Christian Censorship

I have not let many people read my work outside of classes. People ask to read repeatedly and I hesitate and then say sure, but never send anything to them. I wonder what people will say about my work, both about the writing and the subject matter.

I remember the first paper I wrote in AP English at a public HS. I ended my essay with a Bible verse and testimony. Three days later my teacher stopped me in after class and said, they may have wanted that stuff in your Christian school, but I don't want that here.

Now in a Christian writing group I keep saying I will send my current story, but I wonder how they will respond to the title, "Intercourse." It is not a story about sex, but what censors or expectations do my readers have, especially high schoolers. What will they think of me if I write anything not explicitly about faith.

I think my real concern is what will the parent's think. Those are the people I have always catered to, tried to read so I could gain their approval. Maybe I will end up being one of those people who get read after they die, when someone else can share my work for me. I hope over time that I will figure out how to be brave and say what I believe to be most important, even if it starts with a word like, "Intercourse!"