jessbobess

This is an easy one for me and maybe it is for you too. I know that if you have spent any time on social media these last few days, you’ve been bombarded by news of the the Supreme Courts’ ruling regarding same sex marriage equality nation wide. Unless of course you’ve been living under a rock and if that’s the case….is there room for me under there?)

It seems like everyone and their uncle (especially those cranky old uncles) have been putting their two cents in on the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Obergefell vs. Hodges that passed marriage equality rights to same sex couples Nationwide.

Why do I feel the need to add my voice into the mix? I probably don’t. No, I most likely don’t. In fact, I’m still trying to talk myself out of adding to the noise.

But after much thought, I begin typing…. if only just to settle my restless heart a bit….it’s important for me as I come from a religious background where my opinion is not popular.

And just to be safe, here is where I put my personal disclaimer regarding this post:

{I should state that I am only speaking from my personal experience growing up in the church.  My personal opinions on this subject (and others) differ quite a lot from the Evangelical Christian Church’s stance and I do not want to mis-represent myself by claiming that I speak any religious or political groups, these are merely my experiences and opinions}

I come from a family of pastors, Evangelical Christian preachers, to be more specific. Both of my grandparents were pastors. My father is a prominent, well known pastor in the Chicago suburbs as are his siblings in their respective areas around the States. My father and his siblings all pastor large congregations in various parts of the United States.

AND make no mistake- I love my family with all my heart. My parents are kind, generous, thoughtful, loving people. My father and his siblings are passionate, people of faith, who together have raised millions of dollars for all types of people in need around the world. I have witnessed nothing but integrity and love from my family.  I have also witnessed the Church when it is at it’s best- fulfilling it’s true purpose, being a community, and welcoming in and being family to many hurt and lonely people.

My dad pastored his first church in North Carolina, where I was born but remember nothing of because  We moved to West Texas when I was 11 months old where my dad pastored another growing church. At the age of 12, we moved back to North Carolina where my dad pastored a church for a few years until moving to Illinois when I was 15.

All of that basically to say that…you know those people on your Facebook feed, the ones who shocked you with their angry and sometime hateful posts about the perilous state of America now that same sex couples could marry legally? Yeah,  I know those people. Some of them I know better than I wish I did. I grew up in ‘Merica, amidst confederate flags, racial tensions, and Jebus.  Shockingly, I never learned about Evolution (other than hearing that it came from the bowels of Hell) until High school. I never allowed myself to even question the sheer awesomeness of the Universe because when I did, I couldn’t reconcile it’s magnitude with the the seventh day creationism I was taught in SCIENCE CLASS.

Sorry, I am already rambling on a bit… but needless to say, I was, and am a bit of a weird one and I never fit into the preacher’s daughter mold or the preacher’s wife mold even though I tried and wanted to, for my family’s sake. My parents always tried their best to let me be and to love me for me, and I have met some of the most amazing and loving people in the Church- who loved me at my darkest and most prodigal daughter moments (Wanda Burgund).

I was always surrounded by love and that is the message I chose to take away from the church. Love. I know if I was to walk into the church today, I would leave feeling loved. I read the other day that the young man (whose name I refuse to acknowledge) who walked into the Emmanual African Methodist Episcopal Church and killed Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (54), Susie Jackson (87), Ethel Lee Lance (70), Depayne Middleton-Doctor (49), Clementa C. Pinckney (41), Tywanza Sanders (26), Daniel Simmons (74), Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45), and Myra Thompson (59), when being questioned after by the police he said he almost didn’t go through with his plan because of how nice everyone was to him while he was there. Wow.

It’s funny because as a kid I loved my WWJD bracelets, and was especially fond of my rainbow colored one, oh if only I could find that one now I would wear it with gusto. Because it is true- Jesus would love- not just love but he would be right up there shaking peoples hands at the Pride festival. In my mind he’s covered in glitter and shaking his bon-bon too but maybe thats a little bit too much of a stretch for most people. Who am I to judge someone, anyone else? I am a sinner- I am divorced, a sin. I have lied, a sin. I am guilty of gluttony and lazinessness, both sins. I have gossiped, I have been selfish and most recently I haven’t stood up for what I believe in to be right  when I know I should have because I was too scared of offending other people. Let love in, let love transform you. Hate and anger will harden your heart and destroy you slowly. And if that isn’t enough of a reason…

Let he or she that is without sin throw the first stone. So let’s all put down our rocks and use them to build something USEFUL together.

This is a place where all are welcome to voice their opinions…and you are most welcome to converse here about your own stories or opinions.., although anything hateful will be deleted. I would love to hear from you guys on this. Don’t be afraid of telling me how you feel.