Embodied Faith

I've learned that claiming a faith means a lot less than how you treat people.

I grew up spiritual but not religious, and as an adult, after a tragedy where 3 of my friends were killed, I came into the Christian faith. I sensed pretty early on that things were off in the church world because people's attitudes were often so unaligned with the basic teachings of Jesus, but I thought I could change it from the inside. I came to realize that changing an institution from the inside is like trying to change an abusive partner: it doesn't work.

Untangling genuine Christian faith from Western Christianity was painful but also liberating. The biggest thing that I have taken away is how loving God is and how unloving many people who call themselves Christians can be. I still have Christian faith (the faith of people like Desmond Tutu, MLK Jr., Rosa Parks, Jimmy Carter, Mother Teresa, Pope Francis), but I don't think it matters what I call myself. What people see in me is most important. Do they see a kind person who loves their neighbor, stands up to bullies, and wants the best for everybody? I hope so, even if that means that non-empathetic people call me 'woke.' Who you think you are doesn't mean much in this world; however, who you are, your actions, your practices, and your basic treatment towards humanity, particularly the vulnerable and the oppressed of this world, mean everything.