Politics

My Dad moved around a lot while he was growing up. His dad would go through churches like they were going out of style. A long stay was a couple of years. It seems my Grandfather had his own ideas about how things should be run. In reality, its the congregation that makes the call. The preacher adds input, but ultimately is employed by the congregation. He used to brag about how he was a hellraiser. That was not a joke.

Well, but that was my Grandfather waaaaay off in Alabama. I was in Kansas and things were good. That was until the pastor I had grown up with was run out by a small powerbase in the church. Then I watched them continue to exert their will on the church. I was in my late teens. For someone already stretching his wings and pushing back on authority, I really grabbed onto this and squeezed it for all the injustice it was worth.

I'm not questioning my reaction. I still distrust churches because of the politics you find there. As someone with a degree in political science, I can tell you where there are people gathered, there is politics. It doesn't mean its bad, its just part of the way we relate. (I'm sure people from other disciplines would call this something different. Its just the way I see it.)

So, I walked away from church. I walked away from religion. I walked away from God. I even remember telling people I didn't believe in God. I was angry for a long time and saw no need to address it.