Jesus part 1

I have been thinking a lot about Christianity lately. I was raised as a Christian and spent many years going to a legalistic church. I have fit into several very well, and other I have been in subtle ways asked not to come back or have been made to feel so unwelcome that I have never returned. Now, I know that this is not the case in all churches. That my experiences are mine alone.

When I first moved back to Oly I started attending a church just a few blocks away. That was great it was in walking distance and it was a denomination that I was familiar with. The first few times I went it was OK. Then a man and I were talking about bands, what was good, bad and just never ever should have been attempted. After that simple conversation the pastor started preaching on attraction to a married person when the woman is single. I thought that it was just something that was a coincidence. I had no interest in the guy other than he knew who I was talking about musically. Then in Sunday school the women all started to ignore me, when a question was asked and I knew the answer, I was passed over to the next person. I took the hint and never went back.

The next church I was going to a singles class. This church was a drive and I had to get up much earlier to attend it. The class instructor asked the question "What does mainstream America think that Christians look like?"

Well, me being me I said the first thing that popped into my head." Christians have horns, a tail and carry a pitchfork." Needless to say I was asked not to come back.

So that brings me to my point. Jesus said the same thing over and over in many different ways trying to get his point across. He said::

#1 Love God - OK that one is simple enough, or is it?

Does Jesus mean love as in "OHHH What a cute puppy, I just love it"?

Does he mean love as in " IT'S (insert stars name here) I JUST LOOOOVE YOU"?

Does he mean love as in " Oh Baby, (think Berry White's voice here) I love you so much, that I want to take you out to the beach and see if we are fertile"?

Or does he mean love as in honor, respect, show acknowledgement of ? I guess that this is not an easy one after all. I think that he means this one, acknowledgement of. We all like some kind of praise.