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Merry Christmas everyone. I’m back from my cruise to Mexico last week and now I’m at my parents’ place in Ventura for Christmas. I had the unpleasant obligation of attending church this morning where I was again reminded of one of the reasons for the loss of my faith.

Growing up in the church we are told myriad lies about gay people — that they are unhappy, depraved and godless. It’s common knowledge the most effective way to dispel these lies is to actually meet gay people who are content, happy, fulfilled and people of faith.

Despite being a rather moderate California Presbyterian church I attended, it still subscribes to a Christian-supremacist doctrine. Specifically the choir director, Christina Morris, stated the only people in the entire world who are fulfilled and at peace are those who know Jesus. (To clarify, my family no longer goes to the Baptist church I grew up in.)

In college I studied abroad for a quarter in India and a quarter in Thailand. These are countries where I was surrounded by over a billion people who do not know Jesus and I find it ugly and small-minded to claim none of them are fulfilled or at peace.

This post was partially inspired by the Rev. Mel White’s book which I’m currently reading, Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right, which isn’t necessarily about Christian-supremacy but discusses its danger.

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