Stoning the Least of These

I'm heartbroken over World Vision's reversal of their decision today.  Once again hatred, fear, and "being right" won out over loving as Christ loves and caring for the poor, the needy, the downtrodden, the least of us.  Once again the Church picked up her stones and hurled them at those they do not understand.

This is not love.  We are called and purposed to be people who love.  Love is kind and this, this is not kind.  It is not kind to deem people as other-than with a different set of rules for them.  It is them vs us all over again and my heart weeps.

I am no scholar, no theologian. I can't and won't debate the nuances of Scripture.  All I see are people, broken, hurting, stoned by the Church people.  People who have been told they are wrong and evil.  I relate not over sexual orientation, but over those messages that who I am is evil and wrong.

My father believed that Scripture said it was his God given duty and right to break my will, to break my rebellious independent spirit.  He did so with every tool at his disposal.  He could point to chapter and verse and there were many that agreed with him.

Scripture is not meant to be used as a weapon against each other.  It is the Sword of the SPIRIT, not to be used against man, but against powers of the unseen world.  Today, yet again, it was used against people.  Some days it is nearly impossible for me to love the Church.  We are fractured, bickering, worse than the Israelites in the Old Testament.  How do I love those who pick up stones and hurl them?  The only way that I know how is to see the times that not only have I been the one stoned, but I was the one doing the stoning to others.  God forgive me.  Lord have mercy.