Church Hurt: a rant

I don't even know where to begin.
I suppose an easy place to begin is with the reason for thinking along the lines of people being hurt by the church or by church people. While Beth Moore has been in the Baptist news circle for some time, she recently made it into mainstream news by making the announcement that she is leaving the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).  

Over the years there have been many of us that have left the SBC for a number of reasons. Many have been sexually abused at the hands of church leaders. Others have been spiritually abused and manipulated. So many of the ones that left the SBC have completely left church, religion, even God. (I wonder if this is where that millstone thing from Matt 18:6 comes into play.)
Perhaps the most disheartening thing about Ms. Moore's leaving the SBC is the comments being left by people that feel it's the best thing -- for the SBC. They view a woman that loves Jesus to her core as more of a threat to their patriarchy and would rather see her silenced than have her spreading the Word of God.
And while there are some in the SBC world that will lament her leaving, there has been no one to notice nor mourn the thousands that have left before her (and continue to leave) because of the very non-Christlike behaviors and opinions of church leaders.

It's pretty amazing once you are able to step back from the midst of the chaos. I now know so many people that have struggled with being hurt by the very people that are supposed to love and comfort you. Each time I hear their stories I have to wonder if my words or actions played a part in someone's being hurt or in their leaving God behind.
I wonder if there is a millstone (or worse) waiting for me.

How is it that we have let religion separate us from God and from each other?
The very word - religion - means to re-connect (think re-ligament).
 
If I am to be honest with you and with myself, I really don't think much of American Christianity. I think it has become a power structure like any other power structure where the leaders exert control and suppression and do so for their personal gain and glory. They have set up their rules about who can join their churches and who gets into heaven. Even those that genuinely love Jesus are coerced into working within the accepted rules to share that love or (like Ms. Moore, myself, and countless others) they are silenced or forced out and condemned. 

While I no longer have the platform (nor the pulpit) to share God's love with others, I am pretty convinced that God doesn't need me to tell people about God's love and mercy. I believe what God wants is for me to show people that love and mercy. When I look at the preachers of my past (myself included) I see a lot of talkers. When I look at the people that surround me today, I see people that daily show God's love to the ones that most need to know they are loved.  

I'll take these meek, more organic, non-churchlike, followers of Jesus over the loud talking American Evangelical (self-proclaimed) Christians any day. 

(end rant)

John