Angrily I write this, a topic that infuriates me to the utmost degree because I have been a victim. This disease plagues no one race, ethnicity, gender, or action. It is an equal opportunity instigator. Its germs attend church regularly, yet sit in the back pews gossping about their fellow members, bitterly spewing their noxious hatred over the mankind they are supposed to love and respect.
A neighbor across the street from me is a petite dark-haired woman in her early thirties, mother to four children, regular church goer. She is the epitomy of everything that the dear ol'South says a lady should be. However, just this past summer she started a viscious rumor that one of her immediate neighbor's husband had been having extramarital affairs with transexual prostitutes, had contracted HIV, and had spread it to his unknowing wife and two young boys. It turns out that the rumor wasn't even true, but the harm was already done. "For Sale" signs started going up all over the neighborhood. Would a real Christian have done this? Would a real Christian have put a family, especially innocent children, up for persecution like this? I think not.
My own mother attends the same church and I must say that I do not know a more judgemental person. She says a harsh word about almost 70% of the people that she comes in contact with, be it how they are going to hell because of their sexuality or how morally wrong it was for a couple to kiss in public. She has even told me that she does not care what happens to me, that my own daughter, who is 19 months old, hates me because I work and go to school instead of staying home all day playing with her. Again I ask, is this Christianity?
On a broader spectrum, Memphis is the epitomy of moral hypocrisy. "Judge not lest ye be judged" takes a backseat to deep-rooted racial tensions. A person's skin color is condemning. The reaction to someone's sexuality is comparable to sin. When my own cousin told my uncle that he was gay, my uncle's immediate reaction was "we will take you to church" as if there was a possible cure. There is no acceptance of our differences, no unconditional love for our fellow man. For being in the "Bible Belt", I'd say we have let our waistline go.
It saddens me and angers me. As I have said before, there is no opt-out box on the Bible. Christianity is based on a forgiving and understanding God and our goal is to be as "God-like" as possible following His example. I have not been to church in almost 10 years. I do not read my Bible regularly. I can probably count the number of Bible versus I know by heart on one hand. Perhaps I do not even have a soap box to stand on. I do know how to treat others around me with kindness and consideration though. I guess everyone else just missed that lesson in Sunday school.
Lyndsey, I agree this probably happens in everyones church, and everyone is affected at one time or another. We must remember that people talked about Jesus, who did harm to no one but look how they treated him and eventually got want they wanted which was dealth (they thought). Family members are the worlds worst, I could write a book on that. Actually I wrote a poem and recited it in church one Sunday for a program. "What is a Christian do we really know? Is it sitting on the front pew and putting on a show. Or is it when you can't wait to get home to get on the phone, just to talk about what someone had on."
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother and great aunt was my inspiration. lol