Stand up to actions not faith

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 As I grow older I've become much less comfortable negatively addressing other people's theology and faith. There are different ways to worship. Different interpretations of the Bible. Different ways to follow Jesus. Shoot there are other deities that garner awe, respect, and devotion. I can't comment on conversion and conviction in a fair manner, especially if I want the same in return. Faith shouldn’t be a debate, it should be an experience. One we can share with others openly, freely, and without fear. I don't feel I can challenge the root of that faith itself. 

What I do feel more confident in doing is confronting harmful policies and actions; even if those have been informed by faith. We can look at daily actions and weigh in on those. 

I have come to find that what alarms me most are those actions that are coercive or cause harm to others. 

That's the line.

Two years ago I wrote, "We can't be surprised that humans who have diverse needs for mental and physical health might have diverse needs for their spiritual health." It's something I stand by more and more. Because, "Faith shouldn’t be a debate, it should be an experience."

We don't know what someone's spiritual experiences have been. The sources for the answers to their prayers or the scriptures they look to for inspiration. And we shouldn't make assumptions either.

How someone is baptized, what day they attend church, what their fasting or prayer looks like, that are not things that I need to be weighing in on. And frankly I shouldn't. Those expressions of faith are sacred. 

That's not something I feel I can or should weigh in. Whether you worship at a church, synagogue, temple, cathedral, or nature is up to you. 

Now what I feel we can weigh in on is what actions in the community that faith leads you to take.

If you are trying to limit the rights and freedoms of others we are going to have a problem. Your right to expression and worship is not a license of imposition or coercion. 

So I feel more and more compelled to defend others who are being oppressed even if (especially if) it is done in the name of faith, especially in the name of Christ. Calling out policy, actual legislation or government action, speaking up against or for a petition, those are getting easier an easier to do. And I feel more important. 

We have seen the ostracization of trans people. Mistreatment of immigrants. The removal of funding that was life saving. All things worthy of our attention and action. 

But there is something more nefarious. 

The name of my faith has been invoked in war. Something I struggle to see any scriptural basis for. There are calls for a Christian theocracy by the spiritual leaders of those who control our military. A theocracy that would even narrow what it means to be Christian and what would be acceptable public displays of faith. Even removing women from public roles. 

This is already having real world effects. 

I'm not going to do as some and tell people to flush, burn, or trash religious texts and commentaries. I'm not going insult faith. I'm just going to stand against the negative effects. Loudly, confidently. 

And hopefully we'll find some common ground. Some ecumenical way to live that provides the same rights to others. That won't be possible without some friction. Some conflict. But we can find ways to do that without demeaning others. Without infringing on worship. All it takes is a little more effort in our thoughts and discourse. 

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