Hi Shawn, fellow Californian here,
I read your story and was happy and sad at the same time. I get similiar treatment and I'm just inactive, bad association thing. all I ever hear is, you shouldn't join something if you are not going to adhere to its rules, to which i reply, "so if I was part of the KKK or the Hitler youth or I was a Catholic or Mormon, I shouldn't leave if I felt it was wrong?"
It's funny, the kids treated you well but the loving adults wouldn't or at least the fear was there from you Brother. your DF'ed yet YOU did the loving Christian thing by seeing your family, your blood.
Keep us posted, hopefully, slowly the wall will start to crumble.
John