Loved this blog post from Chris Kratzer

[mkgal1]

It's titled, "No Longer Afraid" ....written to conservative evangelicalism, and there's a lot more to it, but this quote is especially relevant here:

I'm No Longer Afraid To See Women as Equal in All Things- The wizard is out from behind the curtain, there’s no theological slippery slope to fear, nor hierarchy to declare—it’s all smoke and mirrors. By God’s design, women are not inferior people nor lesser in capability—and I’m no longer afraid to look you in the eye and say it. I love and respect you, I really do. But, despite all the patriarchal pressure to see differences where there are none, I’ll be standing at the top of the mountain declaring full equality in home, marriage, society, work, and church—nothing short of in everything. It’s a new day, with a new me, embracing an eternal equality for all people. My heart has outgrown your discrimination.

I’m not using the Bible to condemn all the people who sin differently than you, or beat you into repentance. No, I’m not afraid to affirm and accept you as is—a perfectly whole, beautiful, and God-imaged person whose faith happens to be conservative Evangelicalism. None of us are better, only different—Grace has made it so.

There was a moment, a cosmic shift in my entire being, the day I awakened and realized I was altogether different. There was a clarity that had never been so clear—a new wind blowing and filling my sails. I’ve lost no love for you, mean no disrespect, nor harbor any pride in saying so—but conservative Evangelicalism, it feels like my heart has outgrown you—all because, the one thing I know for sure is this, I’m no longer afraid.

Salvation has come—I’m no longer afraid.

Grace is brave. Be brave.

This really resonated with me.....especially the part about being able to accept others with differing views better. To me......that really seems to be validation that those of us that believe this way haven't "gone off the edge of believing lies"....but believe in Truth and genuine love (which is where my last bit of fear was.....fear of "believing lies"...."being deceived"). The more people that write about this....the more encouraged and joyful I feel.

Can anyone else relate?

 

[Paidiske]

Yes, somewhat. It would have been helpful to have a link to the original post in its entirety.

But this thing that so many movements (of various flavours and stripes) seem to do, of always having something to demonise, something to paint as evil, something to position oneself as "better than," is something in which I don't find any life. I don't relate to wanting to put others down so I can feel slightly better about myself.

 

[mkgal1]

It would have been helpful to have a link to the original post in its entirety.

I didn't link because I believe there's some of the blog post that's against the SOP here. I think you can find the original, though, by just looking up Chris Kratzer "No Longer Afraid".