P
Pong
Guest
If funny is a synonym for ignorant of scripture, then yes, you are funny like that.
- Status
K
kalt
Guest
I would call him by the name he uses–Father This-or-That.
I would address clergy of any religion by the name they use. Reverend This-or-That, Rabbi This-or-That.
I call elected officials by their proper names, too, even if I didn’t vote for them and think that they’re idiots.
Senator This-or-That, Mayor This-or-That.I call doctors, Doctor This-or-That, too, even if I’m not their patient.
Polite is polite, no matter your own religious, political, or professional/medical affilitation.
Unless there’s a specific rule about it, use the rightful title.
I think tree-hugging atheists are silly, but I would still call the prof. Dr. Save-a-Tree-You-Deluded-Papist, if that’s what he calls himself.
What difference should your own political/religious/social view make when addressing someone by name? We don’t get to choose other people’s names. We call them what they want to be called.
M
mike7795
Guest
I’ll call them whatever they prefer, but PLEASE, if you run into me on the street, call me by my first name. I’m 33 and starting to get called “Mr.” by the younger crowd.
Ouch.
Mike
Ouch.
Mike
K
kalt
Guest
That beats ma’am…
S
strngrnrth
Guest
I don’t think it’s dragging to ask about people who claim titles we feel strongly they do not merit. After all, many people do demand to be addressed as something they’re not. It’s valid to figure out where to draw a line like that. If someone strongly believes that you aren’t his father and he mustn’t say you are if he doesn’t think you are, he would violate his conscience to call you Father. People go around calling themselves Reverend in a irreverent way, to erode the weight of the word. Should we help do so if they ask us to? People call themselves Apostle This and Last Prophet That. I won’t address someone that way without a valid reason to believe the claim it implies. These issues come up for a reason: Religion is the way a person answers the most important imaginable questions. People can differ and still be courteous, but in the end if the demand of etiquette and the demand of religious convition clash, etiquette, valuable as it is, tends to lose. Therefore, they must be prevented from clashing.
P
Peeb
Guest
I agree with panoikei. Common sense and good manners says call him “father” whether you are a believer or not.
In fact, I know a protestant minister who refers to himself as Bishop - he started his own ministry and is the only clergy of his self-made church. As a Catholic, I don’t get why he wants to be called Bishop- but since that is his desire, that is what I do.
Again, good manners.
D
Doxiemom
Guest
I see no reason why a priest would be offended if a non-catholic called him Pastor or Reverand if they simply really have a problem with the title “Father”.
You are always going to have those who see priests as something akin to pagan worshipers, but they are the extremist, so I guess they will stick to “Mister So and So”.
You are always going to have those who see priests as something akin to pagan worshipers, but they are the extremist, so I guess they will stick to “Mister So and So”.
C
Cabin4
Guest
The correct title, if you could see that the person is wearing clerical dress, is “Reverend”.
D
Della
Guest
Yes, especially in an situation in which you do not know the man.
The whole thing can be avoided, though, if one just says, “May I help you?” without adding a title. Then if there is any doubt, one can ask how the person wishes to be addressed, such as, “Would you prefer to be called Mr., Mrs., Ms., Rev. Doctor” etc., according to their dress or title (which is usually on their paper work).
And I agree that the whole first name thing isn’t right in a professional place of business. I can kind of see it in a doctor/dentist’s office, but I don’t want my banker or other such professional calling me by my first name unless I give him/her my permission to be so familiar.
S
Sideline
Guest
My grandfather was an Anglican minister. God forbid you called him Reverend. You would have had to sit through a three hour sermon on how “the Reverend” is not the proper form of direct address.
Try working in protocol sometime. I’ve had situations where the president of a yacht club wants to be called Admiral, and the real Admiral beside him would want to kill you for doing it. A self-proclaimed prophet for a church of 6 people who ordained himself wants you to call him “Your Grace” and give him preference over the other ministers from the Anglican and Catholic Churches.
I’m sure that if the priest in question were to say, “I prefer Fr. So-and-so,” the teller would probably oblige. As a rule I usually ask people what they would like to be called.
One thing that irks me is when people demand that I address them formally don’t show the same respect in return. I was at a party once where someone who had been introduced to me as “Bill” said to me later, “Actually, I prefer Dr. Smith.” Then seemed down right offended when I said, “Actually, I prefer Mr. Burroughs.”
Try working in protocol sometime. I’ve had situations where the president of a yacht club wants to be called Admiral, and the real Admiral beside him would want to kill you for doing it. A self-proclaimed prophet for a church of 6 people who ordained himself wants you to call him “Your Grace” and give him preference over the other ministers from the Anglican and Catholic Churches.
I’m sure that if the priest in question were to say, “I prefer Fr. So-and-so,” the teller would probably oblige. As a rule I usually ask people what they would like to be called.
One thing that irks me is when people demand that I address them formally don’t show the same respect in return. I was at a party once where someone who had been introduced to me as “Bill” said to me later, “Actually, I prefer Dr. Smith.” Then seemed down right offended when I said, “Actually, I prefer Mr. Burroughs.”
- Status