When I was young our family attended a Baptist Church. The majority of people I knew were Baptist. Most Baptists were good people. However, I wasn’t totally certain because at times, our pastor mentioned those who went to First Baptist Church in a way that made me question that. Maybe “those Baptist” were not totally legitimate. Then I made some friends that were from First Baptist. They were alright. Several far better Christians than I was.
Later there was a strong bias against Catholics. They went to church, prayed and read the Bible But……… there were a lot of questions about them. Then while I was a pastor in New Iberia I got to know several priests very well. Although we used different terminology to describe it, what had happened in their heart was very similar to my experience of Jesus.
There was a time when Divorced People were very much second class Christians in our Churches. They were divorced! A stain that remained a lifetime. There were certain leadership positions they could no longer hold. I even heard that in some congregations a person with the stain of Divorce could no longer serve on the music team. But a lot of divorced people I knew were not bad, just deeply hurt needing the very love and acceptance they were denied by their church family.
Then the Muslims came on the scene. They were enemies of our faith. I heard people talk about them as if they were the devil incarnate. Then I got to know a number of Muslims. Our belief systems were very different. What we believed about God and Jesus were very different. But we became friends. They were not the devil incarnate. Often they were good people, struggling with life and faith. They just didn’t see Jesus as I saw him. Don’t get me wrong. That is a major difference but it doesn’t demonize them any more than your neighbor who never goes to church.
Currently, it seems to focus on the LGBT community. They are evil. They are out to subvert our nation’s values. They seduce our children. They go to the wrong bathroom. They are children of hell.
Then on a mission trip with participants from several churches, I discovered that one of the nicest guys on the trip had at one time lived as a woman. It blew my mind. This guy exhibited the Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit. He was faithful in his devotions. A servant attitude. Fun to be around and a pleasure to have insightful Spiritual discussions with. I count him as a good fellow Follower of Jesus.
I guess what I am trying to say is that all my life religious people have led me, often in the name of religion, to demonize others. However, when I got to know individuals from these groups they were not the evil people that I thought they were. Often they were good people who had different world views than I had. Lived by different values than I lived by and who were caught up in sin (a different set than mine) just as I am.
Many I count as friends not demons. I guess we all need more of Jesus. So I stand in the Brotherhood of Those Who Need Jesus. Some of whom, as of yet, have not yet recognized their need for Jesus.
PS I know I have lumped these together. Many individuals of these groups may be bad and evil. But at one point in my life, I have seen each one as a faceless person incorporating all the evil. Are there Fundamentalist Muslims that wish only death and destruction on me as a western Christian? YES. But I have also heard Christians say that that the way to end Terrorism would be to Nuke the whole Middle East. Just turn it into a sea of glass. Not much difference is there?
If I remember correctly Hitler’s solution to the LGBT community was to put them all in the concentration camps along with others who were different and didn’t come up to his standards.
Again lump me in with the Brotherhood of “Those Who Need Jesus”. Maybe we will find Him together.