Weaponized Religion

 My mom wanted to take my 13-year-old son to church on Christmas Eve. I wasn't sure I'd be ready for that so, I asked to talk to the priest. We are Episcopalian. As my mom says, "It's Catholicism without the rules". I personally haven't been in a church for years. The last time I went, was for a Christmas Eve service with frankincense. I am allergic and it worked my asthma badly. But, for me, it's really the crowds. I struggled with crowds in tight places. 

I do pray. I am currently deciding what to do for lent. When talking to this priest my mom mentioned all the ways I used to be involved in the church. 

1. I was an acolyte. 

2. I was confirmed by a well-known episcopal bishop. 

3. I was Mary in the pageant when I was Zach's age. Although I thought everyone around that age played Mary at some point. I think it was a big deal to my mom because she was raised Catholic. 

4. I was in the junior choir (although admittedly not good at it). 

5. I did the youth group. 

I have one memory from the youth group that sticks with me. We were at a cemetery and another kid saw a grave for a one-year-old. There should never need to be a grave for a one-year-old.

The priest is an awesome gay man. Yes, the Episcopal church doesn't care if you are gay. We have female priests too and they can marry. No one cares if you take birth control either. There are so many things that make the Episcopal church awesome! That gets drowned out by the extremists weaponizing Christianity. 

When talking to the priest we also talked about Zach's confirmation. He won't qualify until sophomore year because he would be the only kid next year. I wanted to make it clear to my mom, it's his choice. He might not feel comfortable being confirmed. Thank the Evangelicals who have weaponized Christianity. 

When you use "religious freedom" as a weapon with the government to force your own views on others, it turns people off from your religion. There are a lot of people who have stopped practicing or have become Atheists thanks to the Evangelicals who influenced the court to let homophobic business owners not have to provide same-sex wedding services. Influenced the courts to not require a store selling anything Christian to cover the cost of birth control to their employees. Influence the courts to abandon the right to an abortion. There is a longer list then that but, you get it. 

By using one religion as a weapon, they take away rights for people whose religion say no such thing. Then they wonder why it's hard recruiting new followers. It makes it hard to be proud to be a Christian. Especially if you are the type of Christian that is very different then these other types of Christianity. 

This priest is an awesome guy. Zach did go on Christmas Eve. Only because the church capacity is for 200 people but only 60 show up each year. Distancing was easy. He's not interested in going back in the future. He believes in God but prefers to connect to God privately. like I do. Because it's harder to be excited about God when believers are weaponizing those beliefs to harm and control others. They say God's words while their actions are the exact opposite of his teachings.