i'll pray for you, terry.
A Customer really pissed me off yesterday at work: SHE WANTS TO PRAY for me
by Terry 116 Replies latest jw experiences
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Eyebrow2
Google...you are so bad....
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PaulJ
Terry
What a horrible nightmare! I got angry for you just reading it!
I liked the bit about you reciting John 1:1 in greek tho... LOL
Let us know if she comes back, im sure she will!
PaulJ
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Golf
Terry, you say this customer pissed you off. Could it be that you pissed yourself off? You said, "Company policy is to NOT engage in discussion with the customers; ESPECIALLY on subjects that are controversial. I abide by this 99.9% of the time..."
Well, yesterday I erred.
You capitalized NOT & ESPECIALLY, why?
Golf -
Cognitive_Dissident
I don't think that was an overreaction, Terry. It would have pissed me off, too. If someone hears that I have a broken leg, or a family member in the hospital, and tells me they are going to pray for me, I have no problem with that. But that's an entirely different thing. When a person offers to pray for someone to alleviate physical or emotional suffering, they (most of the time) don't assume that the prayer is going to miraculously heal the person, it's more a show of support and compassion. But when someone spouts off like that lady did, it's just maddening arrogance. The assumption that you just don't understand, like a parent talking to a child in simple platitudes, is absolutely infuriating. Personally, it's not the praying for me that makes me mad, it's the arrogance, assumption, and condescension. And that applies across the board, no matter what the topic of conversation.
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LittleToe
Pistoff:
The idea I get now when I hear the modern use of the word "christian" is in a way that is impossible: christian nation, christian policy, christian government. Governments and nations cannot be christian; only people can be christian and no state, nation or government should call itself christian, it is ridiculous.
You get that kind of rhetoric over there??? OMG!
Terry:You say that you misjueged her motives. Do you mean at the start of the conversation?
She basically attempted to trample over you, with no comprehension of your beliefs or history. IMHO you had every right to feel incensed. Actually, I had to laugh at the greek John.1:1 bit, too. That was classy
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undercover
The idea I get now when I hear the modern use of the word "christian" is in a way that is impossible: christian nation, christian policy, christian government. Governments and nations cannot be christian; only people can be christian and no state, nation or government should call itself christian, it is ridiculous.
You get that kind of rhetoric over there??? OMG!Ever since W took office, the fundies have been crawling out of the woodwork.
I've heard those same terms, especially "christian nation". Fundies talk about how the nation was founded on christian principles and that it's "one nation under God" blah, blah, blah and they are intolerant of anyone who doesn't agree.
A lot of right wing fundies bash the anti-war crowd as being un-christian because of not supporting W in his crusade. People actually believe that W is doing God's will and that God meant for him to take office and set the nation right again. To speak against W is to speak against God's will.
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out of the box
scully,
I try to remember that a lot of people have absolutely NO CLUE about what I've been through as someone who has left an abusive belief system. They believe in God, they believe in the Bible, they believe in the power of prayer. But they don't know what is going on in my mind. They can't imagine their life without God, the Bible and prayer, because they have not been subjected to the same things we've experienced. They've got an acquired taste for those things, and we have developed a severe sensitivity and allergic reactions to the same things they love.
Sometimes I wonder how a fervent believer would feel if, in response to their declaration that they will pray for me, I responded with "Why thank you! And I will sacrifice a goat to Satan on your behalf too!" After all, if that were my belief system, and that was how I showed my concern for people, why would they be offended? Isn't that what they believe they are doing for me?
I agree wholeheartedly! Loved the goat thing!
out of the box
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Billygoat
Sometimes I wonder how a fervent believer would feel if, in response to their declaration that they will pray for me, I responded with "Why thank you! And I will sacrifice a goat to Satan on your behalf too!" After all, if that were my belief system, and that was how I showed my concern for people, why would they be offended? Isn't that what they believe they are doing for me?
Hey! There'll be NO GOAT sacrificing around here!!! I dunno...lately, I've felt a little burned on the fringes.
You bring up a good point. I think from here on out, instead of just offering prayers as a gift, I'll ask if it's okay to offer my prayers as a gift. But then are you supposed to ask permission when you give a gift? It is my decision and it's not doing any harm. What if they say it's okay to give a gift, but only if it's a certain thing? Is it still a gift? Or then an obligation?
If I ever say, "I'll pray for you", it's NEVER meant in a derogatory way. It's always meant as a way of saying I'll do everything in my power to help spiritually. And if there's a way I can help physically, then I'll offer that too. When a pagan says they'll light a candle, is that as offensive when you're not a pagan?
IMO, sometimes us JWs are overly sensitive to people's genuinely innocent and good intents.
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logansrun
Who cares if someone wants to pray for you?
Andi -- I thought your lesbian comment was just fine. Christians do creep me out, though.
B.