Odd Man Out: Living in a World of the Religiously Insane

by cameo-d 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  cameo-d

  I was in a huge public building the other day and while waiting to use the phone, I had to sit across from someone who was a staff member of the business. She had a rhinestone J-E-S-U-S pin on her collar. It was about an inch tall. She had big doe eyes that seemed glazed over and widened whenever she said the word "Jesus". She was talking to someone else beside her, trying to convince the person that they really needed to find a "church home" and was attempting to promote her own church. I didn't hear every word of her conversation---just bits and pieces, and it was driving me mad. I had already walked over to the phone, trying to reach it from behind her, but the cord would not stretch, so she had to know I was waiting to get to the phone and she was blocking me. She just didn't care. Then she batted her eyes and told the other woman that 'she must turn her life over to Jesus completely' in order to get --(here there was a dramatic audible sigh as she tilted her head upward and gazed at the ceiling as though she were looking into the realm of heaven) ---"the Holy Spirit".

  Surely you have seen these people. Their conversations are absurd, spoken in platitudes that make no sense. Their phrases are ambiguous. Their faces are distorted by expressions that seem to be trance-like and fakey Pepsodent smiles and you expect them to start drooling any minute. But, apparently, these people appear normal to everyone else but me. Lately, I am seeing them more and more. They are everywhere. I feel like I am living in the wrong world, or a time warp or something. It just all seems so artificial and surrealistic.

  It seems so out of place that a person representing a non-religious business in a public place should be allowed to prostelitize on the job.

  It is interesting to watch is how a total stranger will suck other people in to a religious conversation and how the "victim" will allow themselves to be "counseled" by a zealot. The zealot does not care whose toes they step on; from what I saw I assume they call themselves "witnessing for Jesus" by spewing their dogmatic views. I also suppose that if cornered, most people prefer to be thought of as "good Christians" and will not present opposing views with a stranger who initiates a religious conversation. This is probably why these people become so bold and arrogant. They are no different from JWs in that they consider themselves to be doing "god's work" by actively shoving their views down the throats of others.

  Yesterday I was at another public building and went outside to sit on a bench. A girl was sitting there and talking to herself. I said something about a nice day and she responded "I'm praying. I'm praying to God that he will help me read the bible. I know I need to read the bible." I turned my head and kept walking. The world is seemingly more insane every day.

  I have encountered the occassional Jesus Freak through the years. I never paid them any attention--still don't. But it just seems to be more prevalent now than what I have seen in the past. Does anyone else notice this?
• 

  wobble

  We here in secular Britain are always amazed at how over the top about everything you Yanks are, including religion.

  Here we sometimes get the occasional street-preacher yelling out his beliefs, people scurry by ,eyes down, not wanting to appear rude, but not offering any respect either, a lot laugh and walk on.

  Although a good percentage still describe themselves as christian here, most never attend church, and don't have strong beliefs.

  Someone trying to proseletyse as you describe is likely to get a robust and challenging response from many of the public, even those who feel they are christian, or Church of England, we do not like having views imposed on us.

  A very different milieu.

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  chickpea

  i was in a causal gathering of individuals last night
  having a discussion unrelated to religiosity and YET
  the entire discussion veered and i was ready to poke
  out my own eardrums by the time it was over...

  i shant be returning to the fold
• 

  Scully

  I recently noticed that my place of employment has had to acquiesce to the religious preferences of a certain group, by applying a blanket ban on pork products in the meals of ALL maternity patients. Apparently a few of these folks did not voice their religious food preferences when they were admitted to hospital, and were inadvertently served some manner of pork. The hysterical reactions (read: threat of legal action) against the hospital resulted in the all-out ban.

  It's really too bad that atheism has no tenet that requires the consumption of pork, because I'd like to stir up some $h!t. I don't appreciate other peoples' rights to consume whatever they please being trampled on by a few extremists.

  We've also had the unfortunate experience where some Orthodox Jewish folks have claimed that the Kosher food we offer is not Kosher enough. The letter of complaint was quite disturbing, as if the institution should have the ability to mind-read every patient and supply the level of Kosher-ness they require, regardless of the cost, or take on the expense of having an extreme Kosher kitchen on-site.
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  cameo-d

  Scully, that is absolutely outrageous. It would appear that the Seventh Day Adventists are taking over the place, floor by floor. They have their own hospitals....so why don't people just go to their own church affiliated health care place if they don't like bacon??? The food at 7th day adventists establishments is tofu-this and tofu-that and everything is made from soybeans and fake foods. It's utterly disgusting.

  But food aside, how is it that the rights of others are being allowed to be controlled by the few? Why would an establishment cater to that? Why not an upfront statement that if you do not like what is served you can order something from a deli or have family bring in your special requirements?

  Doesn't it strike you as beyond arrogant that someone would come into the place and make demands that affect all customers and threaten to take legal action if you don't change to suit them? What the hell kind of agenda is this? Why does the establishment not stand up to such imposition? Or could it be that there are some handshakes and winkie-winks at the top and all of this is being contrived for the new Kingdom Dominionism?

  What happens when they start regulating your "spiritual healing" by making you listen to an hour of hospital chaplin by pre-set television or room visit?

  What happens when employment is based on your spirituality score? Should we expect that in the future? What happens when the only reading material in waiting rooms is about disease conditions and Awake magazine? What happens when religious discrimination becomes vogue---no unmarried mothers in the maternity ward, no gay people, no one unbaptized or without a church affiliation, etc.

  If Blair gets his way with this new agenda (Faith Foundation programs) he's starting up in US and Canada, I have a feeling these people will execute the commands of the insane and we will have Kingdom Now crap in our face 24/7 in the future.
• 

  WingCommander

  ^^^^^ TO WOBBLE:

  Well, look at our ancestors. Most of them were Puritans, Quakers, or some other oddball, strict Victorian era religious zealots. Take New England for instance. There are still odd laws on the books against adultery, fornication, etc that can be enforced if need be.

  Puritans and Quakers outlawed all holidays, totally. Talk about a JW's paradise!!!!

  Here in Pennsylvania, and other parts of the USA, we have the Amish and Old Order Mennonite. They are a cult with the same twisted reasoning as the above mentioned. Most people find them interesting and cute, I find them to be money-grubbers, pharisees, and hypocrites of the highest degree. Did you know in some places around here Amish Elders actually have electricity in their homes, cars, TV's, cell phones, all the while denying it to their congregations?? I am not making this up, I've seen it because the company I work for does alot of business wih the Amish around here. They are cheap, penny-pinching pharisees of the highest order. The inside joke around here is that they are "Christian Jews" because of the way they are with money. Many of them are millionaires several times over, because wealth is made, saved, inherited, and passed down to the next generation.

  Welcome to the New World.

  - Wing Commander
• 

  Mrs. Witness

  I agree Cameo-D! In my case, I'm astonished by how many of the people I went to school with (who were not religious at all) are now Jesus-Freaks. It's scary!
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  wobble

  So is America becoming MORE religious ?

  I shall watch what happens here in Blighty, when America sneezes, we catch a cold. I don't want Britain getting more religious.

  Unless they all join my Church of the Holy Shepherd and St. Neame.

  (Shepherd Neame is Britains oldest brewer)

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  VIII

  Surely you have seen these people. Their conversations are absurd, spoken in platitudes that make no sense. Their phrases are ambiguous. Their faces are distorted by expressions that seem to be trance-like and fakey Pepsodent smiles and you expect them to start drooling any minute. But, apparently, these people appear normal to everyone else but me. Lately, I am seeing them more and more. They are everywhere. I feel like I am living in the wrong world, or a time warp or something. It just all seems so artificial and surrealistic.

  Cameo-d--are you sure this wasn't Nancy Pelosi? Or, perhaps any other member of Congress?

  Your description could be any politician I'm afraid.

  Regarding your post: I can't stand it when I encounter religious stuff when I am out and about. Just leave your religion at home. Growing up JW I know all about how it can offend people.

  Companies, public and private, have to walk a delicate line with employees rights with this kind of stuff. Anyone can claim religious discrimination if their rights are *stepped on* and legal fees are high. So, companies will let employees do stuff until someone complains to HR. Then companies deal with it. Like someone wearing a huge JESUS logo. Or Kosher food. On and on.
• 

  AGuest

  Dearest Scully... may you have peace!

  That's one of the reasons I follow the One that I do... instead of earthling man. He has taught me that ALL things are "clean"... to "clean" people. Thus, we are not judged by what goes INTO our BODIES... but what comes OUT... of our hearts. Because this is driven by our SPIRIT. I eat ham. I eat meat (though it is beginning to bother me that I do so - I one day hope to "graduate" to fish... then maybe just vegetables - BUT, I am not breaking any laws, per se, by eating meat... of whatever kind... now. I mean, I don't eat, say, whale... if you get my drift...)

  Anyway... it's sad that so many believe they are serving God... yet live in such bondage. The sons of God are free... to do pretty much anything... except transgress against their neighbor or enemies... which is a manifestation of "hatred" for God. So, like, I wouldn't eat beef if I were in India.

  But that's why Christ gave his life: to buy us BACK... and set us FREE... from the LAW... leading to sin... and death.

  Again, I bid you peace.

  A slave of Christ,

  SA