Riding the Fence

Recently, someone posted scathing remarks about my Facebook profile.  Said profile states the following:

Political Views: Liberal
Religious Views: Saved by a gift freely given, because Heaven knows I could never earn it!

Apparently, he disagrees.  According to him, claiming to be liberal automatically means that I must completely follow the Liberal agenda.  Really?   According to the dictionary, being liberal means to be "open-minded or tolerant, especially free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc."   By claiming Christianity and a liberal point of view, I am now riding the fence.  I must choose the right or the left.  Too bad I am actually ambidextrous. Maybe I should go make the "l" lowercase, because having it capitalized must mean that I am praying for the downfall of our entire social system. 

It apparently doesn't mean that I believe that Christ loved us all and set the example by making salvation open to EVERYONE.  It doesn't mean that I believe every person should be loved as a person.  It apparently also means that I have to pick.

And to that, I say why?   I don't believe having a liberal way of thinking and being a Christian are mutually exclusive.  I am perfectly fine being a blend of both.  As a matter of fact, I relish it.  It is for this reason (among others) that I am currently a Christian without a church home.  After spending several years being quiet and uncomfortable in my previous church, I made the decision to leave.  I had grown tired of feeling like an unwelcome visitor in the church where I was actually a member.  I did not want my child growing up feeling like he was less of a person based on his family or his race.  I want him to be loved and cherished, welcomed and wanted.

So, the search is on.  My first visit will be to St. Paul's Episcopal Church here in the Boro.  Now why would I, a lifelong Baptist, choose the Episcopal Church?  Well, first of all, based on a recommendation from Rachel. With that recommendation came research (again, lifelong Baptist...and research-minded individual). With that research came the statement from the Episcopal Church's website:

"The Episcopal Church strives to live by the message of Christ, in which there are no outcasts and all are welcome."

Hmmm...no outcasts? ALL are welcome?  Not bound by traditional or conventional ideas?  A church that is both liberal AND worships Christ? 

A church that is, like me, "riding the fence?"