['Pizza Ranch' is a Christian restaurant whose vision is "to glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in".]
By Friday night I was caught up to everyone else who had been working on applying for the last two months. It was definitely a God-thing to walk in and walk out with a job!
I feel so privileged to get to work in a brand new restaurant that still smells like wood and fresh paint, to be part of the team that gets to set high standards in this not-even-open-yet franchise branch, and to work in a place where God is hung on our walls right in the front door where you come in, big and bold in our vision statement. God is good. I get to sing along to my favorite Christian artists (Casting Crowns) as I clean the buffet glass because we play either country or Christian radio. I work in a team, and I am getting to know some of the other girls. I work in an atmosphere where we smile and build each other up. I work in a family-friendly restaurant (that doesn't serve alcohol) where I'll be able to interact with lots of kids. I get to serve people and make them happy! I get to bring out their favorite kind of pizza!
We have a higher calling than just making pizza and chicken. As we learned when we watched a video made by Chic-fil-A - on a computer that was on a chair which was stacked on top of a table... great makeshift movie theatre there! - it's about serving, about making a difference in our communities. As our mission statement says, Pizza Ranch is a ministry opportunity to give our guests our very best - Legendary service! And I get to work in such a place as this. God is good!
We open on Monday.
I get to be the first one to welcome the guests to Pizza Ranch!
103 comments
Oh where to begin ...
"God is hung on our walls right in the front door", hmmm kinda creepy.
"I get to sing along", that'll last about a week before your teenage pimply faced shift manager tells you to shut up and get back to work.
"where I'll be able to interact with lots of kids", those kids will turn into little brats within a week.
"We have a higher calling than just making pizza and chicken", no you don't, you are just making pizza and chicken, though, we all know those ARE Jesus's favorite foods.
Nothing bad or hateful here. She's happy and wants to be nice to people and set what she sees as a good example for others.
My only issue is the sanctimonious comment about the place being "family friendly" because they don't serve alcohol, as if ordinary restaurants that serve wine and beer are not. They always seem to conveniently overlook the fact that Jesus drank wine.
I agree with #1364147. She sounds like a sweet girl who's very happy to be where she is, and enjoys serving and interacting with others. As long as she can do that without preaching a sermon at every table she serves, I'd eat there.
Good pizza and chicken is good pizza and chicken. I can ignore the cross on the wall as long as the wait staff isn't rabid about evangelizing.
Five years from now, manager to Naomi: "What do you mean, you want overtime pay and more than minimum wage? You realize that would be stealing from Jesus, don't you? Now get back out there and prayerfully scrub the underside of those tables. Refusing your religious duty is a sin."
we play either country or Christian radio.
What a great way to ruin a perfectly good meal.
I wonder if they serve an extra spicy "pizza diavolo" as every self-respecting pizzaria should? ;-)
Does the last customer of the evening get a "Last Supper" discount?
I hear they serve a "pizza vaticana": there's nothing on it. ;-)
image
While she seems to be a bit overly enthusiastic and chipper to the point of nausea, it's not that bad, I guess.
Still, I'll be sure to avoid any such place I have the misfortune to cross paths with. Particularly when she states, "As our mission statement says, Pizza Ranch is a ministry opportunity to give our guests our very best - Legendary service!" Your missions statement should be to serve pizza and chicken, not to be a "ministry opportunity."
Anyone criticizing has totally never been to a Pizza Ranch, and you're missing out. It's not at Jesus-y and overbearing as she's making it sound.
But then my Pizza Ranch doesn't even play the radio. Anyway, Naomi sounds awesome and I'm happy she got a job that makes her so glad and self-fulfilled. Seriously, why is this on here?
She is way more cheerful than I can handle without serious quantities of coffee, and she believes in things I might find silly, but I'm getting more of a "happy squirmy puppy" vibe than a "dangerous hateful fundamentalist" one.
Why risk ruining an apparently nice person's day by reposting her words for strangers to laugh at? If anyone is being a jerk here, it's us.
So what if they find a higher calling in serving Pizza? That's pretty great, more people could do with that approach.
I don't happen to share belief in that god, but the general idea that a small action can be part of a bigger meaning is a positive one.
Not fundie.
It's difficult for me to comprehend anyone being this amped about getting hired in the food service industry. However, I find her puerile prose more objectionable than her religiosity.
Also, it reminds me of [a href="http://fstdt.com/QuoteComment.aspx?QID=69697&Page=1 "]this[/a] golden oldie.
A bit unusual, but not fundy.
I think these people feel good about what they are doing, and they will probably boost the self esteem of those in their community. As long as they're not persecuting gays or threatening heathens with punishment issued on God's behalf, why criticise them? I'm an agnostic with little time for the Christian religion, but I do know some people who are christians and if they were selling pizzas I'd happily eat there myself.
@Lucilius:Five years from now, manager to Naomi: "What do you mean, you want overtime pay and more than minimum wage? You realize that would be stealing from Jesus, don't you? Now get back out there and prayerfully scrub the underside of those tables. Refusing your religious duty is a sin."
This is probably true, sadly. I've been told by many people that so-called "christian" businesses are the worst ones to work for in terms of how they treat their employees. I just hope that in 6 months, after the 1000th time some asshat fundie has left her a Chick tract in place of an actual tip, she's still able to remain as cheerful about it.
This is the type of Fundy that ain't all that bad. A tad odd, yeah, but everyone has their quirks.
Way I see it, their are two types of fundies: The 'Bake Cookies and tell you God Loves You' kind, and the 'THUMPA THUMPA BIBLE IS TRUTH' kind.
The world could use more being the former.
Referencing her love of Christ does not a fundie make. This girl seems like a sweet person who wants to make kids happy. Seeing how chipper she is, I probably wouldn't hang out with her, but still. . .
Oh FYI Naomi, working in a restaurant is awful. I work summers at a clam bar and I only stay on because the money's good. Screaming, bratty kids, rude and entitled customers, and foot pain that leaves you hobbling even if you have good shoes is all part of the restaurant experience.
If you think the best way to glorify god is to make people happy, eh, you know, that can't be bad. Good luck with the job!
Is it Brave New World where the embryos are injected (by Alphas) with different amounts of alcohol to stunt their mental development, in order to produce Deltas and Gammas that will enjoy a life of menial servitude? I remember where the elevator operator gets tears in his eyes and says, "Roof! O, roof!" when he gets to the top, being the pinnacle of his daily routine of otherwise mind numbing drudgery.
I am glad for Naomi. She may well enjoy her life of flipping burgers - somebody has to do it. Better someone who likes it and won't spit on the meat. But "God on the wall", Xtian and C&W "music" {{shudder}} please let me know where this place is so I can steer clear of it.
I wonder if the garlic bread comes with a likeness of Jesus burned onto it.
wow, and here i thought country music was the work of the devil (to play and to listen to).
i feel bad for her ungodly (pardon the pun) naiveté. she's gonna get one hell of a reality check. otherwise, good luck girl!
by the way, checkmate: once again, you made me groan. where do you get those puns? they're awesome!
Why does this remind me of The Handmaiden's Tale?
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "How would you like to own your own Pizza franchise?"
Yeah, this sounds harmless, but it's people with this sort of outlook on the world that fuel the nut jobs of the religious right with money and votes.
It's fundy enough to worry me.
http://www.complaints.com/directory/2005/october/10/10.htm
We walked in and waited at the counted for a minute or so while we watched the Manager, Brock, slap a female employee numerous times in the butt with a towel as another female employee was standing a few feet away working. I cannot believe action like this takes place in a business, in front of customers!! This is sexual harassment and I would be happy to file a formal complaint. Finally after about one and a half minutes of "flirting" with her, he came to help us.
This isn't quite "raving loony fundie" territory...but as a proud Italian-American, I don't trust pizza from retail chains. I would rather get a pie from the old-fashioned, locally-owned, pizzeria a few blocks away. (I am, however, worried that it might be a Mafia front.)
Not fundie at all. Can someone please tell me why this is worse than the Saudi stuff I submitted last week (which DIDN'T make it on here)?
Not a clue. I've submitted some truly hateful bigotry that didn't make the cut too, yet this naiively over-enthusiastic blog post from a seemingly nice kid landing a new job is held up for ridicule?
Having this quote here just makes us look like jerks, are we sure we don't have a troll on the quote selection team?
I've eaten at a few Pizza Ranches before. Though the music is Christian, the place itself is usually just a western-style restaurant. You can pretty much tone out the music--trust me, I was there the other day and I forgot they played Christian music until right before I walked out the door--and I recommend the place solely on the wide variety of pizza they tend to have.
Of course, maybe it depends on which Pizza Ranch you go to. Some might force it a bit more on you than others, but I've never been to one like that.
What's this? A restaurant playing Christian music? Clearly this is the same as the government forcing everybody to convert!/sarcasm
I think the rule is if it's Christian, it's fundie, but if it's another religion saying "gays should die", it's fine.
Not fundie one bit. I did enjoy "God-thing," though. Gonna have to remember that next time I'm reading one of those "God-things" elsewhere on this "web-thing."
@OP: When I hear things like "glorify God by positively impacting the world," I just imagine that "God" is meant metaphorically, and then ask myself if I would say the same sentence myself using a different metaphor. If so (and this case is very so), it's just people coming from a different point of view, not being stupid or mean or anything else.
Edit: Oh wait, it's a pun. Boy do I feel stupid.
Which idiot voted this on? I feel sorry for Naomi, whose naivetie and optimism is about to be crushed by serving the unwashed and ungrateful masses, but otherwise, WTF is wrong with any of this? Have we got PZ Myers on the voting squad, or something?
I think sheltered people without a lot of real life fundie experience aren't seeing the fundie, and that's to be expected. That's what this kind of piece is designed to avoid. But this cock slobbering slave girl who loves Jesus attitude is pretty much PR speak for "I am a psychopath who uses religion to throw people off guard and hide my crimes, behind closed doors I'm starving dogs and beating my kids because they're sinners."
Also consider the kind of person who must be assured of the godliness and purity of their pizza parlor workers. This place will attract the nutters and that's exactly what it wants to do. False purity of business = false purity of buyers.
Because when you think about the Lord and salvation and eternity and stuff, you think "pizza!"
Other than that, this is awfully tame stuff.
@ #1364348--
Honestly, I'd rather not eat at a place where part of their schtick is masturbating furiously at the thought of how horribly I'll be tortured after I die (by natural causes or because they manage to push the fascist government of their wet dreams). Knowing that the profits of the restaurant I'd be eating at would be actively funding an attempted totalitarian takeover of my country would make my meal rather unappetizing, I think. Of course, you might not care about the impact of your dining choices on the potential fate at the hands of those you cheerfully fund of those of us who are on their hit list.
If they're not going to sell alchohol then they're not going to get much of the night business. If you're going to eat out you're at least going to want a beer or the odd glass of wine. After all Jesus had wine at the last supper. Lucky he didn't have it at "Pizza Ranch".
PS. I'll bet the staff only get minimum wage. God doesn't like to overpay anymore than the owners of any other fast food joint.
I'll listen to Christian music if it's something cool like DC Talk, Jars Of Clay, Newsboys, OC Supertones, etc.
Look, I have no problem with "Born Agains"...I have a problem with "Born Agains" who are rabid & push their stuff into Government & get uber-hateful-fundie. Keep it to yourself. If being a "Holy Roller" makes you happy & a better person, fine. If that's not the case & you're a Pharascidical farthead then STFU. Thanks.
Welp, I hope you never decide that it's all a crock of shit, because then you'll end up like so many other people have: working in a place you loathe while trying to figure out how to get the fuck out of there.
To all of those saying that this is "not fundie" - have you ever seen a country that isn't soaked in God-woo like the US? Just because they aren't calling for people to be killed or locked up doesn't mean they aren't fundie.
I would say that despite having an established religion, the UK is in general more irreligious than the US. Which is why people like Naomi come across as creepy and weird.
After all, if strong faith in God can take your mind off the fact that you're working a crappy service job (in a place that doesn't even serve alcohol to boot!), it's not much of a stretch for other stuff, as other quotes on this site illustrate.
You got a job just by walking in?! I call bullshit. Unless of course, Pizza Ranch will hire anyone as long as they are a fundamentalist Christian, which is a possibility.
That said, I cannot think of anything fundie in this. Who posted this to the site?
How dare you be happy doing things that harm no one but that are not congruent to my tastes!
Seriously though, it's not fundie unless the fundie is the one saying the above statement.
Good luck.
After all the bad associations certain people's behavior have created between kids and religion, it'll be good to see a better example.
#1364147:
She was saying it is a family friendly restaurant that happens to not serve alcohol, but that the first is due to the second.
I agree with those who say that this isn't Fundy. As for the music... Well, there are a lot of places that I like to eat at where I don't care for the music. After all, there aren't enough restaurants that are willing to play hard rock or heavy metal. But, if I like the food, I still eat there - and I just tune the music out.
There's nothing really fundie about this. It's not like they're WBC Pizza or anything. There's a line, and I don't think this girl has crossed it. She's happy, and the restaurant isn't doing anything offensive. Gotta vote "meh" on this one.
I see no problem here. If I do not care for a restaurant for some reason, I have the option of not going.
If some one were telling my children that they had to eat there or else they would face eternal damnation, THEN I would have a problem.
It's not a mean-spirited or intolerant or obliviously sexual quote or anything, but I still think it's a little delusional.
You don't have a higher calling just because your Pizza Hut knockoff has a crucifix on the wall. You just...don't.
@NoXion
I don't think anyone is disputing that Naomi is, in all likelihood, a evangelical Christian. Speaking for myself I'd say that this particular quote is not fundie.
They're creepy and weird to us over here also, but so many of them are creepy, weird, obnoxious and mean that it's hard to get worked up over a ditzy broad who just dreams of slinging cheese sticks for Jeezus.
I'm not exactly sure what "stuff" you mean by "it's not much of a stretch for other stuff," but the "stretch" is where we're giving this chick the benefit of the doubt.
I have to agree with the hundred or so other people who said this isn't fundie. The girl sounds a little over-enthused about having a job, but then again, in this economy perhaps she should be that happy.
I think sheltered people without a lot of real life fundie experience aren't seeing the fundie, and that's to be expected. That's what this kind of piece is designed to avoid. But this cock slobbering slave girl who loves Jesus attitude is pretty much PR speak for "I am a psychopath who uses religion to throw people off guard and hide my crimes, behind closed doors I'm starving dogs and beating my kids because they're sinners."
Oh, look; an anti-theist who thinks anyone that doesn't share his fears is merely naive about the secret evils lurking within the heart of an over-eager 18-year-old. She likes Christian music and works at a "Christian" pizza place? Why then surely she must beat animals. Idjit.
@Psycho Tits
Well said. That comment would probably score higher on the Fundie Index if we put it up for voting than what it was criticizing.
Just add the line "[In response to a person saying they are happy starting work at a Christian restaurant franchise]", and you've got a fundie quote.
I'm still not sure how this quote got up on the site... But I'm glad to see that most responses were sane and the score is in the deep negative, as it should be.
I guess it was only a matter of time until America combined church and fast food. Fuckin' A, do you REALLY have to be eating AND worship at the same time?
Whatever, this country has become a farce of itself and I can no longer care.
Christian restaurant you say? Then I assume homeless people get to eat for free.
To everyone saying she's not fundie, technically she is. She's just a fundie in embryonic development. Give it a decade and she'll be spewing gradually installed hatred for gays, scientists, academia, minorities, etc. Eventually they all turn rotten.
I wonder what Jesus would say about his name being used as a marketing gimmick.
Ah well, since when have True Christians (tm) ever cared about anything Jesus might have thought?
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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