UCC not a real church?
I only have 2 close friends that frequently attend a church other than my own. Because of this, we do not generally talk about religion as a group. One day, in November 2017, I was at a concert with my friend, who goes to both a Catholic church and a non-denominational transformation church.
My friend is a very loving person and was an active member of my high school’s GSA [Gay Straight Alliance], so our conversation that night surprised me.
She started talk about how she didn’t see my church (the United Church of Canada) as a real church, and how she doesn’t enjoy going there. She felt as though we don’t follow the rules of the bible. When we came to the topic of LGBTQ, she continued to be supportive of the community, as long as it was not within the Christian church environment.
Ever since that night, whenever she starts to talk about religion, I pretend to listen. I feel as though I can’t be honest with her after she intentionally insulted my church and community.
Signed, Marissa Smirl, Winnipeg, Age 20
(Shared with permission. Photo: Wix.)