Anti-Pride Bus Driver Fired

[Roast Beef]

Originally Posted by Kidder

I didn't choose who I was attracted to. If I accepted what I was inundated with growing up the guilt and self-hate would have overwhelmed and killed me. It still might. I'm fighting to overcome the damage and trying to live a happy life. Thank you to those who have listened, respected and altered their voices over the last decade. It's helped me and many others I'm sure. God bless.

I used to be that guy. The Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve ######bag. I was hardcore conservative. Expel the illegals, you're poor because you deserve it etc. At one point I even advocated that Liberals should be executed for treason. I bought into that crap hook line and sinker. There wasn't a specific moment that turned the tide, but I eventually grew out of it. The kicker is that I wasn't even religious at all, but I still used the Adam and Eve thing like a religious mantra. I was young, self hating and desperately needed to look at others as inferior or undeserving to make myself feel better. The religious conservative attitude spoke to me like a drug even though I didn't believe in the whole god thing. At this point in my life I actually cannot believe that I ever felt that way, and it's not something that I admit too often.

[Roast Beef]

Originally Posted by chemgear

It's not even a matter of getting their way. It's that they cannot run roughshod over people they don't like else without consequence or impunity these days.

Privilege.

That's exactly what I said, only you were more verbose. Their way has been running roughshod over people they don't like without consequence. Now they are angry that they aren't getting their way.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

The difference is that a larger portion of these demographics is starting to realize that certain tenets of their faith are simply untenable and as a result are having to adapt to society becoming more progressive and secular in nature. The smaller fringe who think that homosexuality is an abomination (but conveniently ignore the passages about shellfish because Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster, amirite?!) are incredibly loud about it, so it's hard to tell where the divide actually sits.

They used the same crazy religious objections against interracial marriage.

Funny how we look back at those people. It'll be the same way we look at these people screaming against gay marriage with the same ridiculous arguments.

Sitting on the wrong side of history indeed.

[ikaris]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Many Christians feels discriminated against these days, now that they are the minority.

I'm not sure what you mean. While Wikipedia usually isn't the best source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Canada

I'm pretty sure Christians are not in the minority here.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by ikaris

I'm not sure what you mean. While Wikipedia usually isn't the best source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Canada

I'm pretty sure Christians are not in the minority here.

What I meant is that a generation ago, people seemed a lot more religious, more attending church, religious observances, saying grace before meals etc

Today, while people may identify identify as Christian, I don't think it's in the same vain, ie Church attendance plummeting, churches closing. I think more people identify as "spiritual Christians" rather than the way Grandma or Grandpa identified, and acted as Christians.

[T@T]

Not sure if it was mentioned but he was a new employee and was still on his probationary period. I wonder if Calgary Transit would have the gonads to fire a regular employee over this?

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Buff

Everybody is a sinner. In the eyes of God all sin is equal. Murder, stealing, homosexuality, all of it is equal.

Murder is a sin because killing another person is a absolutely horrible thing to do, the absolute worst.

Stealing is a sin because taking someone elses possessions is a absolutely horrible thing to do, the absolute worst.

Adultery is a sin because lying and cheating behind your spouses back is a absolutely horrible thing to do, the absolute worst.

Homosexuality is a sin because loving and caring for another human being is a absolutely horri... errrr hmmmm

You can be religious and still think for yourself, almost every religious person can agree you can't take the bible literally, there are numerous examples of things in there that i think we can all agree are ridiculous.

We hear of things like women getting stoned to death in other countrys and are absolutely outraged, I hope we can count you among us in that respect. Yet their interpretation of their religion insists their actions are perfectly moral and justified. Does that make it right? Hell No.

Pretty much every argument I've heard about homosexuality comes down to 2 things, A. it's wrong because the bible says so or B. ewww it's icky and I don't wanna see that. Well A. we've already determined the bible isn't the absolute moral authority on things and B. grow up

If i see a straight couple walking down the street holding hands i usually smile and think that's cute. A gay couple? same thing. and a lesbian couple? awesome. A interracial couple? cool. A couple where one person is really tall and one really short? Well I'm not gonna lie i might giggle a bit because i have a dirty mind and might be imagining the different positions they might try in bed. But otherwise yep, still awesome. The world could use a whole lot more love and a hell of a lot less hate.

Originally Posted by Buff

Can't I say to a friend "I like you, I disagree with your lifestyle, but I am not going to get in your way of living it." without being called a bigot?

I'll be honest here I don't think you and i define "friend" the same way. Friends do not judge and simply tolerate their friends life choices, they support them and encourage them. If we were friends and you were to say that to me, I wouldn't call you a bigot but I would call you a ####ty friend and promptly conclude said friendship, if that's what you wanna call it anyways.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Poison

The way this guy got railroaded

He totally got railroaded - by himself. He was the head engineer of his own train wreck.

Originally Posted by Lanny's Stache

It is pretty clear from the way that he handled the whole situation that this was his plan the whole time.

I am assuming that a GoFundMe will be set up in no time with hopes to cash in on his bigotry.

It is a shame that the media is more than happy to give this guy his 5 seconds.

Edited: I had thought that, much like HeapBigMartyrDavis in the US, this guy couldn't benefit from a LetMeFleeceYou campaign, but it appears that since he wasn't formally charged with anything, like Davis was, he could see some cash out of this. GoFundMe, since the spring, changed their policy/TOS, to specifically state that “GoFundMe will not allow campaigns that benefit individuals or groups facing formal charges or claims of serious violations of the law.” Lots of other similar crowdfunding sites though, that may not have the same policy.

Originally Posted by Buff

Of course I am going to be attacked for my beliefs

You weren't attacked for your beliefs. You're in a debate thread - they debated you, and disagreed with you. If your knickers knotted, you did the tying, much like Mr IWON'TDRIVETHATBUSTHATIWASNEVERASKEDTODRIVE was the engineer of his own "railroading." But if you think you're being crucified here, I believe Home Depot has a sale on wood and nails this week. Oh, and that remark? Also not an attack on your beliefs. Just a comment on the whining.


The guy (former CTS bus driver) was a dumbarse. Draws a line in non-existent sand.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by T@T

Not sure if it was mentioned but he was a new employee and was still on his probationary period. I wonder if Calgary Transit would have the gonads to fire a regular employee over this?

Well, I imagine if a regular employee of CTS (ie. not an employee on probation) felt he could represent his employeer improperly with the media instead of handling his perceived issues through the proper internal channels, they most likely have the gonads to fire said regular employee over this.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Dan02

I'll be honest here I don't think you and i define "friend" the same way. Friends do not judge and simply tolerate their friends life choices, they support them and encourage them. If we were friends and you were to say that to me, I wouldn't call you a bigot but I would call you a ####ty friend and promptly conclude said friendship, if that's what you wanna call it anyways.

I'll assume you are referring to the specifics of a 'religious morality' life choices question?
Because otherwise, one is no friend of anyone if they simple blindly support and encourage every life choice a friend makes. I'd be dead long ago had friends not rescued me from the out of control mess I had become, because of incredibly stupid life choices. I literally owe them my life because they didn't support and encourage.
I think that's the point where christianity has come with so called 'moral choices', where Buff is, and that is a better place than it was a decade or two ago. And there is a long way to go still, because they still see those types ('moral') choices as detrimental to the person as mine were to me (And they are absolutely not). I expect/hope that christian attitudes continue to evolve into complete acceptance, as it should.

[Ryan Coke]

I just wanted to thank both Buff and Kidder for insightful and intelligent posts. There are a bunch of others there that are garbage, but some real insight into some thoughts and feelings, and some understanding of each other's sides, was really great to see. Interesting that they both have a Christian background.

And it appears the bus driver should have been fired without a doubt, there really isn't much of a controversy there.

[Deviaant]

Originally Posted by Buff

I guess this is as good a thread as any to "come out"

I am white, male, and I am a Christian.

I applaud the guys intentions to stick up for his religions rights. Unfortunately I completely disagree with his approach. He did it wrong. If I am to believe all the comments in this thread, he was told that he wouldn't be forced to drive the bus, and that he also didn't complain to his employer before he went to the media. What he did was wrong and gives Christianity a bad name. He is just an attention grabber. We have people like that in my church too. I wish they would learn to be reasonable.

I still believe homosexuality is a sin. I do not hate any homosexuals because they aren't straight. I believe they are sinners. They are not sinners just because of their sexual orientation. I am a sinner. I lie. I am selfish. I put myself before others. EVERYBODY does that. Everybody is a sinner. In the eyes of God all sin is equal. Murder, stealing, homosexuality, all of it is equal. All I can do is to strive to be like Jesus and pray and ask for forgiveness.

Speaking about being like Jesus. He taught us to love everybody. Love the sinner, hate the sin. That is what I strive for. I go to church with a gay guy, I work with homesexuals, I play hockey with them. They are everywhere. I don't care about their sexual orientation. I don't care if you are gay anymore than I care about what your favorite color is or what your favorite hockey team is... actually I have a harder time accepting that I have friends who like the Oilers than I have friends who are gay.

I am not going to go out of my way to march in a gay pride parade. I would probably feel uncomfortable driving a bus promoting homosexuality. I would probably also feel uncomfortable driving a bus promoting equality, but at the root, I would feel uncomfortable of how fellow Christians that I know and value would say or do to me. That is not fair. It is fair for them to question my actions and how they pertain to my faith, it is not fair for them to attack me for trying to be supportive of everybody like Jesus was.

I am for people having equality. I should not have more rights than anybody because of their sexual orientation, or the color of their skin. We should all have equal rights and opportunities.

Can't I say to a friend "I like you, I disagree with your lifestyle, but I am not going to get in your way of living it." without being called a bigot?

Christians are taught to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. It has been a hard task to do for many Christians, but not all Christians. We are to love people in spite of their actions. This bus driver and the lady in the USA who refused to grant a marriage license are probably over stepping their boundaries and definitely going about things the wrong way.

We don't go to church every Sunday and curse the gay people or curse those who aren't Christian. We go to hear God's word. We praise God, we learn about Jesus' teachings. While we learn what is a sin and how to act, we are certainly not taught to hate people and to spread hate. We are taught to love and be fair. We are not perfect. We are taught to judge not lest ye be judged. We are not to judge a person by their actions or beliefs because we are not perfect. Jesus was perfect and we strive to be like him, but for many people, and the bus driver is a prime example, we lose sight of how we are to be represented and how we are to preach the word. We are to preach in love, not in hate. He is preaching in hate.

It is funny because we are to treat everybody like equals, and historically that has not been the case, but we feel like our backs get put up against the wall when put to task by fellow Christians, or even non Christians. Most people we go on the defense and panic, to an extent, if they were taken to task for many things. Go to the Fire and & Ice Forum and start to tell people that the Oilers are actually a good team, and should be cheered for just as equally as the Flames are. What kind of a response will you get? Would you expect that the Flames fans would immediately agree and change their ways? For some people they need time to think about how they personally believe, and see how change around them is perceived by others, by society as a whole until they finally start to come around. It won't happen overnight. Change takes time to be accepted. Why must my fellow Christians adapt instantly?

I'm not sure what else I can say. Perhaps I am not helping. Perhaps I am just setting myself up for ridicule on CP. I don't know. Thoughts on what I just said?

Oops did not mean to thank. My bad

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Minnie

Well, I imagine if a regular employee of CTS (ie. not an employee on probation) felt he could represent his employeer improperly with the media instead of handling his perceived issues through the proper internal channels, they most likely have the gonads to fire said regular employee over this.

Doubtful. Firing a union member is near impossible. They probably would have reassigned him to a different role.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Buff

Can't I say to a friend "I like you, I disagree with your lifestyle, but I am not going to get in your way of living it." without being called a bigot?

It's already been raised in the thread, but I think the example of interracial marriage is a great one.

If your friend was married to a black woman, and you said those exact same words about him being married to a black woman would you be called a bigot? You'd probably agree you would and should. I don't see a difference other than what one happens to interpret in scripture as being sinful.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by blankall

Doubtful. Firing a union member is near impossible. They probably would have reassigned him to a different role.

I actually burst out into laughter when I read this. How deliciously ignorant.

[chid]

Let us not forget, he was never actually assigned this bus. The chances of him getting it were VERY slim. He preemptively went to social media explaining he wouldn't drive it. On the other hand, I'm sure there were MORE than enough drivers who DID want that bus. He made a big stink out of absolutely nothing.

[para transit fellow]

The dismissal letter has been floating around twitter. Could someone grab it and post it here?

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

The dismissal letter has been floating around twitter. Could someone grab it and post it here?

From the CBC article:

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...70-letter.html

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Wormius

From the CBC article:

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...70-letter.html

Nazi related content? This guy is a real winner.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Wormius

From the CBC article:

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...70-letter.html

Dated "2014 September 10". Way to proofread, City of Calgary HR.