Monday 23 November 2015

Misrepresenting Jesus

In the past few weeks, I've been forcefully reminded of all the reasons I walked away from the institutional church, and I've revisited all the reasons why I no longer feel safe attending one.

I've also realised how sickened I am by the use of Jesus's name to stroke egos and build platforms, and to inflict pain and doubt and fear on those who are supposed to be family.

Too many people have been damaged and disillusioned by those who claim to represent Jesus - the one who spoke out against injustice, who defended the powerless, and who himself called out the religious leaders on their misrepresentation of God. So here's what I think:

When you chase after power and fame and numbers, you are not representing Jesus.

When you use the law to intimidate and silence others, you are not representing Jesus.

When you choose to protect your reputation by covering up heinous abuse, you are not representing Jesus.

When you try to control and 'discipline' the innocent while protecting the guilty, you are not representing Jesus.

When you build yourselves mansions in a world where poverty kills, you are not representing Jesus.

When you boast about throwing your brothers and sisters under the bus, you are not representing Jesus.

When you support the abuser and dismiss the abused, you are not representing Jesus.

When you build yourself an empire so you can play sexual power games with young women, you are not representing Jesus.

When you blame the victim instead of supporting them, you are not representing Jesus.

When you use fear and threats to control your brothers and sisters, you are not representing Jesus.

When you tear families apart and shun brothers and sisters, you are not representing Jesus.

When you shrug, offer platitudes and distance yourself from me when I tell you I'm being put through hell again, you are not representing Jesus!

And right now, it feels like Jesus is the very thinnest of threads that I'm holding onto. So I have no time for religion that fails to look anything like him at all!


4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Had a random thought today,

    "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"

    Of all the people in the world who you could take advantage of, manipulate, and abuse, it would seem especially foolish to screw with God's children.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting thought! What I struggle with is when the people doing the abusing are actually claiming to be God's children. It's even worse when they then imply that their victims are outside the family if they protest the abuse :(

      Delete
    2. When it comes right down to it, it's a poor excuse, we weren't really given any outs on the people that we can treat like garbage. Oh, so you think this person is a false believer? Love your neighbor... love your enemy...

      Delete