My 35 minute conversation with my bus driver tonight

[serryjw]

He is a VERY NICE latino man in his 50's.


He asked what I was doing(no one else on the bus). I explained a local petition for the next election. He said he voted for Bush (though admits he knows nothing about our government or politics).I asked WHY? He said he was a Christian and his neighbors told him to vote for *. I then got a 35 minute explanation of Christianity( Jews killed Jesus)


I then asked him a question...his answer is enlightening. IF you could stay around a wait for your future grandchild to be born and grow up OR go to heaven NOW, which would you choice........He said HEAVEN...My grandchild will meet me there someday They all welcome the rapture, so they can NOW go to paradise? How do you fight this?

[Kiouni]

1. its sad isnt it

this is what the lost series (thats the name of those books right?) preaches and what our government tells them... you can't force someone to learn the truth.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. I think you might mean......

The "Left Behind" book series.

All those not raptured will be "Left Behind"............

[Kiouni]

6. thank you

have you read these? i was thinking of reading them just to get a better understanding of what the stories are based off of. but i don't like to give my money to such shit. i also want to read that godless book too but i run into the same problem.

[TheDebbieDee]

30. No, I haven't any of the books from that series.......

but I've heard a lot about them. If money is a problem, why don't you check out the books from your local public library.......if there are any public libraries left, that is.

[mitchum]

32. I call it the "Take It From Behind" series...

because the authors are just screwing the rubes

[bdamomma]

2. it is just radical thinking, too much religion can make a person

stupid. very unfortunate, they are no different from any radical fundamentalist extremist group. they just make me shake my head. why impose your will on others.

[ComerPerro]

3. in Bush's version of Christianity, the only thing you have to do

is say you are a Christian.

That's it. Say you are Christian, and you go to heaven (but other people don't, they aren't as good as you)

[serryjw]

9. He does believe that * is a false prophet

But that is all part of it...He was lied/fooled to and he knows * is not a good Christian. Honestly, he was not a fundie. Just a simple man that is deeply religious and bought into the bible crap that heaven will be paradise and wants to go now.

[ComerPerro]

18. little late now

[sakabatou]

23. What scares me is that he believes that Jews killed Jesus

Inquisition, anyone?

[havocmom]

4. If they don't mind letting the world go to hell on their watch

cuz they get to go to heaven, how are they any different from the desperate Islamic suicide bomber who just wants his 72 virgins in heaven? I'd ask them that.

[Nevernose]

7. I truly believe we'll have Christian suicide bombers within a few years

Not that there's something inherently wrong with Islam, just with the politicalization and polarization of the relgion. If history is any guide, then some sects of Christianity will have moved to the Bat Shit Crazy point within the next decade or so (we already have to deal with the Eric Rudolphs, Timothy McVeighs, black church bombers, and abortion clinic bombers, but they are sadly just a preamble), and they'll so it right here in America.

For the record, Hisapincs nationwide tend to vote 50/50 politically. In New Mexico, Latinos are slightly more for Democrats, and in Nevada, the split is something like 80/20 for Democrats, although I do know fundamentalist Christian Latinos here in Nevada and their cult is growing. Question: what are Nevada Democrats selling better than other states' Democrats?

[wellst0nev0ter]

10. Hell, We Don't Have To Wait

Researching my book, which covered all 462 suicide bombings around the globe, I had colleagues scour Lebanese sources to collect martyr videos, pictures and testimonials and biographies of the Hizbollah bombers. Of the 41, we identified the names, birth places and other personal data for 38. We were shocked to find that only eight were Islamic fundamentalists; 27 were from leftist political groups such as the Lebanese Communist Party and the Arab Socialist Union; three were Christians, including a female secondary school teacher with a college degree. All were born in Lebanon.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1838199,00.html

But still, the views of this busdriver is insidious since he presumes that all he has to do is say Jews kill Jesus and he'll become a saint. All fundyclowns have to do is say "Jesus luvs me" and any sick thing they do is sanctified. God, protect me from your followers.

[Nevernose]

14. Never underestimate the Christian religion's capacity for murder

I was origianaly speaking about my OP, saying that Christians would soon begin sucide bombing here in the United States. I wonder how many of those 462 suicide bombings, though, were commited in the name of Islam versus political beliefs of other religions? Suicide bombings happen in may more countires that Lebanon (Israel rings a bell, and India). It's not Islam that's the problem, though, it's fundamentalist whackos, and it's a problem that's growing in all religions in all parts of the globe.

[blogslut]

8. I've heard that from more than one fundie

Ready for Jesus. Come get me now.

I once had a friend that used to be a church deacon. He got out and his simple explanation why has always stuck with me. He said he couldn't participate in religion anymore because it taught people to wish for heaven instead of showing them how to make this world better.

[omega minimo]

11. Christianity = "Jews Killed Jesus"?

Sounds like that's the problem right thar.

How come fundies never quote Jesus: "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you"?

[patrice]

13. Or Mathew 25:40 Whatsoever you do to the Least of these

that you do unto me.

[anarch]

28. seriously...Jesus himself would be tempted to smack these people around

"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear..."

Update: If anyone has half a brain in their head, let him think for a minute about what Jesus actually preached. Hint: it wasn't about stopping gay people from getting married and such.

[catnhatnh]

12. Pardon my skepticism....

....but the only mexican/christian nexus I am familiar with is the mexican/catholic thing-are you telling me there are a component of Mexican/Fundy rapturests?

[SharonAnn]

19. Oh yes. And Guatemalan/Fundy Rapturists.

[Truthiness Inspector]

15. Strange story

You said he was very nice, then asked how we fight this, meaning people like him. The guy has his beliefs, he didn't say, "Kill all (insert group)!"

You engaged him, and he shared his beliefs with you. You asked him pointed, and arguably rude, questions too.

[serryjw]

16. I don't care what anyone believes

I just wish they would not vote or you will continue to get more *.

You asked him pointed, and arguably rude, questions too.


WHY?

[Truthiness Inspector]

17. ?

Are you saying that any voters with religious beliefs (whatever they may be) should not vote?!

You can't be serious.

[serryjw]

20. No ...just the 35% that support *

We have a secular country. I am not voting for god or a religious leader. When they do, we get *

[catnhatnh]

21. Do you really claim

a Mexican, Colorado, Bus driver is a fundamentalist rapture person? And if so is this some new trend?

[serryjw]

22. Read below

I don't see him as a fundie....He is just a simple,uneducated, religious man that believes this crap.WHY are you so suprised?

[Warren DeMontague]

24. I started fading with voted for Bush 'cuz "neighbors said to". He lost me

completely at "Jews killed Jesus".

After that I think it would just turn into

http://www.tomgpalmer.com.nyud.net:8090/images/Gibberish.jpg

...

Sorry, life is too short for me to spend much time listening to that level of nonsense.

[serryjw]

25. I engaged him

for the same reason as the US needs to have dialogue with Iran and the Hexbollah. If you don't understand them how do you ever have them in your camp? When * passes the message to the leaders of churches that abortion and gay marriage is not to be supported then you get my bus driver.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. I salute your fortitude.

Although, frankly, I think we'd do better trying to court disaffected, socially libertarian voters- like, say, the people who want pot to be legalized- than we are ever going to do running in circles trying to appease these "values" voters who are completely incoherent.

[serryjw]

27. Basically, I agree

I don't think any of the 35% can have their minds changed. Enlightenment will not happen in this life. I found it interesting that he could talk all about the bible for over 30 minutes but no knows NOTHING about the Constitution or our political system.

[lost-in-nj]

29. I don't know the answer to your question

but I keep wondering what ever happened to
separation of church and state?
How can they push their beliefs on us through the government? This is what keeps me up at night. (along with allot of other stuff)
This scares me. I am a Christian but never in my life would I tell you what you can/should or cannot/shouldn't do.
I know they believe that its their way or the highway but thats not what its about...
I'm not talking about all believers, what ever your faith. I'm talking about these fundies who are cult like with what they believe.... and then trying to pass it off as a law or an amendment or a ban.



lost
:shrug:

[mitchum]

31. If that idiot believes that rapture nonsense, he shouldn't be driving...

a bus. What happens if he magically joins his skygod when he is behind the wheel? He is willfully and knowingly endangering his passengers and everyone else on the road. Just a self-centered piece of shit with no regard for anyone else.