Church Like A Gang?

This so describes how I see people treated in church if they don't tow the line, parrot the accepted values, doctrines, or practices of this particular church gang. I was once blindly part of that process, you know- guarding the doctrine and life of the church. But it was to help them come to the truth, more often it was truth according to this groups perception, including biblical AND human teachings. But all it does is push underground the real questions and issues people struggle with. Oh, we will be patient for a time, if we see 'progress' towards them accepting what we expect them to be/believe.....but the moment we see that stalling, there can be a swift response, and we always feel justified.

Anyway, conditional love about some it up, as most of us are really governed by a worldly kind of Love, not the Godly kind of love. I never realized how destructive this 'invisible', yet engraved on our hearts, kind of practice damages and marginalizes so many people. Forgive me for my stupidity. It was only when I started to ask hard questions myself, l think I might have gotten the 'no good' status, and yes it's hard to recover from this.....We don't easily let them back in, and they are usually too hurt to bother trying.

Anyway, this quote is almost a picture, a reality show, of church life.....We cry love....but we bleed little of it for those who will not mould to our vision, especially it not at a 'reasonable' pace. We have a lot of growing up to do, at least I do. Yes, there would be some churches exceptions to this, but most Christians I know would think theirs is the exception, and therefore none are really at fault. Tell me that you have rarely seen this........and I'll simply think you have your head in the sand. It's all about conformity....

"Gangs are bastions of conditional love- one false move, and you find yourself outside. Slights are remembered, errors in judgement held against you forever. If a homie doesn't step up to the plate, perform the required duty, he can be relegated to 'no good' status. This is a state which is hard to recover." (Tattoos on the Heart, G Boyle, pg94)