You know it's fall when...

...the hellfire preachers show up in the Plaza. You know the time...they carry a big wooden cross with a sign nailed to it, showing all the people who are going to hell. This includes Catholics, Democrats, Mormons, Masons, etc. There were two of them today. Since I had the afternoon off, I decided to relax a little. I walked up to them. There was a Catholic (friend of my friend) in a heated argument about whether or not he was the devil's tool and apostate. I decided to join the fray. It was quite fun, one minute we're both yelling at the preacher guys, next I'm yelling at the friend that no the Catholic church is not infallible. We decided we were on the same side, both going to hell, when I managed to ask a direct question and determine that yes, Lutherans are apostate too, since we don't hold altar calls. (Well, to be fair, one of the guys wasn't condemning at all, and we managed to hold a nice conversation. It was the other that caused all the sparks and fun.) It gathered quite a crowd...me yelling that the Church Fathers said this, the hellfire guy yelling that Catholics are devil-worshiping idolaters, and the Catholic dude getting quite red, shouting out for God to give him patience, Mary to pray for him, and even prostrating once.

It's a nice way to relax after a strenuous week, and more fun than debating over the internet. I'm not being sarcastic.