EDITORIAL: WHAT, INDEED, WOULD JESUS DO?

Today, my faith in God is strong, but my faith in my church, I’m afraid, is faltering. Just when I feel like I have a better understanding of Christianity, I’m completely blindsided by some Old Testament-scripture-quoting dogmatic individual, who calls himself a Christian, while simultaneously judging AND persecuting others, ‘in the name of God’! 

Now I know, even as Christians, we may all come from different backgrounds, varied doctrines, denominations, and beliefs. I, for instance, grew up in a Methodist church, and I attended a United Church of Christ for quite a few years. I have been exposed to many other churches in my 58 years, too. But I have to say that in all my life, in any church I’ve ever attended or visited, never have I heard any minister or message telling me that I should judge people here on Earth, decide if they are worthy, and ridicule, exclude, and persecute them if I feel so obliged! Nope. Not once. On the contrary, the basic principle or doctrine of ANY Christian church, to my way of thinking, is LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Isn’t that what we’re basically called to do? I’m asking...because I am beginning to think I must have missed something in all my years of learning. In our modern world, “we’re often asked, what would Jesus do?” While I used to think that seemed a little corny, these days, I feel like flashing a sign pretty regularly asking that very question! 

Indeed, what would Jesus have done had he witnessed the judgement and persecution of a minister that took place at my church, all without ANY of those involved EVER having met her? It doesn’t matter who she was, or even what her perceived ‘sin’ may have been. She was essentially tried, judged, sentenced, and hanged by a vigilante group through phone calls, social media, etc. Not a single one of those people knew anything about her more than they’d gleaned from a Google search and common gossip. Not one. That’s not loving one another folks, no matter how you cut it. That doesn’t even fall under respect. 

So today, I’m struggling with my membership in a church where I grew up, but where love, and even tolerance, seem to have taken a vacation; a church where the proverbial tail wags the dog, and a few misguided people dictate how things will be done. I’m very sad. I’m embarrassed. I’m disheartened. But I’m praying. And I am writing this piece to both get this off my own chest, and to share with other Christians this reminder: Love one another. That’s what it’s all about. Love one another.