After college I worked for several different Consumer Products companies. At one company my immediate boss was a Born Again Christian who didn’t always walk the talk. Twice this man tried to force me to write rather negative and undeserved performance reviews for subordinates. I refused to and wrote the good reviews these two men had earned. I stood up to this boss a number of times so I was out in less than three years, however, he (my boss) would sure attest to my integrity.
Later when I was working for an aerospace company I was told everyone was to attend a class on ethics. With my usual candor I said something to the affect that if you had not learned good ethics from your mother at an early age, it was likely too late. Surprise of surprise I found out that there are ethics and there are ethics, personal ethics and ethics at work. My supervisors at that aerospace company and others that I worked at could vouch for my integrity. If I took on a project I would do my best to complete it and if I couldn’t meet a dead-line I took responsibility.
Interestingly enough I was told I was not enough of a team player as I stood my ground even against so-called top management. I was right too often which doesn’t necessarily promote one’s careen. Of course there was the time I was wrong like when I said no one would ever pay for small bottles/ cans of water and/or tea. Decades later and billions of plastic bottles later…
2. When self-employed:
After an early retirement and as a complete departure from being employed by companies I became a self-employed swap-meet vendor. A lot less money and no benefits, however, I was my own boss. I did a lot of buying and must have treated my suppliers with integrity as we did business for years. Later I even moved off the power grid for two years and was pretty much self-sufficient. I’m long back on the power grid and coping with people and stuff.
3. With Christian friends:
Recently I was concerned that friends were getting caught up in some rather new age activities that were recycled Siri Baba manifestations of golden teeth. I had head of Siri Baba’s cult 20 years ago from a boyfriend who was then into Eastern religions. Even though I was concerned about losing my friends, I gave them information about Siri Baba. We are still friends.
In reflecting on the many years of getting caught up in the world and stuff I realize just how difficult it has been for me to remember that I’m only passing through; “to be in the world but not of the world”.
4. On the Internet
Well, I once again jumped into the fray on the eBay soapbox chat room. One poster commented that Catholics believe in evolution so another said “And that's why most fundamentalists don't consider Catholics to be Christians.” Call it integrity or stupidity; I had to counter this wild statement. So I added:
“The main reason many BAC question the
Catholic Faith is because Catholics question Jesus' statement from the cross,
"It is finished." Catholics add works to grace to assure and maintain
salvation when good works should follow salvation. Most BAC believe that if you
are not a believer at the time of your death, no amount of masses or
indulgences paid for will get you to
heaven. Also, Catholics believe the wine and bread actually become the body and
blood of Christ, again, crucifying Him again and again. Then there's purgatory.”
So next I was accused of being little
judgmental.
So back at them with, “I just do my
research, something readily available to anyone interested in taking the time.
Also, I believe in the Word of God. When I stand before Jesus someday I
wouldn't want to have to explain to Him why I doubted His dying words.”
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