I joined the 'Club' for a day

Curious thing happened to me the other day...

I'm a non-confrontational, don't care what you think nor care what you think about me Atheist (at least in terms of Religion). Anyway, quite awhile back, I received a few t-shirts with quoted Bible passages on them from a Job I did at a Church. I put them aside and forgot about them. I came across one and put it on simply becasue it was available and needed a clean shirt. I had forgotten about the religious nature of the shirt and didn't read it when I put it on.

I carried out my day visiting a number of places and everywhere I went I noticed an extra level of attention. All the clerks I met with were extra chatty with me and were extra helpful in making sure I got what I was looking for. One in particular at a hardware store gave me extra long 'how to' instructions that I didnt need or ask for. It was a nice gesture, but it was uncomfortable becasue customers were behind me and we were holding up the line. He practically followed me out the door to give me his final advice. It wasnt until my fifth visit to a store were a women started flirting with me (or at least that was my impression) and when I was leaving, she said, Oh! I love your shirt, that's one of my favorites! That's when I realized I was wearing the religious shirt.

It was like I entered a secret society. I was part of the Clan and no longer an outsider. Reminded me of the old SNL episodes were Eddie Murphy poses as a White man and goes out into the World. It was an interesting experience to say the least, although it didn't change my Opinion of Religion. Thought I would share.

 

Most interesting, I must try this one day! I did actually live as a Christian for a week, once. Did the same with Islam too. These were private experiments, to see if there was any merit to their various claims. There wasn't But anyway, no one was aware of it apart from my spouse (who thought is was kinda nuts. but I felt it was the least I could do, since I'd test driven Buddhism, Daoism, and Hinduism). The t shirt thing tells us more about how tribal other Christians are - and judging by your experience I would say VERY!

It's a damn shame they don't treat all humans the same way, if they're in service industries. I mean no one can really help getting a little extra chatty if encountering someone wearing an obscure Firefly t-shirt or similar (heck, I do!), but the people you encountered seem to have gone to somewhat eccentric lengths to validate you.

 

when you were muslim for a week, did you pray five times a day?

 

There are a number of Ultra-Religious Micro-Societies within the U.S.

Some are outright dangerous.

AboveAlpha

 

yep. read the Q'ran too. still down with the rituals and gestures, and know how to behave at the mosque. I've also worn hijab and burkah on many occasions.

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some are outright dangerous, others are dangerous because they applaud subservience and punish critical thinking. that way tyrants reign.

 

You know one of the things in the Bible is that those who seek knowledge do not obtain happiness....or something close to that.

Ignorance of a population and the ability of a Religion to keep a population ignorant is the greatest system of control EVER devised by man.

AboveAlpha

 

Interesting. Are atheists nice to you when you're not wearing a religious shirt?

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I'll add the kindest, gentlest people I've ever known are Christians, though know nice people who aren't too.

 

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no, just normal. Im sure there are Atheists who are mean or rude to people wearing religious garb.

And I agree with you. Mormons for example, are some of the nicest people Ive ever met.

 

atheists aren't nice to people according to religious preference. though some have been known to be extra nice to people wearing obscure sci fi t-shirts

the kindest and gentlest people I've ever known were godless hippies, and I've known a few truly wonderful catholics - Jesuits in particular. protestant Christians ... not so much - maybe an elderly lady or two.

 

as the 'ole saying goes, "people are people" probably has less to do with religious beliefs and more with individual personality and perceptions. I will never imply one group is nicer or meaner than the other. And I agree with you on the Sci-fi shirts. I would probably start up conversation with someone wearing such a shirt. Its probably what happened here. It was a commonality and it gave the person a reason not to be shy around me.

 

I do make special allowances for Firefly t-shirt wearers, particularly if it's BLUE SUN, or one of the more obscure motifs - like something with a Chinese flavour. On the rare occasions I've come across LEXX t-shirt wearers, I crash tackle them to the floor so they can't escape.

 

Speaking of T-Shirts I hear there was some Mid-Western town that tried to ban kids from wearing Harry Potter shirts awhile back as they said it promoted Witch Craft and Satanism!! LOL!!!

AboveAlpha

 

is this true? and we are talking about recently (Harry P etc), not 1610?

what the hell is going wrong in America?

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yes, wearing an obscure sciffy t shirt is a vacation!

meantime ... those two don't have to speak to raise a chortle.

 

thank you. you made my day

 

i actually just went online to look up some of these shirts.

 

This was awhile back when the Harry Potter movies were coming out.

There have even been mid-western communities that have tried to ban Halloween!!!

Such things are short lived as they are unconstitutional but there is always some Ultra-Religious Group trying to impose their system of beliefs upon others.

The U.S. is massive with 320 Million citizens so when a nation has that many people such things are bound to happen.

AboveAlpha

 

It probably wouldn't be good to be a Christian for the long term. One day can be awfully refreshing and also you wouldn't have taken any slights seriously. So you don't know what the down sides are.

 

We'll I'm a realist. I need tangible proof before I blindly follow any philosophy and just having Faith doesn't cut it. But just out of curiosity, why do you think it wouldn't be good to be a Christian for the long term?

 

That is an awesome perspective, thanks for sharing it. It is not really that surprising when you think about it. For example when I am wearing my Assassin's Creed (video game) tee-shirt, it elicits a positive response when I come across other videogamers. When my old man is driving his Corvette other Corvette drivers will give him an approving nod of "ya, Vettes rule!". But Christianity is a bit different because it is a big club that has a lot of members. Makes me wounder how many Christians are more into the being part of a huge club rather than basing their life upon the principles of the religion as you have just shown that being perceived to be a member of the religion has its perks.

 

Did you find any?

 

Because I went out in disguise the other day. I was treated well but I suspect there would be downsides.

 

Often these things are very primal. I believe it's that way with white nationals. Their group mentality defies thought.

 

I like a gamer tee. My own collection is topped by one I seldom wear now, because it's nearing the end of its long and well loved life - that being a Mighty Boosh image of the moon, with text wrapped around it the words "I'm the moon, the full moon, the main moon". Sigh ... how I love that shirt ... so whimsical, and so 'early Boosh'.

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it's what Vikings do when the hunt is over.

 

I did and even picked out the Blue sun one on your advice