Airing a little more dirty laundry...

Sorry. Feel free to skip.

Several years ago, my parents left the church they were attending. When asked by the people in their community, they simply said that they'd had 'a philosophical difference' with Pastor Cheatem.

Yeah. That.

Here's what happened.

My parents (and the other people in the church) had to fill out their "tithing card" every so often. Not sure what the interval was. But it was a 'contract' between them and God. No weaseling out... you had to promise a certain amount.

My brother, Dick, was having some financial problems at the time. I know quite a bit about WHY, but since I am not the greatest money manager in the universe, I won't cast aspersions. I think most of us just do the best we can, and they were going through a rough patch. I can relate, as much of my life has been a rough patch. :)

So Dick and my sister in law Snatchie* were in danger of losing their home, the few acres they had, and everything they'd worked for. They appealed to my parents for help. And my dad, who would do anything he could for his family, maxed out his credit card and did some other stuff to come up with the money to bail Dick and Snatchie out.

Yay. The man on the white horse rode in at the last second and helped them. I'm glad. I wouldn't wish a loss like that on anyone.

But Pastor Cheatem didn't see it the same way. He called my parents in for a shaming conference. He told them that they had lied to God, wanted to know where the money they'd promised was, reiterated that they'd lied to God and was pretty much an asshole about it. (He was always an asshole, even when I was a kid and he wasn't a pastor... he was just a bread delivery guy with delusions of grandeur.)

And my parents, who are sometimes nicer to assholes than I would be, left the church. They figured ol' Pastor Cheatem could get along just fine without them. No word on what God thought, he was mum.

So fast forward about six months.

I went to visit Dick and Snatchie.

Snatchie and I were in the car late one evening running from here to there, and the subject of Pastor Cheatem came up.

I was righteously angry about how he'd treated my parents, and particularly pissed that he professed to know the mind of God with regards to my parents' financial situation. At the time I hadn't completely given up my beliefs, but they were on pretty shaky ground.

And Snatchie snapped at me.
Yes, really... in the snottiest tone imaginable she said,  "Well, your parents were in the wrong, it was BIBLICAL for the pastor to speak to them. God has placed him in authority over your parents."

Are you fucking kidding me, Snatchie??? Really??? MY PARENTS bailed YOUR PAMPERED ASS out, you still have a home because of it, and you side against them?

That was the beginning of the end as far as our relationship went. There was this happy incident, too.

I am not a perfect person, and I don't always say or do the right thing. I try to keep my heart in the right place, though. Sometimes I manage to do that.

Anyway, I was involved in another little exchange with Dick on FB this afternoon, (noooo! teh GAYS are taking over!! Marriage equality and the hand of God and the world on FIIIARRRRRR!!) and I'm a little aggravated.

In addition, some of  the little Dicklings he goes to church with chimed in.

With something I hate so passionately that if they were where I could see them, I'd be face slapping.

"I hate the SIN, not the SINNER."

And instead of continuing the discussion, I decided to rant here. Because Dick doesn't read here, Snatchie doesn't read here, and none of the Dicklings even know I exist, really.

Ah. Wasn't that fun?

Now I am going to finish the dishes and do a little tangly stuff. I actually am supposed to work tomorrow for a few hours. Kind of pisses me off that I'm getting a little sore throat.