what we take
For quite some time because of “friends” on FB who I grew up with, choir, VBS, ‘sat in the balcony’ with who fully (still) support this regime, how? Was I not listening? Were they not listening?
I grew up in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and with parents who I know now were very independent thinkers. In my Senior year in high school, also being very involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, I questioned what I felt was a wishy washy approach to religion in that church. But my Mom, who studied and was a Theologian, who was the first person I heard the word inclusion from. In the late 80’s she worked with the region to make these churches Open and Affirming. She knew how to check me and keep me off the radical fundy train.
A break from college after high school, I went back and was able to discover and study world religions. I knew I was on this path early, but as a chronic late bloomer became a Buddhist in 2017.
Even with that, the values I still hold and believe I learned from that church and my Mom, I was listening. My “friends” weren’t. Because nothing they support has any connection or even a hint of symbolism to the teachings delivered, Sunday, Sunday night, Camp and summer VBS. Even one who is now Catholic with two gay sons who she loves and adores. Hard to understand. A couple others have issues with Trans people. One after an enraged post about the Olympic boxer last year, I asked, how someone living their best life, someone they do not know is such a threat? They unfriended and blocked me.
So I say thanks Mom & Dad and Merle. Merle was the minister at that church my entire childhood, until about my senior year in high school.