So I'm sitting at Starbucks, reading The Trouble with Physics, minding my own business when this very nice woman sits down in the chair next to me.  "Are you really reading a book about physics?", she asked.  Now I have to admit, even though I'm wearing a semi geeky t-shirt this morning and reading a book about String Theory, I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but had little choice really.  I tried to save myself by saying it was actually more about the politics of physics than the mathematics.  This immediately lead to the question, "So from what perspective are you reading it?  From a Christian perspective, from a secular perspective?"

It's kind of funny.  For as much as I blog about religion and politics, and am truly unafraid to talk about these things with people, I'm actually taken aback when people ask about them right out of the blue.  Not that it scares me in the least.  It just surprises me is all.  So finally I admitted that I was mostly reading it from a secular perspective.  After all, it's a book about physics, not Christianity.

"Oh my God.  So you don't believe?"

Oh no, that's right.  It's Sunday.  Funny as it sounds... I don't think anyone has asked me something like that so directly, and so I had to stop and think about it for second.  So finally I answered... "I'm still trying to figure it all out."  That's the easy way to admit that you're really a heathen in your mother's eyes.

It was soon after that when she mentioned being "born again".

So yeah... I had a most interesting conversation this morning over coffee.  And really, it turned out to be a lot nicer than I thought it would at first.