Backsliding

Saturday, January 24, 2009
Remember when I said I was going to try and be less stabby when it came to religion in public life?

Yeah, well. I'm backsliding.

Here's why.

My university class this quarter is on Leadership. So far it's more interesting than I expected, and one of the reasons that's true is because there's a diverse group of people in the class, so different points of view are represented. One of the students in this class is a young woman originally from Turkey who now lives in the Middle East. She has a Muslim name, and her comments have been especially interesting to me because of her different cultural viewpoint. So far, so good.

Well, one of the discussion questions on the board this week was about values - how they affect leadership style, how to apply them and stay consistent in a professional setting - you get the idea.

Here comes the stabby part.

In response to the values discussion, she made a comment that she couldn't imagine anyone in today's world who equally exhibited all the values listed in our textbook, and that such a person would probably be a prophet. Given her culture and background, I knew exactly what she meant - she was indicating that only a perfect person would have so many equally demonstrated virtues.

Enter the Champion Asshat.

He's been discussing his religious belief on the discussion boards for a number of weeks, but I've been letting it go in response to my new non-stabby policy. But here was his response to this woman's comment:
While God is the Father of all people in a general sense because He created them (Acts 17:24-28), only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are God's true spiritual children. Unbelievers are the children of Satan (Matt.13:38)

At salvation, all believers not only become full members of Christ's body, the church, but the Holy Spirit is placed within each of them (Romans 8:9) True Christians are saints and as such are prophets because we evangelize to God's people and endure through faith in God and not man.
Yeah. Essentially telling a classmate that she's a child of Satan. Classy. The woman in question then spanked him for being a presumptuous asshat with no respect for other people's belief systems. His response?
You mentioned a Prophet, and I only know of one prophet, and if you want me to share my relationship with Jesus Christ with you, I would be more than happy to. There is only one reason I am answering this, it is because I love your soul. I ask for your forgiveness if I have offended you.
Because really, what a Muslim really wants after telling you to shut the fuck up about your Christianity is for you to "share your relationship with Jesus Christ." And who the fuck is so ignorant that they believe a woman from a Muslim country, with a Muslim name, thinks that Jesus Christ is the only "Prophet" around? Seriously?

Commence slow boil.

Could this guy be any more clueless, or any more offensive? I attend a private university, but it's not a religious university. The topic at hand was about values and leadership, and he thinks this is the time to proselytize his religious belief? In what is essentially a classroom?

It's a good thing this is an on-line class. Because if they had occurred in meat-space, I would of totally punched this guy in the head. With extreme prejudice.

Surprisingly enough, I did not post to the discussion forum on this guy's utter fucking cluelessness and offensive behavior. The young woman had already spanked him, and since she was the recipient of his ignorant remarks, I didn't think it would be appropriate.

So I complained to the professor, instead.

I essentially told her that this guy's proselytizing was negatively affecting my learning experience, and that I found it extremely offensive. I don't know if she'll take any action or not, but since this is the second class I've had with the ass-clown, and the second time his religious belief has negatively impacted my education, I thought I was justified.

But really, we all know I'm not exactly impartial when it comes to these matters. Not impartial at all.

So, Hot Chicks and Smart Men, you get to decide:


Update: The professor posted to the board informing ass-clown that the forum was not an appropriate venue to share his relationship with Jesus Christ.

13 comments:

Shawn Powers said...

I'm so annoyed by people being douchebags in the name of Christianity. It makes the rest of us look like idiots. My tip to all potential Christian douchebags:

1) Live out your inspired, wisdom filled life. If you really believe your power, strength and wisdom comes from above, what makes you think YOU can inspire someone else? Do you really want to give them sloppy seconds faith? No. BE the person your faith makes you.

2) If you are truly living a life that is awesome, inspired, holy, and better -- people will notice. If they ask you, THEN and ONLY THEN do you tell them about your relationship with God.

3) Evangelizing is a lot harder than spewing verses (especially hateful ones!) at others. Ur doin it rong.

4) And before you start saying, "But Jesus was harsh with the pharisees, the truth is hard to hear" -- realize they were religious posers. He was harshing on them because they were doing the same thing you are.

Ok, I'll take my soapbox and go home. :)

Nathan said...

I'm not voting here and I love Shawn.

Ahem...in that manly, macho, fist-pump sorta, kinda way...not that there's anything wrong....

Oh, never mind.

mom in northern said...

This jerk's attitudes and vitriolic comments are the sort of thing that starts wars.

Send him to the middle east.
He will be right at home.
Let the radicals over their
take care of him.

Shawn has the right idea.
Hey, Shawn, share your soap box?

Janiece said...

Shawn, your soap box is welcome here anytime.

Anne C. said...

Thank you, Shawn!

And yay, prof, for saying something.

Anonymous said...

Shawn, you know that mostly-totally platonic crush I have on Eric? Kinda switching over to you now. 'Cause I completely respect a Christian who believes in practicing the teachings of Jesus over the arrogant preaching of asshats like Champion Asshat. Walking the talk - I like that.

Random Michelle K said...

Hi. You're missing an "i"

And asshat needs a good fail on multiple assignments for that bullshit.

Random Michelle K said...

And I also love Shawn, but then it's hard not to.

vince said...

Thanks, Shawn. You said it better than I could have. And spewing verses != evangelizing.

Jeri said...

Shawn rocks. Your classmate really sounds like a great candidate for martyrdom. Could you arrange that? ;)

Janiece said...

Jeri, I think I'll leave that to my good friend Karma.

Jim Wright said...

I try to avoid any religious post commenting because I inevitably offend the hell (heh) out of every religious person in sight - however, in this case, what Shawn said.

I'd be a whole lot more charitable towards Christians if they were like Shawn...

...or like Jesus Christ for that matter.

Janiece said...

Jim, I try not to be offensive, mainly because I never want the Shawns or Vinces of the world to think I in any way think they're like the ass-clown.

But you gots to call them likes you see them.