Truth With Luv

For as much as Christians claim that they want things to be "in the light"... I've sure received no small amount of flack for writing Chapter 7.

Sounds interesting... Read more!Today I had a short conversation with a long time friend about some of the happenings with my father and the whole church fiasco. He was encouraging me to be careful about painting people out to be devilish. I agreed with him that I need to be careful, but that I was just stating the facts. I didn't think that I was painting anybody to be some sort of horrible person. I certainly do NOT think that of anybody that was involved in any of it. As a matter of fact, I believe that they acted out love... they were trying to do the right thing. To this day there are times that I am overcome with sadness for the people that are still "under the fog." A couple of people I actually really miss having as friends. I've written my blog in such a way that assumes that the reader knows that I am acting, thinking, and interpretting everything in love. I assume that the folks still at NH are acting out of love also. I really do. I just think that they are wrong and confused. (Which, by the way, the probably think of me! :D) You know... it is very possible to make the wrong decision with the right intentions. And thats what I think they have done / are doing.

A relative of mine challenged me over lunch about my decision to blog all of the details of the whole ordeal... he wasn't sure it was edifying to the Church or that my blog would "make God smile." Besides the fact that I'm not too concerned with either of those at the moment given the status of my faith, I feel that even if my faith was strong, I have pretty good grounds on which to air my grievences. Is there a biblical command that abusive leadership must be preserved? In a cult like church culture, the teachings in the Bible regarding the protection of the leadership is often times lorded over the congregants to keep short comings from ever being brought out to see the light of day. Unfortunately, this enables the broken leadership to label an individual (or very small group) as the problem, dismiss them... and move on. The congregants are acting out of love, but by keeping their mouths shut to the chaos that exists, they allow it to fester and continue.

Let me clarify here and now OFFICIALLY, that I do truly love the men and women still at NH. Yes... even Mr. HeadPastor, those that continue to judge me and my family, and those that abuse their positions of authority. These people were pillars in my life... and I care for them deeply dispite the pain they produce. I don't think I have it in me to turn my heart cold to them as people.

With that said, what I have written here in my blog in Chapter 7 is true. It is, to the best of my memory, what I witnessed as we walked through a very trying and difficult season of life. Many people we love acted like real jerks during that season. Thats just the truth. It doesn't mean that they are completely idiots, or losers, or destined to hell because of it. It doesn't mean I hate them or carry bitterness towards them. It just means that they acted like jerks. Nothing more, nothing less.