"There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love."

The title of this is from Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". I was particularly struck by this line when I first read it, and it still sticks with me to this day. In context, the line is about The Church. This is why it struck me, but in a good way.


"In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.

There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators."' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust."

That wasn't the only section in the letter that moved me, but it's the one I wish to share the most. That section pretty much states my feelings exactly. I love being a Follower of Christ. I love sharing my story. But one thing I don't love is when people shove the wrong ideas about Christian Spirituality down the throats of unwilling listeners. Now, I'm not saying that my idea of Christian Spirituality is right and theirs is wrong, but I am saying that preaching the Word out of context so that it forms to what you want it to say is wrong. 

I've heard "Christians" say that God is a God that hates. I've seen "Christians" holding up signs that say (Pardon this next phrase. I do not share this opinion and I think the use of the final word is completely uncalled for and downright cruel) "God hates Fags". 

God cannot and does not hate. How many times in the Bible does God's Mercy, Grace, Love, etc. come up? Seriously. God does not like when people sin, yes. God isn't too pleased when people do not believe in Him, yes. God punishes, yes. But none of this is out of hate. Every single bit of it is out of love. 

God does not place temptation upon us, Satan does. God doesn't like when we give in, but He loves us anyways. He sent His son so that we may live through Him. God made it so that we wouldn't have to pay the price for our sins: our lives. God enabled us to grow through the mistakes that we make. We fail, He shows us a lesson amongst out failure. God loves those who do not believe in Him because they are also His children. God punishes us so that we can, again, learn from our mistakes and be better off for it. In reality, God is reluctant to punish. He wants us to realize our own mistakes and atone for them.

A lot of people may cringe at this next part, but it needs to be said.

Homosexuality is not an excuse for earthly persecution. We can't pursue those who are homosexual because we have no right to judge them. If they choose to live that way, fine. It's their life, their fate. Not ours. Is a man who rapes a woman more Holy than a homosexual because he is straight? No. Is a woman who molests a male child more Holy than a homosexual because she is heterosexual? No. Frankly, I am disappointed by those who choose to make signs saying "God hates Fags". A - The term Faggot is extremely crude and immature. B - Again, God does not hate. C - We cannot persecute those who sin when we sin as well. Maybe not in the same way, but it's still sin. 

Those of a different faith do not want yours shoved down their throats. Now, I am all for evangelizing. However, there is a difference between spreading the Word with honorable intentions and spreading the Word just for the sake of making someone believe the way you do. Don't openly condemn someone to Hell just because they don't believe exactly the way you do. Newsflash: NOBODY believes the exact same things you do. Every person is unique. So if you have the mindset that everyone who doesn't believe the way you do is going to Hell, then technically everybody is going to Hell. Including you, because you don't believe the same way as anyone else either. 

Honestly, I get so fed up with people coming to my door, spreading messages from "God". If I want a message from God, I'll consort the Word in CONTEXT, thanks. I guarantee you that even as a Follower of Christ, I get just as impatient with "Christians" as Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and Atheists do. I don't even like the term "Christianity" anymore, because it seems to be a word filled with conformity, condemnation, and pretty much everything except Christ. I also dislike the word "religion", because these days, religion appears to have nothing to do with Faith. I practice, in the words of Donald Miller, Non-religious beliefs of Christian Spirituality. That's not exactly what he said, but it wouldn't make sense in context if I said it verbatim.

Every person is a child of God. Be they of a different faith, race, background, etc. It doesn't matter. God loves them, why can't we love them as well? Because we're human? That's not a good enough excuse. There is no excuse.

I have friends who are Wiccan, Gay, Hindu, Muslim, Agnostic, Atheist, Bi-Sexual, Scientologist, and Darwinist, and I love them just as I do my Christian friends. Every person has the potential to do this, and there are several who do, but it seems like people are too stubborn and intolerant to open their minds to unconditional love.

This is why I am so frustrated with the Church. I love the Church so much, but I get so mad sometimes. As Followers of Christ, we're supposed to really FOLLOW Christ. Not just believe in Him. Christ loved and loves every single person. Yet, I still see "Christians" parading around messages that God hates all who are not like them. The irony is that the Bible speaks out saying that we can't judge others because then we judge ourselves. 

So based on the aforementioned logic, God would hate them too. If God hated every human in existence, why would He have created us in the first place? And even if He still created us, why wouldn't He just kill us all? He could. He definitely has the power. But He hasn't. Now, that's what I call some serious unconditional love.

I guarantee that I believe differently than you do. I'm not trying to shove my beliefs down your throat, and if it seems that way, I sincerely apologize. I do not expect you to believe the way I do. I want to share my thoughts in a deferential way.

Martin Luther King was right. I am disappointed in the Church and the Church's Christians, but I love them. I love them deeply. 

This blog is dedicated to Alison McDuffee, who introduced me to the letter. She has no idea how much I learned from it :) So thank you, Mrs. McDuffee.

I love you all, and I really mean that :) If anyone ever needs a friend, an accountability buddy, or prayer, you can e-mail me at janie_sanford0902@yahoo.com. I would really appreciate it if you didn't spam me though haha.