When I tell people about my religious background, I tell them that my dad was an Atheist, my mom was a ticked off Catholic, and I became a United Methodist (UMC) because I could walk there with my neighbors. I lived in an area with a large Jewish population, attended a Quaker college, and married a devout Catholic. I attended two UMC and one Franciscan institutions of higher learning and am now United Church of Christ. My experience and commitment to reason have led me to be involved with interfaith and ecumenical connections, and I don’t think only Christians go to heaven. This is not an idea that I have come to lightly; it is something I have thought, prayed, and struggled over for many years. But I have always known it to be true.
This thinking has put me at odds with most Christians. At least, those who are willing to express an opinion, or even think about it. I have come to be more comfortable spending time with Jews and Muslims than 80% of the Christians I meet, and that is just my current reality. Too many people who say they are followers of Jesus are really more in love with judging others than loving them. Their sense of spiritual superiority makes them believe that their theology should be in charge of all others, no matter what the Constitution says. They vote for politicians who promise to choose Supreme Court Justices and push laws that will give Christians – at least, their type of Christian – more rights than others. They attend churches where preachers tell them who to hate, not really understanding that Jesus Himself would fall into that category. In fact, they rarely hear what Jesus has to say because their worship and Bible studies are focused on messages of anger and retribution and destruction rather than love, compassion, and inclusion.
I keep two files of letters, cards, and articles. One file is filled with kind words and remembrances about our church’s ministry and the other is filled with hate mail. All of the hate mail comes from self-described Christians who, I guess, have cured all the ills of society and have decided to attack people like me and the congregations we serve and attend. I have even been publicly ignored by pastors of churches that find my congregation’s commitment to inclusion repugnant. So much time and effort spent on stamping out what they believe is heresy rather than feeding and housing and loving people in need. All they need to do is read Matthew 25 to see that they are on the wrong path, but that would mean engaging with Jesus in a meaningful way. I guess for them, love is harder than hate. What a waste of time and energy.
So, I will continue to cherish and surround myself with people of all faith traditions who put God’s needs before their own bias. I will continue to try to get better at being faithful, knowing that we all have a long way to go. I will continue to be a cheerleader for congregations that welcome rather than exclude; and if you are looking for one, they are out there. And I will continue to tell people that God’s opinion matters more than theirs does, and I would rather be guilty of spending time with sinners than pointing out their failings. Because I am one of them, and so are you. After all, that is a Jesus-thing to do. And, as my experience and reason have told me, a person doesn’t have to believe that Jesus is the Messiah or Son of God or the Incarnation of God to be loved by God or others. What we do matters way more than what we say. That is also a God-thing.
Prayer – Holy God of all, thank You for Your inclusion of every flavor of faith that is good and just and loving. Heal our disunity and bring us closer to who You want us to be. Amen.
Today’s art “Unity” by Monica Stewart.