom & I go out to lunch after church with a bunch of our fellow church-goers. Fortunately, I’ve never seen any hard-core proselytizing from them, just a low-key invitation to church or “light witnessing”. What is “light witnessing?” > [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Short answer: no. > > Long answer: “Well, it is God’s business, and I am doing the Lord’s business, and have you thought about where you’re going to spend eternity?” What about “I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to discuss religion at work.” ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978/100 "2010-01-14T01:30:52Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > What is “light witnessing?” > > What about “I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to discuss religion at work.” “Doesn’t your boss know Jesus? I want to talk to him. I won’t give my business to a heathen.” Customer talks to boss, employee gets ass chewing. There is no good answer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-hit-on-anyone-who-cant-run-away-screaming/523978.md?page=6)