Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne, spoke at dinner last night, and a dark speech it was, indeed.

This particular group of religious women were of the hellfire & brimstone category. I knew that I might be in trouble when, deep in conversation with one women, she confided worriedly her concerns about the “extreme” liberal views of our new president.

I was…taken aback. Then much talk about abortion and homosexuality (bad).
Anne Graham Lotz is notably very long and extremely lean, and she has that same idiosynchratic way of saying “Jesus” that some old timey evangliests had: “Jay-sus!”

But I was surprised at the dark nature of her talk. Lots of talk about sin, and a story about how she was on her face before God counting her sins for seven days.

Wow–that is a LOT of sin, and especially a lot of sin for a Bible teacher.

At one point she told us of her horror at discovering there are women on the internet looking at pornography, an aside that I found …jarring. To say the least.

My partner could see that I was having an experience with this and we had a robust conversation about it last night.

Well, look. I come from the Catholic tradition, also focused on sin, except that we could step into a curtained, wooden booth each Saturday and be absolved, after, of course, we quantified, categorized and confessed our sins.

But these days, my God is a loving God.

Call it “Christianity Lite” if you must, but I simply do not believe religion has to be all dark and foreboding. I like the inspiration to be and do good that some preachers have a knack for installing.

God is love. That’s what I believe, and I believe it wholeheartedly.

God is love.