...to sit through church.
I did so at my wife's request and honestly, I'll be frank here, it really didn't take that much will power. My father in law had request that everyone be there for Sunday lunch after church attendance, and really it made no sense to drive two cars to the same location. So I figured in the spirit of efficiency to get my lazy ass up a few hours earlier, forgo the mountain of laundry that needed put away and stick my proverbial heathen ass in a pew for an hour or so...really it was actually a very nice seat, and they served coffee.
What I got subjected too however, just didn't sit right with me. It wasn't the God loves you message, no no that I fully thought was nice, it was something that preceded it. If you will join me below the fold and I'll share what apparently is making or has made the rounds in some Christian denominations.
So apparently the church has been having an on going series on the various other religions and how they contrast with Christianity. Fair enough, I can understand teaching your flock the differences between religions and to be honest having been told in advance what the topic was, I was actually looking forward to listening to this.
I mean, how else would you convert someone from a different religion unless you can point to various texts, tracts, etc.. and say "Hey I know you think this, but this is why I think this is different and why". The faith based intellectual argument so to speak, I can appreciate that.
So there I was sitting in church awaiting a message I actually honestly was looking forward to hearing. I mean really I had to wait a bit, there was that whole singing celebrating thing before the sermon. I know god says make a joyful sound but really I have no purpose or being assaulting people with my singing voice, so I stood there silently mouthing the words while I waited for my purpose being there. Seriously, if demons are real then they lie in wait in my vocal cords for the chance at attacking your ear drums. So I do the right thing and just avoid unleashing them to the world.
We finish our song and dance and take our seats, again I have to reiterate how comfortable these seats were, nothing like the wooden pews from childhood memories. I guess it makes taking information easier when your ass isn't distracting you with the pins and needles of paresthesia, but I digress. So the pastor takes center stage and begins the message.
It started off benign. Apparently this week was the week they were going to talk about Islam...I can see the huffs, eyes rolling, and groans already just stick with me if you could.
So the pastor started off very benign with a quick introduction into Islam and its tenants. All well and good so far, I can see the pastor setting the stage for the presentation of the differences. Then the pastor breaks, lets us know that he has a video he wants us to watch.
Fine. Whatever. I've seen hobbled together videos like I think I'm about to watch. Yet I don't get that...I got this.
So yeah...there was that.
It's pretty well goes without saying, that me blogging here about this that it did not sit well with me. Apparently this video made the go around a few years back going viral back in 2009. I personally had never seen this hit piece of propaganda until yesterday but yes apparently it made its rounds a few years back. I figured something was off immediately but had my confirmation when it quoted Gaddafi as if he were still alive.
And very well what followed the video continued that narrative the video set. Did ultimately the pastor go into that "God loves all of us", yes. But it took him 50 minutes of an hour presentation to get there.
I walked out slightly pissed, that I wasted my time being there, I could have been at home folding laundry and drinking a rum and coke!
I was not only slightly pissed at wasting my time, I was also worried. I was worried about the people in the other many comfortable chairs sipping down their, very tasty I might add, coffee. How many people in that auditorium are going to take what was presented at face value?
Take it at face value, what was an obvious fear mongering, and then take that fear into places like the voting booth?
So yesterday I got a quite scary look into the propaganda machine of fear and here I sit wondering what I can do.
It took me all of 15 minutes this morning, I would have yesterday but hey I had that laundry to do, to find the information regarding this video and the obvious take downs and debunking. I sit here wondering what good can I do to reverse the travesty that was made in that auditorium yesterday.
My wife, as a regular member of the church, is encouraging me to write the pastor and implore him to maybe correct his message, and in the future fact check sources first. Maybe its the cynic in me regarding all things faith and religion, I just don't know if it will do any good.
Perhaps its my lack of faith in faith pushing me to the sidelines at the moment.
I know one thing though, the failure of the pastor yesterday did nothing to help my faith in faith.