Yesterday (Sunday) my wife and I were stuck in traffic with our two kids. We were on a two-lane road and couldn't see the cause of the backup over the hills ahead. After 20 minutes or so, we finally approached the traffic light where the gridlock originated. We discovered that the light marked the intersection between the main road and the parking lot of a huge Baptist church, and that uniformed police officers were interfering with the normal timing of the light in order to let churchgoers out of the parking lot.
OK, no big deal, right? Sure. But, when you have three- and five-year-old kids asking over and over "Are we there yet?" and you know the cause of your delay is due to a bunch of snake handling and speaking in tongues, it tends to get under your skin.
So there I sat for two more cycles of the light watching the police officers direct traffic. I couldn't help but wonder if the church was paying for the services of off-duty officers or if the officers were performing traffic duties as part of their regular shift work.
If it is the former, what right does an off-duty policeman have to meddle in the traffic patterns of public thoroughfares while donning public service uniforms and utilizing public service squad cars for the benefit of a private religious institution?
If it is the later, why are public employees providing a service that specifically benefits a private religious institution?
Maybe I'm just an old man now and like complaining.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg163.imageshack.us%2Fimg163%2F7355%2Fconsoling2.gif&hash=3a8ffba6dd009744a227ffe4896f21813251a0c2)
The church is almost certainly paying the city for the service. I think it would be the same as they do for funeral persecutions in some cities. If you want the motorcycle cops to ride ahead and stop traffic so everyone gets to the grave site at the same time you have to pay.
The god-botherers pay taxes too. Sure they were attending a non-governmental function, but the religious nature of their organization isn't really relevant. You will see police directing traffic outside sporting events; it's for the benefit of the public. After all, the public includes sports fans and religious people.
I dislike mega-churches, and would certainly be irked if I found myself in the situation you describe,
BullyforBronto. On the other hand I have to acknowledge that there isn't anything inherently wrong with what was going on, either. It wouldn't stop me from grousing about it though; I'm in full agreement with you on that! As one who has passed the half-century mark, and thereby have embarked upon the path to being a full-blown curmudgeon, I think I'll avail myself of
OldGit's (non) smiley to express my solidarity.
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Ha! God-botherers! I'm totally stealing that one. ;D
I agree, Recusant. They're part of the public, but they're a part of the public that annoyed the crap out of me the other day, so I complain and grumble.
Now, if I could just get those damn kids to stay off my lawn and stop playing all of that dang rock-n-roll music, all would be right with the world.
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(P.S. I love that GIF.)
Quote from: Crocoduck on December 12, 2011, 06:04:08 PM
The church is almost certainly paying the city for the service. I think it would be the same as they do for funeral persecutions in some cities. If you want the motorcycle cops to ride ahead and stop traffic so everyone gets to the grave site at the same time you have to pay.
Where I come from everyone just runs the red lights on masse.