Boston University, the beautiful school that I've called home for the last two years, is situated on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Commonwealth is one of those main thoroughfares, and one of the stretches of Boston that I've walked repeatedly over the last few years. Planned Parenthood is also located on Commonwealth Avenue; right in-between the grocery store and the home of some of my best friends. I pass Planned Parenthood frequently because I both love food and love my friends. Avoiding Planned Parenthood means jumping across train tracks; an action I have done occasionally if I see particularly offensive displays of lovelessness being committed outside PP.
The other day, I chanced the sidewalk and unfortunately was met and bombarded with 2 burly gentleman who were handing out brochures outside of PP. When I chose to avoid eye contact and declined the brochure they were shoving in my face, they yelled after me "Don't you know they murder babies here everyday?". Now, I suppose I cannot be fully sure of this, but I would be willing to bet a considerable amount of money that these men align themselves with Evangelical Christianity since that is the general population that haunts the front of abortion clinics.
I will admit that my emotions in that moment were not loving. They were the opposite of loving in fact, and they involved a deep desire to turn around and experience what it feels like to take a physical swing at someone. My internal reaction to them was inappropriate to be certain, but it did cause me to consider their actions and my reactions for the better part of the past week.
I think what bothers me the most about the way that these guys were interacting is what also bothers me the most about the news regarding World Vision. World Vision this last week stated that they had spent years praying and had decided to allow the hiring of Christian employees from committed same sex relationships. They then revoked that decision after there was considerable backlash from supporters; including the pulling of sponsorship's of children that World Vision supports internationally.
I hope that Christians are thinking about this? What is standing outside of an abortion clinic screaming at people that walk past demonstrating to the world? What is pulling your donation from a child in need demonstrating to the world? What exactly is being accomplished in that?
Back to the abortion clinic...we know that babies are "being murdered" here on a daily basis. I personally hate the idea of abortions....I despise it. I'm personally pro-life...I would likely never chose abortion for myself. However, I am not given the authority to make medical decisions or moral judgment calls for other women. I am not walking in their shoes. I don't know their stories. I don't know what that pregnancy means to them. I don't know their trauma. I don't know them. I do not get to make decisions for them and MEN who are screaming on street corners and harassing them as they walk past do not get to make decisions for them either. Regardless of what your political and moral beliefs are in regards to this issue; there are people on the other end of that platform you have created. Evangelical Christians have turned their focus on the unheard voice; the voice of the unborn baby. They have become defenders of this voice, but in doing so, have turned their back on the living, breathing, struggling human being that is standing in front of them. How about pulling out that old colloquialism "What Would Jesus Do?" What Would Jesus Do Here? If you think that Jesus would be standing outside of an abortion clinic screaming at women who were making the toughest decision of their life, I think you are missing the point. You are missing who Jesus is and what grace is about.
Same goes for World Vision. First of all, I understand hiring processes. I understand that Christian organizations are allowed the discretion of discriminating on the basis of religion. I understand churches being very intentional about choosing staff and elders and maintaining certain standards for those individuals. I can stand behind that. Do I stand behind a church-based organization that is in no way spiritually shepherding people to have discriminatory hiring practices regarding sexual orientation....no. I don't. But that's my personal viewpoint and it wouldn't impact my decision to give money to the organization. They do good work regardless of whether they hire people that I believe should be hired. And again, they are allowed that discretion. Who am I to say otherwise? But to see Christians pull sponsorship's of children because the organization made a decision to alter that hiring criteria is disturbing. It demonstrates again a skewed understanding of what really matters here. It demonstrates again that so many people are actively missing the point.
I loved this quote by Rachel Held Evans who has an incredible blog and she captures it perfectly...
"Simply swapping out sponsored children as one would trade in an old car reveals the fact that your sponsorship isn't really about the child and the community your sponsorship helps; it's about you. It's about feeling good about the face on the refrigerator, regardless of whose face it is."
To me, this captures perfectly the true inattention that is being paid to the way that Evangelical Christians invest their time, energy, money and relationships to impact this world for the Kingdom. Shaming abortion seekers on the street, spreading hate messages about LGBTQ folks, and revoking sponsorships for kids because you disagree with an organization's hiring practices. I don't know if some Christians have missed the memo but Jesus actually really loves that girl that just gave up her baby. He actually really loves her as much as the baby that was lost. He wants to see her life redeemed. He wants her to be surrounded by love and he wants to stop the cycle of shit that has brought her there in the first place. Jesus actually really loves LGBTQ folks too. He actually loves them just as much as any of us. Seriously. Equally. And Jesus really loves those kiddos that Christians decided to quit loving on because they couldn't put aside their pride and do the right thing.
I'm frustrated. I'm really sad today and I'm losing hope that real change will ever be seen in the church. I'm losing hope that the Christian church will ever truly embrace the Gospel and push aside politics and platforms. I'm losing hope that those precious people we interact with on a daily basis are ever going to want to understand who Jesus is. Evangelical Christians are actively dissuading people from Jesus. Until that truly sinks in and until change happens, my hope will dwindle.
