Image by mojoey via Flickr
I ran into a couple of bikers at the Miners Inn Restaurant in Merced. It’s an OK stop for breakfast on the way up or down the mountain. My family and I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. At the table next to ours three bikers did the same. They were two older men and an older woman. My guess is they were 60ish. They seem friendly. I heard them pray before breakfast, so I figured them as religious types.
We did not pay attention to each other during our meal. Frankly, I did not care about anything but my family and was ignoring people as much as possible. Vacation brings out my selfish side. As we left, I nodded to the bikers in friendly way and said, “Have a good day.”
As I walked away, the skinny one asked if I took a lot of pictures with my fancy camera. I could not tell if he was being sarcastic. I felt compelled to answer. We spoke for a few minutes about photography and then the shifted over to bikes and their planned ride. It was friendly. Part of the way through describing their itinerary, they explained that the mountains were their church and that they were Christians out to worship the lord. I asked, “Why is that important?”
They looked at me like I were simple. “You know, so you won’t confuse us with bad bikers. You seem nice. We don’t want to put you off.”
I was in no mood for where this was heading, plus my family was standing in a hot parking lot, so I ended the conversation with a simple, “Do I look scared?”
I mean seriously, I haven't seen a scary looking biker on my vacation except for the shirtless dude with full body tats on a nasty ride the day before. Most bikers riding the mountain roads looked like middle-aged accountants with bad sunburns riding $25K hogs. I’m pretty sure that religion was the last thing on their minds.
What bothers me is the need for these people to tell me they are Christians, and to go a step further and differentiate themselves from the heathen biker masses as if that somehow makes them special and good. It feels wrong. It feels inauthentic.
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Logging you in...
Rox1SMF · 824 weeks ago
True dat.
Along the same lines, I cringe whenever I see a Jesus fish on business cards, signage, packaging. My business sense tells me it's simply a means of creating instant trust in (or more importantly, SUPPORT for) these particular people or products more than others simply because they're "spiritual kin." So obviously fake, yet so effective.
Such widespread marketing of Christianity & Jesus as products has helped create the current climate in which we find ourselves, where any criticism of the Bible or Christianity, and every call for Church-State Separation is characterized as a direct attack upon or the persecution of "people of faith."
Rox1SMF · 824 weeks ago
SB Wright 110p · 824 weeks ago
Mojoey 107p · 824 weeks ago
eruvande · 824 weeks ago
At his funeral (he died of a blood clot) the preacher felt the need to try to reassure us all that he'd maybe accepted Jesus in the split-second before the clot hit him. Even had it been possible, he'd never have done such a thing.
I guess what I'm saying is, screw those "bikers."
Mojoey 107p · 824 weeks ago
Carolyn Ann · 824 weeks ago
Well, I have to admit that I am a proselytizing fanatic. I love motorcycling, and eagerly tell all and sundry! Or even anyone lending half an ear to a conversation.
Considering all the miles I put on bikes, I have to admit that no one has ever said anything like that to me! I must lead a closeted life...
Mind you, riding a bike can provide religious experiences. Nailing that corner is immensely pleasurable. Heck, even a long ride on a straight road that's got great scenery (the Big Smoky Valley in Nevada comes to mind) can seem heavenly. Seeing something squishy, or really wet (like mud) in the middle of a corner can lead to urgent prayer. The words are usually expressed in a wide-eyed sentiment best translated as "oh fuu.....FUUUU..... Whew!" Oil on the road (especially at a red light) can lead to blasphemous observations about the idiot who left it there. And (suddenly) finding out that the painted lines on a road are slick when wet can lead to some profane, er profound judgments on an entire road maintenance department.
All that notwithstanding, "seeing the light" usually means the sun is shining directly into your eyes, and you're not going to see a damn thing for a while. This is generally thought to be "not a good thing" Seeing the light, in others words, can be very dangerous to your future well-being.
The Christian Motorcycle Association (I think it's called that) organize a lot of rides. I was once asked to join one; I declined. I don't do group riding, and I don't do religion. Took me all of a second to get over the surprise of being asked... (Still, the guy didn't proselytize. Simply mentioned the ride, and asked if I'd like to join it.)
Most bikers, when talking about anything to do with bikes, stick to bikes and roads. Most bikers I know have only one religion - it's called "riding". I guess I only know "bad bikers"... But please, please!, don't think of bikers in a bad way! We're not all like that, not really! One experience shouldn't have you tarring all bikers with the same brush!
:-)
Carolyn Ann
Mojoey 107p · 824 weeks ago
Rebel · 824 weeks ago
Thats why i have a relationship with Christ.
havig rode bikes for over 30 years and being an enforcer for a club for 10 years befor seeing THE LIGHT i can assure you that you will all change your story on your death bed and start beliveing real quick. but thats ok God will even forgive the ignorant if they ask and remember
Atheasim is a NON Prophet organization
Mojoey 107p · 824 weeks ago
Rab · 761 weeks ago
so you can take your "holier-than-thou" attitude as stick it where your light doesn't shine. it's people like you who make people who can actually use their brains (ie people who live life in the real world, not some fantasy land where a cosmic jewish zombie will give you a room in his house after you die if you symbolically cannibalise the guy throughout your waking life) resent people of "faith" (read that as gullible fools who'll believe anything their told by an old man in a dress and dog collar who fucks children on the weekends).
you use the name rebel, and yet you conform with all the other sheep. that's so so sad.
Poacher · 706 weeks ago