Say WHAT???

Remember when I said I was going to email the pastor of the church and tell him I found his remarks about another religion to be inappropriate? Well I was taking my sweet time because I wanted to make sure I said things in an effective and helpful way, not in a lashing out way.

So a few minutes ago I find myself on the monster known as Google when I discover a website that reviews churches. Boy, people had some harsh things to say about this church and specifically the pastor. I was trying not to let that influence my pending letter and I moved onto the church's website.

Sadly, I was not surprised to learn that there is no way to contact the pastor directly. In fact, he seems to have effectively set up a system of handlers, much like a celebrity would. All good is welcome, anything critical (even if constructive) doesn't have a place.

Then...then! A particular section under the "FAQ" caught my eye. Here it is:

"Why can't I sit on the front row?"
We reserve the front row for our staff and ushers, we also do so for security reasons.

Homey say WHAT??? Just, yuck on so many levels.

So are the ushers and staff more important or revered than the other parishioners? Exactly what must one do to become worthy? And furthermore, what security threats are present, exactly? Clergy are not celebrities. I don't really understand how a church in the middle of basically nowhere has "security threats." And if they do, what is it that is so salacious about the pastor that he is eliciting such threats?

When your pastor is unapproachable, when you can't talk to him, email him or speak to him without going through a screening process, there is a problem. This is the land of the BIG CHURCH. It is not uncommon to see more than a thousand people at each service. But that's just not for me. I don't want to be a number or a face in a crowd. I want to be a part of an organization that knows me, knows my family and most importantly, knows me because they want to. Initially I was drawn to big churches because I thought there would be a lot of opportunity but I am seriously re-thinking that. I'm really glad we won't be attending there anymore-it is looking more and more like some bizarre cult. OK, maybe that is extreme and I'm watching too many documentaries. Whatever the case, we will not be going back and I will not be seeking out a path to communicate with the pastor and his wife.