Church Poop

Today I write about church poop because that is the nicest way I can say what I am trying to say... Lately, people have shared with me some of the ungodly things that have happened to them in church. And... of course, I have my own sad memories too.

The list of nastiness ranges from people feeling excluded or judged to those who have had things said to them that should not be put into words anywhere. Part of the problem with being mistreated in church is that it violates our expectations. One would expect to encounter  L O V E  in a church. In the Bible, we are told... others will know us (Christ followers) by our love.

Sometimes, I am ashamed to call myself a Christian. I really don't want to be associated with the hypocrisy of Christians. Sadly, there is NO way around this because Christians are human before they are anything else. If they would just remember... It's not about me! I believe some of the hurtful issues that arise in church are because people have heart problems. Their heart is sick. It isn't that they don't know the Lord, it's that they lack self-control. If it's not right in their eyes, it's not right. People get bogged down in legalism, & I think even misread God.

We are commanded to love our fellow church family & care for one another. When someone shares their church poop with me, I want to cry. I usually apologize to them for what was done to them in the name of Christ. Really? Does Christ command us to hurt fellow church members in His Name so we can have our own way? So we can prove ourselves? Feel powerful?  So we can share our Godly wisdom because we have the right interpretation.

Are we really to shun others because they don't have the right clothes, they have a disability, they are poor, they are women, they're a little odd, they have addictions, perhaps a past they'd like to forget? Maybe a person doesn't smell right, doesn't sing in tune, is troubled, has some ugly habits. It's just my opinion, but I think if we loved these people the way Jesus loved the woman at the well & Zachaeus, I believe some of their issues would slowly melt away, & our Godly love would have a healing effect. If they were truly accepted into the family of God, their lives would be forever changed.

So... what happens to the people that are the victims of church poop? Some move on. Some hang in there, never really feeling as if they belong. The saddest thing is when they turn their back on church & never darken the door again. After all, if that's what Christian are really about, who needs church? It's sad when people are treated better by their unbelieving friends than so called Christians. It's like Ghandi said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians."

Again, it's just my opinion, but it is church poop which causes others to stumble. It isn't so much breaking a legalistic rule as much as it is mistreating another human being. Being treated in a condescending manner doesn't go unnoticed, & it has repercussions. "Jesus said to his disciples, 'Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a milestone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves.'" (Luke 17:1-3)