I'll probably be pushing a few buttons with this topic so I want to say from the beginning that I'm not trying to offend anyone.

As I've stated occasionally in other threads, the place where I work has a few very religious people working there. I think there is a huge difference between religious and spiritual by the way. Spiritual has more to do with 'practicing what you preach'.

Although both of my bosses are baptists one of them preaches a lot more about 'right' and 'wrong' and he is also the one that is the least conciderate of the two. For example: A teenage customer of ours told my boss that he (the teenager) was gay. I had gotten to know this young man a little on previous occasions and I was worried a little bit about his stability. When I later approached my employer and told him I was worried that the young man might be suicidal, my employer told me to "tell him to kill himself quick so he can stop using up good air"

This is the opinion of someone who trys to lead people to believe that he has very high values and he is a good and honest man.

This topic is not about homosexuality. This topic is about religious people who pretend to have higher values than everyone else but in truth are just huge hypocrits. I could add a lot more examples but I just left it at one to make my point for now.

Actually I think it is just that the people you are talking about don't sound like very nice people. It would be dangerous of us to extrapolate their behaviour onto all other people who happen to belong to the same church.

But I sympathise with you for having to work with what sound like nasty people.

Those who set the highest standards for others have the hardest time living up to those very same standards.

This is also another case of the higher you place yourself the longer the fall.

For many many many people religion and standards are just a way for people to feel good about themselves and talk dirt about others without ever even contemplating that those standards should perhaps apply to them themselves as well.

Hypocrisy is the luxury of those with the integrity to set moral standards. Only those who never bother to set standards never fail to match them.

I'm sorry to hear that your ostensibly Christian boss is being inconsiderate, but the sad truth of the matter is that the church is full of sinners. The whole point of Christianity is to forgive people who sin, and sin again, and then after repenting sin AGAIN. So it's not surprising to hear that you've met yet another Christian sinner.

It's possible - trying to look on this in the best possible light - that the fella isn't so much a hypocrite as just plain inconsiderate. If he preaches gentleness but deals brusquely with everyone, then he's a hypocrite (in that particular respect). But maybe he just has a tell-it-like-it-is, sarcastic personality and doesn't realize that it's so offensive. I used to be pret' sarcastic myself before I figured out that it wasn't appreciated. And the extra element of homosexuality may be confusing your boss about that whole "love your enemies" bit. In that case, he may not be strictly hypocritical if he hasn't thought through the practical implications of what he supposedly believes - maybe he's just ignorant.

Maybe you should mention to your boss that you see his behavior as inconsistent with his professed faith. Perhaps he doesn't even realize it - like someone who doesn't know he has bad breath 'til he's given a breathmint - since maybe he thought that "of course" you knew he was joking. Or maybe the guy is a complete jerk masquerading as a Christian and he'll blow you off. Or maybe he'll blow you off but think better of it later when his temper cools.

Anyway, we'd have to list every single Christian who ever lived if we were making a list of religious hypocrites. (You can start the list with me.) But a real Christian should have the humility to back down when rightly confronted with his sin.

It is a farce :wave:

Those who set the highest standards for others have the hardest time living up to those very same standards.
- Joacqin

I think that pretty much says it all. Not only in this case but in life in general

It's possible - trying to look on this in the best possible light - that the fella isn't so much a hypocrite as just plain inconsiderate

-Grey Magistrate

What you say is partially true in this case. He is rather inconsiderate and sees only in black and white. I had considered pointing out to him that god is supposed to love everyone and that suicide is also considered a sin. Unfortunately he is the kind of person who takes great offense about being told he is wrong. He is also my boss and I don't wish to lose my job.

Ah, the old "Do as I say, not as I do" thing. Well, you may have to do as your boss says in regards to work, but you don't have to respect him.