Another moment from life as a disabled person in Dublin. No money being offered this time – no I got much much more than that.

In the past few months I have been offered leaflets by different religious movements as I made my way through town. I’m now a deft mover practiced at the art of saying no thanks and speeding on by. However I have come to realise that my very visible disability is a sort of a flashing neon sign that says ‘muppet in need of saving, healing, hands being laid on, etc. etc.)

Today (outside Butlers Cafe again!! I may have to cease stopping outside this place!) I was approached by a woman with a buggy asking if she could speak to me for a moment. I thought I knew what was coming next. I then looked at her t-shirt and saw the word Pastor and therefore confirmed that this was a religious tap rather than a tap for money or even a query for ‘where did you get yer mobility scooter’.

I said no thanks – I did not need to be saved. She wanted to know if I ‘had given up already’.

No I don’t need saving and I’m not interested in anything religious.

How did I know it was religious she said – I pointed to the word Pastor and said that it was fairly easy!

She gave up.

Pity about the 6 (YES SIX) other members of her group who didn’t get the message and who decided to approach me between the Spire and Talbot street. Three of whom separately approached me while I was parked up outside another shop as my gf was inside.

I was offered a chance for a cure by Pastor Chris by two of them. I met another friend who uses a wheelchair who was told that he could be helped to walk again. As we compared notes on the healings that were offered we were approached again by someone who saw a chance for a double booking.

We both shouted at him to go away. So now they and others who witnessed it probably think that it was more than our physical bodies that needed saving. Goddess (that’s a non religious one) only knows what I would have been offered if they knew it was a lesbian disabled being that needed saving!)

A bit of digging has led me to find out that Pastor Chris is coming to London – not sure if there is a video link from Dublin or if he is coming here himself but I’m sure some good person from the church will be along to let us all know. What we can do to stop them jumping on every disabled passer by during their publicity campaign I’m not sure. Suggestions welcome in the comments.

(And I know since we’ve not stopped the Catholic Church blessing the special children and bringing them to Lourdes and the like without their consent I don’t suppose we can do much about Pastor Chris’s friends. I have no issue with anyone’s practice of their religion just leave the rest of us alone and give up on the prosyletising.)

This is what I’m missing!

Before today I was planning a post on the Cóir muppets who chased me on Friday evening with Vote No to Lisbon leaflets and are sure that a disabled person like myself must surely be anti-abortion. They’re safe enough for the minute from my wrath.

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