I have never been treated worse than by people in the Church.
“Karen, I was right! Someone escaped! She says they are a cult!” I said to my wife, exuberant. It was Monday, Labor Day. We were at the Lake of the Ozarks, in mid-Missouri, and Karen, my wife, noticed a group of people standing near the overlook on the hill above the lake’s dam. A man about my age was about to take a picture of a group of teenagers with the lake in the background. All of them were well groomed, well behaved and wearing polo shirts and caps that said “Shepherdsfield” on them. Karen offered to take the picture for this man, so he could be in it as well. He was very grateful. “What’s Shepherdsfield?” I asked after the photo had clicked. “We’re a Christian community near Fulton, Missouri,” the man answered. “We’re on our Reward Trip. These young people have been working very hard all summer, and we’re taking them on a Reward Trip before school starts again.” My eyes locked with one of the young people....
Comments
People become worse with anonymity and long distances.
Fr. Groeschel once said, "If you're going to get close to the Church, you're going to get hurt."
I hate to be cynical, but scoundrels are scoundrels, and sanctimoniousness is good cover for bad behavior.
This is not to overlook all the goodness and love expressed by many - in the Church and out.
My mother has had at least one similar experience.