Christians, Is This What You Really Want?
Read it and weep with me …
So, I was raised in a religious cult that preached from the pulpit that divorce was a sin, that remarriage was adultery, that sex before marriage was fornication, and that women should be in subjection to their husbands. We also didn’t wear modern clothing, no jewelry or makeup, and women were not allowed to cut their hair. We only wore a simple gray shirtwaist dress that came to the ground and buttoned at the wrist and neck. We were also pacifists; all war was sin.
The list of “don’ts” in my church far outweighed the “dos.”
Our religion was about “no,” not “yes” — sacrifice, not pleasure. No TV, only religious music, no movies, dances, bars, alcohol, and fiction books. Yeah, no fiction books. All fiction books were banned. We didn’t celebrate Christmas or Easter because they were originally pagan holidays. We couldn’t go swimming or play sports. We were taught that we were not citizens of this world but of a heavenly kingdom. We were just passing through this world, and we should render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but we must come out from among them and be separate.
In other words, we couldn’t have sinners as friends.
Now, I say all of this because I happen to know that when religious people aren’t preaching to sinners, they’re arguing with one another about which church is the true church. My dad believed all churches had lost the truth and succumbed to the pull of the modern world. Oh, the debates he would have with other preachers over whose interpretation of the scriptures was the correct interpretation. It was endless. In fact, they couldn’t gather under one roof and worship together. That’s why there were so many churches in town.
Christians couldn’t agree, so they had to build their own buildings of worship.
If you’re reading this and want the separation of church and state abolished, which interpretation of the scriptures would you want to see promoted nationally? Are you divorced and remarried? Did you take vows before God in a church to stay married until death do you part? If so, how would you feel if the national religion dictated that you must leave your second marriage because you are living in sin as an adulterer? Because if we go back to the days when divorce was a sin, there’d be a lot of professing Christians who would be in deep, dark doo-doo. Divorce has been normalized in America at long last. Everybody does it, but it used to be one of the chief sins that churches preached against.
I don’t think most people get it.
They can’t understand where this stuff can lead and how invasive religion becomes in our personal lives. The only time Christians seem to successfully unite despite their differences in beliefs is when they encounter an atheist. Then they show solidarity. Other than that, there’s a reason there’s three churches right down the street from me: the congregations can’t agree on what constitutes sin and what doesn’t.
They’re vehemently opposed to one another.
If I had a dollar for every time a believer responded to another believer with these words, “Oh, that’s not the Jesus that I serve,” I’d be able to fund my own church. How indignant Christians become when they’re told by another believer that something they are doing is a sin! They’re shocked and affronted.
There’s no way the opposing team holds any credibility in their eyes.
I fully realize that there’s varying degrees of strictness between the many denominations spread across America. It’s shocking how many different types of churches have been formed based on the interpretation of one supposed holy book. All of them, however, fervently believe that they’ve stumbled upon the truth. Below is a list of denominations. Don’t hold your breath as you read them, because you’ll pass out.
So which denomination on the above list is the right one? Better yet, which one would you like to see making all the rules for you and your family? Come on, Christians, you gotta pick one. Which one will it be? Let me guess. Would you choose your church? Of course, you would. And everybody else would vote for their own church. Do you see what I’m trying to say?
Is this what you really want?
It’s not what I want, that’s for sure, but I’m not a Christian. I wouldn’t miss any of the churches — even the most liberal on the list. There’s no way to make everyone happy. There are too many different interpretations of the scriptures and too many people who are vehemently opposed to other denominations on this list.
Personally, I’m sick of the ruckus that religion causes, and has done so throughout the ages.
I’ve been sick of the messes they create since I left the cult when I turned eighteen. We’ve never had a true division of church and state in this country — not yet. Religion has influenced our culture and laws from the beginning and continues to do so. Why do you think that once upon a time it was so difficult to get a legal divorce in America? I’ll tell you why.
Churches influenced the government.
Never mind that more and more people wanted to make divorce a moral and acceptable cultural choice. Religion stood in their way. So, people had to leave their state and go to a state where it was easier to get a divorce. All these years later, there are churches that are influencing the government once again. They’re trying to pass laws that make no fault divorce illegal. Separation of church and state is a good goal, but we’re still struggling to reach it.
Except now, we’re moving away from that democratic ideal.
I wonder where it will all end. I’m wondering when Christians will be triggered because someone somewhere wants to pass a law that limits another Christian group’s freedom. Will we deserve what we get in the end?
Humans make life so hard for one another.
I’m deeply triggered by what’s happening in this country. The religious right is tampering with my freedom and yours. I left the cult when I was 18, but sadly, it followed me into the government.
I want America to revive the idea of making the division of church and state a noble goal and then strive to reach it at last.
As an American citizen without religious beliefs, of course, I’ll feel more secure with a clear division between church and state, but in the long run, I think Christians will feel safer as well. After all, Scientology isn’t for everyone. Nor is Mormonism or Catholicism. That’s why there are so many churches to choose from — different strokes for different folks. So, Christians, if you don’t want to have some other religious group infringing upon your rights, help stop the madness.
There’s no telling where this movement will end if we refuse to unite and stop religious tyranny. I don’t want a theocracy, and neither should you.
Teresa is an author and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
