I blundered into a fight with my wife last night. I thought we were having a lively, fun debate and then, suddenly, she was in tears. A few minutes later she went upstairs and slammed the door.
This happens to me sometimes.
We were discussing my theory that Christianity is like the McDonalds hamburger empire. ( In 1949, Richard and Maurice McDonald had a little hamburger and milk shake joint in California. A sharpie named Ray Kroc bought them out, tweaked the product a bit, franchised it and spread it over the entire globe. The same thing happened to Christianity. It was just a little Jewish sect when a whiz kid by the name of Paul of Tarsus discovered it, packaged it for the Gentiles, and opened franchises all over the Roman Empire.)
Rachel disagreed. She’d heard of Ray Kroc, but knew little about the brothers who originally ran the hamburger joint. She argued that Ray Kroc was the father of McDonalds, not them. She pointed out that it was Kroc who came up with the filet of fish sandwich.
I’m sorry? The filet of fish? The filet of fish is not what McDonalds stands for, any more than St. Paul’s belief that women should wear veils in church is an important tenet of Jesus’ teachings.
And so I did the bad thing. I started arguing with Rachel, explaining her error. Offering examples so she could see her mistake. Countering every point she tried to make. Interrupting her. I actually thought we were having fun until the tears and the door slam.
I’m grew up with six siblings. We’re all arguers. Except Therese, the youngest.
It took about twelve hours before she’d talk to me again. We’re going out for dinner tonight. My goal is to have no opinions. (But believe me, Ray Kroc was no Jesus. He forced Richard and Maurice to re-name their restaurant because the fine print in the sales agreement gave him exclusive rights to use the name “McDonalds”. Then he opened up one of his franchises a block away and forced them out of business.)
so burger king it is?
I’m in arguer, too. But when all else fails, just smile and nod!
Saw this little “ewwww” article this morning, trying to figure how it could relate. Something along the line of ‘Jesus/Hamburger(ler) Lives?’
http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-happy-meal-shows-no-decay-after-one-year-on-a-shelf/
I am sorry the argument/debate upset your wife so much. Me wonders if it was the subject matter, per se, or the deluge of the battle….?
Actually, Kroc isn’t the one who came up with the filet o fish sandwich. It was actually invented here in Cincinnati in the ’60s, by a guy named Lou Groen, due to the high Catholic population in the area. I only know this because I, uh, grew up here. He owned a TON of franchises.
You know, my husband is a little bit like that – he will argue a point til I want to smash his face in, even if he’s wrong. Never wants to back down. If he thinks I’m wrong about something, he’ll research it til he finds the answer. If I’m right, he never apologizes. Seriously, not a way to win brownie points with the ladies.
That is excellent advice. I’ve been practicing all weekend, nodding in thoughtful agreement to everything my wife says. (So, I’m not going to mention that Kroc did not invent the filet of fish.)