Getting Rid of Garbage

One day our garbage disposal stopped working.

It happened when a male friend of my husband’s happened to be visiting. So the two of them decided they would fix the problem.

Because the disposal wasn’t even turning on, I suggested they check the fuse box. Maybe a fuse had blown.

That’s when I got The Look.

If you’re a woman, you’ve probably been on the receiving end of The Look at least once in your life. It’s a look that essentially says You can’t possibly know what you’re talking about. This is technical stuff, guy stuff. Hey, we’re guys, and you’re a woman! Let us guys who know what we’re doing handle it!

Well, okay. So I sat back and let them work on it for an hour or so. Finally one of them came up with a brilliant idea. The disposal wasn’t getting any power, so maybe a fuse had blown. Maybe, just maybe, they should check the fuse box. 

Lo and behold! That had been the problem all along.

Did one of them tell me, “Hey, you were right”?

Are you kidding? Of course not.

It reminds me of online apologetics.

If you ever discuss apologetics online, you are bound to come across an attitude that you can’t possibly know what you’re talking about. Why, you’re Catholic!

And, as everybody knows, Catholics don’t read the Bible—even though you’ve already quoted scripture. As everybody knows, Catholics are brainwashed idiots who wouldn’t know a reasonable argument if it bit them in the butt—even though you’ve been using logic and pointing out fallacies in your opponent’s argument. You just can’t be right. It’s not possible.

Sometimes even when I agree with an opponent, I’ve still been told I’m wrong.

I guess to some people Catholics always are. What can you do with a person like this? Not much, I’m afraid. The bigotry is too deeply engrained.

All I can do is hope he allows the Holy Spirit to move his heart and his mind. Perhaps then he will eventually come to the truth.

At least my garbage disposal is working.