the persecuted

(per·se·cute) To oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or beliefs.

Many times I sat in a room full of people and listened to the speaker explain why we as a church should ostracize certain individuals. Individuals who either had different views or beliefs or whose actions “reeked" of rebellion. Many times did we hear that these individuals were "persecuting" the church. And many times did we hear, "When you see them in the store, avoid them, God is sorting the chaff from the wheat. This church is hard to get in to, but easy to get out."

This is a far cry from the Biblical seventy times seven. I am sure that if things were handled even-headedly as well as with one of the greatest commandment of all in mind, "love your neighbor as your self," there would have been a reasonable outcome. But the church was and is content to heap persecution upon those people who “persecute,” destroying what shards of faith they still desperately cling to. This disdain from the church community left such distaste for God and the church that they effectively, "burned the wheat along with the chaff." The hateful treatment of people with unique points of view at the hands of the church has crippled many peoples' walk with God. People could have walked away like the uniquely created person they are, with out all this embarrassment. But that wasn't possible. Letting them walk away without hurling insults and holding their flaws up like trophies would have brought questions to the remaining members.

The church has no place in instructing and training people and children how to persecute or shun those who many times were right (the millstone around neck verse comes to mind). Why would you knowingly, poison the minds of children? This is how things like racism, can be instilled in the minds of children. The Bible says, "We are uniquely and wonderfully made," that includes all aspects of each of our lives. It is not the place of the leadership of the church, nor is it the church's to bring conviction and or punishment, on its members, that should be left to God. But then again, to your members you are god.