DW needs help! Are animal rescues a waste of time?

[debilorrah]

Ok dear you can approach this in a couple ways. You could tell him that his opinion is really only important to him, you have heard it enough times to know how he feels, and now is the time to stop.

Or

Tell him that is not the animals souls you are concerned with but the incredible benefit they have for YOUR soul.

I am gonna go out on a limb here and suggest that he is a bit of holy roller.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Honestly.. all joking aside..
I think that you'll just have deal with it... ignore it..whatever.
I'd just let it go..
who cares if he believes that animals dont have souls? You'll not change his mind or anything.. so there would be no use it hashing it out with him... Just my opinion...

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Then just say so, those 3 words, and walk away. I'm sure there is no answer that will make any dent in his view, or any other difference to him, anyway. He will certainly never acknowledge that his is an opinion that cannot be proven or disproven.

Personally, I don't reply at all to inappropriate remarks. I look away or walk away. At least, that way they don't get the attention they are craving. And I will NOT be drawn into conversations of this sort.

 

[Kansaseq]

'You KNOW that animals don't have souls--rescue is stupid'

"Oh,my! What a beautiful day it is out there! Have you ever seen such a lovely afternoon?"


'Uh, yea, it's nice. But you are wasting your time with those animals'

"Such a delightful day! Think I'll go for a walk after work, just to take in the cool fall air. It's been ages since I went for a walk. Oh, would you hand me that scraper, please? Thank you. Yes, a walk is in order"

'So, God says XYZ in the Bible, and animals don't have souls. Are you listening?'

"Such a lovely day. Excuse me, I have to go autoclave these instruments".................


Anytime he tries to talk about it--derail him. Do NOT feed into it or acknowledge what he is saying. If asks what you are doing, just say, very sweetly, "I"m sorry, but I'm just not comfortable discussing this with you " and back to derailing him if he continues. Trust me, he will get the idea, and eventually stop. If you aren't having the conversation with him, he's going to look pretty stupid having a monologue with himself.

 

[J.Pryce]

She could use the Chris Farley line " I wish you'd just shut YOUR BIG YAPPER" It works for me on annoying folks.

 

[Ferrret]

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When he brings it up and tries to start something, simply state in a calm voice:

"I do not agree." *end of conversation*

If he persists, repeat that you do not agree with his views and change the subject or simply stay quiet and look away.
Dropping eye contact, turning away and curt statements are the best, albeit sometimes awkward, ways to end a conversation.
You can respect a persons views by acknowledging them, not agreeing with them. Debating someone's views and trying to change their mind is a disrespect to that person.

 

[tnchickenut]

Like my mother always has said, "there is no argueing with a crazy person"

I know you said no religious answers, so I'll make this less a answer and more a observation... in my experience "animals have no souls" comes from the ____ists and the ____ists around here... so my answer is ALWAYS a religious one. Fight fire with fire, kinda thing. So for that reason, I guess I can't truely help you out here. What I say to people always shuts them up and always makes them walk away feeling stupid, but you asked not to go that route.


My opinion, I know alot of humans who have no soul... sounds like this guy is another one.

EDIT TO ADD:

IF he does make it a religious arguement... especially at work... file a complaint with HR. It's harrassment.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I agree with him on the soul issue. But I respect your right to rescue all the critters you can take proper care of.

This guy is an arrogant joy stealer, stuck on the "pariahs cause of the week." Since she's tried ignoring him, it is time to get back in his face. Find what he is adamant about and turn the tables on him, by condemning his choices. Get some facts that support your point and keep hammering.
Guys like that will only respect the same sort of treatment they give. Never doubt the satisfaction to be found in tit-for-tat.

If that doesn't work take him into workplace arbitration for harassment.

 

[Cetawin]

birdaholic's DW - If the setting is a small intimate one then handle in such a manner...

say "All God's creatures have a soul in my opinion as well as being good for my soul, so we will have to agree to disagree and cease trying to discuss this issue as I wish to have my feelings and beliefs respected as I respect yours"

Then turn a deaf ear from that point....whenever he tries to bring it up, find something else to do or change the subject to something work related.

I do not see this fool stopping unless you state your side and ignore communicating with him on such topics at all.

I am sorry you are stuck in a work environment with a nitwit.

 

[Bunnylady]

Don't debate him, that's what he wants. He's being a class-A jerk, thinly veiled under the cover of "religious convictions." There is nothing Christian about getting in people's faces and trampling on their feelings, whatever happened to "treat others as you want to be treated?"

If this guy were doing this to me, I'd just laugh at him, and say, "I was wondering how long it would be before you brought this up again. Do you realize how much you are repeating yourself? It's really getting old, you know." I wouldn't for a minute let him think that his words in any way hit home, I'd make him believe I was finding it rather boring and maybe a little bit funny. Every time he said something, I'd be like, "There you go again! Sounding like a harp with one string!" He can only hurt you if you let him. If he gets no reaction to his needling, my bet is he'll find it boring and go find another victim.