The Evangelist

“‘It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the Judgment,’” He looked to be an early thirties businessman and was talking to a young, stocky Hispanic. He saw me listening to their conversation, but went on, “It doesn’t make sense that people would be reincarnated over and over again, since that would mean they would die over and over again, and that would go against Hebrews 9:27.” The conversation went on. The odd thing was that the person being evangelized wasn’t even the one who brought up reincarnation and never said anything leading me to think he might have believed it to begin with, nor did he ever admit to accepting the Bible as a way to settle an argument. Don’t get me wrong, the verse is true. But if a Hindu came to me and tried to convince me not to eat meat by quoting the Vedas, he just wouldn’t get very far. Alas, the young man was too polite, and agreed to take the little comic book and read over it. He didn’t volunteer for prayer, though.

I was next in the cue for evangelism. Not that I got in that line on purpose, but as soon as he was done with his first victim, he approached me. “I noticed you seemed interested in our conversation.”

“‘Amused by’ would be closer.”

“What do you think about reincarnation?”

“Oh, I believe absolutely in Hebrews 9:27.” He looked pleased at my answer. “In fact, I know with certanty that it not only precludes reincarnation, but keeps the resurrected from ever dying again.” He nodded like he knew what I had just said; I pushed ahead anyway. “I know this because I’ve been denied rest ever since that crazy prophet brought me back some 3000 years ago.”