Here's the real reason I left the church.
My father was dying of an inoperable tumor in his liver. He was on his way out, literally. He was in the hospice in Longview, which is a wonderful place. The people there are absolutely the best at what they do. My father was never really one to believe in God, but at that point, I wanted him to have a last shot at making his peace. I called our pastor, who will remain nameless, and told him what was happening. I wanted him to come pray with my father. He said that because my father wasn't an adventist, he couldn't come. That pretty much sealed my opinion of the church right there. My then brother-in-law was a minister, but he was out of town. Sooo, I prayed with my father. He was on so much morphine he couldn't talk, but he understood what was going on. I prayed that God would look in my father's heart and see the good that was there. I thanked Him for giving a kind and loving man to us children for our father. As I prayed out loud, I watched his face. The lines of worry in his face softened. It looked like he was feeling peaceful. Maybe something happened right then. I don't know, but I hope it did.
My question to the church is, why would they let a man die without the chance to be redeemed, regardless of their religion or lack of one? How could they do that? They turned their back on my father, so I turned mine on them.