Often people will shout from the bleachers “Don’t talk about what you are against, talk about what you are for.” To me, this is a subtle attempt to silence anyone who would dare to speak up against their chosen beliefs or practices.
This is especially true of organized religion. When we try to advocate for those that are wounded by church and religion, they respond with gaslighting and demand to know, “well what do YOU believe?” What they hope is they will be able to expose us before we expose them.
I don’t believe it is negative energy to point out what is damaging and confining. In the past, people spoke up about slavery, women’s rights, racism, sexism, etc. Today we are questioning the institutions that promoted and allowed these injustices, namely Western Christianity.
Our goal is that people will be free from the tyranny of religion and find healing. That is what I am for, but I can’t talk about it without exposing the root cause, which I am against.
See the article I have been posting today called “Why Church Generally Doesn’t Heal Our Trauma” and our book, “Out Into the Desert: Thriving Outside Organized Religion.”
We all have a choice to make. We can allow abuses and injustices to continue, hoping they will magically go away. Or, we can address them and honestly evaluate them in light of the 21st century and the information we have.
One thing I taught my children is that the trash doesn’t take itself out and problems generally don’t get better by doing nothing. We can’t solve every problem in the world and we can’t just talk about what we are for. Sometimes we have to advocate for others and speak up for what we are against!
Be where you are,
Be who you are,
Be at peace,
Karl Forehand
Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-black-tape-on-her-lips-7699377/
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