Stories of Stupidity

MB drove his new car to and from work almost every day for about 9 or 10 months.

Then one morning MB showed up for work driving an older SUV type vehicle with simulated wood grain panels down the sides that were in a deteriorated condition and the paint had some scratches and discoloration.

I ask MB, "did you buy a beater to drive back and forth to work"?

Now MB was quite the conversationalist who liked to talk religion and politics as though they were one and the same and started his reply by saying this, "I just love my preacher and my preacher just loves a red car" and that he had traded his new car to his preacher and took the older SUV in on trade.

I ask MB, "Did you get a good deal with the trade"?

MB said "Well, my preacher got a good deal". And that's all he said about it.

MB and I worked in a union-shop and at times in-close proximity to one another.

We would talk about things such as family, work, religion, politics, current events, sports, etc.  You name it, we would talk about it.

Work related issues were always on the minds of everyone.

As it happened, a Presidential election was fast approaching, and much information was being provided on how the political candidates (Republications and Democrats) felt and what their voting records revealed about labor issues and especially union labor issues.

Like many churches, MB's church was heavily into members tithing and making sacrifices in their lives in accordance with their church-denomination’s beliefs.

MB went on to say that concerning politics, he had a talk with his preacher and his preacher told him (knowing MB worked in a union shop with good pay and benefits, and Democrats were more labor union friendly,) voting for Republicans could be his sacrifice.

At this point in the conversation, I could not resist asking MB a few questions about his preacher.

I said to MB, "Tell me about your preacher."

MB said, "He's a great guy, a real Evangelical."

I asked, "What kind of house does he live in? Is it the church owned parsonage, or does he own a house?"

MB said, "He owns his house. It's a very nice spacious home on a few acres that he and his family (wife and kids) live in."

I said, "I already know what kind of car he drives, but what about his wife's car?"

MB said, "She actually took the car he was driving because they felt that she needed a more dependable car with hauling their kids and it was a full-size sedan."

I said, "What kind of clothes do they wear?"

MB said, "He mainly wears suites, being a church minister, he has a need to look his best. The rest of his family is also well dressed. His wife does not shop at the thrift stores."

I said, "How much money does the church pay him and are there any additional benefits that go along with it?"

MB said, (not a direct quote) his preacher makes substantially more money than he makes, and the church pays a portion of the health insurance for the preacher and his family.  MB knew all this because he was a member of the church-steering committee.

I told MB that his preacher had it pretty good there at his church. MB smiled.

What I wanted to say was, "MB, what is your preacher's sacrifice?" But I didn't.

I also have come up with a name, Evan-jackals (Evangelicals) for people I believe take advantage of others in the name of religion.

 

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