My mother is a Jehovah's Witness, which is a cult tied to the Masons. I have a friend who is a low-level Mason. There are people of good character I know who are Catholics. While I have a problem with secret societies and oaths that split loyalty, for me to disassociate myself with everyone who might be "tainted" in some way is self-sabotage.
The principle of staying clean and pure has to be squared with the consequences in our dirty yet real social environment. The reality of the terrain is that it has Satanic elements to navigate around. Staring at the heavens and wishing you were not bound to the land doesn't solve that.
We have ubiquitously infiltrated institutions, so guilt by association is going to get us nowhere. I have plenty of my own struggles with sin and mortal desire to confront before I go around passing judgment on others. Inevitable events will take care of the institutional corruption.
Not that I’m putting you on the level of Jesus.
It seems that you are being attacked the same way He was because of who He associated with.
At least to me. This proves Who you follow.
The renters of the vineyard, killed the Son of the Owner, believing that the Owner would abandon the land to them. Instead, they were crushed by the Owner because of their wickedness.
I’d rather be with the ones who aren’t afraid to get dirty, or at least know that in order to be of any use, one must go into the places where help is actually needed and find the ones who will be found. That last part isn’t a denial of fear. It is trusting the One Who sent you, to be there when you need Them.
When someone doesn’t understand what God has given me to do. It only means that they are right for them. It doesn’t mean they are right for me. Obedience to God comes before obedience to the institution.
fwiw. I think you are on the exact right path for you.
