Jury Duty

I was called for jury duty yesterday. In the court room I sat with 59 new friends as available jurors for a criminal case to be tried starting the same day. When the prosecuting attorney asked where I was a pastor, what denomination our church belonged, and if I was an associate or senior pastor, his assistant and the defense attorney both scribbled quickly on their yellow pads of paper (lawyers really do use “legal pads”). I assumed that my fate was set and I would be kicked out of the process due to my “pastor” status. Knowing some of the pastors I know I can’t say that blame them.

As the attorneys continued in the questioning of potential jurors I started to feel sorry for the poor guy who was charged with a crime. The people in the court room had some of the most asinine answers to the questions the lawyers were asking. Then after I felt sorry for the guy on trial I started to panic, thinking they would see a pastor as a good choice since none of the other perspective jurors seemed to have any common sense.

Finally 12 capable jurors were impaneled. I left the court room with 48 other relieved people. Hopefully they passed over me due to my occupation and the preconceived ideas they perceived I would or would not have rather than passing me over based on their judgment of my intelligence.

BTW – I know I restarted this blog saying I would not write from the perspective of the paid church worker person. Even in this post, I think I have been true to what I said. I am unwilling to argue that point though.