He's not really asking you to adhere to his faith. He's personally trying to adhere to his faith and he's asking you for a favor that will help him. Similarly, when somebody asks you the time, they are not attempting to turn you into a watch, they're just looking for some help from a fellow human being. I'm not saying someone is necessarily wrong to consider the request unreasonable, but I think it's unfair to accuse him of shoving his faith on other people.
> Similarly, when somebody asks you the time, they are not attempting to turn you into a watch, they're just looking for some help from a fellow human being.
First, that's not at all the same amount of effort, they chose theses seats, they made effort to get theses specific seats.
Second, you are still free to refuse to give time, if you don't feel like it. I already did when it was late, I didn't want to get my phone out for safety.
A better example would be that you wear a blue shirt because you liked that color, and then someone asked you to change it to red because he don't like blue. He even have the red shirt with him, ready to exchange it. You really like blue but not so much red. Would you?
Where did I say you aren't free to refuse? I just said he's not asking you to adhere to his faith. That's an uncharitable and unreasonable description of somebody making a simple request for a favor. Trying to demonize people who live differently from us with alarmist exaggerations like "He's asking me to adhere to his faith" is toxic to conversation.
I've swapped seats with people tons of times. Never for this reason, but maybe they wanted to sit next to their friend or whatever, and it didn't negatively affect me. It's much more common than having to change your shirt in public. But if you don't want to, that's OK too. My point is just that this guy wasn't exactly starting a new Crusade.
We are used to some measure of equality these days, and are surprised when the burden of "doing someone a favor" falls so explicitly on random women.
As we go through life we end up finding the lines at which each of us will stop. "Will you babysit my three children for five hours for free with no notice?" "Will you move so I don't have to touch your tempting elbow by accident?" "Will you let me blow through this deadline at work so I can.... get an emergency consult about my new leukemia diagnosis? go to Disneyland? take a mental health week? hang out with my new girlfriend?" I'm sure you'd say yes to some of these requests and no to others.
As so many office folks have said, "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part." We all have the right to decline performing such "favors" for others.
> A fellow human being is someone who doesn't hate/fear women.
Listen to yourself. You are literally dehumanizing Hasidic Jews here. I don't agree with this guy's religion, but responding to insensitivity with outright bigotry is not making things better.
I never said anyone is obligated to comply — I might not either in these people's shoes. But accusing him of forcing his religion on others or being subhuman or hating women or what-have-you is toxic to conversation and not helpful.
