The Edge...

What I've really been doing the last, oh... 3 years or so, is hovering around the edges of the Church. After the Pope made some very hurtful comments on December 23, 2008, I decided that I no longer wanted to be associated with a religion that view people like me as "pollutants" of humanity. So, I stopped going to Church... but I've been still circling around it. Still writing postings for my old parish newsletter. Still keeping up on the news. But now... I'm starting to realize that me hovering around the edges isn't all that healthy for me.

I'm not sure if I'm waiting for the Church to change. Or maybe I'm afraid to head off on my own. Not quite sure... Yet, right now, I get the sense that it's time to stop hovering around the edges and walk away. I am walking towards something new, towards life, and love, and compassion. I'm not sure what that will look like... but I suppose that is part of the adventure of life.

For me, it always comes back to this... what would Jesus be doing if he were here today? Who would he be hanging out with? Who would he be inviting to the table? Who would he be eating with. Somehow... I don't think he'd be hanging out with all the church people.... I think he'd be hanging out with the ones that aren't welcome in church. Oh, I know... the church says "all are welcome"... but there's always a caveat... "all are welcome... as long as you live a moral life". And somehow, that doesn't seem all that hospitable to me.

We've been well trained to believe that the church is the sole path to salvation... or Christianity is... whether we like to admit it or not. That is still a strong flavour of that out there. It's a dangrous place to be... outside the boundaries of the Church. But is it? What is out here? What can be discovered outside the boundaries of organized religion? I'm willing to go and take a look...