The Cloak of Christianity

“It is like trying to save a drowning man…”

So let’s say this Cloak represents and represents every denomination, every religious leader, every religious act and the expectations and religious laws therein.

Imagine with me… A drowning man. The man fully dressed. Boots, jeans, his shirt and this Cloak of Christianity. He knows how to swim. He knows how to tread water, but the waters are too rough and he’s been exhausted from trying to stay afloat. Perhaps in this scenario there is an undertow starting to pull him down by the length and weight of the drenched Cloak. The very thing he was awarded when he gave his life to Christ. The very thing he was given by the church to keep him safe from the elements of the world. That man was taught and believes that this cloak is to keep him safe - and should never be taken off, but if he does not take it off the garments weighing him down, he will surely drown. It will pull him down, take his last breath, and he won’t be able to rise back up. This too seems like a death sentence, as he was conditioned to believe this cloak of Christianity is his only way to internal life.

The man starts to see his life flash before his eyes. The trashing waves beating up on his face reminded him of His Father who would beat him black and blue but did so to make a ‘god-fearing man’ one day. Then a flash back, of the church deacon who would fondle the young boy after the morning service. Now the flood gates can’t be stopped. Image after image of this cloak of Christianity; which was not keeping him safe, but actually causing him to fall further and deeper into the depths of the troubled waters. The minister who had an affair with the church secretary, who was moved to another state to head up another church, by denominational heads - to just do it again. The offering plates fund porches and mega church buildings instead of pouring out into the community. The judgements of those sitting in the pews who should know better, but somehow their knowledge of the Word of God gives them some kind of pass? Like the time they shamed a gay man who was trying to find his way to Christ, but the whispers and the actions of “Christians” hurt him to the point of giving up trying to have a relationship with his Creator. Because, if that’s how God is - how is that any better than the rejection and isolation he already feels. He can still see his gay friend in the casket after taking his own life… He recalls the time he drank with the assistant youth minister while underage - which would kick start a life long battle with alcohol. The drowning man relives the sigmas, the agendas, the cover ups. This weight will surly pull this man down to his demise.

He struggles to keep his last breath long enough to untangle and discard the wet, heavy and tattered cloak. Finally he is free of the cloak as it starts its decent into the waters below. Now the man can start to alleviate the rest of the weight, and perhaps can swim to safety. He manages to get his shirt and boots of… but he’s so tired! He has nothing left. All of the fighting and past hour of trading water has left him completely depleted of strength and perhaps even desire to keep fighting for breath. So the man… accepts his fate and draws his last breath…

The man coughing and vomiting up sea water - takes his first breath. He’s somewhere completely unfamiliar, but he can see the sand under his cheek and can hear the waves crashing and can feel the breeze race over his wet half naked body. The man looks around and sees a man near a boat at the shore line. He picks himself up and staggers towards the only other person there.

“Hey! Hey… How did I get here? Where am I?” He called out to the man by the boat.

“You were drowning. I was trying to help you, but you were so worried about your cloak I don’t think you even knew I was there. I begged you to take it off so I could help you, but you were fighting the waters so hard - I couldn’t do anything but remain by your side until I could do something… Once you got the weight off of you - exhaustion took over and you started to slip into the depths. But, you were still and I was able to pull you up into the boat and bring you to safe ground…”

The near drowned man hung his head in shame and disappointment. When he looked down he saw his bare skin and saw how the cloak never really protected him at all. Each one of those tares and burns the cloak received were also spread across the mans chest, back and arms. The man is now scared and confused. He looks back up to the man who pulled him from the sea and says,

“That cloak. It was meant to protect me, but…”

“You mean this cloak?” The stranger holds up the near unrecognizable cloak. “It seemed like it meant so much to you - on our way back to shore I saw it floating and knew you would probably want it back.”

The near drowned man is so weary and so confused. “Look at me… Why would they tell me to keep this thing on if it only brings me pain? Look at these scars! Why would they deceive me in such a way? I thought they loved me… I thought they were trying to protect me…

The stranger replies, “I used to wear a cloak of Christianity. I too was drowning - in these very waters. Many have knowledge but never search for the understanding. Without the understanding the knowledge is only their interpretation of what love and protection is. It was the way I was conditioned, the way they were conditioned, as you were. Generations upon generations getting further and further away from the understanding. Those who seek to find the understanding are the ones that are conscience of the assignment.”

The near drowned man says, “What is the assignment?”

The stranger holds out the cloak towards the near drowned man and says, “Here you go. This is yours… you might want to keep it. I’m sure it can be cleaned up and mended…”

The near drowned man replies, “No. No! I don’t want it… I want the truth. I want the understanding you talk of, because without it all of this was for nothing!”

The stranger looks deep into the man’s eyes he just saved from the cold stormy ocean waters, “Young man, I think you’ve already started to understand the assignment. Come sit with me and I will teach you the understanding that follows the knowledge. Then when you feel you have the peace of understanding - I will take you back to the mainland. It will be different for you there than you will remember. It won’t be easy to return without your cloak. People will talk. People will assume and gossip and try to put that cloak back on you. When I found you in those waters - you were more concerned about the cloak than you were of your own life. Just remember and never forget, that I was more concerned about your life - than that cloak.”