I work at a job where my primary mode of comunication is the telephone. All day I'm receving messages, leaving messages, or speaking to people on the phone. I've probably heard messages for about 70 answering machines in the almost three months I've been here. And the ones that annoy me are the ones that end with things like the subject of this thread.
"We're not here right now so leave a message and god bless!"
"I'm unable to come to the phone right now so leave me a message and I'll get back to you. Thanks for calling and have a blessed day!"
Hell, I heard today from one of my co-workers that someone on their contact list quotes a scripture at the end of their message and changes it every week. You remember in the breakfast club when the thug dude does that little mimick of the nerd's family and ends it with a headlock and a punch? That picture comes into my mind every time I hear that god junk on an answering machine. I feel the same way about those people as I do about gays: Keep it to yourself man! Whatever floats your boat is fine and dandy as long as you don't flaunt it in front of me. I understand that many times those messages are recorded with good intentions but look at it this way: I wouldn't want to hear about a gay dude's weekend fling and I don't want to hear someone else proclaiming their faith in some diety or other. I don't believe in your silly little god so don't assume I do and don't go wishing me a blessed day, thank you very much. We're all stocked up on crazy here, go sell it somewhere else.
God Bless!
by Adam 6 Replies latest jw friends
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Adam
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RandomTask
Maybe you should live in a shack in the northwest where nobody talks to you and you don't have to talk to anybody.
Really thogh, these people aren't asking you for anything, you don't even have to believe in god, they are not forcing their religion upon you. They are just doing what they think is nice. Just live and let live man.
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yucca
you need to get a different job if it bothers you that much. i was a telephone opr. for years and boy i heard language i had never heard before. i was called every bad name u can think of. i wish i had got messages like you get . my life and job would have been so wonderful. god bless yucca
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Adam
Perhaps I'm just more sensitive to it because both my boss and one of my coworkers are Gay men. Most people who believe in the bible believe that part where god says that homosexuality is wrong, so how do you think they feel when they here "god bless" on the answering machine? If I had to call one of them after hours regarding something at the office and got their answering machine and at the end it said "and have some great gay sex tonight" I would feel anoyed and wish they could just keep it to themselves. Same thing with the religious statements.
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Gopher
I'd view the "God Bless" thing as an impersonal general way that these people try to build a bridge from their message to their exit from the awkward recording device. It may be a nervous habit even.
Even saying "good bye" to someone could be viewed as religious, if you want to take it that way, since it means "God be with you". In the Spanish language, goodbye is "adios", "dios" meaning God. Etc., etc.
It's like when people say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", not knowing if the person they're talking to may be a Jew, a Muslim, or even a JW. But the intentions are quite harmless (in most cases).
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freedom96
I think it is just that persons way of being a nice person. Most people who say that do not mean others harm, and just is polite. I would rather hear that than someone saying to go F*** off.
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qwerty
Well said Gopher.
You learn something every day........ Goodbye
Qwerty