Growing up outside of a religion in Louisiana during the 1970s, I was fair game. Several of the religions practiced in that area require their members to convert others. It was rare to find a middle class white person in the area who was "undecided."
I was invited to numerous churches and bible study groups. I can't tell you how many times I was asked if I accepted Jesus into my life and believed in the Gospels. To me, the fact that people didn't want to be my friend, but wanted to save my soul was madness. "Terrycloth" is about being lonely and awkward, and being pressed on by religious zealots.
The terrycloth headband guy told me all about how people were faith healed at his church. They passed snakes around, too, he said -- and even though the snakes bit, the power of the Lord kept people from being poisoned. He sure knew how to sell it.
For weeks, that church bus would pull up outside our house early on Sunday mornings and honk several times. People knocked on our front door. I hid in the bathroom. My parents were mad at me for being awakened. Finally, the church people stopped and left us in peace.
To this day, I remain a spiritual -- but not religious -- person. That being said, I respect and tolerate all ideologies, except those which harm others.
This comic was created at the DUNE monthly mini-comix jam on May 20, 2014 at the Cafe Racer in Seattle, Washington. About 60 other people made one and two-page comics that night, as well. This comic, as well as the others made that night appear in DUNE #19.
All text and art copyright 2014 Paul C. Tumey
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