Here is an excerpt from a letter I received after I
posted yesterday’s blog, entitled “Don’t Quit: Re-new It!”
“You
claim to be a Christian but you write books about murder and on your blog you’ve
condoned spanking, which is a form of abuse, and abortion which is
killing. The fact that you refer to
yourself as a follower of Christ is apprehensible.”
There was a time when receiving an email of this
nature would have reduced me to tears.
Thankfully, those days are gone.
I have reached a point in my life where I am confident in who I am and
in my relationship with God. He loves me…everyone
else doesn’t have to. So, it is with a comical grin that I respond to this email.
First, let me point out that I believe the word she meant to use was "reprehensible" and not "apprehensible."
First, let me point out that I believe the word she meant to use was "reprehensible" and not "apprehensible."
In regards to my books, the Just Call Me Angel series is a suspense series
centered on the Mafia. It would be
virtually impossible to write a story about the mob that didn’t involve
killing. These books are fiction and in
no way voice a personal conviction that murder is acceptable. They are simply written to entertain readers.
Likewise, my debut novel, No Easy Way, and my short
story, Petals of Blood, are also murder mystery/suspense novels. I don’t want to point out the obvious, but
when writing a murder mystery one sort of has to include an actual murder into the plotline.
Just because I am a Christian does not mean I should
write books that fall into the Christian genre.
It’s neither my desire nor my calling.
As for the picture of spanking that was included in
yesterday’s blog, I placed it there because I was talking about the Fifty
Shades series, wherein spanking is an integral part of the story; not because I
was in any way condoning physical abuse.
That being said, I do believe there are those that include spanking in
their bedroom activities and I do not condemn them for doing so. To each their own. Live and let live.
On the topic of abortion, you may read my blog, “Out-Of-The-Closet
Confessions” if you’d like to better understand my thoughts.
This email is a prime example of
judgmental, holier-than-thou people, with whom (Christian or not) I
disassociate myself. It is this exact
type of condemnation that drove me away from the church for twelve years of my
adult life. It is this attitude that I
find UN-Christ-like, and I don’t want people to think ALL Christians are
similar to the elitist few among us.
All Christians are not radical bigots. All Christians don’t cast judgment and point
fingers.
Reading murder mysteries or writing murder mysteries
doesn’t make me less of a Christian. The
fact that there may be whips and chains in someone’s bedroom, doesn’t make
their heart less committed to Christ. BUT…
the fact that you judge others based solely on what you think you see or how
you think things should be, tells me YOU are the one that should refer to your
Bible and look up the passages about not judging others.
So, if you’re without blemish, cast that stone; but, first, let me give you a piece of advice. If I
were you I’d duck, because I think your stone is a boomerang of shame...and it's headed right back-atcha! ~
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