Comments for nakedpastor

Comment on spiritually displaced is not unspiritual by Cynthia McClaskey

Cynthia McClaskey — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:53:28 +0000

Excellent!! Love it!

Comment on park and drive by jonathan walliser

jonathan walliser — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:22:00 +0000

wow this really hit me in the gut. I have had a long history with Christianity and will religious people. I never fit in well at all, I was silent and rarely got involved the the discussions because it always ended up being a “im more of a christian than you” type thing and I got tired of hearing my peers fighting over imaginary crap out of the bible and it not meaning a damn thing in the real world. They all pretty much believed as their parents did and there was very little room for change. I went to church with my family pretty much all my childhood and once I was 21 and more than fed up with the church and all the friends from it, I joined the Navy and have not been to church since, and I joined 5 years ago.

I am no atheist or agnostic, but I am no christian either. My Sarah experience was at a base chapel here on base and I went to service one morning and wondered why the hell I was there, it seemed so stupid. I had already heard the hymns and I knew the bible cover to cover, I didnt need some old guy to get up there and give another lame version of it. I got even more turned off when the paster was trying to tell jokes to keep the crowd awake i guess. I couldnt wait to get back to the barracks and I never have been inside a church since, well actually I did try a bible study at the on base chapel later that week and came to the same result, I did NOT fit in at all, I didnt think like any of the other guys and I couldnt pretend like the others were doing. I however am not closed off to spirituality and the supernatural, I just have no time for brainwashed evangelical idiots

Comment on for sale by Helen

Helen — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:19:48 +0000

re: leaving the church for the three reasons above. Carol do you mean this is how the church has treated the (former) attendee, or this is the attitude of the (former) congregant? Yes, I’m all for dismantling the project – no more ‘holy General Motors’ (an apt term quoted by Wilbert Rideau).

Comment on spiritually displaced is not unspiritual by Grandmère Mimi

Grandmère Mimi — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:10:14 +0000

Excellent cartoon, Jon, and so true.

“We are all free people. Whether we’ve left the institution or remain within it. We are all free.”

We can’t be reminded enough.

Comment on guest post: Syl’s story by jonathan walliser

jonathan walliser — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:32:42 +0000

wow thank you for sharing that!sadly stories like this are all to common and its ironic to hear church leaders acting all confused why so many young people are leaving organized religion in vast numbers. I totally feel this story!

Comment on for sale by Christine

Christine — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:38:35 +0000

Carol, if we accept the church will always be centuries behind, then we accept it will cause horrible pains and injustices to linger centuries longer than they otherwise would. If we resign ourselves to this fact, we should indeed write it off and dismantle the whole project. We should have more hope than that.

Comment on are you a spiritual refugee? by Gary

Gary — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:18:15 +0000

John, it is because I have chosen love over “psychically abusive environments” that makes them very much different than me. The fact that I am horrified by such hurtful behaviors does not mean I am incapable of loving even my enemies. It simply means I am horrified by such hurtful behaviors.

Comment on are you a spiritual refugee? by John

John — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:12:15 +0000

@Gary “Like you, I am no longer in a position to be victimized by such unGodly people.”

Gary, let’s take it one step further and try to see those “other” and “Ungodly” people as really no different than ourselves.

Yes, leave psychically abusive environments, but don’t abandon love, especially for those who hurt us, and even hate us.

Comment on guest post: Syl’s story by Karen in Alaska

Karen in Alaska — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:26:22 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story. I identify with your mother, who has married a remarkable man, who is part of God’s redemption for my family.

I also identify with the experience you had with church people. I used to know people like that…it’s so very sad.

I really appreciated your perspective about Christian life. I think you are right on. I have been discovering an unfolding faith and purpose that we are here to KNOW Him, and love each other.

Again, thank you for what you wrote. I was touched.

Comment on guest post: Syl’s story by Theresa

Theresa — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:21:06 +0000

Thanks for sharing this with us. I, too, was divorced for very Biblical reasons, but that didn’t matter. In the evangelical world, divorce = shunned. All they see is the word. I am so glad you found your way out of there!