Weird thoughts in the middle of the night:
A while back I was chastised by a high school classmate for being “full of hate” because I called him on a hateful post of his and then proceeded to unload on. He immediately unfriended me before I had a real chance to respond. In a way this did not surprise me as I have a clear impression of his real character from over 50 years and it just reinforces it.
In most cases, I would have just let it go because I have often been misjudged and I have often been mischaracterized by people, especially those who have their own agenda. I always challenge myself to TRY to insure that I do not do the same.
Why then does this person and his narrow-minded, insensitive attitude continue to bother me even after a couple of years? Simple. The arrogant, self-centered, pious individual is a practicing Minister.
As an individual, I would have long ago forgotten his ignorance and stupidity. As a Minister, he is Influencing others and has done so to generations.
While I have no doubt he is righteous, while I have no doubt he is pious, while I have no doubt he means well, while I have no doubt he does good on a daily basis, while I have no doubt he is caring and loving, while I have no doubt that he is a good example to others; he has fallen into the trap of so many religious leader – they think their personal opinions and biases are synonymous with God’s. They are wrong. They are human, with human frailties. In this example, I can look back over 50 years and see examples of his actions and attitudes – long before he was “saved”.
That is why his attitude still bothers me so much. Hypocrisy has always been high on my list of things I despise; religious hypocrisy rises to an extreme high level because it hurts so many people. He, and other religious leaders, fails to understand that this is the very reason people do not trust religion. It is often not the religion; it is the messenger.
For my high school classmates who think they know who I am talking about; you are probably right.
