You know what I find puzzling?

I am puzzled by the contradictory behavior of those who identify as conservative Christians and/or Right-wing Republicans

Don’t these Christians believe that “God is love?” If so, then why do they praise and support the behavior of Mr. Trump, a man that freely endorses the hatred of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ folks through his conduct, repressive tweets, abhorrent Facebook posts, and oppressive, ignorant words and speeches?

That really puzzles me.

If Christians believe these words of Jesus, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned,” then why is acceptable to say, “Having God’s unconditional love does not mean you have God’s unconditional approval?” (Miles Mcpherson). Do they want me to be afraid of God; the very God that repeatedly says throughout the Christian Bible, “do not fear, for I Am with you?” What is there to approve or disapprove of? What is there to be afraid of?

Going to Hell?

As much as you believe you are separate from God, from others, from the natural world and from creation itself, you are in hell. The more you believe this, the more hellish it becomes–it is that simple. Many people, here and now, are living in, through and out of that illusion.

If God “loves a cheerful giver,” then why do these folks validate policies and legislation that ‘steal from the poor and give to the rich’ in the service of greed and partisan politics? Jesus said to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the imprisoned, welcome the stranger, and give the thirsty something to drink.

Maybe these are the people to whom the eighth century prophet Isaiah was referring when he said,

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who change darkness into light
and light into darkness,
who change bitter into sweet
and sweet into bitter!
Isaiah 5:20

I have heard this verse and others like it used to reprimand those of us who will NOT shame or reprimand anyone of the LGBTQ+ community, women who have had abortions, and/or any other such “Sins.”

I am genuinely perplexed by people who preach the ideals of community, love, unity, and profess to believe in Jesus’s words, yet openly castigate those who, whether they believe in Jesus or not, willingly abide by the precept “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

I don’t get it. But then what is there to understand?

We are here in this world together to “concentrate not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since things seen are temporary, but things unseen are eternal.” In order to remember in this way, we must fully surrender to Love.

“One could say all of this human world in the beliefs of separation can be boiled down to one simple thing, forgetting … forgetting that we are also Christ, extension(s) of and therefore One with God… And then of course the corollary, that awakening is simply a journey of remembering.”  J.F.

Or as Paul says in Romans 12:2:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

How do you “remember?” How do you “renew your mind?”

Prayer, meditation, quiet time, enjoying nature, being creative, reading, playing music, dancing, recreating, compassionate conversations … ?

Whatever your preference, just remember Whose you are and to Whom you belong.