(Don’t) Take me to church 

I mean to write about this a few months back, but got sidetracked.

Shortly after my mom passed away, from covid, my step dad invited me to attend the church my mom and him would go to. I saw it as me paying tribute to my mom as she loved the Lord and really liked going to that church.

Now, although I was baptized into Catholicism when I was a baby and my mom grew up Catholic the whole family pretty much moved our religious preference to Non-denominational. Which basically means we don’t prefer to be in any religion or rather denomination like Baptist, Methodist, Church of Latter Day Saints (mormons) or Catholics or any other denominations that are out there that fall under Christianity. ✝️

However, there are those that are Non-denominational that are more on the evangelical way of believing. I don’t care for evangelicalism. Why? Because they are, in my opinion, a bit more of the fanatical. They are not bad people. They are just what I see myself as they can be too extreme in their faith.

So, I don’t go to church much. Not just cause I lived in Saudi for a long time, but because I haven’t found a place that is accepting of everyone. Not in the area I live in anyway. I want to belong to a church that doesn’t care if you are a part of the LGBTQ community or an alley to them. That doesn’t care the people in their congregation are transgender. That doesn’t care that some in the congregation may even be of different nationality or even of a different religion. All they care about is loving everyone and being a place or worship who welcomes all.

And, sadly, the evangelical churches don’t seem to be about that. I would only go to the churches my mom would go to as a way of respecting her as I knew she wanted me to go to church AND to see how the people and the pastor was like. In doing so I would get a vibe, if you will, and almost always got a vibe of not good. I mean, like what they were about didn’t seem true. I can’t explain really.

Anyway, the church my mom went to before she died was not bad. But the preacher seemed to toot his own horn in talking about all HE was doing and how other churches are not out there doing the same. I didn’t like that. Glory goes to God. And it’s not supposed to be a competition. If you think churches need to do more for the communities then reach out to them. Work together for the betterment of the communities. But, hey, maybe that’s just me. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Although I wasn’t really into going to the church, again, I felt it was a way of paying tribute to my mom. So, I went.

Although I wished I hadn’t as we drove up I saw NO ONE wearing masks. The people directing the cars to go this way or that way had no masks and as we went to enter a man approached my step day and shook his hand and went to shake mine. I just gave him w fist bump. Then when we walked in I noticed NO ONE wearing a mask as well. I think I was the ONLY one that was wearing a mask. And people did look at me a bit funny. Like “she must not have faith that God is protecting her from this covid virus cause look at her not taking her mask off.”

I wanted to stand up and tell everyone: “I just lost my mom to this vicious disease because she didn’t like the mask and didn’t wear it properly. And she had more faith than the whole church combined! And if she would have wore her mask properly and not go out much she’d still be here today. Just because we are Christians and go to church does not mean we’ll be spared afflictions and trials and tribulations for in this world we are susceptible to all, as we are humans. To not keep wearing mask, even at church, is foolishness. And it puts the whole congregation at risk of getting sick. Shame on you, pastor! For you are not taking care of your flock! You are putting them in danger!”

Of course I didn’t say that. But I wanted to. And though I didn’t want to stay for the whole service, I did out of respect for my step dad. But when I left I knew I’d never go to that church again.

And I’d not go to any church that still doesn’t want to take this deadly world pandemic seriously. If that means never ever going to church, so be it. After all I don’t need to go church to have a relationship with my God. I can listen to Christian music and watch sermons online. But mostly I speak and pray to God and that is what keeps me grounded.

All that said, I pray that pastors will think more about their people and let tbeir congregation know that you can have faith and nor fear but still do things that are good for our safety, our health and that is in wearing our masks when in public…that includes church. And I have to believe there are places of worship that are doing their part to stop the spread of this virus BECAUSE it’s not gone and their are new variants of it that has states seeing a surge of covid cases rising.

Until this virus is behind us we need to keep doing our part and that involves wearing our masks, period. And if there are places that won’t keep this mandate then I’ll stay away from them. Whether that is the gas stations or restaurants or churches.

Hope you will too. Trust me when I say you don’t want to get the virus or watch someone you love die from it.

Take care until next time. 😷✌🏾❤

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