I Am Not Afraid of My God (Updated from 1/15/2015)

 

I have a real problem with the concept that God put us here to satisfy some dark sadistic need to have a species cower in fear throughout their existence, at the very thought of him.  I would rather think that we would spend our time wanting to make the Creator proud than worry about angering a supreme deity that could squash us at any moment.  I suppose, if you buy into the whole "fear God" thing, one would have to constantly be asking themselves, "Why?"

"To fear is to have more faith in your antagonist than in Christ."

-- D.L. Moody (1837-1899)

I have better things to do with the life God gifted me than to worry about that which God already knows, after all, God knows everything, right?  Like any father, God hopes that we utilize the tools bestowed upon us, but knows that we will have to fall and get back up again before we finally "get it" and succeed.  Why would you fear any power that offers unconditional love?

Brad Miner is an author and senior editor of The Catholic Thing.  I both agree and disagree with his opinions, but find his insight interesting and thought-provoking.  His latest post, Afraid of God, did not disappoint.

In the article, he does what Catholics are famous for, he quotes those people Catholics have to thank for instilling this fear of God deep into our faith.  Is it any wonder why, after several thousand years, mankind has found no progress toward peace and tranquility, as we constantly bicker over who is more right in order not to offend God?  Is it just me, or is it more logical that we might have progressed further if we had just concentrated on doing the right thing, creating beauty, and making the most out of our world?  God gave us the tools to make this happen, and then we let our ego get in the way.  If we're not letting our ego distract us, we're blaming God for falling short.  Do we really want to go there?

This (above) seems to be a typical advertisement from religion baiters, God-haters, or hard-liner atheists.  I don't disagree with it, at all, but this is an example of both hitting the nail on the head while missing the entire piece of wood.  God gives us the tools to stop the rape of our children, but religion-baiting, with ads like this, is not making use of those tools.  It would be like holding a bucket while standing on the dock watching everyone else bail a sinking boat and criticizing them for not having enough buckets.  The folks in the boat feel it can be saved, but criticizing while standing on the dock with another bucket, won't help.  You have the tools. God gave you a bucket.  Get in the boat and stop finding excuses to not take ownership of the fact that you have a bucket and are letting the boat sink.

If God steps in at every turn to rescue us from our fiascos, when we're too dense to use the available tools to rescue ourselves, we would just sit in the boat and wait for God to bail us out.  When you think it through, the boat would have never been built, as God would have constantly provided everything for our existence.  Oh, wait, Garden of Eden, right?  Well, we screwed that up and there are those that obviously still blame God for us not following the rules.

So, on the other hand, the advertisement (above) is actually a statement in support of my argument.  If I could stop a child from being raped, I would, because God has given me the righteous tools to accomplish this feat.  It is a waste of God's gifts not to make use of them. 

I'm a great one for stating God helps those who help themselves.  But, God already has.  God has given us the tools, and the knowledge, to make everything right.  We have only to start down that path to rediscovery of that which we lost.  It is like looking for the glasses that are perched on our heads.  We have them already, we simply have to look in the mirror to realize what we thought was lost was with us all the time.  Our wanting to look in the mirror, and then actually doing it, is just more trouble than constantly cursing God for not just showing us the way.

I prefer to take ownership of my time here on Earth.  It has taken too much of my time for me to understand this.  For everything we do, or don't do, there will be consequences.  Consequences can manifest in many ways, including the death and suffering of the very young and innocent.  These consequences are reminders of what has been done wrong, or right.  Death of the innocent is a necessary, albeit cruel, reminder of the wages of sin and the loss of Eden.

"Fear has to be the opposite of God because it is the opposite of love.  Fear is selfish, needy, and focused on you.  It makes no sense for God to want you in fear about Him or your life. 

It comes down to this:  either God wants you to live in fear of Him, always afraid you aren't good enough and focused on yourself, or He wants you to live in love, knowing you are safe, and focused on loving other people.  Which feels more accurate to you?"

-- Kimberly Giles

I know what is right and what isn't.  I know what is expected of me, and I know that I have fallen short of the mark.  Does this scare me for the judgment to come?  No.  My faith in God is like my faith in my father.  I will be shown the error of my ways, given kudos for having already recognized my shortcomings, and I will be put back on the path to continue my journey and hopefully do better next time.  The only fear is having to repeat the same task over and over again like my brain is some sack of hammers.  But, even this fear will do nothing for God's plan, but slow the wheels of progress.  God's house won't get built if I keep hammering at nails while missing the wood, and the boat will sink if I constantly complain and find fault, without ever getting into the boat to bail.

I love my God for allowing me to muck this life up.  I hope I learn enough so I don't muck it up as much next time around, and there will be so many "next times."  This is the loving and forgiving God I believe in.  All God asks, is for us to do, even though God knows we might fail.  Without trial and error, there can be no knowledge; without knowledge, there can be no doing; without doing, no progress, and without progress we will never find God's kingdom, which is right where we left it.  We need to stop assigning blame for our short memory.

As for fearing God, I leave you with one last thought, to remind you of the first thought at the start of this post, a thought that everyone fearing God should chew on:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

-- 2 Timothy 1:7

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com