Thursday, February 12, 2009

I Don't Understand

I've been at UNCG for almost three years now and yet some things don't change. Whenever there is a traveling preacher who gets on his imaginary or literal soap box to yell at students, my heart breaks. I creep as close as I can bear to the crowd and listen in horror as someone who purports to be a Christian yells insults, mis-construed and out-of-context Bible verses at students. Some students pass by; some intentionally provoke the man; some generally want to engage him because they think they can prove him wrong.

I watch as girls are called sluts and whores because they wear shorts. I watch as young men are told they are going to hell because they sin. I watch as students are told that they have to be PERFECT to get to Heaven. I could go in to the theology of why I believe all of those statements are wrong or out-of-context, but it's not necessary. Not for this post.

The point is that I walk away every single time with tears stinging my eyes, knowing that people are being hurt by a religion whose Savior taught that the greatest commandments were to LOVE God and LOVE others, a religion that teaches that we are not qualified to judge, that even in our messiness, our sin and our brokenness, the God of the universe loves us. I'm angry and sad and frustrated and exhausted all at once.

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