The Cross: A Symbol of Love or Hate?
When I was driving into Canada, I passed a giant white cross on the side of the road. It was likely erected by one of the local congregations, and soared some 50 or 60 feet into the sky. For those that built it, the cross is a symbol of their faith. For me, the cross evokes a lot of mixed feelings.
On the treadmill last night, I caught a few minutes of a CNN interview with an openly gay woman named Barbara Johnson. At her mother’s funeral, the priest denied Barbara Holy Communion. He said:
I can’t give you Communion because you live with a woman and in the eyes of the church, that is a sin.To add insult to injury, he left the altar when Barbara delivered the eulogy – and refused to attend the burial. On one of the hardest days of her life, the priest’s actions added insult to injury.
I know that the cross stands for many beautiful and compassionate teachings. But as a gay man who went through both Catholic high school and university, I’ve seen so many individuals and organizations hide behind the cross as a justification for their hate. After a while, it takes its toll on you.
When I see a cross, the teachings of love and compassion are overshadowed by the stories of people like Barbara Johnson.I am not Catholic, nor do I claim to understand everything about Catholicism. However, in my church (Church of Christ) where I am the person who passes around the communion every Sunday, I have never denied someone the right to take communion. It is their choice, and it is a choice between them and God. That being said, what struck me about this blog post is that Davey wrote that for him "the cross evokes a lot of mixed feelings." When I see a cross, it reminds me purely of the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins. Instead of having mixed feeling about the cross, about religion, or about God, I feel great sadness for those Christians who use the cross and twist the words of God to something that is negative. Christianity is a positive religion, and when Christians make it a negative religion, then they are doing just what being negative means, they are making it less. It is simple mathematics, 1 + 1 = 2, but 1 - 1 = 0, when you add negatives into the equation, you are taking something away. In my belief those who use Christianity in a negative way are taking God out of it, and thus are moving further away from God and his love.
A friend of mine recently gave me a book God vs. Gay?: The Religious Case for Equality which I am reading that presents a religious case for equality. As you all know, I have had a rough week, and I have not gotten far into God vs. Gay? but I have read a little of it each night. When I am finished with God vs. Gay? I will write more about it on this blog. So far, it is a very encouraging and affirmative look at religion.
As always, thanks for reading and thank you for your support this week. Your support and encouraging words have meant a great deal to me.
Well writen and very insightful...Thanks, especially on a Sunday Morning!! Better than what will be spoken in many pulpits I will venture to say.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. Yours and Davey's. I understand his mixed feelings. You see a cross and realize all the hatred that people who hold it up as their symbol throw at you. Yet, as you point out, it more rightfully symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus to save us from our sins.
ReplyDeleteThat priest ought to be disbarred (or whatever it is they do). If he is going to deny Barbara communion based on her sin, then he must not serve many people communion because we all sin. What a loser.
Peace <3
Jay
Joe: This communion example explains why some people retreat from organized religion. The selective application of rules to hide behind bigotry, the hypocrisy that "we are all sinners" yet only certain sins get punished -- it just seems so inconsistent and contradictory.
ReplyDeleteReligious people do a lot of good, but organized religion itself is so easily hijacked by people who think they know better, but they don't.
You on the other hand are such a positive role model for your church, it gives me hope.