I’m wondering why it seems that Christians, brand name doesn’t seem to matter, have a way of injecting their religious faith in everything they do. I get it ten times a day more: In e-mails, in passing conversation, overheard at the checkout line, and so on. While I have no problem with folks having faith in whatever they want to have faith in, I’m not sure that projecting it at every opportunity is conducive to effective communication. It’s done quite casually, as well: A “god willing” here and a “glory be” there. And when it’s written, bible passages and references to a favored deity abound and proliferate.
I rarely, if ever, hear members of other religions making mention of their faith in general conversation. No references to Vishnu or Pan, Allah or Buddha, Thor, Aphrodite or Zeus. There’s no injection of other random insights into our personal natures either: No comments about sexual orientation or position, political leanings, thoughts on capital punishment or favorite mixed drinks we might have recently overindulged in. Probably because these things are personal and could easily be offensive to others within earshot.
So while I believe everyone should have the right to believe in whatever they want to believe in, it would be better in practice to keep random religious zeal. and images of the virgin Mary on toast, close to the vest, only to be exposed when the topic of conversation truly warrants it.
Don’t make me pray to Joe Pesci and bring down his wrath. High gas prices would then be the least of our worries. Amen.
2 comments
Russ. My friend. We live in the Bible you and I. There is a Church, Mosque, or Temple on every corner. The Buddhist recite the wisdom of Buddha constantly the just don’t say “Buddha says”. The follower of Zeus if there are still any could be heard to say “By Jove”. I am sure that the Hindu even have a greeting that involves one of their multiple deities. The fact that you and I are white males in the U.S. means that we come in contact with more Christians than Zoroastrians. So be comforted, because all religions think theirs is the one true religion. I mean when was the last time you were accosted by a Hare Krishna or a Jehovah’s Witness. Not to mention Scientology. Everybody needs to believe in something. You believe in a vengeful angry Joe Pesci. I on the other hand believe in a loving merciful Joe Pesci. However the vengeful angry Joe Pesci doe’s remind me of the ancient Egyptian god of chaos…… Daffy Duck
as my Muslim friends say:
Allah is most merciful and he sees all that we do.
Hey Russ, here’s a wonderful prayer I got from Fark.com for us pirate followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster:
Our Noodles which art in Sauce
Hallowed by thy name
Thy salad come
Thy will be done
On your plate as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread sticks
And forgive us of our hamburgers
As we forgive those who serve hamburgers to us
And lead us not into dessert temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the spaghettidom
and the Parmesan
and the Gnochi
For ever and ever
Ramen.