...That's pride fuckin' with you." - Marcellus Wallace, Pulp Fiction
Prideful church people in prison are among the most nearsighted and bigoted. Ruth has told me about it, but I had my first experience with this religious pride shit in a defense of her today. I am a conservative Christian and I allow my faith to be my moral compass, a force of light that I use to value people. Any of them. What these stone throwers are willing to do while living in the glass house is beyond me. They have no problem hiding behind their perceived faith, Christian, just to simply stand judgment. Sadly for me, its a faith that both Ruth and I identify with.
I heard one of these convicts trying to smooth the waters with this wonderful, enlightened woman by telling her that all his church friends don't want him to hang around her, but he "still would, even though she lives in sin being trans" and all. Hey buddy, that's not how this works. If he gave a shit at all, he would have set his congregation straight and just exercise free will while loving his fellow human. Instead, his pride and need to fit in made him tell her that she's a sinner. So is he. No prison Christian, or anyone else for that matter, should EVER cast any stones, stand in judgment, or expose how damned stupid they are by being so prideful. No one got here by volunteering too much at a local hospice.
It boiled over for me when one of this dude's church buddies pulled me aside and gave me the same line of horseshit about "stop doing good for man and start doing more good for God". He told me to "minister" to the "sinner you live with". I got so pissed, I cut him off and walked away. I had to sleep on my solution to this dilemma and told staff the next morning. These guys were pulled aside and told to knock it off and do their time. I was labeled a "snitch". I'll take that. I'll push back on the convict code any day. I wouldn't let this behavior happen to my neighbor or coworker outside of prison, so I'll be damned if some prideful zealot is going to start a crusade against someone I care about.
My God loves this woman enough to provide her with an absolutely unique challenge, the heart to endure it, and the mind to do good far beyond herself. He packaged her in a special way and blessed me to have her here, in my world, at this time in my life. She's a gift for sure. And for the prideful religious stone throwers who dare shatter the roof with ignorance, put the rocks back in your pocket and stay away from the river. They'll weigh you down...
Rory Andes
for www.lgbtqprisonsupport.com
Prideful church people in prison are among the most nearsighted and bigoted. Ruth has told me about it, but I had my first experience with this religious pride shit in a defense of her today. I am a conservative Christian and I allow my faith to be my moral compass, a force of light that I use to value people. Any of them. What these stone throwers are willing to do while living in the glass house is beyond me. They have no problem hiding behind their perceived faith, Christian, just to simply stand judgment. Sadly for me, its a faith that both Ruth and I identify with.
I heard one of these convicts trying to smooth the waters with this wonderful, enlightened woman by telling her that all his church friends don't want him to hang around her, but he "still would, even though she lives in sin being trans" and all. Hey buddy, that's not how this works. If he gave a shit at all, he would have set his congregation straight and just exercise free will while loving his fellow human. Instead, his pride and need to fit in made him tell her that she's a sinner. So is he. No prison Christian, or anyone else for that matter, should EVER cast any stones, stand in judgment, or expose how damned stupid they are by being so prideful. No one got here by volunteering too much at a local hospice.
It boiled over for me when one of this dude's church buddies pulled me aside and gave me the same line of horseshit about "stop doing good for man and start doing more good for God". He told me to "minister" to the "sinner you live with". I got so pissed, I cut him off and walked away. I had to sleep on my solution to this dilemma and told staff the next morning. These guys were pulled aside and told to knock it off and do their time. I was labeled a "snitch". I'll take that. I'll push back on the convict code any day. I wouldn't let this behavior happen to my neighbor or coworker outside of prison, so I'll be damned if some prideful zealot is going to start a crusade against someone I care about.
My God loves this woman enough to provide her with an absolutely unique challenge, the heart to endure it, and the mind to do good far beyond herself. He packaged her in a special way and blessed me to have her here, in my world, at this time in my life. She's a gift for sure. And for the prideful religious stone throwers who dare shatter the roof with ignorance, put the rocks back in your pocket and stay away from the river. They'll weigh you down...
Rory Andes
for www.lgbtqprisonsupport.com
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