Why I Left "The Church", but Still Stand with Jesus

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  
It was never between you and them anyway.
-Mother Teresa


I awoke to find that a man that I had loved, admired, and respected for years, studied with, served along side of, who baptized two of my sons, and whose wife is Godmother to my youngest, deleted me from Facebook. Not only did he delete me, he deleted my Mother who supported me, and my husband who had nothing to do with our conversation. I guess my husband was found guilty just for being married to me.


I'm very hurt and confused as to how a man whose job it is to lift up the word of God upon His people, could also condemn those same people who think differently. I don't imagine Jesus doing this. 


Hate the sin, but love the sinner.


If that is the case, and I am a sinner, why then, do you not accept me as I am? 


There is a reason why so many people are leaving organized religion in droves, myself now included. It's because I can't relate to it and I can't understand it anymore. I can not understand how a community of people whose foundation is supposed to be love and tolerance has come to represent the opposite. Loyal followers should be the most compassionate.


I imagine that Jesus is probably pretty upset with how things are going down here. I can see him in heaven right now saying, "That is NOT what I meant by that!" I almost expect him to come back here and ask us what the heck we are all doing! I TOLD YOU TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER!


I have read the Bible more than a few times. I have also studied it further than most. The issue with the book is people's interpretation of it. They twist it, turn it, flip it upside down to fit their own agendas. As an academic of literature, I know that the only person, or person's who can understand and determine the author's intent is the author himself. The Bible is God's book written by men. And it is men who speak for God. God is God and there is not a single human being on this earth who can speak for Him.


But the Bible says this and the Bible says that. No, the bible doesn't say THAT, you take it to mean THAT.


Do I regret speaking out for gay marriage? I do not. I do not and here is why: love is love. If you think it's unnatural, that is your choice, but you should take off that poly/cotton blend shirt you are wearing because that is unnatural too. My problem is not with the Bible, it is with people that pick and choose pieces of it to support their own ideas and disregard the rest. If you are going to live by the Bible, then live by all of it. Stop planting your peppers with your tomatoes, stop getting divorced, quit marrying people that aren't of your own kind, and stone all the people who cheat.


Sound ridiculous? That's because it is.


I see the Bible, the NT in particular, as a positive story about love and hope. What I got out of it is not a list of sins, no-nos, and immorality. I'm not going to go to hell for supporting gay marriage any more than a person who chooses not to circumcise their son, or marry someone of another race. Love is love. 


It's a wonder this country ever freed the slaves, gave women the right to vote and allowed blacks into white schools. This country has a disgusting history of bigotry and this is just another instance of it. I can not and will not use the Bible to preach intolerance. It is the exact opposite of what Jesus teaches. 


And believe it or not, not all people believe in the Bible. There are more religions in this world than I can count. Why then, should everyone be forced to follow the same book? It's not practical, especially if you think the Bible is a work of fiction, or just a neat story. 


The hard truth is that Christianity is not the only way to God. I do not need to be part of an organized religion to have a relationship with God and Jesus. He's a pretty good friend of mine. I pray to Him, I talk to Him, I sing to songs on K-Love. I stand with Jesus every day of my life. I don't judge because he does that. I don't preach because he does that. It is not up to me to tell people how they should live their lives. It's not my duty to point my finger at people who might not be living the way I might like them to live. It is none of my business. What people do is between them and their God. I am no judge.


If God wants to send all gay people to hell, he will. But I'm pretty sure he won't. I don't think gay people fall into the same category as Hitler, serial killers, child molesters, and terrorists. And if they do fall into the same category, it's certainly not up to me to point my finger and tell them they are going to hell. 


Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership- or perceived membership-in a certain group or category. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that  are available to other groups. And that has absolutely nothing to do with "The Bible". It is a question of fair and equal access to legal protections and legal rights all law abiding citizens, tax paying citizens and monogamous couples in a committed relationship.


People can disagree with me if they wish and I am perfectly fine with that. I'm not going to go on a semi-literate rampage on you if our opinions clash. You are free to believe what you believe. That is the beauty of living here in the United States.