This article hit home - Why I don't attend church.

"Christians - Here's why we're losing our religion"

I read this article on my mom's facebook and it really hit home. Marcus and I don't attend church (gasp!) and we are definitely  the minority in what Americans call the Bible Belt. I do not call myself a Christian. I believe in Christ, I have my own relationship with God and that is enough for me. I know what I believe and somehow that isn't enough for some people.

 I grew up in church, as did Marcus. From my earliest memories to my sophomore year of high school my whole life centered around my faith and the church group. I don't attend anymore for a number of reasons most of which are rooted at : Christians seem to throw the most stones. I was gossiped about, written about, and judged for my depression, which, according to "Christians" I was just not praying hard enough. Marcus and I were rejected by 2 ministers when we asked them to marry us because in one way or another we weren't "Christian enough." A very dear friend of mine drank himself to death because he knew the Church wouldn't accept him for who he was, a homosexual. He never came out to the church or his family. He simply held it in and drank until the pain was gone.

It seems very ironic to me that a Christ who is so forgiving and so full of love can have the most hateful and judgemental people as His followers. Looking back some of my most fond memories are in the church, but so are the most painful ones that instead of healing just seem to deepen over time. I can't say I won't ever become a member of a church, times are changing (thank God!) but for now, the wounds have yet to heal.