‘The whole car burst out laughing!’: Man forcing train riders to listen to bible verses gets put in his place by a ‘Lord of the Rings’ nerd

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Aug 4, 2024 9:00 AM EDT

In Gandolf we trust. 

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  • Whether you are religious or not, having someone yell whatever they're reading in your face when you're just trying to get home from a stressful day at work is not fun. That is why people read in silence. Yet, there are some people out there who think it is their duty to yell their beliefs in your face. Yes, we are talking about those people who go onto public transit and scream bible verses in your face. It doesn't matter how loudly you turn the volume up in your headphones, they still somehow get through. 

    It's already annoying that the train is packed, but now you have to get yelled at. Well, luckily, there are some heroes who take the train that don't wear capes. Like this Lord of the Rings “nerd.” Many moons ago a man came on the train and was yelling bible verses in everyone's faces. Ok, so that happens, you just ignore it. But not this time! This time a “due with a ponytail” stood up and started reading Lord of the Rings right next to the bible guy. At the same volume and speed. The whole train started laughing and he was able to de-escalate the situation and get the bible guy to stop. A win-win for everyone on that train! 

  • 01
    JRR TOLKIEN "[The dude] stands up, holds out Lord of the Rings... And begins scream-reading Tolkien at the same volume as the dude reading [the] bible."
    via Gwydion M. Williams via Flickr
  • 02
    A guy started scream-reading bible verses on BART (the Bay Area CA's public train), and then the funniest thing happened I've ever seen. This literally, actually happened years ago, I thought I'd just tell you the story.
    via GGAllinsMicro*enis
  • 03
    So a weirdo-looking guy gets on our car on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). We're mostly all on our way home from work in SF back to the East Bay. He stands in the middle of the car, pulls out his bible, holds it out in front of him, and starts yelling scripture at all of us. Lots of fire and brimstone-sounding
    via GGAllinsMicro*enis
  • 04
    Of course most of us are scared and/or uncomfortable, a few people started grumbling, etc., I assume a lot of us were worried some kind of extremist religious terrorist attack was about to happen (America). After like a full two minutes of him yelling bible verses at us and everyone being scared/. I off, this nerdy D&D- looking ponytail dude with a wallet chain reaches into his backpack and pulls out a book.
    via GGAllinsMicro*enis
  • 05
    stands up, holds out Lord of the Rings in front of him, and begins scream-reading Tolkien at the same volume as the dude reading bible Jesus and Frodo were getting yelled at all of us neck and neck like dueling banjos. The whole car burst out laughing and cheering and the bible guy immediately got embarrassed and got off at the next stop. nerd chad saved the whole car. Several of us thanked him "that was awesome dude" etc.
    via GGAllinsMicro*enis
  • 06
    It was honestly one of the best things I've ever seen. This isn't exactly "r/atheist," but I thought it was on brand and you guys would get a kick out of it. It was so perfectly timed and the nerdy guy saving the car from the weirdo by out-weirding him was majestic (and poignant in its own way).
    via GGAllinsMicro*enis
  • 07
    DonManuel 13h ago • The paradoxical intervention often saves the day. > ✩ 2K ⇓ Reply • SlitheringSurgeon 10h ago Its unexpected, and therefore effective. 482 Reply
    via DonManuel
  • 08
    notyouagain19 12h ago This is a fantastic story, and a great idea. I might follow this guy's example if the need arises 69 Reply • GGAllins Micro enis OP 12h ago It was so glorious because it was basically a train car full of regular working people that didn't know what exactly to do. Like if one of us started yelling "shut the !" bible guy probably would have been emboldened and screamed his scripture louder. What the Tolkien guy did was so clutch and he just came up with it on the fly, "what w
    via notyouagain19
  • 09
    HanDavo 11h ago Using The Lord of the Rings this way just makes sense to me. The first time I read the bible I immediately recognized it was written in a similar style to the Silmarillion. ☹ ↑ 54 ⇓ Reply
    via HanDavo
  • 10
    jrf_1973 10h ago Sometimes the smallest creature can save the world.... 16 Reply
    via jrf_1973
  • 11
    malingoes2bliss 10h ago This is awesome. I've always dreamed of doing something like this but with Dracula. Like trying to convince people he's real and coming for them, because why not? If they can believe in a book as absurd as the bible, isn't it completely possible that Dracula is out there sucking people off? I like to think SO. 12 Reply
    via malingoes2bliss
  • 12
    MNConcerto 12h ago • Brilliant de-escalation tactic. Act like this is what we are doing, reading loudly from books. Oh it's not? Ok? 10 Reply
    via MNConcerto
  • 13
    YougottabeQuick • 8h ago I was in the Bay waiting in line to ride the cable car and there was a guy was scream preaching at everyone in line. So this busker who was set up there cranked up his speakers and started performing "Losing My Religion" to drown him out! Some great people there. од Reply
    via YougottabeQuick
  • 14
    Elysiumsw 9h ago Nerds Represent That is an amazing story. ↑ 5 ↓ Reply
    via Elysiumsw
  • 15
    Gedwyn19 9h ago Sometimes you have to fight religion with religion. As we are using a book of fiction as the basis of proof for one religion it stands that all books of fiction can be used to prove the existence of whatever their contents are. Using the exact same process of proof, elves and dwarves and halflings are real just like Jesus. Cant wait for Gandalf to appear and save us all. In Gandalf we trust! 8 4 3 Reply
    via Gedwyn19

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