Something happened in Sunday School today, but it's pertinent here, I believe

[IrishAyes]

You all know by now that I live in RedNeckLand, though I'd never use the term locally. Most Sundays I walk just a stone's throw over to a 1904 UMC for services, and let's say we've had "discussions" in the past about what was appropriate subject matter on the Lord's Day in what's supposed to be His house of worship.

I'd hoped that devisive politics would never intrude again after my quiet insistence had originally drawn such heated resentment. But today the substitute teacher led the class in a lesson on hubris. He just couldn't resist saying that the two entities he believed most in defiance of God were Satan and Barack Obama.

Considering how I feel about that sort of attitude, I surprised myself by yet another quiet and unexpectedly congenial response. I sighed, shook my head, and said softly, "My dear brother in Christ, you have no idea how deeply mistaken you are, but I forgive you." Turned my brightest smile on him, too. It was either that or rip his throat out.

When he processed the initial shock of being forgiven for what he considered holy thoughts, he laughed and said "Thank you, whether I need forgiving or not. I just wanted to make sure you know how I feel."

I answered, "Mike, nobody here needs to be told how you feel about President Obama. The rest of the class agrees with you, and I'm quite well aware of where I live."

He really laughed then, but had to repeat that he needed to say what he thinks. I just reminded him patiently that this was neither the day nor the venue to air partisan politics at all, and luckily we left it at that because I don't think a few more sentences would've kept us so polite to one another.

If you don't think I literally LIVE for the day that man recants, however, you've been into the 'shrooms again!

BTW, I read where our state WILL participate in the exchanges after all, even though I know the GOP will do everything possible to screw things up. So before the deadline for the next weekly paper edition, I have to get out a letter with that grandfathering info I read in another person's recent OP here. I thank you very much for that, although right now I can't remember exactly who it was because we had a carry-in today and I've overdosed on fried chicken and chocolate cheesecake. I really overate as usual at these events; at least I will resist reciting the recipie for my contribution.

Uhhhh ... where's the pepto?

[Berlum]

1. Hey Mike - read your frikken Bible: "Thou shalt not judge"

Who the Hell does Mike think he is to judge Obama and equate him with Hell. Mike has committed a grievous sin with his anti-Christian hate attack.

[treestar]

8. +1

Why do they forget that basic tenet?

[narnian60]

2. Ughhhh! You handled that well.

Last week when I sat down in church next to my mom, I heard her & the lady behind her razzing on the President, but my mom shut it down immediately because she knows I would have had to said something in his defense.

[randr]

3. I would feel it necessary to point out that

hatred should not be taught in a house of the lord.

[Cha]

4. Oh dear, Irish.. you've stronger restaint than I would have

in the face of such unmitagated ignorance of someone who's suppose to be teaching a Sunday School class! He needs to lay off the fox tv if he can't resist regurgitating it in Sunday School.

It's DevonRex who us told wrote about "the Grandfather Clause".

Hope you're feeling better by now.

[IrishAyes]

6. Thank you, I am feeling better in all ways now

but I won't even be hungry for breakfast tomorrow. That was a major cast-iron meal.

[IrishAyes]

5. Thanks for the support, guys.

Last time they started this I asked rather forcefully, "Did I just die and wake up at a CPAC meeting, or is this still supposed to be Sunday School?"

Believe me, they know how I feel too and no mistake about it. They also know another reason I don't want to let myself get pushed too hard because I've been known to go for the jugular. My mom was a belle of the New South who defied her family (who disowned her) by marrying a Catholic Democrat DamnYankee, and I learned at her knee how to smile and do major surgery at the same time. I am capable of it, loathe to relapse, and if I did it might be at full volume.

I still think that on October 1, I'll start wearing OBAMA gear again everywhere I go at least a week, except for church, of course. Can't violate my own rules.

[sheshe2]

7. Indeed you showed restraint

and respect for your place of worship. That is far more than Mike did. Sad that he felt it appropriate to teach intolerance in a Sunday school class.

Hope you are feeling better and thanks, Irish.

[IrishAyes]

9. Thank you, my dear friend.

Indeed I am feeling better, especially after a 3-hr nap!

I truly believe it was the mighty hand of an angel of God - or Lady Karma herself, perhaps! - who reached out a hand to guide my response, because there's no way my scrappy human nature accomplished that on its own. Can't count on a repeat, either.

At some point Mike might wake up enough to remember I can hand him his head on a platter, so to speak, in public if necessary. Besides, in one of my letters to the newspaper's op-ed page, I said I realized that many people couldn't understand my approval and defense of President Obama, so to put things in perspective I added: "I have loved and worked for the Democratic Party all my life. You don't see any living relatives around me so you think I have no family. News flash: the Democratic Party IS my heart family, and when anyone assails its core principles, they're also stepping on MY toes. Such a person needn't be surprised at some degree of heat in response. If the occasion involves someone especially dear to my heart and beliefs, such as our current president, that's really all they need to know to accurately anticipate my response."

Of course I wrote that only after a long period of harrassment in person and in print by an appalling number of people who wished President Obama dead in my hearing. I told them all, including a particularly odious pastor, that they were shaming themselves and they might care to remember that I'd take a bullet for that man, so careful how you tread.