theological rape?

Last year their mother died. This year their father died. They had been members of the church for the past 40 years, having belonged to two other Presbyterian Churches 20 years prior to joining the church I serve. Their parents were well known and respected. Their father would have been 93 this year having been ordained as an Elder for 60 years!

Last year during their mother's funeral the daughter, her husband and the son officiated the funeral. My wife was asked only to say an opening prayer and the benediction. The son spoke first saying, "I grew up at the church (the one I serve, the one where 90 percent of the gathered people are members of) but it was not until I left the church that I was born again."

Here we go again! Because I and other members in the church I serve do not use the exact language that this rather arrogant, self-centered, overly righteous daughter and son use.....we obviously live outside the saving grace of God.

Their father's funeral was today. It was the same routine. My wife was asked to provide bookend prayers to their wretched theological banter. The daughter's husband reported that the family had been worried that their father was not saved.

He continued by saying, "You will be happy to know that on September 9, 2004 our father repeated "the words" after us and we now know that he was indeed saved." He went on to invite others present to say the same prayer so that we might be saved as well.

Two times my wife and members of the church have had to endure the torture and the abuse of these "born again" children.

My wife and I spoke this afternoon and have concluded:

The God of "born again/evangelical conservatives" is small.

As if salvation can only happen if a magical sentence of words are spoken and heard.

The God I worship made clear in Jesus Christ that salvation is not accomplished and enjoyed by adherence to the law....
but by unconditional grace as revealed in the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ.

The God of "born again/evangelical conservatives" is obnoxious and abusive. As if God would cherish that we spend our lives judging one another and worrying ourselves sick about the afterlife.

(Let me make it abundantly clear. I do not pretend to be judge of conservative evangelical Christians, nor do I negate God's willingness or ability to love and save those who live their faith in this particular way. I only voice my outrage at their inability to affirm that God has the power and the love to save one like me.)

Is this why Christ died on the cross?
So that a hyper group of faithful could deem who is in and who is out?

Is this why Christ rose from the dead?
So that we might pester others to say a specific formula of words to prove that they are worthy?

The faith of "born again/ evangelical conservatives" is self centered. As if God calls us to blab to others how good and right we are.

The "born again" children my wife and other church members were subjected to said very little about their dear father. They spoke more about their faith, their expectations, their perspectives. The funeral was all about them. Their father was secondary. God was even further down the list.

Instead of celebrating God they celebrated their particular brand of faith.

Theological rape? Yes.
That is what we experienced today.