Thus Sayeth Zelda

We had an interesting 4th. First we went out to lunch with Jethro's family who all had a rare day off. We went to an all-you-can-eat buffet in Chinatown which was fantastic.

While gorging, Jethro's sisters told me of an etiquette breach so egregious that I will have to dedicate another post entirely to it. It's worth it.

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After lunch we went to my mom's house.

These visits are becoming increasingly uncomfortable. My mom is constantly on edge and cries at the drop of a hat over the most random things. I don't feel like getting into her reasons, so if anyone is looking for back story see here and here and here and here.

My mother's weeping is only part of what makes these visits uncomfortable. Stepdad has rededicated his life to a bizarre version of Christianity. He has religious books conspicuously and strategically placed all over the house, goofy Christian music blaring from his surround sound, and a steady stream of pseudo-theological conversation at the ready. This is for the benefit of anyone who might come over who my mom has told about his cheating. Which is pretty much anyone who might come over - my mom aired her grievances far and wide.

The most frequent visitors are a family whose wife/mom was in a terrible car accident and left with severe brain damage. I wrote about them a little bit here. They are also of the holy Christian variety, and there is nothing so irritating as being lectured by a Christian with severe brain damage. I understand that she is a powerful witness for the healing powers of Christ, since by all reasonable accounts, she should be dead. But I've taken that firmly into account and give her and her husband all due respect for their faith and perseverance. I am not, however, going to scream "Praise Jaysus" every time I see her, which I think is what she wants. I don't actually understand 9/10ths of what she says.

I detest her husband with all the fiber of my being. He and Stepdad are constantly patting themselves on the back for being Christian even though Stepdad is the most hypocritical Christian I've ever encountered. But as long as he says the Magic Christian Words, no one, least of all Brain Damaged's Husband holds him to account.

While writing this, I've had to go back in my archives to find the links. I think I've become a whole lot more cynical towards religion and religious people in recent years. I don't think my views on religion have changed all that much, but I've become far less patient with what I see now as the vain proselytizing of the ostentatiously religious.

It nauseates me now where it merely amused me before.