An Open Letter to People I Keep hearing about

Dear... Mainstream Academia? TV Land? Generally unchurched people? I'm trying to figure out who to call these people..

I've been hearing some rumors for some time about what kind of god you think I worship. Genocidal maniac. Racist. Violent. Homophobic. Magical. Imaginary. Vengeful. Nonsensical. Just plain old wrathful... I keep hearing these rumors. Hell, I've even watched a video where a series of images (regarding Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth) was paraded before my eyes that supposedly depicted my religion. Apparently, Christianity has never passed it's Sinners in the Hands of Angry God phase. It was scary, almost cartoon like, and full of images from historic art. The message was clear: The Christian God is an asshole. If you do something he doesn't like, he's going to rain down fire on your ass and roast you like a pig. He's also a childish bully and acts like an overbearing father figure that's ready to make you pick your switch so he can whoop your ass if you break one of his rules---which you were never informed of ahead of time and that are completely arbitrary.

I have to tell you a secret. It's a big one. I was raised by lapsed Baptists. I've been an Episcopalian for 13 years. I was converted at age 11 and spent the next five years after that as a solitary practitioner of Christianity. I should know a thing or two about this god you've all been talking about. I probably should. Here's the thing though: I've never met this god you're talking about. I've heard lots of rumors about him. I've never met him. Which leads me to the most logical conclusion I can come up with: The god you're talking about? He doesn't exist. Yeah, I just said it. The wrathful sociopath you've created under the pretext of it being the god of the Hebrews is absolute bullshit. He doesn't exist. I can hear a collective sigh of relief.

They think I've gone atheist don't they? Nope. Wrong again. The God I've known since before I was born (my formal conversion to Christianity merely flipped a switch in my soul) is not an asshole. My god is a god of second chances. He's a god of third chances too. My God is not magical. He is beyond magic. My God is gentle when I'm crying and firm when I'm wandering from the path. My God is too big to fit inside the box that people have made for him. My God thinks he knows what I want and need better than I do because he actually does know better. My God hears the prayers of all people because they are all his babies. You don't have to say the magic words to get on his 'to do' list. He really does love us. All of us. No exceptions.

I haven't met this Christian Church these people keep talking about either but I'll save that topic for another night.

Les