Does it bother you that much?

Exercise: 15 min. (Carmen Electra workout)

As I've mentioned before, I work in the mail processing department of a well-known Christian ministry. Most of my day is spent in front of the computer with batches of mail, reading each piece and enter the requests. The mail is sorted into similar requests to make the data entry go more quickly. Because I am a temp, I get a lot of the simple batches that where people are asking to be taken off the mailing list. Some people simply write "Please take me off your mailing list". The majority of people feel the need to write an explanation of why they want to be taken off the list. Some of these explanations are polite ("Please don't waste paper sending me your mailings") but many, many more of them are filled with hate. I never knew that people put so much energy into responding to hate mail. I realize that there is a good chance that some of the ministry's mail may end up in the mail box of a non-Christian, but why would they spend even two minutes crafting a hateful response AND spend the money on a stamp to send it back to us? They must know that this mail never gets anywhere near the head of the organization. If they were hoping to offend someone, they missed their chance when the mail hit my desk because I am pretty laid back as Christians go. Getting a letter that says "Stop sending me your f***ing mail!" (like I did today) is not going to get my panties in a wad. I just shake my head and take the person off the mailing list. It ain't nothin' but a thing.

The other kind of letter that has me shaking my head at work is from the people who feel the need to apologize because they can't donate. The organization has a featured book or CD that they offer for free each month. You can get the free offer every month and never donate. The organization does not badger people for donations, yet there are people who feel harrassed by having the piece of paper in their mailbox. If I get something from any group asking for funds and I'm not interested, I just toss it in the trash. If I've given once and I can't give again, I toss it in the trash. I don't feel obligated or harrassed by requests in my mailbox.