DailyKenn.com — It's interesting how humans tend to think alike. But, for some reason, we tend to think our thoughts are unique and original.
A case in point was the structuring of Amazon.com's
customer service program. One of the founding employees was amazed at the predictability of customer concerns and questions.
Another case is point in a good pastor friend who was concerned for my spiritual status. He drove down for lunch and offered to pick me up at my home and drive me to the restaurant. I acquiesced. With spooky praise music setting the mood from the car stereo, my friend challenged my "heresies".
Then there was Bob. Bob's an older guy, even by my standards. He invited me to chat with his evangelist friend. Bob asked me to meet at his home. He'd drive from there. Bob became a little testy on the drive back. I didn't care for his tone and have since broken contact.
Another pastor — a relative — invited me to have a look at his church. He would drive from his home with me riding shotgun; a captive audience. Even at 45 mph it's a bit risky to open the door and roll into the ditch. So I endured.
A Christian friend from Louisville invited me to attend a university lecture. We'd meet at a restaurant and he'd drive from there. The trip across the Ohio River bridge was pleasant conversation. The return trip was focused on my spiritual wellbeing. Nothing had changed, I answered.
Another relative dropped by just to hang out for a while and, guess what, he'd drive to a restaurant. Like the others, he was concerned about my spirituality and thought being stuck on the passenger side with him at the wheel was the ideal setting to prick my mind and challenge me with unfathomable religious truths.
Questions come to mind.
Why do I keep falling for the "I'll drive" trick? Why do church people insist on dispensing spiritual insights while driving? Why can't they brighten the corner on the passenger side? Is it a subconscious control mechanism?
And so I've learned never to allow church people to drive me anywhere, anytime. It's a deceptive ruse to trap me.
I've also learned from my zealot friends that humans tend to think alike, but assume their thoughts are unique and original.