I have struggled with my religious views my entire life. As a confused teenager I struggled with the things I was taught as a child. As a young adult I began searching for a church for our young and growing family. I wanted my children to grow up with a positive message about the love of Jesus, rather than the image of a wrathful God. We found a beautiful and large church that taught a message of love and hope and they loved on our children every week. I believed our children were growing and thriving, I did not know that the church was teaching a message that was harmful for one of our children.
Learning that one of my children was not thriving and that the message he heard was potentially very harmful for him, I again questioned my religious beliefs. For the past several years, I have searched and studied. There are few churches who support me and my family and the things I hear often make me cringe.
I believe Jesus taught a message of love and acceptance. He was gentle, humble, and taught rather than punished. He showed us through his actions who he was. He didn't tell us- he SHOWED us.
I do not want to debate politics- our country has some things to work through in this arena and no side is immune to pushing agendas that do not serve the majority.
BUT when we start comparing a political figure to Jesus or basing an entire campaign on religious beliefs, not only have we crossed the line between church and state, we have forgotten that our nation was built on religious freedom and that not all of our neighbors have the same Christian beliefs.
As if this is not bad enough, we have a party who now seems to believe that their candidate is the likeness of Jesus. His history tells another story, but somehow Christians are willing to overlook his many misdeeds over and over again.
The man they speak of has no likeness to the Christ I was taught about. In fact, I'm not sure he has ever even declared to be religious in ANY way. I know he carried a Bible down the street for a photo opportunity and he does sell bibles with the US flag on them- but these things do not merely make a person the likeness of Jesus.
Let's stop pretending religion has anything to do with this political choice. Just stop. We wonder why people are turning away from Christianity and it really shouldn't be that difficult to understand. Christians who preach one thing and demonstrate the very opposite are not fooling anyone, but they ARE leading many to leave the church altogether and frankly- they may lead many to leave this party as well.
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