Happy Atheist Forum

Getting To Know You => Laid Back Lounge => Topic started by: RatherBePerfin on June 02, 2008, 01:22:14 AM

Title: Is this hypocritical
Post by: RatherBePerfin on June 02, 2008, 01:22:14 AM
I have observed a couple interesting things about a very religious co-worker that I feel make him a hypocrite. Please let me know if I am wrong.

First, we were in a lounge the other day after a slow pitch game and a few of the others got on the topic of hypnosis because they were advertising an event that they were hosting this past weekend. I had overheard him say that there is no way he would go, as he felt that the idea of controlling somebody else's mind is very wrong. Is that not essentially what religion is doing to him? I elected to leave this one be, I was out having a good time and didn't want to bother with a debate over the idea of religion being a form of mind control.

The second is I noticed him wearing a fake pair of Oakley sunglasses. This time I had to say something, especially because about a month prior he told me that it is immoral and unethical to watch movie that were posted on the internet, or for that matter to download songs on the internet. At the time I just laughed at him and told him that if morals are of a concern then he would be no better off spending money on movies or music because the fame and fortune associated with movie and music stars is frequently leading to a life of drug abuse. I decided this fake pair of sunglasses was worth pestering him about. I cited our previous discussion, and asked him why his stance differs when it comes to purchasing or wearing counterfeit sunglasses. I explained that Oakley was the one that went through the process of making their glasses a fashion statement and also going further to ensure that their lenses meet ANSI specifications. I told him that by wearing the counterfeit product he was abusing a reputation that Oakley built for the sake of his own personal fashion, and that it in no way differs from what he preached to me about music and movies. It must not bother him too much, because he still wears the glasses.

I must mention, I don't really care if he is wearing fakes or not. He isn't the first and won't be the last. But it did seem like a good opportunity to grill him about an opinion he developed through his religious beliefs.
Title: Re: Is this hypocritical
Post by: jcm on June 02, 2008, 01:56:15 AM
God forgives as long as you pray for forgiveness. He must pray hourly.
Title: Re: Is this hypocritical
Post by: susangail on June 02, 2008, 06:39:04 AM
Ha wow, that's a good laugh. He's religious so of course he'll never see it if he's a hypocrite (but then again, does any hypocrite admit they are one?) Anyway, to the first, he probably doesn't see religion as mind control, so that's a no-go argument. And the second, are counterfeit sunglasses like generic versions of the origin? So if you pay for them, is that "stealing" or whatever? I don't think I get it... but I can see how that's annoying since he goes on about the internet stuff. It's always fun to catch them on something  ;)