I'm not surprised by no. 8 at all, nor is the Rev. Mrs. Vega. Not because I think she is psychopathic to any extent. (But she does say that the role does change you in lots of ways, which might be significant....)
But because we have both met some really nasty types in the Church of England. They are normally the careerists - those who appear to be obsessed with how they come across to others, and who signal their virtues on Twitter all day. (Obviously, this means being more left-wing and woke than others). And there is a trend of thinking that what they personally want is right, because they are somehow divinely sanctioned.
The CEO category at number 1 is also interesting. fifteen years ago the Senior Management Team at work did some really expensive and detailed personality tests. The boss came out with a score that looked like he was Mad Frankie Fraser or Genghis Khan. Didn't seem too bothered by it, either. I was very relieved to see that I was an old softie.
Sam - not a surprise to me either for some reason. In her younger days, Mrs H was involved with a local church and she once mentioned that there were one or two unpleasant people connected with it. Yet a deeply religious chap I've known for decades is one of the nicest people you could meet.
When I was a young shaver the minister seemed the nicest of chaps. For the early part of a service while the nippers were still present he would use flip charts on which he had sketched wonderful, colourful cartoons to illustrate whichever tale he was telling.
Then we little things would leave the service to go the the church hall where delightful young women would instruct us while handing out Smarties, Spangles, Fruit Pastilles, Fruit Gums, and the like. These were good humoured occasions with joking and teasing galore.
But, I have to admit, I didn't believe a word of it. Just as there was no Santa Claus there was no God - it seemed entirely obvious to me.
I wasn't a psycho nor (I do hope) was the Reverend Mr Smellie. (Honest!) I don't suppose there are many atheists with such benign memories of church - but perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe, though, there are advantages in attending a church which has no bishops and therefore perhaps holds out less attraction to psychos. For the minister is supervised by the Elders of the Kirk - which might vex a psycho.
dearieme - I don't know much about different denominations, but we have nonconformist relatives whose church was supervised by elders, although they moved away and haven't joined another one. They never said much about it at the time, but it sounded as if the congregation was gradually becoming too old to find people willing to be elders.
6 comments:
I'm not surprised by no. 8 at all, nor is the Rev. Mrs. Vega. Not because I think she is psychopathic to any extent. (But she does say that the role does change you in lots of ways, which might be significant....)
But because we have both met some really nasty types in the Church of England. They are normally the careerists - those who appear to be obsessed with how they come across to others, and who signal their virtues on Twitter all day. (Obviously, this means being more left-wing and woke than others). And there is a trend of thinking that what they personally want is right, because they are somehow divinely sanctioned.
The CEO category at number 1 is also interesting. fifteen years ago the Senior Management Team at work did some really expensive and detailed personality tests. The boss came out with a score that looked like he was Mad Frankie Fraser or Genghis Khan. Didn't seem too bothered by it, either. I was very relieved to see that I was an old softie.
Sam - not a surprise to me either for some reason. In her younger days, Mrs H was involved with a local church and she once mentioned that there were one or two unpleasant people connected with it. Yet a deeply religious chap I've known for decades is one of the nicest people you could meet.
When I was a young shaver the minister seemed the nicest of chaps. For the early part of a service while the nippers were still present he would use flip charts on which he had sketched wonderful, colourful cartoons to illustrate whichever tale he was telling.
Then we little things would leave the service to go the the church hall where delightful young women would instruct us while handing out Smarties, Spangles, Fruit Pastilles, Fruit Gums, and the like. These were good humoured occasions with joking and teasing galore.
But, I have to admit, I didn't believe a word of it. Just as there was no Santa Claus there was no God - it seemed entirely obvious to me.
I wasn't a psycho nor (I do hope) was the Reverend Mr Smellie. (Honest!) I don't suppose there are many atheists with such benign memories of church - but perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe, though, there are advantages in attending a church which has no bishops and therefore perhaps holds out less attraction to psychos. For the minister is supervised by the Elders of the Kirk - which might vex a psycho.
dearieme - I don't know much about different denominations, but we have nonconformist relatives whose church was supervised by elders, although they moved away and haven't joined another one. They never said much about it at the time, but it sounded as if the congregation was gradually becoming too old to find people willing to be elders.
too old to be elders! :)
djc - everyone seems to want young elders these days :)
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