Tolerance

Today was a festival in Kathmandu Valley (tomorrow too!). Danny and I decided to participate in the local festivities by getting a bracelet tied by a local priest and getting tilaka'd. Afterwards, we were approached by an older woman probably from North America who told us she was "shaken" by the fact that we, as "westerners" would engage in an activity that could "open us up to demons."

We tried our best to be open and honest with her and her husband. We told her we believe all religions essentially worship the same god and that we don't think their Lord, Jesus Christ, would promote any kind of intolerance (although the husband told me frankly that he believed He would).

I guess the whole experience just had me quite flustered. Of course this couple is entitled to believe what they like, religiously, and I'm not trying to disparage those that believe in Christianity and nothing else. I wanted to show them that I understood but I respectfully disagreed, but I think I probably came off as just upset and insulted (well, I was!) and maybe even a bit combative.

How would you have handled that kind of confrontation?