By day, I teach junior high. By night (on weekends), I'm a bouncer at a couple of nightclubs. I remain dedicated to my Christian principles throughout it all as best I can.

Just now in the teacher's lounge, a teacher expressed shock and disgust at my part time job. "How can you brawl all night on Saturday night and show your face in church on Sunday morning?," I believe was the remark.

I just stared at her and walked away.

Personally, I never thought of providing security to people as being contrary to any Christian principle that I know of.

First off, I don't "brawl all night." 95% of the time, there's zero going on that concerns me in the least from a security standpoint. 4% of the time, my presence in the vicinity of trouble is enough to make it stop, without me even saying a word. The T-shirt that simply says "STAFF" makes enough of a statement. .5% of the time, physical contact is necessary, but only in the form of a restraining or "come-along" hold to escort them to the door. The remaining .5% that requires physical contact is brief, and only brutal enough to make the undesirable behavior cease. After that, I get them in the good ol' "chicken wing" and walk them to the door. Only one time EVER has anyone had to be carried out, unable to walk under their own power, and that gentleman is still in jail for attempted murder. Little tip: never try to kill someone in a nightclub with good security. It won't go well for you.

Anyway, I don't look at my job as an opportunity to physically hurt people. I see myself being there to keep the 99% of the patrons safe, so they can have fun and not get hurt by the 1% who think causing trouble is a good plan. I don't want to hurt anyone, and I don't like doing it, even when it's necessary.

Sure, I don't care much for alcohol abuse. Whether I'm there or not isn't going to change whether or not folks drink too much. But I CAN prevent them from getting too drunk in many cases by making the barstaff cut them off. I CAN call them a cab. I CAN see if their intoxication is causing them to be easy prey. I CAN detect (sometimes) someone trying to drug their drink and stop them. I know a lot of bouncers that don't bother with any of that.

Besides, the money is pretty good and definitely helps augment the teacher salary.

So, where's the problem again?

cpalmist

you forgot to keep your private life private and you also forgot that some folks like to hide behind the Church/God and be judgemental.

Risking your job in letting that information out at school. 'he works at a strip club and comes in smelling like cigarettes and booze in the mornings...I think there is something wrong at home with him...if he even has a home anymore...'

you'll need to do some damage control quickly. Read 'The 48 Laws of Power' by Robt. Green - $15 from Barnes&Noble so you can see how to fix this and even better avoid these kinds of situations in the workplace in the future.

As a Babtist, we are fond of condemning others for their real or perceived sins as it helps us with the guilt of our own. If we could just remember that Church is basically the Hospital for the Ill of Spirit and where we share our love of God and learn to be more pure of Spirit, things would be better. She forgets that Jesus hung out with blue collar workers, carpenters, harlots, fishermen and (gasp!) religious leaders, you know the everday folk, and partied down as well and still had the goldanged nerve to show up at Church. My! I wish she'd been there to set Him straight and take Him down a notch or two!

Rather be pleased that you are shocked of that - shows you're not a snob. Be aware that defending yourself too much is a way of condemning yourself in the eyes of others 'methinks he doth protest too much'

Please rate my ramble.

Emland

Do they have problems with policemen, too? You know they are in the company of prostitutes, criminals and drug addicts every day! sheesh

I would dismiss her (I'm going out on a limb and guessing it was a female busy-body) for the mental midget she is and keep on doing what you are doing.

**Edit**

Thought at first someone at Sunday School had said that.

ebaines

I see no problem, at least for the kind of establishment you are describing. If al this person is concerned about is the physical aspect of the job, then it's like asking a policeman how he can hold his job and be a good christian. I see no conflict there at all.

However, I suspect that your accuser is thinking that what you are actually doing is "enabling" the night club owner to ply his/her trade - which obviously includes selling alcohol (some may have a different view on the morality of this than others) but depending on the establishment may also include more questionable activities such as stripping, nude dancing, etc. I don't know if that's the case here, and if it is these may be perfectly legal activities in your town, but again many would consider them immoral. Anyone who enables this activity would therefore also be immoral. Where one draws the line between what specific activities are or are not moral is a personal decision.

Tuscany

As a fellow educator I can honestly say that if there is one thing about our profession that is not the best it is the fact that people percieve us as teachers only, not humans. I remember once I was at a benefit wine tasting and I saw a parent there. She actually said "You drink?" I was horrified. I was not drunk, or displaying any bad behavior. But still I was under a microscope.

I think that this teacher was way out of line. Your second job is your buisness not her's. As long as it does not affect your ability to educate the children in your classroom what difference does it make what you do? In a way I would say that you are a role model to young people. You work two jobs, are dedicated, care about the safety and well being of others, and deserve more credit then you are getting.

Write her off as a small minded busy body (thanks Emland) and do what I do....stay out of the faculty lounge...the back stabbing and ranting over "problem students" really who needs it??

Choux

A risk I see is if a teenager in a club on a fake ID sees you there and tells other kids and the fact that you work in a roadhouse becomes common knowledge in the school where you work. That kind of gossip spreads like wildfire!

As an ethical issue, I would comment that a person with good morality would not work at a place where people are destroying themselves with overindulging in alcohol and hooking up for sleezy sex. (If people weren't overindulging they wouldn't need any bouncers)

Practically speaking, quick money is great!

If you have a history of alcoholism or cancer, get out of there!

Religious people will always judge you.

Just some thoughts....

Lacey5765

WE can be so judgemental can't we? I agree with you. You are protecting patrons of an establishment. We may or may not agree with drinking in access or even drinking at all but that is not your call there. I once heard a little girl telling a member of our congregation that her parents said he was bad because he worked in brewery. He had a great comeback " i am bad for working as a mechanic on a machine that makes beverages?, well then what does that make your daddy who works on weapons of mass destruction that can kill millions?" I wonder what she went home with that day!

speechlesstx

Dennis,

I am shocked and outraged that any so-called Christian and molder of young minds would stand guard at a den of iniquity!



Just kidding. Some people just need to mind their own $#@$ business. When she asked how you could show your face in church on Sunday did you say something like, "the same as all those other sinners ... just like you do?"

paraclete

I don't see your problem/ My son, who is graduating from Bible College, works security in order to have a living. He doesn't like crowd security and would prefer to be doing somethingelse. I wouldn't take the remarks of some shallow female to heart, the pharassees are everywhere and they want us to conform to their ideas. If this woman is offended that's thought. We need to keep short accounts with God and it is his direction we should seek

Fr_Chuck

First I would have told them they have watched too many showings of "roadhouse" And of course we look at even Peter, who was carrying a small sword and cut off the servants ear at Christ arrest.

And Christ throwing out the money changers in the temple.

Also Jesus cured the daughter of the soldier

And a good bouncer should almost never get into a brawal, he may have to use controled force at time