Darkening the Doors

This incident has stuck with me for months.  In August, I attended the MOPS International Convention in Nashville.  I love my MOPS group and I feel so blessed that I was able to go with 3 other very wonderful ladies to grow and learn.  Sadly, the thing that stuck with me isn't something good.  (I do have a couple of really good things that will stick with me forever.)  I met a woman from Nebraska in the hallways one day. We were chatting and as usual, if you're from the midwest, you try to find connections- people you know, places you've been, etc.  The lady and I discussed that she had just moved and they hadn't found a church yet.  I mentioned I knew of a few churches in her area because my husband is a Lutheran pastor.  (Lutherans=Small World).  She told me in a very serious tone slightly condescending that "Her family would never darken the doors of a Lutheran Church."  She rambled on about not believing in the same things etc.  I think she actually questioned if we were true Christians.  I finally said "Well, at least we're all Christian" or something.

I'm still just sickened by the whole conversation.  That was Christian? I have been praying a lot about this conversation because it leaves me defensive and angry.  The intolerance of the woman for other Christian churches just irritates me.  The thought that maybe she fears learning something new or actually questioning her faith (in a good way) makes me sad.  The idea that maybe she hasn't studied church history and doesn't realize the role Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers played in the formation of her religious freedom makes me a little crazy.

Part of the problem is that I probably think more about this kind of stuff than the average person.  I live with a pastor, am passionate about the ELCA and the role it plays in my faith, and I come face to face with religious differences every week at MOPS.  This was the first mops person I encountered who was so disrespectful of me.  We do not by any means have to agree and I respect her choice of churches.  I don't respect the attitude or words she used to tell me about that choice in churches.

I could go on and on about how much this frustrates me, but I will save that for another post when I can take some more time to reflect on what I want to say.  That's what's on my mind tonight...