I remember having had to give Christian testimonies when I converted, and when I got baptised. It was rather bashful to give them, because mine was so ordinary, and spectacularly unspectacular.
I only remember this because of what Robert said. He could not get a job because his conversion testimony was not powerful enough. Robert's blog. Read his comment. He lost it to a guy full of tattoos.
It's wierd isn't it? The one who sins the most and then comes to God is the winner, the alpha dog. Whereas those who lived squeaky clean lives and then come to God are somehow lesser. People like us actually felt guilty, for we felt that we had not changed much. That God had not done that great of a work in us. Perhaps we had not really been saved. Whereas if you had been doing hard drugs and shagging harlots for breakfast, and now you're just an ordinary person who does nothing, somehow that makes you a better man.
It's dastardly unfair. For my baptism testimony, all I could say was that I had been faithfully attending Sunday School for umpteen years, aced Religious Knowledge in school, and was always the first to turn up for church. (Of course, I did not say all that. I have forgotten what I did to spice up my testimony. Or I just want to forget.)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
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7 comments:
Thanks for the hat tip.
Don't forget that the guy I lost the job to quit it a few months later.
The position was of praise leader. The other guy didn't read music and was a drummer. I play keyboard/piano and the guitar and I read music. So, I consider that I was more qualified for the position.
By the time he quit, I had moved on to another church and I had a new job (not at a church) that kept me quite busy.
Don't get me wrong. I'm actually still good friends with the guy I lost the job to. I wasn't upset at him at all. However, the reason I wasn't hired had wierded me out so much that I left that church and went to my cousins church instead.
The situation wasn't what made me leave the faith entirely, but it was a straw among many others on that camels back.
"Don't forget that the guy I lost the job to quit it a few months later."
Vengeance is the Lord's. Heh.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm actually still good friends with the guy I lost the job to. I wasn't upset at him at all. However, the reason I wasn't hired had wierded me out so much that I left that church and went to my cousins church instead."
You're right, it's nothing personal. It's just a part of the churchianity culture that is so common all over the world.
"The situation wasn't what made me leave the faith entirely, but it was a straw among many others on that camels back."
All things work for the good of atheists, who love and who have been called out of the church, is what I like to proclaim nowadays. :-)
I remember that competition for the best pre-Christian sin life. I had some great stories, but to hell if I was going to share them. I knew it was a double edged sword --- sure, they think you were cool, but intuitively they know, "Hell, if he has done that once, he could do it again." And they were right, for there is no Holy Spook that enters your heart and really changes it.
Smile.
Sabio,
You shouldn't have worried. They're even hiring sex offenders. As ordained ministers, no less.
http://proudatheists.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/louisville-church-ordained-a-sex-offender/
I would like to reccommend you of the testimonies found in www.netzarim.co.il ; click on the "Christians"-page.. It is about persons that by the teachings of Ribi Yehoshua from Nazareth (the Messiah) learned how to relate to the Creator.
Anders Branderud
"He could not get a job because his conversion testimony was not powerful enough. Robert's blog. Read his comment. He lost it to a guy full of tattoos. It's wierd isn't it? The one who sins the most and then comes to God is the winner, the alpha dog."
Interesting take. I wonder what their reasoning was?
They probably think the one who has sinned more and was still able to come to God has received more grace and is thus better for the job.
Or it could be the shock value. The tatoos cry out for a story to be told, whereas Roberts tatooless epidermis probably looks too bland.
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