Walking into the church was as awkward as accidentally walking into a men’s restroom. I hadn’t ever been in an Assemblies of God church, and I truly didn’t know what that name even meant. I was familiar with Catholic and Lutheran weddings and funerals, but this did not in any way feel like that. To make things a little odder, we were late.

The rope that so easily formed its way around my neck and threatened to suck the very life from my body was religion.

This is by far the slyest, most captivating evil. Though we hear the term in certain circles, most don’t even know its existence. It parades its victims in orderly lines, curated with the right words and proper appearance, dressed to the nines and expressing model behavior. It’ll happily build a platform for the best of the best to shout about their accolades, victories, and grandeur. It’s always willing and available to whisper sweet nothings of self-doubt, condemnation, and reminders of how far we have yet to go to be good enough into the ears of church-goers.