If I Am to Believe
By Todd Matson
Love. It’s always only about love. They preach it. They
teach it. They are all about it. Love. Love God with all
your heart, mind, soul and strength. Love your neighbor
as yourself. Love others as Jesus first loved us. Love.
That’s all that God requires of us. Love, love, love. Love
every man, woman and child. Love everyone alive. Unless
they’re black or brown or red or yellow. Unless they weren’t
born here. Unless they’re gay or bi or trans or queer or such.
Unless they’re divorced or having sex without a marriage
license. Unless they’re sinners. Because damn them all to
hell. These white far-right Bible-believing evangelical holy
rollers are all about spreading their brand of Christian love.
Can someone please hold a mirror up to them? If they had
food on their face, would they even see it? Do they know
they’ve turned the good news bad? For if I am to believe
my lying eyes, truly, there is no hate like Christian love.
Wait. If my eyes are lying to me, why in the name of God
would I believe them? If I am to believe the Christ whom
so many so-called Christians claim to love, I can love
anyone, everyone, even those who hate a wretch like me.
Todd Matson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in North Carolina, United States. His writings have been published in The Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Feminine Collective, Salvation South, Soul-Lit: A Journal of Spiritual Poetry, The Clayjar Review, Agape Review, Redrosethorns, San Antonio Review, The Brussels Review, The Shallot, WestWard Quarterly, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, Feed the Holy; Faith, Hope and Fiction; Soul Poetry, Prose & Arts Magazine; Solid Food Press and Heart of Flesh Literary Journal. He has also written lyrics for songs recorded by several contemporary Christian music artists, including Brent Lamb, Connie Scott and The Gaither Vocal Band.