Religious Banter

I had a job to do at one of our local churches recently. As you might expect, the conversation quickly turned to religion. The pastor asked me if I was a member of a church, I was not. It seemingly struck him as odd, this affirmation...so he started the 'sales' pitch on why I should attend his church. I told him that I was pleased with the method in which my spiritual growth was being attended to. This answer did not appear to be 'good enough' to slake his curiosity. He continued to probe.

So I said: "I do not have a problem discussing this with you...I just feel that we have opposing views here, and since I am here in a professional capacity -- I do not wish to upset you." He said that he understood, and would still like to have an honest discussion about how I regard the church. I provided him with some history -- that I had at one time, been a member of the church. I went three times a week, paid my tithe, was devout in my study. Then my grandmother became ill -- so I went and cared for her during the time I would normally had been at church. I read her favorite passages to her, fixed her chicken noodle soup, that kind of thing. When the illness passed, I returned to my regular church schedule...and was met with a veiled attempt at disdain. I not only had members, but deacons and even the associate pastor tell me I was in danger of 'burning' for my loyalties 'were in the wrong place' -- even after the details of my hiatus.

So I found myself another church home, with similar judgmentalism. I kept looking for a few years before I came to the understanding that I was so caught up in seeking a church, that I was no longer seeking the lord. So I decided to focus on myself, and the path I was to walk. The pastor brought up the passage about not forsaking the church (which I fully expected) to which I responded with the passage about worshiping the church while forsaking the lord. He gave me a pleasant 'touche' -- and I continued.

I am not against the church, I said. Nor am I against attending, but I will not subject myself to those who tell you not to judge, then turn around and start judging. Not only is it hypocritical to the your declared focus, but it spreads like a cancer through those walking their inner paths around you. By this time, I had completed the work I was there to do.

The pastor thanked me for being so honest with him, and asked me for two favors. 1) He wanted to know if he could use some of what I had just told him in a sermon. 2) Would I consider joining him for a Sunday afternoon lunch. I agreed to both, and jotted down his phone number for later use. I plan to meet with him a week from this coming Sunday -- should be rather interesting I suspect.