I like to avoid commenting on religion, because I respect your right to think differently to me. I don’t want to trample on your sensibilities by disparaging your belief system. This is a blog about my life, my writing, other people’s writing, books and things like that. If you want to worship the Great Pumpkin – even if I think you’re totally misled and doomed to an eternity of disappointment because of it – that’s entirely up to you. It’s a matter of respect: I respect your right to be wrong and I hope you will respect mine.
I make no bones about my faith and am usually unashamed of being a Christian. However, lately, on occasions, I find myself whispering that fact rather than boldly pronouncing it to the world. There’s so much miserable, weird and ridiculous garbage proclaimed and done under the banner “Christian” that I’m more than embarrassed, I’m mortified. I don’t understand how people can claim they follow Jesus and think that he’ll be pleased with their hateful behaviour. In America, the land of the free, the “one nation under God”, a Christian pastor recently said that gay people should be put in an enclosure, surrounded by an electric fence and then be left to “die out”. What the hell? (There are also people who think I can’t be a believer if I say, “hell”.) In that same country we find Christians holding up signs that say, “God hates fags”. No, he doesn’t. He loves them. He said we should love our neighbours as ourselves. He even said we should love our enemies. In fact, he expects me to find a way to love those hateful dingbats, too. I’m working on it, but I reckon I’ll need divine help to do it. Right now I just want to smack them.
I don’t want to get into an argument about what is or isn’t a sin. I don’t want to debate who is or who isn’t going to get into heaven. That’s God’s business. I’m not saying that everything’s acceptable and it doesn’t matter how we behave. But, I do think that if it’s a choice between the gay person who is being victimized and the “righteous” person doing the victimization, the good Lord is going to be on the victim’s side.
Well, I’ve broken my cardinal rule: avoid religion and politics. But, then again, I’ve never been a big fan of religion. I’m not keen on rules and regulations designed to organise my life in a way which will conform it with what other people think will please God, but which really just makes them feel secure in their own righteousness. I am a huge fan of Jesus.
If, dear follower of the Great Pumpkin, I have offended you by this little post, I’m sorry. If you want to start Christian-bashing as a result of what I’ve written I beg you, in the name of Love, please don’t. There’s already enough hatred in this world. After all, it’s not just Christians who can be judgemental, self-righteous and just plain nasty. Sadly, it’s part of the human condition.
Christians, if you think I’ve wandered off the straight and narrow, please pray for me but love me anyway. Then, if you’re entirely without sin, go ahead and cast the first stone. I won’t promise not to duck. 🙂
Wendy, I am sooooo glad you wrote this post.
Thank goodness – I was starting to wonder if I was only one who was beginning to feel like hiding my Christian title under a safe little rock where it will be…safe…
I…I almost want to rename my…er…belief system – because I too have ended up whispering the word instead of happily proclaiming it due to the bad press that happens when…these…weird…people start saying crazy, crazy, crazy things.
At least sometimes I can come out from under my safe rock 😀
I assume, Kylie, that when you do come out from under that rock, that it won’t be thrown at Wendy! All others, however, better watch out!
Me? In my current sick state I can barely lift a rock to throw it, Trevor…
Besides, why would I want to throw it at scary people. They’d throw bigger ones back at me. I much rather like hiding, its safer.
Don’t stay hidden, Kylie. I reckon it’s time we got out there and started spreading the love and joy.
Hey Wendy – we need more people like you to speak out the truth – no matter much it may hurt/offend/upset/rile – and to do it in love like you have. Thanks. Exactly what I’ve been thinking for ages.
Thank you, Trevor. I know I’m not a lone voice, but sometimes it can feel that way.
dear wendy, I am not very good at this facebook thing so I ho-pe you will receive this. you are very brave to write your blog, I think ithat there are more people than you think that agree with you! I believe when CHrist told us to love everyone, he meant everyone. He died for everyone, he didn’t differentuate-neither should we. imay not approve of what they do, but i should love and accept with the love of Christ. I believe the “church” has a very bad name at the moment.It is up to each one of us Christians to live as God would have us live, to show love and acceptance and not be judgemental. love valerie
Thank you, Valerie. As you can see your comment arrived safely.
I’m delighted that others think the same way and I hope we can all be a positive influence in our world. I do think it’s a great shame that I have to be nervous about how my thoughts are received, and that I’m considered “brave” for voicing them. We still have a long way to go.
If I hadn’t lost my voice I would be loudly cheering and saying well said that lady!!!! I am quietly cheering madly on the inside.
Who are we to throw the first stone and quite honestly I think my aim would be off and I would hit one of those down south mad placard waiving loose cannons in the head- they call themselves Christian. You and I both will be in God’s waiting room as he debates over our straying Wendy
I’ll be glad of the company, Dee. 🙂
A great blog, Wendy. There are many sins that humans commit and we may not approve of any of them. BUT in God’s eyes sin is sin, there is no degree of sin in His eyes so my sin is in the same criteria as any other persons sin. So we’ll all be standing in the waiting room together, I guess!
Thanks, Pamela. 🙂
Great thoughts as usual, Wendy. There are those who are professing to be sheep of the flock who are actually wolves. You have,written this with respect for others, which is more than I can say about some of those “loose cannons”.
Cheers, Michael. I think that in spots I wasn’t as respectful as I could have been, but I’m trying. 🙂
This is a serious problem today. Those who most loudly and visibly proclaim their own Christianity very often bring it into disrepute by their words and actions. Very few represent traditional Christian beliefs (or even seem to understand them). This is critical because today in society there is widespread ignorance about Christian things. So those who speak loudest are heard as being representative.
Words get sucked dry and need to be discarded. I am sometimes happy in a light hearted way, but I can’t tell people I’m gay. Words like Christian, evangelical, fundamentalist and so on have become so loaded as to be unusable. My particular annoyance is “believer”. This focusses on the act of “believing”, usually seen as an irrational and closed minded stance. In fact, everyone is a “believer” in something.
Thanks, once more, for your comments, Ken. It’s high time we found words that are still usable, to speak to our world in ways it will understand, to shine some light on the subject.
Hi Wendy, just read your blog. Was great!! Thankfully don’t believe in the great pumpkin! Your blog was well said! I am so glad God luvs us ALL! Our Father is a gracious God and ask us to be gracious and merciful! Keep on with your Blogs – you do good!!
Blessings!!
How kind, Vicki! Glad you appreciated it and thank you for the encouragement. I’m sure you spread mercy and grace into your world every day. 🙂