Have you ever gone into someplace and, right away, knew you were not welcome? Yeh, me too.
It usually manifests itself as some form of hatred or unwillingness to accept others.
Sometimes it hits you between the eyes. It could be a Nazi flag on the wall, an autographed copy of Donald Trump, or a sticker with a racial slur on the counter. These are pretty obvious and usually you can do an about face and get the heck out of there in a hurry.
But the ones that are a lot more subtle are the ones that can get you the worst. They are the ones where there is no outward exhibit of you being unwelcome. In fact, the opposite will be expressed and exhibited. It is only after you are inside that you find out that you are really not welcome and are secretly probably hated.
What am I talking about? I am referring to being a Liberal in pretty much any Church in America.
Now I can, and probably will, argue that my interpretation of the Bible manifests itself as a religion supporting a Liberal point of view and that a Conservative point of view is the antithesis of religious teachings. But that is not the point here.
The point here is that, in America, most Christian Churches have become bastions of Conservative thinking and politics. To the extent that they do not broach any disagreement with their way of thinking. Ministers have become unwilling to preach sermons on subjects that can be construed as critical of Conservative politicians even though they are standard religious admonishments.
Liberal-minded individuals either have left the Church or, like myself, do not attend.
Take myself. I have a pretty extensive library of religious teachings. I am very interested in Christian teachings and Christian history. I do not necessarily agree with the teachings of a given Church at times because I do understand and differentiate between the teachings of man (aka, the Church) and the teachings of God (aka, the Bible). And when there is a conflict, I choose the Bible. Also, if it is just the Churches, I decide.
Be that as it may. Because I am not a Conservative and am open about it, I am really not that welcome in Church. Oh, I am welcome if I attend and keep my mouth shut and give tithe. But to participate; not so much. Have I been told so. No, but as I said above: Have you ever gone into someplace and, right away, knew you were not welcome? Yeh, me too.
So the next time a Church is wondering why their attendance is dwindling despite so many people self-identifying as Christian; instead of looking outward, they might look inward.
