Word aversion

We’re joining this church right? See there it is. I typed it and it’s out there and it says “church”. Queasiness.

Christianity is rough for those who didn’t drag it through the dirt on the back of bigot elephant mobiles. What we’re left with is this name and vocabulary used to describe very different things.Etymologist’s dream, practitioner’s nightmare.

The place we’re joining is UCC, open and affirming, and their motto is something about agreeing to disagree but uniting to serve. Which means we can yell at each other as long as we want just so long as we’re helping people. Which is pretty cool. But not like just charity, activism stuff. Which is weird I suppose being a Christian (there it is again, word nerves) and opposing these other people who wave around their big Cs (Christ, Church, Christian) like some sort of massive status symbol. It’s weird when we’re marching in the gay pride parade and the people on the other side say things like God (there’s another one) wants to protect heterosexual marriage or whatever. Like anybody could ever possibly know.

Heck I don’t know if what we’re doing is right. Maybe we’re reading it all wrong. But loving and accepting and helping each other and thanking whatever made us this way sure feels all good and nice.

But what you come out with is this word aversion. I’m really proud we’re becoming members next Sunday because it’s a place that does a whole lot of good and changes a whole lot of lives. But you know, it’s hard to tell people about it without feeling all righteous sounding or alienating or whatever.

Stupid elephants.

(originally published on Tumblr, reblogged for posterity)

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