The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth? Bs! Church Was Survival Of The Fittest Too.

[RealityCheck]

I think that many of us are familiar with verses like Mathew 5:5 "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  Also, Christians love to claim that god chooses the most deficient people in the bible to carry out his will.  Concepts like natural selection are lies from the deepest levels of hell right?  Well, I will argue that the church reinforced my belief in survival of the fittest far more that any lecture on biology or evolution.  My dilemma was that Christianity targeted the most destitute members of our species yet when Christians gathered in any sized group the law of the jungle always prevailed.

 

I will use the last place I attended before I gave Jeebus the finger as an example.  It was a trendy, non-denominational church in downtown Orlando which was composed of a younger demographic.  They claimed that anybody could be involved in their ministry as long as they where willing and able, regardless or their skills.  However, a quick glance around during a service immediately told you who really mattered.  Those at the top had a few traits in common.  1.  Most where physically attractive.  2.  They all dressed in flashy, expensive clothing and flaunted their iPhones and other gadgets.  3.  They proclaimed their piety the loudest.  4.  Most importantly, they all had musical/artistic talent.  If you lacked these traits then you didn't matter and where at the bottom of the food chain.  I suppose its appropriate to call a congregation a flock as they indeed reminded me of a flock of songbirds, or maybe a flock of parrots.  Wait I take that back, I'm a parrot owner and I can testify that at least parrots have a remarkable intelligence and problem solving skills but I digress.  Their fancy clothes and gadgets reminding me of birds showing off their brightly colored plumage to grab attention.  Their singing and musical talents reminded me of songbirds establishing their dominance and territory.  There proclamation of faith was like a parrot mimicking human speech without understanding what it means (though again, this fact can be contested...with the parrot.)  I guess I should stop insulting our avian friends with this analogy.    

 

Notice how I didn't include biblical knowledge in that list.  In fact knowing the bible too well was also not good survival strategy there (or from what I've read on this site, in ANY church.)  I remember how uncomfortable I made them with my genocidal old testament verses.  The blank stare on their faces pretty much said it all (and this was the leadership.)  Real life experience apparently didn't seem to matter there either as their leaders came from sheltered backgrounds.  In fact, that was also a bad survival trait.  If you showed them you've been through a lot you where immediately labeled as "too negative."  If I wasn't in the dominant group there then where was I?  I was just a worm in the ground, food for the friggin birds.  They attempted to eat me out what ever little income I was making at the time so that their privileged could go on a mission trip.  I already alluded that many of them where wealthy enough to enjoy this luxury themselves but refused to make any sacrifices to go.  They still went to Disney every fucking day and ate out every fucking night for example.  The reason I use "luxury" to describe their mission trips was because they didn't actually do any work, it was more like a nice vacation.

 

I'm surprised how angry I've become writing that last paragraph but I also need to be fair.  There are a few there who actually have genuine compassion.  I still consider them friends and they usually leave faith out of our conversations.  However like me they are at the bottom of the food chain there.  Its depressing how they're preyed on and manipulated but they will have to wake up themselves like I did.  This situation was very much the same in every other church I attended before that.

 

So no, the meek don't inherit the earth in the Christian realm.  Like the real world only the privileged seem to matter or have any say in what goes on.  Whats the point of going against your whole religion by your actions and lifestyle?  Why don't they just read the fucking bible for a change and realize what its in there about...oh I don't know, HUMILITY.  At least in the real world I can use the most valuable asset I have, my mind.  With my mind I can "evolve" as a person and improve my current situation.  With my mind I stand a chance of rising to the top of the human jungle.  Not very humble of me I know but I need to figure out how to survive this next period of my life.

[LivingLife]

Welcome RC2k13, nice rant and I think many can relate, SSDD Same shit different day.

[RealityCheck]

SSDD Same shit different day.

Amen....

[LifeCycle]

Reading everything you said and all I could think about was my last attempt at an organized church called LifeChurch.tv.  I really couldn't stand that place.  Although, there were lots of hotties dressing sexy for Jesus there.

[Guest Babylonian Dream]

I've noticed this as well. And religion sure does make shallow a survival benefit. I've noticed this. At least in christian churches. I've been to more of them, so can't comment on much else.

 

Also, I went to one egyptian orthodox church once. Same rules applied. I knew exactly who was at the top of the pecking order instinctually, just by looking at everyone. Who wore the best clothes, or in an orthodox church, did they remove the headscarfs after the service? If so, you know those women are married to the pastors.

[rach]

Yeah I had the same sad experience when I used to go to church.  It was a relief when my a-parents finally let me stop going.  As an autistic, poor, adoptee I was treated in church the same way I was treated outside the church- scum.  Went to "youth group" for years and was shunned and ignored and despised.  Lacking money I wore the same outfit practically every week- you can imagine how that went over with the other kids who were always dressed to the nines.  What made me sick was that the "normal" (non-autistic, well-dressed) kids who despised me, and shunned me, would be the ones going up to the front to the microphones, and give their testimonies and lead the worship songs.  It was all about showing off.  I got tired of watching them sing their songs and play their guitars.  I got tired of listening to their teary-eyed testimonies of how they "reached people" on a mission trip but all the while they are acting like monsters towards those in their own church who are unable to fit in.  I wanted to know more about the bible and Jesus thinking it would lead me to a more "righteous" life but what I found was a social club, a popularity contest.  People getting their "five minutes of fame" when they go up to the microphone to sing "to Jesus."  It would have been nice to have been able to openly discuss things like atrocities in the bible and contradictions and doubts but those "hard topics" were just sort of brushed aside.  I wanted to explore the hard and painful/confusing topics, not sit there and watch somebody sing their lungs out. Being agnostic I don't know if Jesus exists or not but if he does he must really be pi$$ed that his church is another social hierarchy.  

[RealityCheck]

Reading everything you said and all I could think about was my last attempt at an organized church called LifeChurch.tv.  I really couldn't stand that place.  Although, there were lots of hotties dressing sexy for Jesus there.

 

Sexy for Jesus...  The women at my church where perhaps among the most attractive (physically) that I've encountered anywhere, I mean hell a few where even magazine models and whatnot.  I actually believed that god put them in my path to tempt my dirty sinful mind (although approaching any one of them was utterly hopeless.)  There was an equally attractive, more accepting, and more mentally stimulating atheist girl who I hung out with outside the church but my self righteous bullshit kinda drove her away.  I shall now go and bang my head against the wall yelling "stupid, stupid, stupid" for the next 15 mins...

[RealityCheck]

I've noticed this as well. And religion sure does make shallow a survival benefit. I've noticed this. At least in christian churches. I've been to more of them, so can't comment on much else.

 

Also, I went to one egyptian orthodox church once. Same rules applied. I knew exactly who was at the top of the pecking order instinctually, just by looking at everyone. Who wore the best clothes, or in an orthodox church, did they remove the headscarfs after the service? If so, you know those women are married to the pastors.

 

Now that I think of it heaven is all about the bling (streets of gold, pearly gates, all kinds of gemstones, etc.)  I suppose they don't mind bringing hell on earth as long as they have the bling-ness of heaven.

[Gamecock1973]

Yeah, most of  the "successful" pastors I've met are extreme Type A personalities.  Very little meek about them at all.  

[traveller2]

OMG I gave plenty of nods and 'fucking damn rights' to this thread.I am from the UK and it is exactly the same in churches here as-well as in Theological and Bible colleges.Yes of course rhetorically the meek are fucking great etc BUT it is only the attractive and the loud and confidant that will inherit the ministry.My last  church  and final attempt at Christianity was a little Scottish Episcopal joint which was a nasty little nest of skull fucks but the rigidity of the ministry form meant that you never saw such people climbing the ladder so to speak.However the charismatic churches I went to for over ten yrs before this were full of examples of this.

 

I recall one where there was a husband and wife pastors.very type A characters and full of shit.So this stunner of an Irish girl rocks up one Sunday;long blond hair, legs,ass ,boobs etc.Within a couple of months the male pastor decides to take her as his wee understudy pmsl.And I actually hear one freak say something like,'oh isn't it wonderful,the pastor has hardly ever taken someone under his wing like this'.

Yeah right what a co-incidence it is that  one who Gud has nudged the pastor to mentor ; a wee blonde hottie! never mind that there were plenty of females who had attended that church faithfully for so long and would have 'benefited' from such mentoring.Nah! Gud chose the hottie for twat features to mentor!

I can think of numerous examples of this from bible school and theological college.The most esteemed ones were always the richest,best income,or most charming cocky or beautiful individuals who had generally a poor knowledge of scripture and whose moral and christian lives were mediocre or plainly at odds with scripture.

 

This was one of the things that helped me to leave Christianity.It was an understanding that the church is not just the same as the world but I would say slightly worse owing to the complete hypocrisy of  this area.

[NightWanderer]

 Why don't they just read the fucking bible for a change and realize what its in there about...oh I don't know, HUMILITY. 

 

Christians believe they have all the answers from the bible (even though most of them don't even read the damn thing), that they have the truth, hence their puffed up arrogance. It also doesn't help that they think they have a claim to moral superiority.

[RealityCheck]

 

I recall one where there was a husband and wife pastors.very type A characters and full of shit.So this stunner of an Irish girl rocks up one Sunday;long blond hair, legs,ass ,boobs etc.Within a couple of months the male pastor decides to take her as his wee understudy pmsl.And I actually hear one freak say something like,'oh isn't it wonderful,the pastor has hardly ever taken someone under his wing like this'.

Yeah right what a co-incidence it is that  one who Gud has nudged the pastor to mentor ; a wee blonde hottie! never mind that there were plenty of females who had attended that church faithfully for so long and would have 'benefited' from such mentoring.Nah! Gud chose the hottie for twat features to mentor!

 

 

 

Yea, I'm sure he was going to comfort her with his "rod" and his "staff".  On a serious note, I would usually see the church filled with single, late 20s, love starved men who where somehow put in charge of ministering to young, naive, and vulnerable college aged girls with no real life experience.  Some of these girls had a history of mental illness, abuse, or other past trauma and where genuinely seeking help only to be tossed at the wolves.  Usually the guy in charge of the small group got caught sleeping around, confessed his sin in front of the congregation, and got put back in charge of a group with the same demographic of young girls.  There was one guy in particular who was notorious for this and practically every woman there had a crush on.  One time he ended up taking advantage of one girl who I knew suffered from depression and other problems.  The only difference it was someone who showed me compassion in that forsaken place and I cared about her well being.  Lets just say it almost got somewhat ugly between me and the dirty bastard.

 

I understand that people are going to screw around regardless of their faith.  My problem is when someone tries to take advantage of an individual whose metal faculties are impaired causing that person further trauma.  I don't know if that was the case where you went but it sure seemed that way in the nightclub like ministries that I somehow ended up in.

[RealityCheck]

 

 Why don't they just read the fucking bible for a change and realize what its in there about...oh I don't know, HUMILITY. 

 

Christians believe they have all the answers from the bible (even though most of them don't even read the damn thing), that they have the truth, hence their puffed up arrogance. It also doesn't help that they think they have a claim to moral superiority.

 

 

When I was in my last phases before my total loss of faith, I remember several individuals suggesting I read the bible in its entirety to seek answers.  Its amusing to see how riled up they become when I tell them scripture was the final nail in the coffin for me.  I quickly ran into such lovely verses like

 

Psalm 137:9  "Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks."  (Referring to the infants of the Babylonians)

 

Their counter argument was "oh well, those babies had to die because they would grow up to go to war with Israel."  I soon realized that god was completely incapable of figuring out a better solution than that.  It seems that every time something went wrong with his plan everyone's first born had to die or something similar (or maybe that was his plan.)  If that is god's morality and if that is the churches's morality then I will stay a godless heathen thank you very much.

[rach]

The most esteemed ones were always the richest,best income,or most charming cocky or beautiful individuals who had generally a poor knowledge of scripture and whose moral and christian lives were mediocre or plainly at odds with scripture.

 

 

This was one of the things that helped me to leave Christianity.It was an understanding that the church is not just the same as the world but I would say slightly worse owing to the complete hypocrisy of  this area.

 

 

At the church I went to if you were somebody important (attractive, good clothes, money) you'd generally sit in the front half of the auditorium (is that what it's called?  where the minister speaks?).  Well isnt' it quite like a school bus with the popular kids separating themselves from the others.  I usually sat in the very last row at church that's where I felt comfortable and certainly I wasn't going to church to be seen.   I think I would have had some funny looks if I'd tried to sit in one of the first rows.  The clothing and hairstyles I'd see in people sitting ahead of me....it's like birds getting all preened up you'd think it was all a dating game (or was it?).  It was sad though we had a time where you'd all stop and you are supposed to greet one another.  I was overlooked a lot but you'd see well-off people going all about to greet one another.  Once a little boy did that for me came a ways over to greet me it meant a lot.  But see as an autistic and poor person I was not considered worthy of sitting in the front rows and I perceived that and stayed back. 

 

 

[rachel15]

Well, I will argue that the church reinforced my belief in survival of the fittest far more that any lecture on biology or evolution.

I can so totally relate to this. I ended up at a Charismatic church and so much of it was about the popularity of people with the younger and more successful of the congregation getting the most attention.

 

Sadly, I know of an elderly couple whose wife has become very unwell mentally and she is extremely thin and has withdrawn from attending groups - but hardly anyone visits her. It was the same when I went through a period of mental illness - my group leader didn't know what to do so she referred me to the pastor who actually told me he was too busy to see me. I was desperate at the time for some kindness and reassurance and when I look back think it was pretty bad that he left me without any contact when I was so vulnerable. I had not badgered or pestered them for attention prior to that, so I did wonder if the stigma of having had a mental illness was what did it.