I am a person of faith who attends church regularly, but my beliefs do not fit neatly into any denomination. I am most comfortable in the United Church of Christ, whose motto is “God is still speaking.” Thus, while I regard the Bible as the greatest self-help book ever known, I also include in my canon any author or book from which I gain new insights, or which enable me to have empathy in understanding the life experiences of others. (As an aside I suggest two novels: “James,” by Percival Everett, and “The Women,” by Kristin Hannah.)

That the UCC is open and affirming to everyone is essential to me because I believe in a power greater than me, which is the god I choose to follow, and which is a mystery that is beyond the ability of humans to fully comprehend. Thus, I believe that those who have true faith search constantly in order to grow in their knowledge of the divine, or to nurture their spirituality.

No one who is sincere in their faith journey would join a denomination whose teachings they did not embrace: but people who affiliate with a church to gain status or material benefit might do such a thing. However, it is not my place to judge the motives of others.

So how can I express without offending others the fact that I am gravely concerned about the ability of the planet to survive amid the babble that keeps us from understanding one another, each in our own language? I am humbled in the knowledge that as M. Scott Peck said in “The Road Less Traveled,” it is not possible to live one’s life without hurting others. If that should happen, Peck says we need to talk. However, if one harms another person, Peck cautions that one should be profoundly sorry and seek forgiveness.

With that background, I want to declare that I am deeply hurt by, and long to talk with, people who while claiming to love Scripture insist on interpreting it in absolute terms that actually run counter to the interpretations embraced by the vast majority of faith communities that share the same Scriptures.

This morning, during my meditation, I came across an anonymous homily from the second century that put it this way: “When we are given a warning and corrected for doing something wrong, we should not be so foolish as to take offense and be angry. There are times when we are unconscious of the sins we commit because we are fickle.”

So, the first question is: Am I doing something wrong by writing this article? If you think I am, let’s talk.

But before we talk, let me share a portion of Psalm 50, for it was these passages that prompted me to speak out: “But how can you recite (God’s) commandments, and take (his) covenant on your lips … you who see a thief and go with him; who throw in your lot with adulterers, who unbridle your mouth for evil and whose tongue is plotting crime, you who sit and malign your brother and slander your own mother’s son. You do this, and should I keep silence?”

To those who want to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms and require that they be taught to schoolchildren, do you agree that honoring your mother and father includes ensuring their safety and security in their old age? Do you agree that stealing includes taking from the poor to enrich the wealthy, such as by overcharging for medicine and refusing to pay workers a living wage?

Do you agree that bearing false witness includes insisting that election workers rigged an election when there is insufficient evidence to meet even the lowest burden of proof? And do you agree that bearing false witness includes insisting on the innocence of those who engaged in a violent assault on police officers when they rampaged through the U.S. Capitol, and sought to undermine a legitimate election?

And do you agree that coveting includes greed for more than your fair share, especially when others are in dire straits? And do you agree that loving one’s neighbor as oneself requires that we ensure that our neighbors have adequate food, shelter, health care and financial security?

I choose not to mention names, but an elected official said recently that if we want to know what he intends to do while he is in office, we only need to look in the Bible. I have looked and looked, but I have not been able to find support for his agenda.

Jim Palermo lives in Southampton.