Lousy neighbors

On another post, and in the usual style of the bartender serving up bizarre gripes about people of faith, a self-described decon while sitting on the bar stool, and in a moment of careless honesty, made this following observation about a few believers:

‘I totally understand. I live in the thick of it, literally. Imagine having Colorstorm, Wally, IB, James and the Militant as your neighbors.’

Ok, let’s forget about me, since my testimony would no doubt be arrogant, self-serving, ridiculous, full of lies, and just outright evil………….yep, I am rotten to the core and bad to the bone.

But let’s have a quick look at some of these other believers, and I would like to add a few more, whose names are irrelevant. Let’s see if the myopic comment by the professional decon has any semblance with reality.

It snowed. The blizzard brought three feet of the white magic layed inconveniently at two o’clock in the morning. The believer shared a driveway with a non believer, and the non-believers garage was 90 feet from his house; totally blocked.

The believer put his boots on at three am, and yep, shoveled the driveway, taking five hours, then went inside, warmed up, and got ready for work. The unbeliever arose at 8 am, and upon prepping for a work delay, saw that the driveway was already finished, and he proceeded to bring his believer neighbor friend, ‘Samuel,’ a fresh cup of coffee.

They laughed about the beautiful snow, the delays of buses, the cold, the trucks and the damage they cause to the roads, they spoke of the weekend games, and they enjoyed each others company for 30 minutes, and guess what? Not one mention of God.

Samuel was thanked for the third time by Mike, and bid each other a good day. These were the very best of neighbors, and no, Samuel did not have 6 heads, he did not breath fire, and his feet were not size 37. Nor was Mike 9 ft tall, he did not have 4 thumbs or hands the size of a catcher’s mitt, and his tongue was not 6 ft long. Even if Mike was otherwise a bit freakish, so what.

If you saw these two from a distance, their behaviour did not betray their spiritual self, or lack thereof. Both were decent people, and the inference by a decon that somehow the believer is automatically a ‘defective’ neighbor reveals the very darkest of the human heart. Sorry folks, there is no other conclusion.

‘Imagine having ………….Insanitybytes as your neighbor. Imagine having Wally as your neighbor. Imagine having James as your neighbor………..’   Hmm, here’s a triple play of caution to be sure.  Wontcha be my neighbor? Could ya, would ya?

Yeah, you may want to have 911 on speed dial, as they are a threat to your children and dogs. Watch out, there may be lighter fluid in the hot chocolate, or the banana bread may be spiked with poison ivy. Make sure you notify the Borough that they have matches in the kitchen. Be sure to file a report that Dad has a chain saw. Please.

It is the highest of intellectual treason, to suggest that because a person is a believer, that he is somehow a threat to his ‘neighbors.’ Let’s see. I know a man who will lay a roof, build a wall, deliver a cord of wood, install brakes on a car not his………skin a deer to feed a friend, and just simply mind his own business, and I dare anybody on Word Press to honestly find fault with such a good man, and wish that he was not your neighbor.

A ‘good neighbor’ acts regardless to the spiritual sense of another. A good neighbor does what is good. Simply. The snow needed removed. There was no preaching. A good neighbor does not play rock music at airport levels at three in the morning. A good neighbor respects the barking of a dog that he does not appreciate.

A good neighbor is a good person, and the inference by the woman who with brass stated that she pities the neighbors of believers is well, to be pitied.

And I may add, that what I described here is the norm, and not the exception. Dare the decon find fault with the farmer who rises with the cock crowing, and thanks God for his hands to plow the field. Dare a person fault a woman who blesses God for her daily bread.

Dare a person chastise believers for being good, honest, decent people who just so happen to believe in One greater who has given senses to see His obvious glory. Dare a person complain that if they were to have a ‘christian’ neighbor, then their entire life would be ruined or subject to daily harassment. Please.

Sooo, who then after this report, has the improper view of ‘neighbors,’ as well as an exaggerated opinion of themselves. Just sayin.