In all of this, I’m actually glad some of y’all are seeing the public comments because it’s important you to see what Black women experience when they share progressive faith perspectives.

I need y’all to see the people who have called me spiritually dead & demonic. I need y’all to see folks who have called me an unrepentant whore & a danger to Christian women. I need y’all to see the idiots who say they want me to say what I said in that discussion to their faces.

So many people have been reaching out simply on the strength of how vile and terrible the comments are. Sadly, I’ve been receiving them for the ten years I’ve been writing in public space.

These people have pastors. These people have famous/celebrity religious leaders they idolize. Some of those pastors and religious leaders have reached out offline and in secret to offer support, congratulatory words and agreement. But they don’t say this publicly.

They don’t create opportunities for dialogue. And, in doing so, they justify the foolishness we experience.

I’m used to this. So many others are, too. And we shouldn’t be. And those who can do more to ensure we don’t experience this, aren’t doing nearly enough.