You Might Be A Cult Leader If:

   We had been in beautiful downtown Newton for May fest and after facing the Bible beaters who pandered only to children, I was done. We were not capable of walking around the square because a group was handing out suckers that said, "Don't be a sucker for Satan."  Granted, if you were under 10 you probably read it as Santa..but still. That's another blog entirely. So we were making our way around the petting zoo to escape town when a fellow stopped in front of us. He just wanted a minute of our time. He had seen us around and lived next door to a friend of ours,  and he just wanted to give us his card and tell us where his church was. Let me try to make this as short and sweet as possible. I didn't raise my voice. I didn't tell him he was wrong. I merely stated some facts as I know them...which fell on deaf ears. So, let me try again, in this venue. ( I will elaborate here. and get really personal)

    If you don't know your neighbors name....you're the problem, not their religious beliefs or set of non-beliefs. Your g-d would know my name. He doesn't refer to me as "that lady with all the kids". If you don't introduce yourself then it's not personal.

    When you start each sentence with, "I don't know you or care what you believe..", you have already made your point. There is no reason to continue. You have said EVERYTHING I need to hear in that sentence.

      Your church makes it a habit of saying "We're right and look at those poor souls on the outside." Sometimes the poorest souls are on the inside. Teaching that you are right because you showed up to sit on a pew...? No, there is no such thing as right. There is only opportunity for growth.

      When I tell you that I expect the church to be a place of intellectual conversation and you look at me funny, I got all the info on you that I need. If you can't have a discussion about your community in the Sunday school room, then you're not serving your community. If you can't talk about clean air or clean water...how are you saving souls if people are living in poverty? For too long science and education have been parked at the door of the church. Reason and logic have been left out of the church. Jesus was reasonable. Jesus was logical. Embracing science as a part of religion needs to start happening if you're going to keep kids interested, because keeping them away from facts in order to add their soul to your roster isn't honest nor will it be validated when it's time for your judgement. When your kids ask you how something works and you say"It's not for us to know.." Just wait. One day they will tell you how it works because they asked somebody intelligent. How about you be that intelligent someone and google it for them. They may respect you more. The "we don't question" portion of this program was closed the day that man went to the moon. Why don't you join the rest of us who don't keep G-d locked in a box or a book.

         You want to quote a verse,but you don't  know the context and history. If you've never opened a book to understand the politics of the region or you've never watched a King James documentary...how about stop quoting stuff that you don't fully know the impact of. There are plenty of verses to discount the one you just threw out. It's called contradictions based on region and politics, as well as passage of time. It happens all the time in the Bible. It's because the Bible was written by many people from different perspectives. ....you don't get that either, never mind.

    You act as if you might incite violence and yelling when told I disagree with you.

   

         Ask me if I've read the Bible one. more. time. I dare you.


WHAT WE DO:

   We, as a family, do not get our "community" from a church. We get our community from the community. The people we live next door to, the people we see on the street, they are our community. We get our community from the baseball field and the school playground. We do not need to go to church for the free meals or free child care or free movie nights or free vacations. We aren't those types. And if that is your selling point: then sorry.

    When I tell you that I have grown up in church and spent 15 years there willingly...you best not discount that. Just because I don't go to your church doesn't mean I am a heathen. Maybe it just means I've heard about your church and it scares me. Maybe it means that you don't live a lifestyle that I respect and don't want to be with you in your segregated heaven. Maybe I just don't want to drive that far. I don't drive.


      We raise our kids to believe that love is an action not an attitude. If you cannot be there with me in my darkest hour, then please do not hug me at church and tell me how valuable I am. As a friend, which you are called to be first, you need to know names, needs, and whereabouts.

    We respect people When someone tells you they are an atheist that is not an invitation to convert them or argue with them. We respect the years they have spent educating themselves and drawing their own conclusions. When someone tells you that they are Hindu it is not an invitation to introduce them to Jesus. We respect that the Gita came before the Bible and that they are capable adults who have a culture and can choose their own religion.


Dear street preacher who only has my best interest in mind,
    Carrying bitterness in your heart for people who don't live like you is a great way to get those church doors to close. Good job, dude...oh, and your kids....I will be able to hear the rebellion from here. I look forward to the fireworks. The phrase you reap what you sow...you are sowing some serious trouble where those kids are concerned. Keep denying them community, friendship and sports and girlfriends. And that is why I was chosen by you that day. I have daughters. Sucks to be you, dude. You aren't getting my daughters.