Religion: humility, kindness, abstinence, chastity, patience, generosity, and diligence.

Mood: irritated

Ok, there are some topics that I don't discuss. The reason for this is that there are some people that are uncomfortable talking about such subjects. One of them, as you can tell from my topic today is Religion.

There usually is a time and a place to talk about such and the workplace is not the place (unless it is a business oriented to such). There is this person, we'll call him Spike, when discussing several topics, about work, life etc... he tends to inject Religion into the conversation. I don't mind, but when someone is SO "passionate" about the subject and I can see that they are getting irritated, I tend to go for that raw nerve. Anyway, last week we were discussing jobs and either finding something else that pays more or staying where I am at now. Spike adds that his "father" will provide for him, well, I was thinking that his family (either paternal or in-law), so I replied, "well, that's all and good, but I don't have family that I can rely on here".

Well, the father he meant was God, well, let me tell you, that just opened up the flood gates... You see, religion (Christianity, Catholicism), teaches tolerance and it seems that Spike doesn't have it.

- In addition to the four "cardinal virtues" of prudence, fortitude, justice and temperance some Christian theologians promoted the idea of three "theological" virtues, faith hope and love. Together, they make up the sevel cardinal or heavenly virtues.

Now it doesn't seem very spiritual that a person gives up on a "lost soul", according to Spike's words "I'm done talking to you right now. Your past has got your thoughts of me all jacked up. I will just pray for you. I cannot even convert a peice (sp) of bread into toast without a toaster." Now let me say this, Spike is a young person, in his late 20's and hasn't been anywhere or done anything except live in the city that he's lived in. I've been to different places and to another country, I've seen the worst of people and the best of them, so my opinions are based on experience. Some of the things that I have also been involved with, I have seen just about it all.

Now, Spike's response to all this is "Than my advice is don't complain to me about your life or any of your problems.", never in all our conversations have I complained about my life or my problems, to him or to anyone. I keep it to myself, I believe that my problems are my own unless another is involved in my problems.

The Seven Contrary Virtues:

Humility - the quality or state of being humble

Kindness - 1 : a kind deed : FAVOR
2 a : the quality or state of being kind

Abstinence - voluntary forbearance especially from indulgence of an appetite or craving

Chastity - purity in conduct and intention

Patience - the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient

Liberality - the quality or state of being liberal

Diligence - persevering application

Now Spike, he's absent in 4 out of the 7 virtues, Humility, Kindness, Patience and Diligence. With humility, he's guilty of being prideful and arrogant of his position at the company, he thinks that he maybe favored at the company, but my experience has taught me that no one is immune from being dismissed, no matter how close (or think so) you seem to someone (i.e. the boss, etc...). In the corporate world, like in the political world, if they are not kissing babies or shaking your hand, without you looking, their stealing their lollipops or stabbing you in the back.

For kindness, it doesn't seem very kind to be intolerable towards a person that doesn't hold the same beliefs as you do. For patience, he's not very patient towards me. Spike has also been inpatient with a couple of people that he's talked to or associate with... not very spiritual if you ask me or others... Diligence, Spike doesn't seem all that diligent, either with work or with his religion. Again, I've never complained to him or the people that I work with about my life or situation.

Everyone at my company had to go to a Harassment training, as defined by the training, Harassment doesn't have to be a physical situation, if a person feels uncomfortable about something and another person continues to make those uncomfortable by pushing their ideals on another, than that is considered "Harassment".

Spike's claim is that people are not his provider, however, I don't see "God" paying his bills, making him healthy when he or his family is sick or giving him food when he's hungry. The people that either use his services or uses the company that he works for DOES provide the money to pay for all of the above. He states that he owns his own business, but if he should be slapped with a lawsuit and goes bankrupt fighting the suit, I don't think that money will appear out of nowhere or as a gift from "God".

Now, my question to Spike and I hope that Spike reads this, is that how many times have I told you F*&$ you? If I did, with the exception of today, it has always been in play. I don't like being lectured or told what to do with my private life, unless you've walked in my shoes, you have no basis for your lectures. If I wanted to be told what to do with my private life, I'd talk to my Aunt (whom I really despise because of this, only because she's trying to control my life).

So get your head out of the clouds and get back to reality. This is the real world, God is there, but he's not directing our lives, we make the decisions and life with the consequences. Also, walk a mile in another persons shoes before judging them. Making judgments on others should be left to God himself. Besides, Jesus died for all our sins, unless we do something that is so heineous... you guess the rest. In other words, I have seen the best and the worst of people, been there done that.