Life after Birth (Make friends with more atheists)

Click to enlarge: In this image, one in utero twin says to the other, "Hey brother, do you think there's life after birth? Do you believe in Mom?" The twin says "Nah, I don't believe these things, I'm an atheist. I mean, have you ever seen Mom?"

(No Internet at home; posting on the go.)

While scanning the radio dial, I recently heard some atheists commiserating over how religious people share their religious opinions in different social contexts. In this case, the atheist caller was emotional and hurt and the atheist host was tsk-tsk'ing with soft "oh, no"s, as though the caller had been confronted by a flasher, lost a child, or was diagnosed with cancer.

The host's advice: "Make friends with more atheists."

There are certainly contexts when religious talk is inappropriate, not, mind you, because it's wrong, but because there are places we talk about certain things and places we don't - from bathroom habits to how you get to heaven. Just as certain spices will ruin certain foods, and certain shoes will clash with certain outfits, so certain words hurt human relationships, and if we know where and when that will be, we should be careful.

I've been hurt by Christians who were unnecessarily harsh because they thought their inspired insight gave them liberty to be blunt.

[2013-07-07]

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Click to enlarge: Donnie Swaggart.

Flipping through cable channels today, I heard Donnie Swaggart comment on a man who approached his dad, Jimmy  Swaggart, after the service and said "I have a word for you." Jimmy Swaggart reportedly said "No you don't," and the pastoral panel all chuckled, because, of course, that privilege does not belong to laymen, or, if you prefer, old salts like Swaggart have veto power over others' "words."

Donnie wrapped up the hour with 50% off their CD/DVD collection, now only $15 each. Whoever was holding the cue cards should stand closer to the camera. Donnie looked like he was watching a tennis match.

A couple remote clicks up, through Rod Parsley selling a study series, was Mother Angelica on EWTN. She wasn't selling anything.  She was praying.

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For the uninitiated, "a word" in charismatic lingo means prophetic information from God that one normally would not have if God had not revealed it. Someone once shared a "word" with me. A sincere soul that was burning brightly but briefly told me I should be in church leadership.

I'd have made an adequate monk, especially in a monastery that made wine or brandy.

[2013-07-09]xx

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