A Sad Journey

It started innocently enough. A few oped pieces and cartoons that I admittedly found humorous even though they disagreed with my political ideology. And, of course, the flood of Facebook memes.

I knew being a political progressive in an evangelical church would be challenging. But, I would not sacrifice the sound doctrine, and besides, I felt that with a little perspective, there would be a change, where people realized that they don't need to abandon their faith to support programs to help the poor out of poverty, a living wage, universal healthcare, those kinds of things.

I could live with that. After all, we can disagree on some things. Still, it was an uphill battle.

The tipping point came when a man named Donald Trump entered the picture. Most people in the churches made it clear in 2012 that they no longer wanted a Christian candidate, but this was ridiculous. Thrice married, no political experience, his foreign policy experience comes from "Meet the Press". And his much touted business acumen includes a string of bankrutpcies.

He called Mexicans rapists and thieves. People roared. He said wages were too high, to thunderous applause. But when two people in California went on a shooting rampage, everything changed.

Suddenly, in the wake of that, it was no longer expedient to be silent. As Trump's fanbase insisted on a war on refugees, a war on Islam, the voices coming out seemed hauntingly familiar. And rather than decry this hate from the pulpit, the conservative church condoned it, and in some cases, encouraged it.

It became clear that the time to separate is now. The time for tolerating dissenting opinions ends when real threats are waged against people. The time for unity ends when The Great Commission and the Great Commandment are no longer relevant, but rather the Almighty Dollar becomes king. When Mammon is worshipped rather than God.

I would rather it not come to this end. I would rather have a home to worship. But until the Church regains its sanity, I will not be there. Until we serve unapologetically, unceasingly, and unwaveringly without fear, I will worship in my own way with those who believe as I do, that God's Syrian and Palestinian children are as important as His American and Israeli children.

I did not come to this position lightly, nor will I abandon it lightly. I love the Church, but I also love the children of God, and when there comes a conflict between the two, I will serve the latter.

I am still a part of the Church, still a part of the Body of Christ, just an outcast one that folks aren't going to recognize.

And I can dig it.