Perspective Is Often Based On One's Limited Experience

This weekend I was talking to my daughter, Kelli on the phone. She shared with me that she had been chatting with her friend, Chris. Chris is a Stanford Univ. graduate and is a pilot for Delta Airlines. Kelli attended a military ball with Chris in high school. Oh, did I forget to say that Chris is black! That is not unusual if you grew up in California where people of all nationalities live side by side, and go to church and school together. My family is colorblind when it comes to people without a doubt. I am writing because I recently heard two former presidents say that people who disagree with President Obama must be racists. When I heard those remarks I immediately credited them to where those men were raised. If you are from the deep South, you might think those thoughts. However, there are millions of people who have close friends of color and do not agree with Obama's policies. In fact, there are many Black people who are not far left in their politics. I'm glad God will judge me as to whether I am racist or not.

Where you are raised may also influence your thinking about Christianity and faith. I was raised in California where the majority of my friends were Catholic, Jewish or nothing. Baptist churches were few and far between. I think the closest one to my church may have been 7-10 miles. It was not popular to be a Christian. I never thought that being a follower of Christ was in the culture, a part of the government or mandated by the community. Being a Christian was something you considered very seriously. When I moved to Oklahoma, I was amazed at all of the churches, and the culture. There were a lot of unspoken rules in the community that I didn't agree with. I have never considered myself as "regligious". I have a relationship with God that no church or community can mandate. I choose that relationship for myself, and how I will manifest it. The Holy Spirit will communicate to me what the Bible says , not a denomination or preacher, or the culture in which I live. Christians in the South need to rethink how they are ruining the cause of Christ and the church He intended.