Am I a Bigot?

I am struggling with a decision that I feel I must make to have peace of mind. And I’ve been contemplating it for weeks and find no matter what I decide, I believe I will lose. So I’m seeking out the advice of Ricochetees for your perspective to help me clarify the issue.

My question revolves around my volunteer work with Convention of States (https://conventionofstates.com/). Some of you already know that I was delighted to discover them, and even found I could play a role in writing for their blog. They are using Article V of the Constitution to respond to the abuses of the federal government and to return power to the people and the states. They have a Judeo-Christian focus. They are a principled organization, and the people with whom I’ve interacted have been friendly and helpful. No one has exerted pressure on me to take on more responsibility than I have. And the blog writing has given me the opportunity to work with other members, not only getting their help with the technical aspects, but their feedback on my writing.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

The problem I identified showed up when I was asked if I wanted to sign up for their “Servant Leadership” class. It was scheduled to last nine weeks, included required reading, and we met on Zoom for each one-hour class. As I began to read the workbook, I discovered there were several quotations from the New Testament to support the course teachings. There were also a few quotations from the Old Testament, and Viktor Frankl was quoted twice; my “cynical self” wondered whether those were included to provide some kind of balance to the Christian overtones. We also begin every class with a prayer that is not specifically Christian, and I can’t decide whether that works for me or not.

We also use Slack, a messaging channel, and the people in my communications group don’t make Christian references at all; in fact, one woman is apparently Jewish but not observant. Others on our Slack Channel, however, often refer to God; I respect people who are religious but don’t necessarily want to be exposed to their religiosity.

The most recent comment shared was by the founder of the organization. He had mentioned in an earlier video as an aside that he was a convert to Christianity, which sounded fine, although the context was odd. The other day he mentioned in a recent video that he was a Jewish Christian; I don’t know why he thought it was important to state. Some of you may know that I’m uncomfortable with the idea of blending the two faiths, even though one of my favorite Ricochetees professes to be a Messianic Jew.

So what’s my beef?

Several events and situations could be contributing to my discomfort. I’ve never been particularly comfortable with blatantly Christian references. In the class I’m taking, other religious quotations could have been used, including the Buddha or Lao Tzu, but they weren’t. I would have preferred that quotations come from our esteemed Americans, particularly the Founders. Abraham Lincoln was quoted in one section (although I'm only halfway through the class).

There are also the events occurring in this country regarding anti-Semitism that are probably contributing to my sensitivity; absolutely no one in COS has said anything that could remotely be considered anti-Jew, but their frequent Christian references serve to remind me that I am an outsider. I’ve spent my whole life feeling like an outsider, to one degree or another, and am uneasy about the messages underneath the references. I wonder to what degree the organization’s calling itself “Judeo-Christian” calls for them to include religion in their publishing.

If I decide to leave the organization, I feel the need to give them some feedback. I don’t expect them to change anything; in some respects, I’m the one with the problem, not them. But I’m unclear on my own motivations: am I being unreasonable, expecting the organization to rely on non-religious sources? Should I just focus on my own contribution and my communications team and let the rest of it go?

Am I simply a bigot?