I think I might be channeling my father.

[constance]

Aside from the fiendishly capitalist and corporate Barnes and Noble, every company I've worked for in the twenty-first century has featured obligatory moments of prayer in the workplace. Before meetings, before communal meals, before "extracurricular" functions, we all bow our heads for a prayer, silent or spoken. It's the price you pay for living in the Deep South; and man, it's a high price, at times, for someone who's agnostic at a stretch and only really not an atheist because she can't be unequivocal about what fucking salsa to buy*, much less about things as intangible as deities and human souls.

I try to be polite and respectful during these moments of prayer. I bow my head and keep quiet. I don't fidget or giggle or snort in derision. But sometimes it all gets to be too much, the way it did this morning, when our most fervent Monday-morning prayer leader begged God to "impose" his "will" upon "us all." I admit that a little snort did escape me. And suddenly I'd just had enough.

I mean. When I feel invisible spirits trying to impose their wills upon me, I'll reach for my powerful antipsychotics, thanks. I spent the rest of the prayer chafing at the idea that I should be cowed into pretending that I had any desire to be imposed upon. I held my head upright. My eyes were wide open. I felt enormously relieved.

If you're a Christian, more power to you. I still respect your right to believe in whatever God your faith leads you to. But I don't want a part in your worship any more, okay? Thanks for your attention in this matter.

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* (recommendations and/or recipes are welcome!)

Comments

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I totally don't get why people feel the need to proclaim their faith. Is it somehow less real if you keep it to yourself? Does it not somehow dilute your prayers to have them be not between you and G-d but instead between you, G-d, and everyone who might be nearby (often through social coercion)?

I say this as a practicing Episcopalian, fwiw.

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Another practicing Episcopalian here, also recoiling in disdain.

Of course at my church, we barely tell you about Jesus even if you come inside, because we don't to seem pushy like those vulgar evangelicals. You have to ask politely several times before we relent and bashfully give you some information, rather like a Japanese host.

One thing I love about New York is that it is so relentlessly heterogeneous and multicultural that nobody would dream of assuming they could get away with an overtly religious event at work.

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

Of course at my church, we barely tell you about Jesus even if you come inside, because we don't to seem pushy like those vulgar evangelicals. You have to ask politely several times before we relent and bashfully give you some information, rather like a Japanese host.

I love this description!

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

SRSLY

We have a major event every year for the feast of St. Francis, where people bring their pets to be blessed. It is a huge deal and peole come from all over and line up to get in. We had a major debate about passing out informational leaflets to people waiting in line to enter the church. One of the priests was horrified at the notion that we might be prosletizing... to people who had voluntarily come to a service at our church!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha, I love this too! That is my kind of church, man.

I sometimes dream of the sort of multiculturalism which incorporates difference by default. Having lived in insular communities (even NO can be awfully limited in scope), I've never lived in such a place, and I feel I'm really missing out.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I think part of the problem is that many evangelical sects preach proselytization as part of the conversion experience. They're supposed to be out there spreading the word, you know?

And I've been writing down other reasons for like five minutes and they all sound kind of snide and/or bitter, so I'll quit while I'm ahead, but I do want to say THANK YOU on behalf of nonbelievers everywhere for your own discretion. :*

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I know that, but...show, don't tell. If you have to *tell* me, then it's not obvious that being Born Again isn't all that and most certainly is not a bag of chips. So if you want to have any success at spreading the word, do so by letting me see how living it makes your life excellent.

The problem with that is, of course, it requires people to live it, to not judge, to be charitable, et cetera, and, well, not happening soon. Sadly.

And feel free to be snide and/or bitter. I'm in the South, too, so even though I believe (in a way) and you don't, I bet we could still revel together in our bitterness. Like the time I was told all Democrats are damned. Oh, wait, that just made me laugh.