Creepy Christian Shirt at Work Today

[Vox Acerbus]

I work in the bible belt and I am always amazed at how many people wear their christianity on their sleeves around here.

I believe that "in your face" religion is as rude as "in your face" politics. I don't want to be told to have a "blessed day in christ" or anything else.

I saw a new one today when an engineer walked into a meeting with a polo style shirt on that had an emblem on it that said "Warriors for Christ".

Wow. I was speechless.

Just think what an uproar the right-wing would have if a Muslim wore a shirt that said, "Jihadists for Allah". That, in essence, is the Muslim equivalent of this Christian shirt.

Why do people think wearing stuff like this is okay? And how do churches not think it's sinful to promote themselves basically as war-mongers, and append the name of jesus christ on it? As I understand it, Jesus Christ was a peaceful man and he did not want wars. I'm pretty sure that Jesus would find it very upsetting to have people "warring" in his name...

I understand there are normal christians out there, but they really ought to be doing more to remove this twisted contingent from their religion. These types of people do more harm to outsiders' views of christianity than good.

[Warpy]

1. Good grief

What happened to turning the other cheek?

Clearly the wearer is a moron.

Just be glad s/he is advertising that fact.

[AX10]

2. Have you ever seen the bumper sticker that says:

"I support President Bush and our Troops"? Isn't that just vile? Yes it is! :puke:
Notice how the conservatives politisize this by putting their boy Bush first. You don't have to support Bush to support the troops.

[Vox Acerbus]

3. Oh yeah, and around here it's not just a bumper sticker!

People actually have little signs in their yard (ALL THE TIME) saying that. Three houses near me... Ick.

[frylock]

17. i see a guy on my commute with a sticker that reads..

George W Bush
Thank God!

I make sure and glower at him whenever possible. Of course, I'm sure he appreciates the sticker of dubya I have on my little truck:

[WiseButAngrySara]

22. LOL! Love it. ....n/t

[NotGivingUp]

40. that's great!

[HughBeaumont]

44. You mean THIS one?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/HughBeaumont/SPBTB.bmp

Yeah, didn't realize the Presidunce spills blood for his lies. Saw this phrase on a car at Michaels, yet the "President Bush" part was in BIGGER letters than the troops part was. UNbelieveable. People like this need to be smacked in the teeth with a tire iron.

[Aristus]

69. "I support President George W. Bush and our troops". I've started calling that

the 'white trash pledge of allegiance.'

[demnan]

4. Get a shirt that quotes the red letters of Jesus in the Protestant Bible

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the earth"

[spindrifter]

5. God. Gore. Gold. Glory.

They've been following those four lines for centuries.

[flashlighter]

6. Gore?

[Seldona]

7. The poster probably meant this.

http://www.robert-fisk.com/iraqwarvictims_mar2003.htm

*edited to remove graphic picture.

[Richard Steele]

14. Not "Gore", "gore".

[spindrifter]

16. Blood and guts, not Al!!

[Javaman]

47. Sounds like a great title for a book. :) nt

[Vexatious Ape]

8. There's a house in my subdivision with the 10 commandments

written on a cheap cardboard sign planted in their front yard. I'm so tempted to violate the damn thing with a Sharpie but I always remind myself that I'm 41, not 14.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

9. oh go ahead . . . and take a photo for us!

}(

[scarletwoman]

10. "Onward, Christian So-o-ldiers..." (nt)

[kath]

11. There's a TaeKwonDo academy near here called "Kicking Christian Soldiers".

:wtf:

[A Simple Game]

12. Do the Christian Soldiers kick back? n/t

[seabeyond]

13. our warriors of christ here in the panhandle of texas has a school bus painted black

with flames and fire painted on the front going along the sides and a dove in the middle of the fire. everytime i see it regardless of where i am tourette takes hold and i rant about how offensive.... that this is the voice of christ. what is wrong with our religious. most are surprised with the outburst but once i get into the rant of who christ is and this is more the flames of satan than the lite of christ, most all are agreeing with me.

truly an offensive bus

[hedgehog]

64. The flames are a reference to Pentecost.

They represent the Holy Spirit descending upon the followers of Christ. Check around and you will often see the symbol of a dove combined with flames. Rant away, but you really should find something more worthwhile to rant about!

[seabeyond]

75. our christians here are angry. they are hatefilled. they cannot be an further

from the lite of christ. what the ministers in this area have created in the name of the lord is truly sad.

this bus promotes and feeds an anger.

thank you for sharing with me the place this bus comes from, it does put things into perspective and give me insight. no.... it does not make my ranting lessen. another of our warrior mini busses is painted in camoflauge. and words painted on the side something about being at war.

i will not embrace this as christs lite.

[and-justice-for-all]

15. Would that be an Oxymoron? Warrior/Christ?? nt

[Solomon]

37. No because people keep forgetting. He was only a nice guy the first

time around. When he comes back he's gonna be a bad mofo.

[Initech]

18. GOD WARRIOR!!!!1!!! DARK SIDED!!! GARGOYLES!!!!

[vireo]

55. "God Warrior" returns tonight

Self-proclaimed "God Warrior" Marguerite Perrin will return to Fox's Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy in a special two-part episode airing Friday, January 19 and Friday, January 26 at 9PM ET/PT. Perrin appeared on the show last season when she traded homes with a New Age humanist from Boxborough, MA and didn't waste much time trying to convert her new family to Christianity. After ranting against the forces of the "dark side," Perrin eventually took the $50,000 prize she originally called "tainted" and used it for gastric bypass surgery, which helped her lose 94 pounds.

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/-god-warrior-marguerite-perrin-returning-fox-trading-spouses-4488.php
:crazy:

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

70. OMFG! You couldn't make this s**t up! n/t

:silly: MKJ

[roody]

73. Couldn't god give her the motivation to eat right and exercise?

[ebdarcy]

19. Ew. I have a somewhat similar story.

I live 15 minutes from the local mega church. Of course, the church, World Harvest, operates a private K-12 school. And they have sports teams. You wanna venture a guess as to the name? That's right, they're the Warriors. Every time I drive by the campus, I want to bang my head on the dashboard.

[AtLiberty]

20. Here's how they crank out little warriors for Christ...

http://www.jesuscampthemovie.com/

To view the trailers, click videos, then click each of the three photos on the left.

Btw, this is an EXCELLENT documentary. I saw it at a theater last week.

[RebelOne]

38. You can also see the complete movie at this site.

http://throwawayyourtv.com/2007/01/jesus-camp-doc-videoroll.html

[johnfunk]

76. Jesus Camp is one of the best exposés of cult-like indoctrination...

... that has been embraced and propagated by the highest echelon of the Evangelical movement.

In the 1930s, it was accurately called Christofascism. the only thing missing today is the racist/Klan angle...

... or is it?

[highplainsdem]

21. The actual title of a brochure I saw at a truckstop near Joplin MO

years ago was "How to Use Your Mud Flaps for Jesus."

I guess that type of Christian believes there's an 11th commandment: "Brainwash thy neighbor."

And neighbor includes anyone unfortunate enough to be within range of their proselytizing.

You'd think that if any of those types had ever actually read certain New Testament verses about the Pharisees, they'd know what the spiritual leader whose teachings they claim to follow really thought of self-righteous displays of religious faith...

[WritersBlock]

29. ::snort:: ROFL!!!!

"How to Use Your Mud Flaps for Jesus"


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

66. gotta stay spot free for the rapture.

sky roofs are the only way to go.

[Obamarama]

74. Well, what are they doing wasting the peel-off strips on Maxi Pads?

They could put messages on them like "The egg you just ovulated and wasted could have been the next mega-church leader."

[barb162]

23. Does your company have a dress code because

if they do, I'd report it anonymously.

[mnhtnbb]

24. I'm not defending the shirt, but you may have misinterpreted it.

Did you ask him what it meant? It's possible it's some sort of
prayer group--or men's group--or evangelizing group that has unfortunately chosen the warrior image with the intention of crusading for Christ--not killing, but converting.

Again, I'm not defending the shirt, but you might want to ask the guy what it means.

[spoony]

25. Why try to understand anything

when we can run to the computer and condemn others? :sarcasm:

[spoony]

26. 2 Co 10:3

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ
(2Co 10:3-5)

Are you also aghast at the Buddhist notion, "If you meet the Buddha, kill him. If you meet the Patriarch, kill him?" Do you also rush to decry that without understanding it?

[hfojvt]

27. Ephesian 6: 11 - 18

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace...."

The war is not an actual war against infidels or heretics. It is a war against evil. The question is how this person defines 'evil'. Do Bush and Cheney fit his definition of evil or does Nancy Pelosi?

[WritersBlock]

28. Looks like workplace intimidation and harassment to me.

It doesn't matter what the "Christian" interpretation of it may be. The perception is the reality -- the perception of this man's co-workers when faced with such a bold visual religious statement.

Maybe you could subtly plant the seed, in the fertile soil that is management greed, of the idea that the shirt's causing lost productivity while people are focusing on it, rather than on their work. ;)

[WritersBlock]

30. And, of course, if that doesn't work,

http://www.cafepress.com/bettybowers/627890">Betty Bowers always makes the right fashion statement ;)

[hfojvt]

32. For someone to be a Christian then

is harrassment? And intimidation?

Oooh, I am scared of his t-shirt :scared:

How would you feel about a thread on FR complaining about a co-workers 'gay pride' t-shirt? Should they complain to management too, or would they be bigots to do so?

[WritersBlock]

33. Nope. But someone trying to force their religion on their colleagues, however, is indeed

both harassment and intimidation if it's perceived in that way by his or her colleagues.

How I'd feel about a thread on FR about 'gay pride' is irrelevant. I'm talking about religion, not sexual orientation. I'd feel the same way about a t-shirt promoting any religion in the workplace.

[hfojvt]

36. so if I wear a t-shirt that says 'adidas'

then I am trying to force my choice of footwear on my colleagues and anybody else who reads it?

I know you are talking about religion. My point was that you are a religiophobe, a bigot against religion, just as much as they are homophobes, bigots against gays.

Going from a t-shirt to 'forcing their religion' is quite a leap of logic, if not faith.

You would not have all these fears and hatreds if you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. He gave his life for payment for our sins and set an example so that humanity could live in peace if we would follow his teachings. As Jesus said in John 14:21 "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings."

Open up and say aaah :beer:

[WritersBlock]

39. Just who the fuck do you think you are?

You don't know the first thing about me. I'm a religiophobe, "a bigot against religion??" You don't know that. You don't know *any*thing about me.


And keep your witnessing to yourself. My religious life is mine and mine alone, thank you. Go save yourowndamnself.

[spoony]

50. Well take your pick

You're either genuinely overreacting to a t-shirt, or you're bubbling over with faux indignation. Either way it doesn't change the fact that you sound silly and that a t-shirt is not a threat.

Some of you have ridiculous fixations, like you run around looking for religious things to be offended by.

[hfojvt]

52. Someone that you are not the boss of

Neener, neener.

Clearly I over-stepped. The two or three posts of yours display religiophobia, bigotry against religion. It is a leap of logic, if not faith, to conflate a couple of posts with a full blown religiophobe, but it is based on some evidence - posts which are clearly religiophobic.

Your last post displays anger. Anger that I expected, and indeed, deliberately tried to provoke. The anger provides more evidence of religiophobia, or perhaps just Christophobia - fear or hatred of Jesus.

I made an unwarranted assertion and a clumsy, insincere attempt at witnessing. Why should either of those make you angry? A simple t-shirt or a paragraph on the internets is light-years away from having something 'forced down your throat'. It does not seem worth getting upset about to me.

[WritersBlock]

54. Yep, you overstepped. And you got your anger.

Don't you DARE try to tell me what I believe or do not believe in, or what my "phobias" or "hatreds" may or may not be.

You just simply DO. NOT. KNOW.

Do *not* accuse me of being a bigot.

And don't you DARE presume to tell me what my feelings toward Jesus Christ are. Again, YOU. DO. NOT. KNOW.

[Crowdance]

43. Guess s/he'd have different fears and hatreds? Better fears and hatreds?

Or did you just forget the :sarcasm: thingie?

[LanternWaste]

48. Damn those athletic whack-jobs

Damn those athletic whack-jobs for trying to force their own choice of footwear down my throat!!!!

Who doesn't realize that wearing an Adidas T-shirt to work is simply the most debasing form of harassment known to mankind, because only magic-thinkers and the superstitious wear Adidas-- we who believe in critical thought and scientific theory KNOW for an absolute fact that Nike is the only REAL footwear and the rest are only figments of their imaginations... as a matter of fact, they're really barefoot but simply don't know it!

Let's tell management that the Adidas T-shirts takes away from the work effort and that the prudes who wear them must learn their proper place.

:sarcasm: Just in case it wasn't obvious. Your post had me :rofl: (in a good way)

[Arugula Latte]

57. Jesus as Lord and Savior?

What a bunch of B.S.

You are going to waste your life believing that mythology, and in the end, poof, you're dust, and Jesus ain't nevah comin' back.

Why are you people so obsessed with the last 2,000 years when life on Earth has been here for 3 billion and the Earth is 6 billion years old? I think it's staggering arrogance to think that this brand of primates that evolved in VERY RECENT history when compared to the history of life on Earth is soooo special. It's laughable, really.

When I hear people claim Jesus as a lord and savior, it sounds as ridiculous as claiming a vacuum cleaner to be the messiah. Actually, at least the vacuum is real ... unlike the mythology of one magical homo sapien in the six-billion-year history of Earth.

[leftofthedial]

31. I will nail you to a cross, Pilgrim

if you don't cut out that bashing of the one true gawd!



:sarcasm:




If you want my opinon, then here it is. By definition, they are all mentally ill.

[orleans]

34. ah yes, jesus was such a violent man--so i hear

:sarcasm: obviously

[sakabatou]

35. Give him papers to join the military

If he doesn't, he's no "Warriot for Christ" or whatever the hell that is.

[Vinca]

41. Tell the warrior you have a mission for him and send him off

to feed the hungry, house the homeless and clothe the needy.

[mnhtnbb]

56. Ding Ding Ding! That's a winner

[spoony]

59. Why do you assume they don't do those things? n/t

[Vinca]

62. People who feel the need to advertise their faith are usually more

interested in #1 (and I don't mean God) and whatever buzz they can generate about themselves than slogging out into the cold to help the homeless. Just an observation from years of watching the show.

[xchrom]

42. what would jesus wear?

prada certainly, gucci maybe, a ''warrior'' t-shirt, not so much.

[BoneDaddy]

45. Atheists for no one

I like the ring of it.

[Vox Acerbus]

51. LOL!!!

That is genuinely one of the funniest things I've ever read here at DU.

I'm staying out of the parts of this thread with the people who are all up in arms over my observation.

I still say it's the Christian equivalent of "Jihadists for Allah".

[spoony]

58. Essentially you admit

that you aren't interested in discussion or learning why you're wrong, and apparently only want to repeat your shredded catchphrase. If you're going to do drive-bys, at least bring your A-game.

[annabanana]

68. "learning why you're wrong"? not "learning whether or not you're

wrong"? . . hmmm

[spoony]

71. In this case, clearly the former. n/t

[BoneDaddy]

61. Hehe ty

seemed so appropriate at the time. have a great weekend

[Javaman]

46. T-shirt concessions are the sweetest plumb...

To quote Krusty the Klown.

It's all about money to the church, it always has been and it always will be.

As long as the fundie craze continues there are mountains of money to be made. The trend of wearing ones religion on ones sleeve is a money maker.

Why just pray quietly when you can make people shout it at the top of their lungs that causes them to buy more useless bullshit geegaws that makes them feel self righteous and at the same time allows priests and reverends to drive around in 50K cars.

This in a nut shell is why I gave up first organized religion years ago then religion all together. It has become a parody of itself.

When you get right down to it, what's the difference between the catholic church and the mafia? It's packaging.

They both shake people down for money, they both threaten peoples lives, they both use enforcement techniques to do what they please.

One is illegal and the other tax exempt.

They both have millions of bodies buried and millions of skeletons in their closets.

they both started out "helping" people and they both profess to be innocent.

when the people of this planet wake up to the fact that man created god, the rest becomes easy.

[ileus]

49. The slogan isn't a promotion of War, you've been rosiefied...

If you believe this.

[blonndee]

60. What the hell does "rosiefied" mean? n/t

[Midlodemocrat]

53. Not a call to violence. A call for evangelicalism.

Warrior for Christ means converting, not killing.

As in 'not denying'...

[Error]

63. Not unique

my rasta friend calls me "Jah Soldier", so take it with a grain of salt.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

65. if they don't continue to remind themselves 100% of the time, their brains

start to work and they begin to think rationally. Everytime that happens, they begin to realize how insane they have been. Given time, some of them can actually heal. Unfortunately, they soon run into another christian warrior, and they get on their knees together, washing and rinsing each other's brain.

[hedgehog]

67. I'd get out of the Bible belt if I was you.

Clearly, being among evangelical Christians is bad for your blood pressure. Just don't move to the Middle East or Indonesia. There are all these women there wearing hijabs trying to force Islam on you.


Seriously, how do you know the shirt was aimed at you? It may be meaningful to the man wearing it in the sense that it serves to remind him of what he believes and to strive to be true to those beliefs as he goes about his day. The imagery of a Christian as fighting evil has become popular recently as a reaction to a lot of the wimpy imagery out there (Think Thomas Kinkaid. I can't comment on this particular man's personal beliefs, but I know a lot of Christians who are out there fighting poverty every day. We've got a lot of bad apples, but we also have some good guys.

[philosophie_en_rose]

72. Everything is Dork-Sided! Ungodly! This entire House!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvRZkW4qEJU

:patriot:




:rofl: