#299 Misery

I got burned twice yesterday. Funny, I’d treated the people nice. I was honest with them. I bargained in good faith for a certain result, all my cards on the table. In one burn the individual, intent on trying to secure a power base with a third party, went behind my back to try to make himself look better. Later in apology, he said, I’m always behind you. That’s what I’m afraid of, I said. Cause you appear to be holding a knife. In the other instance, an individual trying to get me to pay dues to an organization, promised me a certain amount of business, categorically. He said he was in complete control of the budget he was promising me. Then, through another party, coincidentally the backstabber mentioned above, he offered a lesser amount. Seems once he got the dues he felt since the bird was in hand he could now commence to choking. I should have known. So I blame myself. You’d figure after experiencing this sort of thing for my whole life I’d be a little more cautious when dealing with these people. I know it’s not politically correct to single out people just because of their religion, and far be it from me to put myself in a position where people say I’m prejudiced, but members of this religion sure seem to screw people a lot. They stick together too. Oh, I know him, they’ll say, we worship in the same place. It’s amazing how many of these people are in positions of money management too. Lots of accountants in this faith. And lots of actors truth be told. And it seems like every other upper cable channel has member after member of this religion cooking or singing or talking about financial strategies. And the Middle East? Fuggetaboutit. These people have caused more trouble in that part of the world than you can shake a believer at, for over 2000 years. The current conflict is no exception. Recently these same people even staged a big protest for what’s destined to be one of the most popular movies of all time. And Mel Gibson’s not even in it.
I’m talking about, you guessed it, Christians. But not all Christians—probably why I still get fooled and burned. I’m talking about blank check Christians. The ones that don’t get that whole Christ will forgive thing. On some twisted moral level they figure if they screw up, or screw someone, well, no big deal, they’ll just ask for forgiveness on Sunday. Never mind that Christ said, “Go and sin no more.” Or that hypocrisy is one of the biggest sins of all. What I really should have been thinking was what a friend once told me. Churches, he said, are like hospitals for sinners. So, if I was smart, anytime somebody went out of their way to tell me they were a Christian and how often they go to church I ought to think, uh oh, wear protection. Cause it’s really the equivalent of them telling me they have moral herpes. Did I mention a burning sensation?
America, ya gotta love it.