Hindus Chrisitans and Magic

I, along with my wife, Daya, own the Indonique Tea & Chai company. Our first venture into the tea business was a packaged tea store in ultra-conservative Mandeville, Louisiana. It was a cool little shop, if I don't say so myself, that sold, in addition to packaged teas, imported Indian textiles, spices, clothing and other unusual items. The teas filled a shelving untit just behind the counter resembling an old English tea shop. In the center of the shelving unit, a large brass statue of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesa. Very cool place that attracted many locals for the atmosphere and a few with less pleasant intensions.

One customer, more accurately called a visitor, as he regularly came in to sample the free teas but never bought a single item, will forever remain in my mind. A devout, I soon learned, christian, he asked one day what the Ganesa statue was all about. Well versed in hindu mythology, I was happy to tell him the story of Ganesa and how he as a young man/god lost his head and had it replaced with an elephant head. The visitor stared emotionless at the statue as I detailed the ancient myth. When I finished he shook his head as if understanding and offered, Yeah, those hindus believe in a lot of CRAZY MAGIC (HIS EMPHASIS) and stuff". I shrugged and offered, "Yeah, religion ya know". Then he continued, "Of course we know Jesus was our Lord and saviour because of all the MIRACLES (AGAIN HIS EMPHASIS) he performed". I nearly fell over laughing at his comments until noticing he was staring at me in a somewhat confused and indignant manner. HE WAS SERIOUS (MY EMPHASIS). I offered a "magic' with one hand then raised the other "miracles". "Wait you're serious"? "of course I'm serious", he responded somewhat physically and verbally defiant. "Just leave - please", I asked. He did and that was that.

Unfortunately, many more indignant visitors would peruse the shop, scowl and leave. After a Rinpoche visited and offered a lecture on Buddhism, the visits turned into a full scale boycott and verbal assaults against my employees. We moved to New Orleans a few weeks later. Ironically, our first customer in our New Orleans cafe was a Bourbon Street stripper, the second a Catholic priest. Neither had issue with the Ganesa nor each other. The shop was an instant success and customers included muslims, priests, rabbis and ministers from a variety of protestant faiths.