The Reasons I do not want to remain a Christian AND The Reasons I remain a Christian

The Reasons I do not want to remain a Christian

1. The Patriarchy. Enough said. Really… Check out how strong a hold the patriarchy has on the Christian church compared to secular society. It’s pretty egregious. If  a woman wants to be a doctor, electrician, fighter pilot, principal, farmer, or senator, she can be in this country. If she wants to be a pastor, the vast majority of Christian churches in America would not welcome her leadership. She can be a Sunday school teacher, a youth worker, but not a preacher. Spare me. 
2. White Evangelicals. They spend most of their time telling everyone what's wrong with them instead of sharing love. Example: according to evangelicals, women who have abortions should be fined and arrested (along with the medical professional and even the Uber drivers who assist them), LGBTQ+ folks can be loved, but their “life style” is condemnable, and my favorite, there should be almost no social safety net for the most vulnerable in our society such as the poor, elderly, immigrants, and children, including newborn children, whose lives were so deeply valued only moments earlier, when they were fetuses. Really? How is any of this loving?
3. Biblical Literalism. Sorry. I just won’t, nor can I believe, everything written in the Bible, especially when you are smart enough to see how often the Bible contradicts itself. I’d rather interpret the Bible as spiritually as possible, and as lovingly as possible, like Jesus did. 
4. White Nationalism. The American Christian church has a long history of advocating for aggressive nationalism and white supremacy. Even today Christianity and nationalism are often bedfellows.
5. Christianity is the only true religion. Really? Maybe that worked 200 years ago when most folks only traveled 10 miles from their birth place, but you can’t tell me God doesn’t love millions of people because they connect with the creator of the universe differently. That’s just silly and backwards. God prefers a kind Buddhist (or Hindu or Muslim) to a mean Christian.

AND

The Reasons I remain a Christian

1. Jesus. Not morally superior Jesus. I am talking about the Jesus of the Gospels. I am talking about the man who spoke of liberation, welcomed children, reminded us that God numbers the hairs on our heads, flipped over tables to protest greed, healed the sick and lame, listened to people’s very anguish, fed the hungry, challenged the power of both state and religious institutions, died as a victim of state execution, and then miraculously on the third day reminded us that LOVE always wins, even as he rose with his wounds.
2. Community. The people I have journeyed with in Christian community have always shown up for me in very simple and real ways. I’ve never been “ghosted” by anyone at church. They continue to love me to God and call me to be my best self.
3. The story of love and justice told again and again in the Bible. This story is more compelling than any other story I’ve read. This story gives me hope and continues to call me into the world with love instead of bitterness and pessimism. I want to live in this story.
4. Meaning and purpose. My faith as a follower of Jesus has offered me more meaning and purpose than anything else in my life. The accumulation of wealth, diplomas, and even chickens & dogs & gardens has not given me the same grounded sense of being as following Jesus. My children and my spouse have, but only when those relationships are deeply rooted in my continuing relationship with God. When these central relationships are not, all of my broken bits emerge and dominate. My best self is faithful. My best self as partner, friend, mother, and community member is always one claimed by the story of Jesus.
5. The Holy Spirit. Every day, the Holy Spirit connects me with others, and helps me to see all the beauty in the universe, and reminds me that my society isn’t as just as it could be. I wouldn’t want to live without her. 

That’s why I’m still a Christian. Truth be told, most of the reasons I sometimes don’t want to be a Christian have to do with other churches, not the progressive Christian church. I apologize if this sounds self-righteous or triumphalist, but progressive Christianity believes in equality, science, progress, inclusion, and justice. Some really, really loud churches actively reject all those values and receive a lot of media attention for doing so. The progressive Christian church on the corner of Anawan and Stratford in West Roxbury and the "guerilla" church that meets coffee house style on Sunday nights... well, we just follow Jesus, try to love each other and the world, and work toward a better future, together. And that’s why I remain a Christian. 

---