| Mar 19, 2008 @ 12:58 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
Thor1960303
Posts: 3,555
|
I was covering a story at our local school board building yesterday,had a reporter with me and an intern.The intern was trying to learn the ropes of the TV news business and tagging along.We had about 45 minutes of down time in the lobby because the people we needed to interview were in a closed meeting.I sat in the lobby with this lady making conversation,and I noticed that she took every opportunity to inject something about God,Jesus,her beliefs and her church,which was fine,but it made the conversation a bit one sided as she ASSUMED that I believed the same way she did.I then switched the conversation to health care and mentioned that my wife was Canadian and swore by their system.Well right away,this conservative Christian started talking about the evils of socialism,so then I just kept it to aches and pains,figuring that was safe.I related a story to her,that I figured was something that everyone who had ever dealt with the doctor/insurance company debacle could relate to.When I mentioned my bad shoulder that I was needing surgery on,but was procrastinating,she immediately said,"I'll pray for you",to which I replied,thinking she meant that she was going to put me on her church's prayer list or something,which is OK by me,well meaning and all,"Thanks,I appreciate that", and I attempted to move the conversation to another topic,yet again.To which she put her hand on my shoulder and started praying.Right there in a public school board building lobby.I sat there,smiling,but inwardly kept thinking how presumptuous of her to just assume that I believed as she did.I wasn't really uncomfortable about having this done as I grew up in the Bible Belt so I'm used to it,but I couldn't help but feel embarrassed somewhat for this woman.
Anyone ever experience something similar?What do you do about it without offending the other person or inviting a religious debate?
|
|
  |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:06 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
yashaenka
Posts: 10,289
|
Simply advise then that you do not know their way, you only know your way and a discussion of religion is not what you are here for, then simply walk away.
Turning your back on another in any language shuts the door to further diatribe.
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:14 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
BandTMom
Posts: 39,507
|
I personally feel violated every time I hear another put down another living being in the name of religion, whatever that religion might be.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:23 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
uncrazy
Posts: 2,618
|
When this happens around me I try quickly to begin a forgiveness exercize. I forgive me for having judged them, thank them for bringing me this chance to grow through my trying to use their action to separate myself from them.
I can then return to compassion and love for them, and can sit quietly. When I return to my quiet I will notice their behavior then changes.
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:27 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
jamminjerry
Posts: 4,086
|
at first thought i said no but i then recalled 3 different situations. two were in my own church and the other was at a truckstop. i allowed one in my church to go unchallanged but the other two were brought to the forefront for discussion. the holy rollers were weeping and gnashing of teeth to think i would challange such false doctrine. LOL
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:29 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
BandTMom
Posts: 39,507
|
I do that too, Uncrazy.
Besides sending out compassion, it also helps me keep my mouth shut.
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:37 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
Loreli
Posts: 25,816
|
I feel uncomfortable when people put others down FOR their religion.(not you, Thor 
Anywhere.
Live and let live.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 1:55 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
yashaenka
Posts: 10,289
|
Religion and the resultant religious dogma that results from it, needs to be understood for what it is and is not. All Religions derive from institutions that built their dogma of the backs of philosophers who had a living belief system even if the philosopher was simply a fable produced to bring some meaning as truth to their dogma.
Religions hold in common rituals and a personal entity that is worshiped. It is their man made interpretation of what it, is.
But the philosophers on which religions were built did not attend any institutions themselves. Not The Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Jesus or any other philosopher. Mohamed was never elevated to a deity so he is not included.
To see beyond religious dogma one must travel back in time to ascertain that which the dogma is built upon and how much fable exist when compared to actual verifiable facts.
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 3:46 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
hammertime
Posts: 14,071
|
then switched the conversation to health care and mentioned that my wife was Canadian and swore by their system.Well right away,this conservative Christian started talking about the evils of socialism,so then I just kept it to aches and pains,figuring that was safe.I related a story to her,that I figured was something that everyone who had ever dealt with the doctor/insurance company debacle could relate to. SOC is in Canada. I wonder how he would respond to the evils of his country and to this lady.
Obviously that lady doesn't have much of a life if she needs to completely dwell obsessively on religious ideology. I run across people like that every now and then. I get stopped on the street by the street corner preachers handing out pamphlets and preaching to me. I just laugh and tell them I'm a high priest of Satanism and look at the expressions on their faces. Its priceless. Sometimes you get a smart one that knows I'm screwing with them and that pisses them off because they know I played their game right back at them. I kind of do my own Borat routine.
That reminds me of a Jackass episode. Johnny Knoxville was wearing a devil's costume preaching the the corner that god was unfair to him and they wrote nasty lies about him in the bible. A born again went up to him and punched him. 
Its one thing when you run into idiots on the street. Its very much another when its a coworker. Religion should not be discussed in a work environment because it definitely is a violation when someone goes too far like praying/preying on you. It makes you not want to work with that person and it interferes with business.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 3:49 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
BandTMom
Posts: 39,507
|
I just laugh and tell them I'm a high priest of Satanism and look at the expressions on their faces.
Saying your a Buddhist pretty much gets the same response. Especially where I live.
[Edited on 3/19/2008 4:38 PM]
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 4:08 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
hammertime
Posts: 14,071
|
Well Mom, you know how they are. Anything not of them is demonic anyway. What they have is a very artificial spirituality based on a made up dogma that is actually anti-spiritual. It perpetuates and deepens ignorance. It interlopes and intrudes in the personal affairs of people to control every aspect of their life. They lack an epistemology and a mind/body discipline. They are really biological robot drones without minds. Thinking is not optional, its discouraged.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 19, 2008 @ 4:52 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
Thor1960303
Posts: 3,555
|
Its one thing when you run into idiots on the street. Its very much another when its a coworker. Religion should not be discussed in a work environment because it definitely is a violation when someone goes too far like praying/preying on you. It makes you not want to work with that person and it interferes with business.
It's interesting that you mention that.Some time ago,we had to sit through a sexual harassment seminar and we were shown videos of situations of what constituted harassment(not necessarily sexual).One skit was just what you described,it showed an office type setting where one religious lady was harassing her coworker with religious tracts and constantly inviting her to church and asking her about her eternal future.If I wanted to be a butthead about it,I could take it to HR and file a complaint.But no real harm was done and the woman meant well,so I'll just pretend it never happened.Since I don't really have to work with this woman (she's an intern,not an employee and is only temporarily here anyway),I'll let it go as it's not really worth the trouble of filing a complaint.Plus,as I've mentioned,I live in the Bible Belt.If it got around that I (a "heathen") caused trouble for a Christian "saint" who was only trying to pray for me (this is how they would look at it),I could face some trouble elsewhere.In my area,fundies make up alot of the important offices in town and being on their bad side can be unpleasant.Because of this,I never discuss religion with anyone I don't know really well.It can be dangerous socially and professionally.
By the way,my shoulder still hurts.  Guess my lack of faith is what did it.
[Edited on 3/19/2008 5:18 PM]
|
| |
|
| Mar 20, 2008 @ 8:54 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
Paralegal_at_Law
Posts: 6,307
|
she immediately said,"I'll pray for you",to which I replied,thinking she meant that she was going to put me on her church's prayer list or something,which is OK by me,well meaning and all,"Thanks,I appreciate that",
It appears that an inquiry was made if you would accept ministry and to her, you apparently accepted, The fact that you were uncomfortable indicates that when she was praying, you were NOT reverent and your rebellious spirit was countermanding the prayed for blessing.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 20, 2008 @ 10:13 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
jamminjerry
Posts: 4,086
|
and therefore, due to his "not beleiving" or not "having faith" her rant was to no avail. no matter how much she beleived her prayers would help, very much like when Jesus said "i can do nothing of myself". ya know, i have been trying to get holy rollers to understand this concept till i am blue in the face. just as Jesus said time and again "thy faith hath made thee whole". the Word is there black and red. i acknowledge the red and if the black supports the red, i acknowledge it also.
|
| |
|
| Mar 20, 2008 @ 11:24 PM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
Jankia
Posts: 12,603
|
You said that you were embarrassed somewhat for that woman because she prayed for you in a public place right?
Who was violated in that picture,the person that said she would pray for the healing of your shoulder...what else could she do to show compassion in public...or the person that said they would appreciate it but did that only to hopefully change the subject matter?
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 21, 2008 @ 12:09 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
hammertime
Posts: 14,071
|
If it got around that I (a "heathen") caused trouble for a Christian "saint" who was only trying to pray for me (this is how they would look at it),I could face some trouble elsewhere.In my area,fundies make up alot of the important offices in town and being on their bad side can be unpleasant.
I have these little pamphlets. The title says What God has Revealed to Man...When you open it up the pages are blank. Sometimes I keep a few with me if I know I'm going where there are fundies. Sometimes I'll just put it down and watch their faces when they pick it up flipping through the pages looking for something or I hand it to them and say this is the non-fiction version of God's truth.
|
| |
|
| Mar 21, 2008 @ 8:03 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
yashaenka
Posts: 10,289
|
I agree whenever you are approached by anyone who wants to preach to you and get you to their church simply stating you already have a belief system usually stops them. Some good terms to use:
Sorry:
I walk in the Buddha's footsteps.
I am a follower of The Way.
I live in the NOW moment.
usually results in them walking away shaking their head mumbling to their self saying "what in the hell was he talking about".
The point is how does any other preach to another about their Way when they do not understand his or her Way?
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 21, 2008 @ 9:37 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
Thor1960303
Posts: 3,555
|
.what else could she do to show compassion in public...or the person that said they would appreciate it but did that only to hopefully change the subject matter?
Compassion comes in many forms.Had she wanted to put my name on her church prayer list,that would've been fine with me,as it would've involved no one else but this lady and her church members.A public lobby is no place to make a religious spectacle of yourself.There could be people around who would find it offensive who may be of a different religion or no religion and to do something like this,in my opinion,is tantamount to me and my wife making out in public.It's just not polite or respectful to those around you.
|
| |
|
| Mar 21, 2008 @ 9:47 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated?
|
|
hammertime
Posts: 14,071
|
Its possible she might have been mentally unstable. People who behave that way have psychological issues.
|
|
| |
|
| Mar 21, 2008 @ 9:48 AM |
Ever felt religiously violated? |
|
yashaenka
Posts: 10,289
|
The warnings about Clinging To Attachments comes to mind when anyones reason for being makes them act this way it only reflects their attachment to their own ignorance.
|
| |
|
|
|
|