The fundies are everywhere: MCI wished me a "Blessed Day"

[Tyler Durden]

I was on the fifth try getting my invalid mother's voice mail turned off since she's in the nursing home now, and when she was done, the voice on the phone said "I pray you have a Blessed (BLESS-ed)Day!"

Somebody help me, please!

[timber84]

1. Just because someone says that does not mean they are

religious nuts.

[Maat]

4. True, we say it in our faith (Religious Science) ..

and it just basically means that we want you to achieve your own goals.

I try to avoid being irritating, though, and this seems to greatly irritate many of my atheist friends.

[Arugula Latte]

25. It's like nails on the chalkboard.

The presumption behind it is VERY annoying.

[Maat]

50. I honor that sentiment.

That's just why I don't say unless a friend from church and I are talking.

[Arugula Latte]

72. I appreciate that!

:hi:

[Maat]

95. Take care (n/t)!

[Tyler Durden]

5. On a business line? Conducting Business?

I didn't say "religious nuts." I said "Fundies"

Anyway you slice it, offering to pray that I have a Blessed Day is NOT appropriate.

[timber84]

12. Well at least they were polite nowadays you get nothing but

jerk offs who are ruder than hell.If that's the worst thing that happens to you today considered yourself "blessed"-sorry couldn't resist.

[ieoeja]

62. That was not polite!

It is downright rude.

[timber84]

16. Honey where I work I hear that on a daily basis.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

19. I don't do it while at work

except when I'm talking to ministers, and then it seems appropriate. But not to the general population.

[timber84]

23. I hear it alot from our customers,i just say thank you back

I have never taken it as a say "christian" way to say goodbye. just that the person wishes you the best.

[Clark2008]

28. You must not live in the South.

Down here, it's said as much as, "Y'all come back now, hear?"

It means nothing. Seriously.

[timber84]

31. same here in good ol nascar lovin Charlotte, NC

[Danmel]

56. You know despite it all, I'm glad I live in NY

Pataki, Guiliani, LI Republicans, high taxes, traffic that makes you want to rip your eyeballs out.....but at least there aren't too many fundie weirdoes blessing me all the rime. Only time I expect to hear bless you is when I sneeze.

[Clark2008]

68. They're not fundies, necessarily.

People of all walks of life and faiths say that here.

It's like when we see some old lady driving slowly down the street and we say, "Well, Bless her heart."

Means nothing.

[zanne]

37. I agree with you completely.

Inappropriate language to be used with a customer. Some people get so carried away, they think that everybody believes the way they do.

[nini]

18. it's not appropriate while doing your job

you have no idea what the other's person's beliefs are and you need to respect that.

While I'm sure the person meant no harm, they need to be more aware that they're at work and that is not the appropriate outlet for such wishes.

[arwalden]

46. Just Arrogant.

[Skittles]

89. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT F***ING CRAP

if I wanted to hear such nonsense I'd go to church

[Maat]

2. I might have something to say to management about that ..

and I'm a person of faith!

But I do think that a person interfacing constantly with the public like that should avoid potentially controversial greetings/remarks.

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Next time, try replying: Blessed Be. . . Merry meet, merry part. . .

and merry meet again.

:evilgrin:

[ozarkvet]

35. Ah, that is the difference

I was thinking this sounded like a witch (or whatever the PC term is today).

[DinahMoeHum]

81. Yeah, it IS Wiccan !!

:evilgrin:

[ozarkvet]

96. Humbly do not keep up

With the Earth religions.

The extent of my knowledge is that I understand that witches apparently float in water.

Hard test, that.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Ask them for a service discount of biblical proportions.

[lildreamer316]

90. LOL

Thanks; I needed that!

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. I know they have "good intentions" but I hate that shit

A check out woman at a supermarket wished the person in fron of me a "Happy Easter." I waited, patiently. She got done with my groceries and wished me a Happy easter. Oh, I said, I'm an atheist.

Y'know what she says?

Oh, that's alright, dear.

As if it's a fucking condition!

"Oh," I says to her I says, "is it still alright to be an atheist? What a relief." Dripping, venomous sarcasm. She suddenly realized, to quote Brando, like she was shot with a bullet, a diamond bullet right through her forehead...And she shrunk back.

Easter is a specific religious holiday. Not everyone in this country or that store adheres to that religion. Why would she assume?

[Fescue4u]

22. Of course its alright to be an athiest

athiesm is just as valid of a religion as any other.

[alcibiades_mystery]

39. Why thank you

I'll be happy not to say "Happy-No-Such-Thing-As-God-Day" to ya right before we eat our young and laugh maniacally at our lack of ethics.

:crazy:

[Fescue4u]

74. ummm..ok

[melody]

8. That was entirely inappropriate

And an insult to their customers who don't play their reindeer games. I'd call up and complain.

[yankeedem]

9. salaam alaikum`

That freaks the fundies out for some reason, I don't know why :sarcasm:

[SouthernDem2004]

10. Free speech is for everyone... /nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. No one's trying to ban their right to say it

I don't want to ban people's right to say "Fuck you" to anyone they please. But if I'm doing business with a person, I don't wanna hear that, and it's MY free speech right to complain to their management. What their management does with the issue is a problem internal to the organization, and has nothing to do with the right of free speech from a government perspective, anymore than a company dress code has anything to do with free expression. It is not, after all, a government dress code. They can then turn around and say "Have a blessed day" to whomever they like. They just might not work for that company anymore. Stop trying to make an inapprpriate business communication into a constitutional issue. It clearly is NOT one.

[SouthernDem2004]

30. Being inappropriate is your opinion. People just need to relax and

stop being so hostile towards others. I fail to see what harm the person did by making that statement. Sounds rather intolerent to complain and attempt to get someone in trouble.

[alcibiades_mystery]

42. Yup

It's my opinion that I shouldn't have private religious beliefs flaunted during a business transaction. That's how I do business. I don't tell business associates or clients that they shouldn't beleive in god, nor should they indicate to me that they do. It's irrelevant. And I will complain if it happens.

[Warren DeMontague]

24. Try telling everyone "Praise Allah" at your customer service job

and see how long that works.

[SouthernDem2004]

32. I work for the Man. We can not make any such statements for the most

part. To many people would whine and complain. To much intolerence in this world.

[alcibiades_mystery]

44. OK, it's intolerant

You are the one inserting irrelevant personal commentary where it is not needed. To the extent that it also alienates your customers, it is inappropriate. Now, you can feel free to say it all you want. But as a business contact or a client, I don't want to hear it, and you always default to the most general level when dealing with people: not "Have a blessed day," but "Have a nice day." What's wrong with "Have a nice day"? It manages to convey the same feeling without identifying yourself as this or that, or suggesting to your interlocutor that they should similarly identify. You want to pretend that "Have a blessed day" is as general an expression as "Have a nice day," but it is clearly not. It is religious identification and evangelism, and you damn well know it. Now, it's obviously your little fetish to portray my releuctance to be evangelized to while I'm getting my phone bill serviced as "intolerance." I'm intolerant of the person pushing their belief on me while I attend to my bills. You know what? You damn skippy I'm intolerant. Why shouldn't I be?

I'm also intolerant of waiters telling me about their sex lives when I order the gazpacho for lunch. Maybe I'm an asshole that way. From my perspective, it's just sound common sense not to bring your personal life into a transaction where it is not necessary and could alienate your audience. But that's just me. I'll tell you this though. If you said God Blees you to me when you were servicing my account or some such, I would definitely call your manager and tell him or her that you behaved inapprpriately.

[Warren DeMontague]

67. "waiters telling me about their sex lives when I order the gazpacho..."

Hell yeah! Particularly if it involves said gazpacho. Yuk.

[alcibiades_mystery]

70. Preeeeeee-cisely

;-)

[SouthernDem2004]

82. Wow. Take a deep breath.

Your reply says alot.

Peace

[alcibiades_mystery]

85. So does your lack of reply

No argument to speak of, eh, Charlie?

[SouthernDem2004]

91. Your hostile and trying to instigate. Have fun with that. I am done /nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

94. I'm trying to get a coherent argument from you

But you don't appear to have one.

[Cooley Hurd]

54. I think it's intolerant to push one's religious beliefs on another...

...period.

Do I try to talk people out of their faith because I'm an atheist? Of course not.

[Warren DeMontague]

66. I'm not intolerant

I just think there's a time and a place for sectarian religious blessings. Working for a corporation with customers all over the world who belong to all faiths- or no faith at all, TYVM... isn't that place.

Although, MCI does suck ass- so their employees probably figure they need all the help they can get. I wish they'd spend a little less time blessing their customers and a little more on trying not to rip them off egregiously.

All the more reason, in my mind, to stick with Working Assets.

[Overseas]

48. AMEN ! Salaam! I was just thinking the same thing! eom

[progressivebydesign]

43. It's not free speech when you are representing your company.

you cannot distribute nazi pary literature at work, nor can you baptize people in the break room. People on the front lines with customers are supposed to be trained to refrain from certain types of communications, and that would be one of them. Your company owns your time while you're there and using their equipment. If it's a free speech issue, then why can't teachers praise hitler in class? Why can't the guy that works for the local lube and tune place tell you all about the bible while you're having your car done? Why can't the grocery clerk tell you why they think another race is inferior? What would happen? They'd be fired. It's not about free speech, it's about company policy. That woman from MCI can bless everyone in her apartment building, but customers are offlimits for evangelizing.

[SouthernDem2004]

83. Actually those people can do all that you mentioned. That is what

free speech is all about. Of course a company can fire them for it but that does not mean they are going to jail.

[alcibiades_mystery]

87. That's precisely the point

This is not a free speech issue, as you implied in post # 10 (to wit: "Free speech is for everyone."). Of course, you're vague about just what it wss you were talking about there, but that's no surprise, since your position is incoherent throughout. But at least you're now admitting that objecting to such language during a business transaction is not any violation of free speech, whatever it was you were trying to say in Post #10.

[Loonman]

11. I counter with a 'Hail Satan'

Freedom of religion, and all. MCI is a private company, they can say whatever the hell they want, and you have the right as a consumer to not do business, there.

[Bigmack]

80. I like "Satan is Lord!" ... nt

nt

[BiggJawn]

13. They COULD have been a Wiccan.

You could have said "oh, please, may I have an ORDINARY day? I had a bless-ed one yesterday, and I don't want to be greedy..." :evilgrin:

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. How about "Have a nice day."

With a goddamn smiley face, thusly :-)

It manages to convey the same emotion without alienating anyone. Think of how radical that is!

:crazy:

[Rob H.]

15. This came up at least once before

One of my favorite responses was, "May Shoggoth eat you last." Wish I could remember who said it.

Could you counter with some sort of best wishes from the Flying Spaghetti Monster? :P


Edit: How 'bout, "If the Flying Spaghetti Monster wills it, it will be so." :silly:

[Fescue4u]

20. So you would prefer they tell you to fuck off?

Sounds like someone was just trying to be nice to you.

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. exactly -- I think it's best to interpret good intentions for what

they are. It's not like they were trying to force anyone to convert to their belief system

[kevinbgoode]

26. Unless it was a taught political statement

which I believe it was. . . they know that each random person they speak with hardly attends their church.

[1620rock]

33. ...yes, they are just trying to be nice. No ill-will intended,

..just grin and bear it. O8)

[Cooley Hurd]

52. Good - when that person calls me, I can tell them that their faith is...

...bullshit (as per my atheism). No ill-will intended. :eyes:

[Arugula Latte]

27. It's unprofessional. Keep religion out of customer service.

I'm sick of people assuming everyone is religious and everyone is Christian and everyone prays and everyone believes in God. We don't.

[progressivebydesign]

47. abso-freakin-lutely. I'm not religious and I expect to be respected.

That is the issue with me, that everyone assumes we're all religious. People went nuts after 9/11, that's all I can figure out. It reminds me of the 70's when being born-again was such a fad. I think people need to keep their religion to themselves in the capacity of work. If they want to have bible studies at home or at church.. groovy. But I pay companies for professional services, not to have someone praying for me.

[nini]

36. I doubt that, but you've got to see the OP's point

The rep brought religion into the mix with the choice of words. Being that rep had no idea what the customer's beliefs are they should be careful in how they wish them a nice day.

The choice of words would not have been appropriate if the customer was an atheist. You don't want to alientate those customers who have different beliefs than you.

[progressivebydesign]

45. No, I'd prefer they were polite and professional. It's not a church..

and I don't want to be prayed over. We're turning into a bunch of ignorant, superstiticious, book-hating, feebs.

[Cooley Hurd]

51. As an atheist, if someone said that to me, I would be offended...

Would I engage this person and tell them that they should abandon their faith (as per my beliefs)? Of course not! Why should I accept them trying to push their faith on me?

[the_spectator]

29. Well maybe the voice on the phone was right???

Won't Fitzmas be truly a "Blessed Day"?

[Loonman]

34. Gee, that musta ruined your day

:eyes:

[Dangerously Amused]

38. Respond politely with, "What does that mean, 'have a blessed day'?"

Put them on the spot. If they sincerely meant it as nothing religious, they'll clarify: "It just means, have a wonderful day!"

But if they meant it in a religious way, "Well, I'm just hoping you'll feel Jesus' blessings in your life today" or whatever, THEN definitely say something. I would recommend saying something firm but not rude, just enough to get their attention and let them know that you do not appreciate them trying to project their religion onto you.

Maybe along the lines of: "Why are you bringing up Jesus in a business matter?"

Then let them stammer out an explanation, say "whatever," and hang up.

[lectrobyte]

40. When they say that to me, I usually respond with "All Hail Discordia!"

or "Long live the new flesh!" or a plain ol' "Praise Bob!"

[ErisFiveFingers]

49. Hail Eris! n/t

[Cooley Hurd]

53. Hail FSM!

...because I'm eating Italian tonight. :D

[Rhiannon12866]

55. Sounds good...

:9;):D

[Cooley Hurd]

60. Courtesy of you!

:D

[Rhiannon12866]

65. Glad you liked it!

Rhiannon:hi:

[progressivebydesign]

41. Someone said that at their JOB??? get outta here!

I'm sorry, that is just wrong. Customer service people ALWAYS have to be religion and politics neutral. That's always the policy of a GOOD company. I"m not being overly-sensitive, but I would NOT want someone wishing me a 'blessed' day, nor do I want someone praying for me... I want my problem solved and the phones answered. Evangelizing is getting on my fucking nerves..

[KingFlorez]

57. Let's not get carried away

I've had people said that to me and it doesn't bother me. I don't find those things offensive, what I do find offensive is the fusion of religion and politics.

[WI_DEM]

58. did she help you?

it was your fifth try, did she at least solve the problem? Then she wished you a "Blessed day"--the SCUM!!

I know it was unprofessional, and they shouldn't do it, but I figure there are worst things people could do to me--and customer service people usually do.

[Swamp Rat]

59. "... and I wish you good luck."

That's my response. :)

[Batgirl]

61. Did this person know the reason

for your mom's voicemail being turned off, the medical situation? If so, was it possible he/she felt moved to step out of business transaction mode for a moment, and this was their idea of showing sympathy, however misguided the expression?

I understand you reaction though. I feel quite threatened by religious fundamentalism when it becomes a political movement with the stated purpose of taking over government. But individual fundies don't much bother me when I think they are well-meaning.

[Perky]

63. COuld we please understand the difference berween fundy and evangelical

Merely becuse some one syas I pray you have a blessed day does not make them a fundamentalist.

Fundamentalism largely believe in inerrancy of Scripture and in the case of RW Fundiesm, a huge misguided political slant to Scripture.

Evangeligal believe is Jesus and in the power of prayer.. There are certainly some folks that are both, but they are distinct groups.

THe difference is that an evangelical prays that you have a good day and a right wing fundies thinks that the only way to have a blessed day is to vote for a Republican.. Byu and large they don't pray...they picket and protest.

Praying that you would have a blessed day is I would think a somewhat pleasat sentiment and if you happen to not be a "beleiver" its completely benign.

[Liberal In Texas]

64. Next time answer, "BLESSED BE." That ought to puzzle 'em. n/t

[robertpaulsen]

69. I'd wish 'em a Merry Fitzmas Eve. n/t

[Matariki]

71. maybe she was a Wiccan, not a fundie.

or a Buddist or something. would that matter to you?

[Bouncy Ball]

73. Well gosh darn, why didn't you say

RAMEN!!! I've been touched by his noodly appendage!

[Hekate]

75. I think I'd say: "Well, merry meet and blessed be to you!"

...in my perkiest voice. It's a Goddess thing.

If it kept coming up, I think I'd start calling on other non-Christian religious systems as well.

:-)

Hekate

[Hekate]

76. "By the Many Arms of Vishnu, have a nice day!"

With thanks to Abu from The Simpsons.

Sweep them off their feet with humor, why don't we?

Hekate

[Hekate]

78. "Inanna loves me, this I know. Y'all have a nice day, now."

Don't take offense, just hand it back to them in a totally unexpected form.

Back in college I turned Jehovah's Witnesses away with a firm "Go in peace" and a completely shut door.

Hekate

[Lilith Velkor]

77. A blasted day? I quit years ago, but thanx anyway...

:eyes:

[Hekate]

79. ROFL!

:rofl:

Hekate

[lynne]

84. A total stranger was offering up some good karma -

- on your behalf in the hope that you would have a safe, happy and healthy day??? Unbelievable . . .

That is TOTALLY over the top!! I hope you reported her to her supervisor and demand that you get to speak with a regular bitchy customer service rep in the future.

Imagine . . . someone wishing another person well. WHEN will this nightmare ever end????

[jayctravis]

86. I hear "have a blessed day" on people's answering machines.

quite often when I do outbound calls. From what I can recognize, it seems to be used a lot by African American churchgoeers. I have no problem with it.

[tallahasseedem]

88. This is a very common saying...

among African-Americans here in the south. I never take offense to it.

[im10ashus]

92. It's probably all an innocent gesture.

I honestly think it's not intended to be a fundie-related reference. However, I think a company like MCI would, rather SHOULD, have more a business-related message as opposed to a religious-related message on their line. Blessed just SHOUTS Christianity and that's not what I am looking for in my utility companies. If I thought divine intervention would work, I would have been praying at the beginning of the call, not at the end.

[LittleClarkie]

93. Coulda been a Wiccan.

Bright blessings to you from the Goddess, and all that.

[Silverhair]

97. You are being hyper sensative, looking to be offended. NT

[Silverhair]

98. "Goodbye" is short for "God be with Ye."

Do you freak out if you sneeze and some one says, "Bless You"?

Get a grip.