Religious Buzzwords

[Smiling JOe]

A principle well known and utilized most often by the global warming crowd.

I thought you were going to say by "George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove."

 

[LuciferSam]

I once met a Carmelite nun who was so happy about her choice to dedicate her life to God and helping others that her face glowed w/ joy.

She left more of an impression than all of the other religious leaders/people I have met in my life who preface their faith w/ judgments, condemnation, and hate COMBINED.

All "god-fearing" means to me is that I should be afraid of THEM because they are so full of hypocrisy and themselves they can't understand the basic message of the religion they profess to follow.

Christopher Hitchens states that religion manges combine the maximum of servility with the maximum of solipsism. Certainly there are God-fearing proseletizers who come off as though they serve a higher power, yet push the fear of God on others to meet their own self-centered agenda. Is this in part an example of the abused becoming the abuser? This ties in with another Hitchen's theme maybe for another thread. Is religion child abuse? Is it not cruel and abusive to emotionally scar a small child with tales of never ending hellfire?

 

[GoodWitch58]

Miss K, my views of God are in alignment with those within the teachings of A Course in Miracles. Marianne Williamson wrote a book based on these principles called A Return to Love. If God is Love - not loving, but love itself in the fullest, most ego-less sense of the word - as I believe He is, then what is there to fear? An entitiy that is only love is not to be feared, is not wrathful, nor judgmental. All that is God is good. It is very difficult to make meaningful progress from a position of fear. Belief in a wrathful God also makes the peace process difficult, IMO.

Great question, by the way.

a kindred soul, Miss Critter. I wish Sowal had a Unity Church

 

[Sheila]

Since it's on topic - a quote from Oswald Chambers:

The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.
and Charles Spurgeon:

Fear of God is a quiet grace which leads a man along a choice road, of which it is written, "No lion shall be there, neither shall any ravenous beast go up thereon."


and

The fear of the Lord is the beginning and the foundation of all true religion. Without a solemn awe and reverence of God there is no foothold for the more brilliant virtues.

Say what? "Fear of God is a quiet grace"?

If it's "solemn awe and reverence. then call it that. Sorry, I still don't understand why and where fear enters into the equation.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Is a "Unity" church different than a "Unitarian" church?

 

[Sheila]

Don't lump us all in with the Westboro Baptist types! We're not all that bad.

Then don't fear him. Love him, praise him, be mindful of his presence, but why fear him? Just don't get the "fear" factor.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Is a "Unity" church different than a "Unitarian" church?

Similar, but different. www.unity.org

 

[InletBchDweller]

People that claim to be "God Fearing Christians" scare the he- double hockey sticks out me!!!!

First they want you to fear God, next it's pass me a snake to handle!

All "god-fearing" means to me is that I should be afraid of THEM because they are so full of hypocrisy and themselves they can't understand the basic message of the religion they profess to follow.

I feel that I personally try my best to be a good Christian. I don't go around and pronounce my faith and witness to everyone I meet. I am just not like that. However, I do "fear" God. I dont walk around thinking "I am a God fearing person" but this thread has made me get into some deep thoughts today. I believe that God can do things that are unimaginable to us as humans. With that said, I do believe in the afterlife, Heaven and Hell. Being that I feel that way I assure you GTTBM that I have never been to a service where there was a snake present and SB44 I hope that I dont come across as a hypocrite. I know both of you were not talking to me personally but I guess I just fall into the category of "the group".

There are good examples and bad examples of all religions. There are good leaders and bad leaders of all religions. There are good followers and bad followers of all religions.

 

[Big Blue]

Then don't fear him. Love him, praise him, be mindful of his presence, but why fear him? Just don't get the "fear" factor.

Like I mentioned earlier, I believe the "fear" connotation has been greatly misunderstood. "God-fearing" is a deep reverence for your Creator. I do love Him, worship Him and praise Him. I also am reverent to Him knowing that He is my creator and Lord over all. Hope this clarifies a little and helps.

 

[InletBchDweller]

Is religion child abuse? Is it not cruel and abusive to emotionally scar a small child with tales of never ending hellfire?

Gosh, when I was little I sure thought so. It was not the message that was being preached but just sitting in Church to me was abuse..

Tales of never ending hellfire? What tales are you referring to??

I read Bible stories to my daughter frequently and I have never seen any as such. I am sure there are some whack jobs that tell their children that they are going to burn in He11 if they don't clean their room, etc etc etc. which goes back to my comment above. There is good and bad in every religion.