Roadway and Parking Lot Idiots!

[Dark Jezter]

I don't wish to get anyone fired up, since it seemed to provoke some comment, but I don't understand the significance of the fish symbol?

It's a reference to the Christian Fish symbol, which was used by early Christians as a means of identifying themselves to each other, and is now used as a bumper or window sticker by Christians who wish to display their choice of religion.

In Samuel's post, it's unclear whether he is referring to Christians as morons or just people who put the Christian Fish on their car, but either way it's inappropriate and probably in violation of forum rules.

 

[Samuel Leming]

In Samuel's post, it's unclear whether he is referring to Christians as morons or just people who put the Christian Fish on their car, but either way it's inappropriate and probably in violation of forum rules.

It should be clear that my initial post is a rant. It's a rant about inconsiderate drivers. It's a rant about unsafe drivers. It's a rant about how some people feel they're more deserving of privileges and resources than others even if they don't fully realize they feel that way. In one sentence it's also a rant against casual hypocrisy.

The post is most certainly NOT a rant against religion in general or one religion in particular. I've reread the post and, even while calm, I think the message indicates that inconsiderate drivers are the source of my ire.

I do not believe that I broke the rules of this board with my post. Since, much to my surprise, this thread is still going, I think a moderator would have already had a talk with me about it if I had crossed the line.

I will now blatantly break these rules as I understand them and explicitly talk about religion.

Only one of the three vehicles had the symbol. The PT Cruiser(who's driver I called a moron) parked across those three spaces did not display the fish. I didn't mention either the model of the vehicle or the symbol status since that isn't really what that part of the rant was about.

When somebody displays the fish they're saying they follow a creed where love and consideration of their fellow man is of paramount importance. When a driver of a vehicle so labeled treats other drivers without courtesy or endangers them in a careless manner he's behaving as a hypocrite.

The hypocrisy of the driver on Tuesday night wasn't the root cause of my irritation, but it certainly added to it. That behavior was SO against what that fish claims. Yes, I do know who the driver was.

I'm aware the Bible warns against being a hypocrite with the stories about the Pharisees. I would think that Christians would be as annoyed at someone who misbehaves while claiming to be one of them as people of other faiths, if not more so.

Dark Jezter, I'm well aware that organized religions often come under attack in this country and others and vice versa. Isn't it possible that you've become sensitized to those kind of things and because of those actual attacks you've read more into my words than what was really there?

I hold no ill will towards those that have taken me to task about my rant, but I think you guys are wrong. I'm not going to apologize since I don't believe I broke the rules. In this post I am breaking the rules to explicitly nail down my point and I'm not going to apologize for this one either. The moderators may do as they may(because they will anyway).

Sam

 

[Rel]

It should be clear that my initial post is a rant. It's a rant about inconsiderate drivers. It's a rant about unsafe drivers. It's a rant about how some people feel they're more deserving of privileges and resources than others even if they don't fully realize they feel that way. In one sentence it's also a rant against casual hypocrisy.

It should be clear as to what your rant is about. But it isn't. My problem with that one sentence in your OP (the remainder of which I more or less agreed with) was that it started with "Yep, sure enough..." The implication was that you expected precisely this behavior from a certain group of people. It wasn't even clear that the symbol in question was not on all three vehicles you saw parked in a jerkish manner.

Such a sentiment is at very least a sweeping and incorrect generalization. And expressing such a sentiment is most certainly a violation of the board rules. That's why I suggested that you edit that part out.

Now you've explained that your statement was not meant to be an indictment of Christians in general but instead a jab at hipocracy. Again, this was not at all clear to me from my initial reading of your OP. If you had substituted the phrase "I was disappointed to note that..." for the phrase I quoted above then we wouldn't be having this conversation.

You can be righteously indignant that you were called on it if you want to but I don't think there's much percentage in it for you.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Dark Jezter, I'm well aware that organized religions often come under attack in this country and others and vice versa. Isn't it possible that you've become sensitized to those kind of things and because of those actual attacks you've read more into my words than what was really there?

I don't think my post was an overreaction. As Rel already explained, your original post was worded in a way that made it sound like you expected stupid behavior from people with the Christian Fish on their car. I can understand that you're angery over the hypocrisy of people who show blatant inconsideration for others while displaying the symbol, but it certainly didn't sound that way in your initial rant.

 

[Aeson]

I see Sam's point and I agree with him. I may not have said it in the post but I agree. I would if I could have picked another group to group the person in. Like smokers. I know I'll get it for this but I think many of the rude drivers are smokers. If I see someone driving like an idiot it does not take long before I see that cig coming out the window to flick ashes. I'm not saying all smokers are rude drivers and I'm not even saying all rude drivers are smokers but I see alot of them smoking.

 

[IcyCool]

I used to carry around a little business card that had Mickey Mouse on it. Mickey Mouse was standing there, holding a sign in one hand, and flipping you off with the other. The card read:

Thanks for parking so close.
Next time leave a f***ing can opener so I can get my car out.
A**holes like you should take the bus.

Sadly, I left it on someones car windshield and didn't make any copies of it. I sure could have used a couple of them since then.