Pardon me, but I have to fret and fuss and grumble - and protest

:rant:

I'm in Oklahoma. I know several folks who have been living without electricity for a week now - and most expect that it will be at least another week before electric service is returned to them. The folks I know in this situation live in areas east of Tulsa. Some commute to work in Tulsa.

Yesterday I was talking to a fundie acquaintance and quite naturally the subject of the weather came up. Fundie lives in a large apartment complex and has ready access to main streets. Both the apartment complex and the employer have made every effort to clear sidewalks and parking areas. Fundie is fortunate. Fundie was ridiculing a co-worker (whom I do not know) who lives in an area that is about 30 to 40 miles east of Tulsa. Fundie thinks co-worker is lazy and simply taking advantage of the situation. Fundie admitted mocking co-worker in the office.

Fundie also admits having no knowledge of the physical circumstances of co-worker nor the characteristics of co-workers residential area. Fundie is reluctant to admit that there are areas of Tulsa in which travel remains very difficult - something to which I personally can attest.

Fundie is a former missionary who voluntarily returned to the states for medical reasons. Fundie has at least three to four years of formal Bible training. As such, I consider Fundie to be well trained in the fundamentals of the faith. I expect Fundie to be a better representative of the faith than either a new or untrained believer.

Fundie has a unique relationship with one of the owners (also a fundie) of the small business. Fundie has been paid for extended periods of time to perform personal services outside the office for boss. Over a period of time, Fundie has made several significant life changes (including moving and changing church affiliation) to foster and encourage this relationship. So far as I can tell this is not a sexual relationship (though nothing would surprise me). Boss openly welcomes and includes Fundie in family celebrations and holiday events. Dollars to donuts, co-workers mock relationship between Fundie and boss and Fundie is completely ignorant of it.

What gets me is that Fundie has no knowledge of co-workers physical circumstances but has judged co-worker, imputed a bad motive, and then gossiped and mocked co-worker amongst colleagues. And, likely, to boss as well. Completely unfounded and to the detriment of co-worker.

Why do these people have to judge and condemn? Who do they think they are? I could pity God. Almost. If it weren't for the fire and brimstone thing. Geeeeezzzzzzzzzzzz. Crap like this reminds me of all the reasons I hope never again darken a church door....

:rant:

lest ye be judged. He obviously never heard that one before. (Or simply believes it doesn't apply)

My sister and family are in Tulsa. Their neighborhood is solid ice. The freeways are okay but schools have been closed all week. Now storm #2.

I share your frustration with people who make broad, sweep generalizations without even asking "why".

Best to your family here. I have been stuck all week. I could not make the 90 degree turn on a slope required to safely exit the rear entry garage without hitting either the tree, the house or the fence. Ice is too thick for sand or ice melt to help at all.

Is it near Tulsa - I'll tell him to go kick the Fundie's butt.

is a turnpike and about a hundred miles or so from Tulsa. I hear things there are about the same as Tulsa weatherwise right now.

I loathe wishing bad things on people. But I do think what goes around comes around. Too bad for the Fundie.

Hope your boss has a nice trip. Please tell him there are some nice folks here.

And really, I honestly think the majority of people who consider themselves "religious" have less understanding of the tenets of Christianity than I, an Unbeliever, do. Most of them never really think about the things they supposedly believe in, simply taking them on because their parents were Methodists, or Catholic, or Presbyterian or Fundie and never, ever looking at other ways of viewing the world. Whereas I've really seriously pondered the questions of god and the afterlife and all that because of my doubts.

When I've pointed out to people like that that their spiritual beliefs should be something that they analyze deeply and really think out and choose, they look at me like I'm a 9 headed monster or something. For so many, it's just easy to say, "I'm a Christian" and give it no further thought. Because of that, they don't have what most of us would consider a forgiving or Christian outlook - they just look at the surface of everything the same way they do their religion.

At least, that's my theory.

I have to say that I have only known one believer who I thought had given any rational thought to his faith. The guy was a German concentration camp survivor who was an ordained minister and taught philosophy at the university level.

is hardly worth having.
If you blindly accept everything that is fed to you, how can you expect to grow spiritually? I guess it's easier for some people when they let the Bible and the clergy make all their spiritual choices for them.
I, however, am uncomfortable with that. Very uncomfortable.
I'm one hell of a bad Christian, I guess :P
Ah well.

then you are far more authentic than those who follow blindly. Perhaps we should all aspire to be bad Christians.