The pastor's daughter fires back ... at churchgoers:
Wow. That blistering tirade just gets more and more sinister as you go.
True, one can revel in the discord within the corpus Christi, but more interesting questions beg our attention. In years past, I have made the observation that Christians need to clean up their own houses, first, before demanding that everyone else ... um ... well, you know, whatever. Stop having sex with people of the same gender, stop listening to evil rap and heavy metal, stop watching crappy television—but not because it's crappy; rather, God will be angry if you see Dennis Franz's ass. At any rate, if I haven't said it lately, it's because those religious people just don't care. I still believe it, but I'm through wasting those words on hateful flesh wrapped around empty souls.
Most people would make a snotty argument about it, though: Why should we be moral if you're not? But the problem is one of function.
Look, the rest of us hear the message; we cannot help but hear it with how many evangelical networks, the religious favoritism page in many newspapers, the glut of ugly churches fouling up our cities every few blocks, the political action groups, the bookstores—really, what is the point of celebrating that you are a best-seller in a field restricted to make sure that only you and a few other people can have best-sellers?—and even the obnoxious billboard in Seattle that once read, "Liberty is not the freedom to do what you want, but the freedom to do what God tells you to."
The problem is this: We keep hearing about morality and how to live a moral life. But the people pushing this agenda can't even keep it up. What the hell are we supposed to think?
Would you put your money with an investment firm that had a track record of losing money? Well, no, because it likely wouldn't exist anymore. Would you take your child to a doctor known for patients who died inexplicably under his care? Would you buy a Chrysler, for heaven's sake?
Thus the solution is to think less and obey more? Shall we cover our women's heads and make them remain silent in church? Or strike off the hand that offends? Perhaps we should give our daughters over to gang rape, since that is the right thing to do. Will Christian churches stop sanctioning adulterous second marriages? Yes, let us return to that age from which so many of the lethal hatreds of our modern era arise.
Perhaps people would find the merit in keeping their women subservient, and rally 'round the televised crucifixions of killers, petty thieves, and dissidents. Who knows? Really, maybe they would. Except the people pitching that route to them show, by the conduct and produce of their very own lives, the futility of such a journey.
I would not denounce Ms. Sims for her outburst. Certainly, one might point to the Bible and advise her to dust off and follow in the footsteps of her savior, but the fact remains that she is a human being, and human beings are not Christ. And, you know, even Christ had a limit.
So the point isn't to ridicule the pastor's daughter for getting a few things off her chest. Rather, we might consider the minor scandals she rebukes and wonder—If this is where Christian minds are at, do I really want to be part of it?
Really, it all seems like such a waste of time. There is nothing she complains about that should be foreign to anyone who has existed for an extended period in reasonable proximity to a church community. And that simmering, vindictive need?
Absolutely toxic. But also human.
God may be supreme in some people's minds, but when you put Christian theories of God up against the realities of the human endeavor, God will lose nearly every time. The pastor's daughter reminds us, and we should heed her warning.
_____________________
Notes:
Sims, Rome. "From the pastor's daughter". Rome Sims Rite's Blog. November 10, 2009. RomeSimsWrites.WordPress.com. November 10, 2009. http://romesimswrites.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/from-the-pastors-daughter/
1. When you see us walk into church late and give us the evil eye and say, “So nice of you to join us.” we really want to punch you in the face. First of all, Saturday night and Sunday morning are the most chaotic time in our home, and maybe we were at the store getting the doughnuts you are gonna stuff your face with later, or YOUR birthday present my parents forgot about. It is also possible that we are incredibly hung over and had to wash the (cough) residue off from the night before, but don’t assume the worst.
2. When you see us looking around aimlessly during service and possibly texting do not assume we are just being a rebellious hellion. Think of it this way, the man speaking is my father. I hear his sermons all day everyday and most likely proofread his notes the night before, and even helped write them. When you hear your parents rant and rave all your life eventually they all end up sounding like gibberish, despite the power of the message. So remember you get to go home during the week, we never get to not hear it. Also, when you see me texting check and see if my mom has her phone out also.
3. The power of the front row is that nobody can see your face or what you are doing. We do not sit there because we think we are special. Seriously, if its that big of an effing deal you sit in the front row too stupid. Also, while in the front row we cant see your scorning eye, and we like it that way.
4. Yes, we do get special treatment with certain things. Consider the sacrifices before you let that BS roll off your tongue. When you see us walk up to the t shirt sales table and just grab one and walk away without paying, think about the days when we sat at home sick with no parents because they were at your house bringing you soup and holding your hair when you were barfing. So, yes thank you for my t shirt I really appreciate it. You have no idea the rules and regulations we have to follow that you or your children do not have to abide by. Imagine if your parents income was based on your behavior, or for that matter imagine if your children’s good behavior decided the level of your success. When I say, “you have no idea” I mean you have no idea. next time you feel the burning words “They just get to do that because they are the pastors children,” just swallow that fiery statement and eat a tums, cause we hold our words back more than you could ever know.
(Sims)
2. When you see us looking around aimlessly during service and possibly texting do not assume we are just being a rebellious hellion. Think of it this way, the man speaking is my father. I hear his sermons all day everyday and most likely proofread his notes the night before, and even helped write them. When you hear your parents rant and rave all your life eventually they all end up sounding like gibberish, despite the power of the message. So remember you get to go home during the week, we never get to not hear it. Also, when you see me texting check and see if my mom has her phone out also.
3. The power of the front row is that nobody can see your face or what you are doing. We do not sit there because we think we are special. Seriously, if its that big of an effing deal you sit in the front row too stupid. Also, while in the front row we cant see your scorning eye, and we like it that way.
4. Yes, we do get special treatment with certain things. Consider the sacrifices before you let that BS roll off your tongue. When you see us walk up to the t shirt sales table and just grab one and walk away without paying, think about the days when we sat at home sick with no parents because they were at your house bringing you soup and holding your hair when you were barfing. So, yes thank you for my t shirt I really appreciate it. You have no idea the rules and regulations we have to follow that you or your children do not have to abide by. Imagine if your parents income was based on your behavior, or for that matter imagine if your children’s good behavior decided the level of your success. When I say, “you have no idea” I mean you have no idea. next time you feel the burning words “They just get to do that because they are the pastors children,” just swallow that fiery statement and eat a tums, cause we hold our words back more than you could ever know.
(Sims)
Wow. That blistering tirade just gets more and more sinister as you go.
True, one can revel in the discord within the corpus Christi, but more interesting questions beg our attention. In years past, I have made the observation that Christians need to clean up their own houses, first, before demanding that everyone else ... um ... well, you know, whatever. Stop having sex with people of the same gender, stop listening to evil rap and heavy metal, stop watching crappy television—but not because it's crappy; rather, God will be angry if you see Dennis Franz's ass. At any rate, if I haven't said it lately, it's because those religious people just don't care. I still believe it, but I'm through wasting those words on hateful flesh wrapped around empty souls.
Most people would make a snotty argument about it, though: Why should we be moral if you're not? But the problem is one of function.
Look, the rest of us hear the message; we cannot help but hear it with how many evangelical networks, the religious favoritism page in many newspapers, the glut of ugly churches fouling up our cities every few blocks, the political action groups, the bookstores—really, what is the point of celebrating that you are a best-seller in a field restricted to make sure that only you and a few other people can have best-sellers?—and even the obnoxious billboard in Seattle that once read, "Liberty is not the freedom to do what you want, but the freedom to do what God tells you to."
The problem is this: We keep hearing about morality and how to live a moral life. But the people pushing this agenda can't even keep it up. What the hell are we supposed to think?
Would you put your money with an investment firm that had a track record of losing money? Well, no, because it likely wouldn't exist anymore. Would you take your child to a doctor known for patients who died inexplicably under his care? Would you buy a Chrysler, for heaven's sake?
Thus the solution is to think less and obey more? Shall we cover our women's heads and make them remain silent in church? Or strike off the hand that offends? Perhaps we should give our daughters over to gang rape, since that is the right thing to do. Will Christian churches stop sanctioning adulterous second marriages? Yes, let us return to that age from which so many of the lethal hatreds of our modern era arise.
Perhaps people would find the merit in keeping their women subservient, and rally 'round the televised crucifixions of killers, petty thieves, and dissidents. Who knows? Really, maybe they would. Except the people pitching that route to them show, by the conduct and produce of their very own lives, the futility of such a journey.
I would not denounce Ms. Sims for her outburst. Certainly, one might point to the Bible and advise her to dust off and follow in the footsteps of her savior, but the fact remains that she is a human being, and human beings are not Christ. And, you know, even Christ had a limit.
So the point isn't to ridicule the pastor's daughter for getting a few things off her chest. Rather, we might consider the minor scandals she rebukes and wonder—If this is where Christian minds are at, do I really want to be part of it?
Really, it all seems like such a waste of time. There is nothing she complains about that should be foreign to anyone who has existed for an extended period in reasonable proximity to a church community. And that simmering, vindictive need?
5. Be careful how you speak to us. If you are on our bad side remember we are within direct earshot of your precious minister all the time. We eat dinner with them, watch wheel of fortune with them, and have access to emails they leave left up and we know your business. Now confidentiality it kept but beware whatever you think you know about me I promise I know more about you. I know which of your kids is gay, and how many times you were molested by uncle Vic. If I don’t like you or you do something I feel could hurt my parents or someone in the congregation I will tell on your ass, and go directly to my father. Keep in mind he may place a higher priority on helping your family, but we are his baby girls.
6. I am sure you have heard that pastors children are the worst when it comes to worldly behavior. In some cases this may be true, but honestly everything we do gets broadcasted to the world. It is a matter of you knowing everything about us and you criticizing, and us knowing nothing about you. Id say that’s not too fair. The standards we are held to are much higher. Therefore, it is much easier to fall short of status quo. If we speak to someones husband, the next day the buzz is that we are pregnant with his child. Its ridiculous. Some of you may read and think it doesn’t happen this way, but yes it does.
6. I am sure you have heard that pastors children are the worst when it comes to worldly behavior. In some cases this may be true, but honestly everything we do gets broadcasted to the world. It is a matter of you knowing everything about us and you criticizing, and us knowing nothing about you. Id say that’s not too fair. The standards we are held to are much higher. Therefore, it is much easier to fall short of status quo. If we speak to someones husband, the next day the buzz is that we are pregnant with his child. Its ridiculous. Some of you may read and think it doesn’t happen this way, but yes it does.
Absolutely toxic. But also human.
God may be supreme in some people's minds, but when you put Christian theories of God up against the realities of the human endeavor, God will lose nearly every time. The pastor's daughter reminds us, and we should heed her warning.
_____________________
Notes:
Sims, Rome. "From the pastor's daughter". Rome Sims Rite's Blog. November 10, 2009. RomeSimsWrites.WordPress.com. November 10, 2009. http://romesimswrites.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/from-the-pastors-daughter/
