I walked out of a store playing religious broadcasts

[Atman]

I surprised myself this morning. I had no intention of starting off my Sunday with "politics," but I needed to make a quick run to the corner gas station/mini mart to pick up a newspaper and a couple provisions. At first I didn't notice the radio playing, or at least WHAT it was playing, rather loudly. I grabbed my couple of items, then walked to the register. At that point, the broadcast was in full gear, with the preacher doing the full fire and brimstone save your soul stuff. The guy said "Will that be all?" and I just looked at the radio, then back at him, and said "I just came in for a couple of groceries. I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was a church. I spend my money elsewhere." He looked at me like I was kidding, I turned around and left.

I accept evolution as scientific fact, but I don't have to listen to the "Evolution Channel" every minute to affirm myself. Why do religious people like this feel the need to have EVERYTHING in their lives affirm God? If you're so cock-sure of God's existence and powers, then listening to a radio broadcast at the mini mart ain't gonna change one thing! Except, of course, it may cause long-time customers to stop frequenting your establishment (btw, this was a new employee...maybe his boss simply needs to know. He might be interested in that the owner is a Pakistani).

[arwalden]

1. Good For You!

Especially for SAYING something about it. I might have just walked out and said nothing... but that would have accomplished nothing as well. They might have figured that I just forgot my wallet or something, and not realized how offensive it was to have such an in-your-face performance of the religious broadcast.

I guess "in-your-face" is the only appropriate response as well.

[EFerrari]

2. These people don't accept evolution because

they know they didn't make it.

Find a different minimart that plays good music :)

[MollyStark]

3. What is this nonsense about people being insecure in their religion?

Maybe since he had to work on sunday he wanted to hear a sermon?

[Atman]

5. Nonsense? How do you know it is nonsense?

I have more background to support my assertion. My wife's family. Southern Baptists (live in Florida). In their house, every picture is accompanied by a bible verse. Even in the loo, you stand peeing facing a picture of a sunset with an inspiration verse. All the family pictures on the wall, too. They have a beautiful home with a great entertainment system -- and a dozen Christian music CD's, nothing else. We borrowed their car, and every station pre-set was a Christian station.

There is one bit of anectodal evidence. And this guy in the store is NOT there to get inspired by god or hear a little sermon on a Sunday morning. He is running a mini mart, where NON-CHRISTIANS do business as well. Just as with the school prayer issue, he can pray before he comes to work, he can pray between customers, he can slip on a pair of headphones and listen. I'd expect this broadcast playing if I walked into an advertised Christian market or bookstore. This is a gas station/mini market. While certainly not ALL people are insecure in their religion, many are. And those are the ones I asked about.

[mopaul]

12. and the bastard doesn't CARE that anyone would find it offensive

[JNelson6563]

7. There is some truth to it MS

Belief often needs to be re-affirmed. That means belief in just about anything. Not to offend but it reminds me of Amway. They feel they need to go to the cult-like meetings to get "fired up". Many believers (of any faith) also have this need.

You won't find atheists meeting every week to affirm their non-belief.

BTW, I love your tag-line logo! :toast:

Julie

[Mist]

4. I agree that it's a weak faith that has to be affirmed every waking minute

And it's a weak faith that needs to see itself mirrored in others constantly.

[RPM]

6. rule #1 don't offend the customer

thats why those places always play elevator music or some pop-crap you have already learned to block out....

putting that drivel on is as bad as pumping 50 cent - stick to shit that wont offend customers - or dont be surprised when they walk out.

[mopaul]

13. extremely loud music, or extremely religious radio sucks

and playing it in a store or restaurant are just rude.

[mopaul]

8. many of them are getting really bullheaded about it

it's a legitimate cause for alarm. i'd have walked out too.

i also won't deal with any business displaying the little fishy sign

[CrispyQ]

9. Write a letter to the local store & copy corporate.

We need to let people know that we are not going to tolerate a few zealots pushing their agenda down our throats. You might also consider a letter to the editor. You make a great point about some people's need to affirm God in everything they do.

I read that when a company/organization receives an actual snail mail letter, they give it a weight of 10,000 voices. If one person cared enough to send a snail mail letter, then there are 10,000 more who feel the same. That is power! Get out your pen & paper or fire up your printer; let your voice be heard!

[DemBeans]

10. I would have done the same thing

I respect everyone's right to practice their religion, but when their religious beliefs become invasive I draw the line.

Religious programming, on television and radio, is always available. If he felt the need for an electronic sermon, he had ample opportunity after his shift to partake in one. Or - really revolutionary - he could have gone home after his shift and read his bible, but of course that takes more effort.

[flordehinojos]

11. my husband is beginning to refuse to go out with me because, i too, speak

my mind out in public when the other side is rubbing salt in places or snuffing out oxygen from places where they should not.

a toast to you for speaking your mind.

:toast:

[Straight Shooter]

14. I requested a local restaurant to turn down the volume on Christian music.

I didn't ask them to turn it off, just to turn it down. It wasn't modern Christian music, it was the kind that sets my teeth on edge. I had no idea when I went in there it was like that, and since I had a guest who wanted to stay, it wasn't my decision to leave.

My request was made politely and I didn't disparage the music. Maybe I just don't look like a fundie, but anyway, the owner of the restaurant gave me one of the most hateful looks I've ever been given in my life and responded with an emphatic, "No, we're not turning the volume down."

The food was crappy, it was greasy, but not as crappy and greasy as that so-called Christian's attitude.

[DavidDvorkin]

15. This is how I feel in every story at Christmas time

There's no difference, to my mind.

[MadHound]

16. Geez friend, lighten up!

This pressure cooker of a world is forcing people to work almost 24/7, and this poor schmuck was left doing the Sunday morning shift. No chance to go to church, so he decides to put it on the radio. Probably had it on a little loud, because on slow shifts you're suppsoed to do the scut work, mop the floor, clean the restrooms, do the inventory. Thus, moving around and about is going to take you out of radio range unless it is on a little loud.

And it isn't like this is a public building like a school or courtroom, it is a private business. There is absolutely no guarantee that you will not be offended in a private business. And while this is an example of poor customer relations, hell, such like things occur all of the time. People with Rush or other hate radio on, people with loud music of any kind, etc. etc.

Rather than get offended, perhaps you should have calmly explained the basics of customer relations to him, since as you say, he was a new employee. Perhaps a small lesson was in order, rather than big melodramatics.

You may feel proud and self righteous friend, but frankly I think that you are rather foolish. You've probably cemented a persons religious feelings a little further, provided another example of an easily offended "libural", and missed an opportunity to educate somebody. Good job:eyes: Frankly, living in the red state that I do, I don't think you would survive six months out here. And I'm saying this both as a pagan and a very liberal person. You need to stop being so easily offended and grow a thicker skin.

[Atman]

19. Your imagination and reality are different things.

"There is absolutely no guarantee that you will not be offended in a private business."

Did I ever claim there was? Likewise, there is no guarantee for the shop owner that if he allows his employees to play religious broadcasts as his store's background music, that I will spend my money there.

You made several bold assumptions in your reply that are based upon nothing but your imaginings. Do I feel "proud and self righteous?" Why do you ask? Do you feel the same for calling me on it? Jeez, take a dose of your own "lighten up!" First of all, I opened my message with the very clear statement to the effect that this was a rather unusual occurrence. But this radio was so loud and blatant and in-your-face, IMO, that as other posters have pointed out, it was simply bad business. It is NOT my job or place to lecture some store clerk about proper business etiquette. What one earth makes you think this pressure-cooker victim minimum-wage employee is going to be happy to get a lecture from a customer at 8:30 on a Sunday morning? More than likely, he'd have simply taken the opportunity to tell me to take my money elsewhere if I don't like his radio. But then, there I go, assuming that I know how this guy would act if only circumstances were different. Just as you made assumptions about me in your response.

In order to reach the conclusions/solutions you presented, you had to make all sorts of assumptions about my character, mood, motives, history, etc, that, I am here to tell you now, are all simply wrong. And by extension, you had to similarly make all sorts of assumptions about the store clerk's mood, motives, attitude, etc, details which I didn't provide. So that particular assumption was based upon nothing but pure fantasy on your part. I guess that is the short answer I should have given in the first place, but I felt it deserved a bit more explanation.

You're simply wrong about me, and why I did what I did, and what I got out of it, and what I expected to accomplish by my actions. I appreciate your observations, though.

[jean]

17. I've done that many times to places playing Fox in the background

I've never run across a 'religious' or hate talk radio station playing in any stores I go to (Minnesota) ... but some do play Fox.

Your comment about needing to affirm their religiosity - - - in some ways that's true of the 24/7, in-every-room/car/place of business Fox adherents. They want to make sure they belong to and stay on "the team."

[earth mom]

18. Good for you!

:toast:

These people need to realize that not everyone is interested in their god! C'mon now...are they a church or a business? Jeez! :eyes: It's Business 101 to know that to stay in business you DO NOT offend the customers. People who do WILL lose business. It's that simple.

[QC]

20. Yeah, chewing out a convenience store clerk really strikes a blow

for freedom. :eyes:

But at least you gave him a sterling example of a "godless librul" to validate that stereotype. I'm sure Karl will be very grateful.