I rarely write about politics or religion. In fact, I keep my political views and my religious views fairly private. I doubt many of you know that I am a Christian, but I am. I’m not the kind of Christian that preaches to anyone. I’m not the kind of Christian that calls people sinners. I’m not the kind of Christian that talks about my faith at all unless it is with my husband or with my aunt or my mom.

I am going to write about religion today, though. Normally, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt the reputation of the church or Christians in general, but I sincerely hope this serves as a smack down to Christians everywhere that push the most vulnerable of our society away from the doors of a church.

You see, I have schizophrenia, and today, a relatively popular blogger wrote about “double-mindedness” saying that you can’t have Scripture in your mind and believe in evolution at the same time and that to do so would be like having schizophrenia. I wrote to this blogger and told him he had a misunderstanding of schizophrenia and that it wasn’t like that at all. He replied to me by telling me to show him someone with schizophrenia and he would show me someone who is demon possessed and that a person like that has no Scripture in them.

I wrote back that I have schizophrenia, and I am a Christian.

What happened today is not the first time that someone acting as a “teacher” of God’s word has said something against me or other people with a mental illness.

Let me tell you what I believe. I believe in a man named, Jesus. I believe that he was radical. I believe he was a champion of the poor, the marginalized – the sick, the elderly, the widows, etc. I believe he was kind, compassionate, strong, and loving. I believe I am exactly the kind of person he would have included and not excluded.

Telling me that I am demon possessed because I have schizophrenia is like telling me that God hates me. Look, I pray. I have prayed not to have schizophrenia, but I gave up those prayers. Illness is a part of life and not a punishment from God. I don’t believe just because I have a mental illness, and you don’t, that God is more present or alive in you than in me. If anything, if you are turning vulnerable people away from seeking refuge in the church, I believe you are the one who is empty of the spirit of God.

I have met so many Christians that say they love Jesus yet victimize the very people he came to save. If you don’t care for the poor, the sick, the needy, the marginalized then you don’t know Jesus – that is a fact, plain and simple. He didn’t bring us the Old Testament with an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth and all of that. He brought us the new covenant, and it is about radical love.

You see, I know a thing or two about Jesus. He is my king and my hero. He wouldn’t allow me to be demon possessed and for you to say otherwise proves to me we don’t worship the same God.  I know I am not perfect, but I know that I am loved.

And just for a little reality check, if I have demons how come medication kicks their ass?