LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

I am increasingly seeing my faith as others who do not share it and it’s not a pretty picture. Before I make you a bit uneasy, let me affirm my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and most importantly, my Lord. I proudly bear His name- Christian. Having said that, I do not share much of the religious rhetoric going on in America today! Let me explain.

I would prefer to see In God We Trust stay on our currency, but, it’s not a major issue for me. We did quite well before it was made our national motto in 1956. In fact, I think our nation was better in many ways prior to 1883 (slavery being an exception) when we first put the phrase on a nickel. I’d rather we LIVE IT than proclaim it.

I am for prayer in school; however, I think it should be required in the home before in public schools. Since private, personal prayers are allowed, what’s the big deal about doing it publicly? Do we go by majority rules? And if so, what do we do when Christianity is NOT in the majority (which is where it is headed- quickly).

I’d also prefer to keep the old Christmas tree just that and not rename it a holiday tree. But once again, I’m not going to condemn people to hell just because they disagree with my preferences. Therein though is the heart of my commentary. My faith is not in anything but Jesus Christ. We’re called to LOVE even our enemies, and I think those who oppose any Christian symbols on any public property would at least qualify in some aspect of being an adversary.

Conservative Christian televangelist Pat Robertson warned citizens of a Pennsylvania town who voted against intelligent design recently that “they had rejected God and could expect disaster to strike”. How do we think this looks to the world? And who do we think we are to put a death curse on someone else just because they don’t agree with our theology? It’s that binary operating system wherein one group is right and all others ar wrong. It caused the Crusades 1,000 years ago, it’s causing hell in the Mideast today, and it’s caused more than 100,000,000 people to die- in the name of God!

While I don’t agree with a lot of what Sankara Saranam believes, I have to agrre with this statement he made, “If compassion is so fundamental to organized religions, then why have religious beliefs caused so much war and violence? Leaders who represent religious authority, which by definition fosters exclusivity, a false sense of superiority, and a narrow sense of identity, are seemingly incapable of promoting peace.” There are no easy answers as my recent commentaries on diversity have shown; however, hatred, condemnation, and judgment aren’t the WAYS of the Jesus Christ I follow.”