♦ nivek ♦ Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 My huntin', fishin', shootin' buddy's wife passed on from a fast acting lung cancer. She was diagnosed back in August, passed day aftger Thankgiving here in uS. Not a shocker, was expected, just not so damn soon. While at the memorial service, done at the local First Church of Christ (OK smartasses, no lightning was even SEEN around town, much less that building that day!), noticed something that I had not bothered to *see* prior. When you are a grouchy, mean_old_man like myself, teaching others how to stay alive in all kinds of situations, you learn not to take breaks, even in houses of worship to close eyes and let world get tuned out. I won't relax, won't close eyes, will not let guard down. Enuff nuts with agendas have shot up "god's places", I don't care to be the next honorable victim... Anyway, what bothered me is the programming every person in that meeting but my family had to the preachers call for prayer and song. Like the fuckin' borg the people there dutifully looked up, down, closed eyes, and did all the required actions by rote while Beastie and I made eye contact and tried not to laugh out loud too noisily.. He commented to me "Dad, they sure are well trained, ain't they?" Astute observation from a 13 year old. When it came time to have those of we aytendees comment on Jeannies life, I gave the assembled a good five minutes for someone to be *first*. No one wanted to go up and talk, me being the embulent fullabullshitter I am, took opportunity to give a rousing talk to them about the finer points of a cool womans life and the better things I will remember her for. Can't dwell on where she might be going, but laid it on the folks what an admirable lady she was, and the legacy of some decent kids (twin boys, year younger than Beastie) that will miss Mom. Damned if I was gonna use any pie_in_sky bullshit and try and talk her into Hebbin and make the Angels weap and all that buuuuuuuuuuuuuulshit.. Used every bit of good ole fashioned Penteholacostal revial tent preaching techniques I have on mental file tho, and had the trained crowd of otherwise thinking adults eatig out of hand while speaking 'bout my lady friend. What is frackin' scarey folks? That a *no one* could walk up to a microphone, use the keyed in and programmed voices and triggers to draw a crowd like was done. After the actual proceedin's and back the kitchen of this huge assed warehouse for jebus I was complimented, even by the joint's pastor for a *resoundingly good testimony*.. Man.. Mixed emotions. I did mean every word in senserity about her life and meaning. OTOH, I was "playing the crowd" 'cause I know some of how it is done. For the folks who are recently out of the matrix, after a bit of Freedom and mind cleaning, you too will notice how much you do no longer fit into the herd mentality of communal conformity. I've always been a royal fuckup, hard to make fit into the expectations of others, but man, this last "church experience" shows me how much it means to a young life (my son's) not to be so conditioned... Just another not_quite_a_rant from the observation_soapbox.. kevinL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MQTA Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 ... Anyway, what bothered me is the programming every person in that meeting but my family had to the preachers call for prayer and song. Like the fuckin' borg the people there dutifully looked up, down, closed eyes, and did all the required actions by rote while Beastie and I made eye contact and tried not to laugh out loud too noisily.. That's what I noticed the last few funerals I went to. I had visions from WWII movies and the priest suddenly had a square moustache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin webmdave Posted December 15, 2005 Admin Share Posted December 15, 2005 Great story Kev! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reach Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Good for you, Kevin! Public speaking. The lack of courage and boldness on the part of many Christians has always amazed me. I guess they "function" in the fear mode which cripples them to the extent that they have a problem getting up to share a few words at a funeral of a loved one. I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 I noticed pretty much the same things when I was still an xtian. It played a heavy role in my decision to quit going to church. I quit several years before I deconverted. Once an old roommate of mine, a student from the Bahamas, mentioned that he didn't really like our pastor. At the time I was surprised and asked "don't you feel the power of god speak through him when he preaches?" My roommate Burly's father was a minister back in the Bahamas and his response was: "they learn how to preach like that." He explained to me how they start softly, slowly build up to crescendo full of guilt and challenge, and then slowly bring it back down again after the message has been delivered. I started paying attention after that and discovered that yes, the pastor followed that program precisely every week. Moreover, I started watching the parishioners being led around like lambs (why they find this metaphor to be a pleasing representation of themselves is beyond me). It didn't take long from that point before I started getting angrier and angrier. Finally I just quit going since I was sitting in church each Sunday utterly disgusted with both the damn sheep and the pastor that led them around like idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Thank god you were there to speak of her life and what she did that was positive, not some BS about where she went after passing. Good for you, Kevin. A voice of reason. I wish I would have heard more of that at the last funeral I went to, instead of the christian "she's w/ thaLawd" horse-tookie that was spouted off. Interesting note about your ability to "sway the masses." Sort of scary knowing that most are sheep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Christians don't call themselves sheep for nothin'..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Hey gnosis, what the HELL are they doing to that animal? I can't make it out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megistias Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 When it came time to have those of we aytendees comment on Jeannies life, I gave the assembled a good five minutes for someone to be *first*. No one wanted to go up and talk, me being the embulent fullabullshitter I am, took opportunity to give a rousing talk to them about the finer points of a cool womans life and the better things I will remember her for. Then you did the right thing and what was truely important. I hope I have someone like you at my funeral. I hope there's a reason for someone like you to be at my funeral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Hey gnosis, what the HELL are they doing to that animal? I can't make it out... Shearing it, for starters. Who knows what else they might be up to. But then, sheep are not meant to question, are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Hey gnosis, what the HELL are they doing to that animal? I can't make it out... Shearing it, for starters. Who knows what else they might be up to. But then, sheep are not meant to question, are they? Wow, shearing has come a long ways... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts