joelwitwer — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 17:47:13 +0000

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. I come out of this subculture that believes in God. And Jesus. The whole deal. I came here to escape it. Because I was ashamed of it.”
“Well you’ve done a hell of a job. I’m very proud of you”
“Well it turns out, I’m not just ashamed of my strange church, of it’s political views, or all the hypocrites. I’m ashamed of Jesus.
“Is this gonna get weird?”
“Yeah, probably. But that’s the point. I’m ashamed of Jesus because I want you to like me. I want you think I’m smart or sophisticated or whatever. It’s like Jesus is the geek in the cafeteria, sitting by himself, and I’m the guy pretending he’s not my friend.”
“Miller, we’re both tired. You’re the Pope now, do what you want.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m talking to you! As a person. You and I both hate those people who think they can do what they want because God is on their side, right? Well I’m apologizing because I’m the same as they are. All that stuff in the Bible, about feeding the poor. I’ve never done any of that. God tells us to love everybody. I’ve hated people; my family, folks back home I don’t agree with, idiot pastors. I hated them because I thought they made me look like a fool. I’ve spent the school year trying to ditch God. But I can’t. It’s like he’s following me around. I’m confessing to you that I’m tired of being a hypocrite and a coward. I need you to forgive me. Do you forgive me?”
“I wouldn’t know what to forgive you for.”
“Do you forgive me for misrepresenting God? He isn’t like me. He isn’t afraid. And he isn’t a coward. And he isn’t a hypocrite. And he isn’t like that messed up priest that raped you as a kid. I should’ve told you that a long time ago. Will you forgive me?”

” …… yeah … i forgive you …”

– from the movie Blue Like Jazz, starting at 95m20s
based off the book of the same name by Donald Miller

like – The Way I See It