Church is supposed to be a place of comfort and healing, not a recreation of the dance studio in "Fame".
"Lift your voices up with praiiiiiise if you love the Lawd!"
Me: *crickets*
"I saiiiiiiiiiid LIFT your voices UP with PRAISE if you LOVE the LAAWWD!"
Me: *claps*
"Jesus gave his LIFE for YOU! The LEAST you can do is shout for HIM!"
Me: *sigh*
There are figures in the church (pastors especially) that make me feel pressured to behave a certain way, and if I'm not shouting, jumping, and crying, then I'm doing it wrong. My lack of enthusiasm is seen as a sign of insolence; they claim it's disrespect to Jesus Christ, but I believe they themselves are offended.
To anyone reading this who thinks I'm being hypersensitive, with all due respect, fuck you. When you get called out in front of the entire congregation - I'm talking, the music stops and the pastor points at you - for not playing along, then come see me.
For the record, I'm not mad at God for any of it. I'm mad at those who cast the first stone in a stain glass house. I'm flabbergasted by the self-importance, the nerve, the audacity! Church is supposed to be a place of comfort and healing, not a recreation of the dance studio in Fame! I came to seek refuge, not to be attacked from within.
Can I get an amen?
Written by Arielle Wallace for BGC
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