Sunday, March 23, 2008

Reason # 4,568 that I'm an Athiest...

...is that religious people just don't seem to know when NOT to try a sales pitch.

This morning I had cause to set foot inside a church for probably the first time in nearly 4 or so years. And I'm not a religious bigot, I swear I'm not...but every time I'm in the presence of devoutly religious people I seem to grow less and less tolerant of some of their behavioral traits.

I was in said church for a wake. For the first half of it, it was a very pleasant remembrance of my wonderful grandmother who passed last month. Some very moving words were said about her by her son (my dad) and a few others....and memories were shared.

Then the priest stepped in for his portion, and it somehow turned from a fond farewell to Nancy...to the Catholic version of Amway. Yes, he said his kind words about her and her family...but then started to meander into unwelcome territory.

He managed to fit in a few delightful messages about how the best way to serve god was to get married and have kids....and how the Jews have the wrong idea when it comes to having closeness to god.

There's nothing like a little subtle heterosexism and antisemitism to dress up a funeral.

Oh well, at least the corned beef and cabbage lunch we had after was nice...though I promised myself that for the sake of those around me I will NEVER have cabbage again. Just ask anyone who was near me at the gym today why.

5 comments:

Moby said...

Silent but deadly!

Homer said...

Frank, I'm sorry to read about that. I had the same experience at a funeral I went to- the Baptist minister said such anti-Jewish comments people got up and walked out.

MaineCliffDweller said...

Sorry about your grandmother. I had the same experience at a cousin's funeral where the minister talked about a woman's place in the home.

My dog went counter surfing yesterday and ate an entire batch of asian cabbage soup that I was making...farts galore!

Disco:Very said...

Start telling off priests who make comments like that. Corner them later on when they attend the post-wake potluck. I've done it and it made me feel better. I don't ever want them thinking that just because they're up at the pulpit that I agree with anything they're saying.

Unknown said...

Interesting! A Roman priest telling people to get married and have kids!
But he wont't. Being of Jewish background, I am very sensitive to anti-Semitism. BTW, I can give some reasons NOT to be an atheist!