How do you feel when someone directly tells you ...

[Angrboda]

I can't say I ever remember being told that by anyone.


If I were, I would probably have a mix of several different reactions, combined. The first and strongest, a visceral one, like Cinjin's, at being challenged and threatened by someone intending to threaten and challenge. The second would be motivated by contempt for someone of such obviously low morals and character trying to assert the superiority of same over mine; virtue and character are high, unimpeachable goods in my world; offend them, and you offend the gods. The third would be to recognize from my experience of psychology that they aren't experiencing it as a malevolence in the way someone outside their head may be, and that they are just trapped by what they believe, as everyone is in a sense trapped by what they believe. Then, being challenged by an alien faith that sought to destroy mine, I might introduce them to one of the personal vicars of "She Who Destroys" here on earth and verbally beat them into submission. Then the Taoist in me might be inclined to yield and allow these lost souls to wander that specific road themselves until they discover how truly lost they are, so they will be faced with the choice of responsibility and grow through learning. Then the student of Sun Tzu in me might make a quick tactical assessment, and figure the balance of potential gains to be had by engagement are easily outweighed by the real negatives, and the danger of larger unknown negatives not immediately apparent, and then strike a fighting retreat composed of stone-cold looks and hard remarks about weakly related matters, both to stall as well as to gauge their reaction in hopes of getting a glimpse of whatever else is inside them that I might use.

I'll have to let you know if it ever happens. Most of the people I associate are atheists, humanists, or interfaith oriented, so the risk is low. And anyone who does know me, and who might be given to say something like that to someone, would know that saying something like that me presents the strong possibility of encountering ruinious results from their efforts and restrain themselves on their own. It's hard to guess, but it would likely be brief, slow, tense, and rather undramatic, with no winners, but possibly one loser.