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Mission Statement

      One of the objects of The Parrish is to remind leaders, who call themselves Christians, what Jesus told us.

 

      Those who call themselves followers of Christ often follow humans with ill intentions instead. Even if intentions are not ill but good, we as flawed people are susceptible to suggestion, distraction, and societal pressure.

 

      A frequent flaw in every religion when interpreted by human beings: is this right or is it simply satisfying the desires of someone with a personal agenda? Do we believe this because we believe in God’s love, or do we believe in our congregation’s manipulation of the truth? Do we believe in the spoken word of Jesus or the written word of man?

 

      Looking just at the juxtaposition of the Old versus New Testaments, it must be true that our higher power has the ability to learn and grow as we do. There is no longer a call for slaughtered calves, ashen cleansings, or unquestioning devotion under the threat of death.

 

      We are allowed to question and contextualize holy writings. Moreso, we are allowed to question and contextualize the interpretations of persons with minds and hearts not much different from our own.

 

      To use the Lord’s name in vain is not to cry for help as a “Goddamnit” or a “for God’s sake” might do, but it is to use the power’s name to obtain personal satisfaction at the expense of our brothers and sisters in humanity.

 

      To be human is to have a curious mind and a forgiving heart, and with our minds to remember that to forgive is not to forget or excuse, but to leave the worry and pain to God once earthly consequences have sufficed.

 

      Authoritarianism has been tried. Humans have been guided by a heavy hand for a long time, but as we discover the beauty of freedom and free will, it becomes irresponsible and blasphemous for a leader to take full control of their people for the ego of power.

 

      The Parrish recognizes the evolution of not just God’s love and power, but of humanity as a whole. We have grown past proverbial and literal beatings, and now understand that religious beliefs have very little correlation with morals.

 

      Atheism, for example, has become an entirely acceptable belief system in our world because people do not need to be threatened and controlled, and for no reason should any belief practiced in one’s own life and home be disrespected.

 

      Every individual human being has the inalienable right to their own thoughts and inner life. Who are we to interfere.

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My name is Ms. Lane Elizabeth Parrish, and I am an American woman who believes deeply in the teachings of Jesus Christ. I have been raised in both the Episcopal and Lutheran church; attending Sunday service, christian summer camp, and respecting a deep family history of leadership in the church. However, my bond with the Lord did not deepen until experiencing the youthful agnosticism that led to studying the bible, its historical interpretations and the subsequent social consequences, and my blood’s history with the holy book. What I have seen is God’s evolution. Although man may desire the old ways of justice through revenge, punishment, and exile because of earthly emotion and fear, the development from Old Testament to New displays a learning on His part similar to that of parents learning how to raise a child. At first, we believe force and strong authority are the solutions to behavioral complications, but adolescents rebel against authority and the strategy to guide them must change. We ask why God allows horrible things to happen, why people have such access to the darkness within themselves and why nature rules the timing of disasters and therefore our lives. An integral trait of a good leader is to guide their people without taking control. The community must have free will and autonomy, which is not to say that we should exist in a state of anarchy, but like the transition from childhood to adulthood, after an education of life and the world, our lives become our own and we stand on our own two feet. I understand that you have the best intentions for our country as a representative, and you do everything in your power to do what you believe is right. I am writing to you to express that I have concerns, arising from first my conscience and then my studies, that the actions taken to protect the best interests of our country are born from the desires of man over those of God. The fair justice about which I have been raised to learn and believe is not what I am seeing now bestowed upon my fellow humans. I am seeing fear used in a way that separates people from God by not allowing His judgement to reign. We are turning away our neighbors, instilling the fear that encourages the question of whether they have been abandoned. I wonder every day why the people who claim to share my name in Christianity leave Christ behind and use his name only for the vanity of power. Of course, it is none of my business what any person believes as long as they do not cause harm - but what I believe is that the harm bestowed upon the sojourners in our country is antithetical to what you claim to believe. I worry that neglecting the effort and beauty of God’s growth and love will not earn you the esteem you want, neither in the world’s eyes nor in those of the Lord. I will not hide my face nor my name, although I do realize the threat that comes with speaking the truth. But just as my ancestors in British Colonial America fought in the revolution for our freedom to become the United States of America, Jesus has fought for my privilege to have eternal spiritual freedom, and I cannot fear the retribution of man when He has allowed me the strength to speak for my brothers and sisters. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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