It is my opinion that Christianity uses fear and guilt as a weapon to control their followers. There is the constant fear of committing a sin. A sin is defined as a morally bad act that is not in accord with rationale informed by the Word of God. These acts are offensive to God and thusly will separate us from Him. (Fear of abandonment). Some Christian religions have categories for sin: original sin (which was passed to us from Adam), venial sin (which impedes us in attaining our way to Heaven), and mortal sin (which averts us from Heaven). Those are the categories that I recall from my years as a Catholic but in all fairness that idea may have changed since I left the Church. I was also taught that Sin stains the soul so; no sin shall be without punishment. The sinner must
atone for the sins by receiving the Sacrament of Penance. If the sinner is not repentant he then merits eternal punishment in purgatory or hell.
A huge dose of fear, anyone?
I truly believe that this teaching and teachings like this trigger self-doubt. They spur feelings of unworthiness, anxiety and guilt that an individual can carry within them their entire life. There is a constant worry that what they are doing, what they are saying and what they are thinking or feeling is against God. What if they feel what they’ve done is justified and so they aren’t repentant? Does that mean they aren’t going to Heaven when they die? And if they are convinced that they are going to Hell for all eternity – don’t you think they’d be afraid to die?
I don’t believe a God who is love (1 John 4:8) would condemn any of His creations – especially those who were created in His own image (Genesis 1:27) to eternal punishment. And I don’t understand how that the same God would desire an organization that claims to follow the teachings of His son, Jesus Christ, to use fear and guilt in order to keep his disciples under control.
God is love. When we feel joy and love and happiness we are experiencing The Divine. We are all connected to and are part of The Divine … part of God. I’m not excusing the actions that harm others. I’m not saying that I don’t “sin” or act in a way that isn’t in accordance with Divine direction. But there isn’t any organization telling me when that transgression has taken place. I instinctively know when it does. I have a moral compass that guides me – my emotions, my True Will, my Higher Self. I know when I have done something against God Herself. I can feel it within me. And I believe so can you.
A huge dose of fear, anyone?
I truly believe that this teaching and teachings like this trigger self-doubt. They spur feelings of unworthiness, anxiety and guilt that an individual can carry within them their entire life. There is a constant worry that what they are doing, what they are saying and what they are thinking or feeling is against God. What if they feel what they’ve done is justified and so they aren’t repentant? Does that mean they aren’t going to Heaven when they die? And if they are convinced that they are going to Hell for all eternity – don’t you think they’d be afraid to die?
I don’t believe a God who is love (1 John 4:8) would condemn any of His creations – especially those who were created in His own image (Genesis 1:27) to eternal punishment. And I don’t understand how that the same God would desire an organization that claims to follow the teachings of His son, Jesus Christ, to use fear and guilt in order to keep his disciples under control.
God is love. When we feel joy and love and happiness we are experiencing The Divine. We are all connected to and are part of The Divine … part of God. I’m not excusing the actions that harm others. I’m not saying that I don’t “sin” or act in a way that isn’t in accordance with Divine direction. But there isn’t any organization telling me when that transgression has taken place. I instinctively know when it does. I have a moral compass that guides me – my emotions, my True Will, my Higher Self. I know when I have done something against God Herself. I can feel it within me. And I believe so can you.
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