I cannot speak for every member of my denomination any more than I can speak for everyone in my political party. What I can tell you is that we understand and follow the call to love God, love our neighbor by showing mercy, & everyone is our neighbor (Good Samaritan).

That’s my point. I appreciate the few people I know personally who identify as Christian and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ to a T. I wish they could be heard and I wish they could be seen and I wish they could lead others on that same path. But it’s just not the norm.

I think when people lead by positive example (e.g., love your neighbor), it's not as obvious - because we're not proselytizing or fear-mongering. And there IS trauma in faith communities, which can be unwittingly caused by well-meaning people, not only by intentional abusers.

There are people who enter Democratic politics that are influenced by their faith communities. I'm in a couple of progressive orgs, & many of the older activists are Jewish & had family members who lived- & died - during the Holocaust in WW2.

Also, Sen. Raphael Warnock is a Baptist minister who leads the church once led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I do hope that you are able to find & make spaces where you can feel challenged *because* you feel safe & accepted.

thank you Joyce! You speak for many of us out here ❤️

I meant to add, I can't speak for anyone else, including loved ones.

We also have loved ones who we are STILL trying to help understand that the "evangelical" version of Christianity in which many of us were raised is neither "good news" nor Christ-like. We set boundaries with family & childhood friends from church who are deaf & blind from the brainwashed lies.

If religion works for you, grand. Religion isn't needed to know the difference between right and wrong and that it's a good thing to help your neighbor.