I appreciate your thoughts... they mirror my own struggle with religion and the self-righteous people who rely on fear rather than love as a tool to build relationships.

An exerpt from a recent blog post of my own:

"We all believe that we have the correct belief system, path to enlightenment, way to heaven, etc. or else we would not put our stock in that religion or basis of thought, right? So, let's leave it at that and not attack each other for personal choices or others who have also chosen that belief system. The liklihood of being able to isolate yourself and only come in contact with clones of yourself are slim to none. I encourage you to consider others not based upon stereotypes of "those people" (or the poor examples you have come in contact with in your daily life) but (to paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King) the content of their character. There are also kind, intelligent people of all religions, races, and nationalities.

Can't we all just get along?"

Thanks for the intelligently argued post!

There's a quote I love from John Lucus, "Religionism is for those who fear hell. Spiritualism is for those who have been there."

I don't believe in the Christian hell but I believe we can experience a hell like state on our soul's journey. I think anytime we step away from our connection to The Divine we are stepping closer to that ugly place. That's why I believe for some, religion does bring them closer, but for others (myself) there is a disconnect and so we've had to look for other roads to find our way back to The All.

I prefer to live a life respecting any and all roads that lead one toward feeling connected. Who am I to take away that connection, in any way, from another? Who am I to cut the strings (as if they could be cut)?

I agree Jennifer, it would be a world changing event if humanity could come to a place where all avenues are not only respected but revered if there is a single soul walking it in search of The All.

Thanks for bring up the questions many of us have faced. Great post.

This really resonates as I was raised Christian and have also stepped away from my faith. I decided I wanted to live in love and not fear. I wrote about my spiritual journey in more depth on my blog: http://fiestabeth.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-journey.html.

I agree that it can be very scary to change belief patterns when they are so ingrained. When I started questioning things in high school I had friends who told me flat out, "I don't want to talk about this." They were just too scared.

Thanks for sharing, Jennifer. I wish I had some answers. Personally I just try to live my life in a way that exemplifies that it is possible to find joy, love, peace and happiness outside the framework of religion.

I am a cradle Catholic. I went through 12 years of parochial school and in my elementary years was taught that God was something fierceful and I was constantly afraid I was going to hell if I wasn't good! In my 20's I was a twofer (only going to church for Christmas and Easter), but after I was married and started a family my husband (who is also a cradle Catholic) started to go back to church. I have since evolved my God into a kind, forgiving, merciful and loving God. I believe that everyone gets into Heaven regardless of what religion they are or what they have done on earth, although they have to live with the consequences of their decisions while on earth. I believe we are to do our best to bring Heaven on earth by being loving, kind, inclusive and forgiving to others. I recently sat through a homily at my sons Catholic summer camp and the priest actually told them that if they don't go to church every Sunday, they will not get into Heaven! To say the least, I was very upset. I told my sons that that is not true, everyone gets into heaven and if they EVER hear anything questionable coming out of the mouths of anyone, especially anyone they consider of authority, they need to ask us about it, or even question the one who said it.

I surround myself with wonderful other religious or spiritual people who don't bring me down with dogma or fear. I don't try to "save" anyone, but show by example. One of my favorite songs is "They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love". I can't quote scripture, the Old Testament is a bunch of "stories" and I don't kneel in church (we don't have kneelers anyway). There are many other things that I don't do in church just because a bunch of guys in Rome said I have to. I listen to my own heart. I go to church on Sunday's to reconnect with God and my community. Fortunately for our church we have one of the last good priests. The "Church" is training the new seminarians the ways of pre-Vatican II, going back to traditional ways and putting the priests up on a pedestal. They are human just like us, but are blindly following the dogma without another thought.

That's my three cents worth, thanks for the post and keep up the good work!

When we can appreciate the fears of others, we can understand them more wholly.

... for your personal insights into your church growing up.

I wasn't raised in a religious community at all because both my parents were recovering from their fundamentalist upbringings and rejected religion altogether. I found God and spirit pretty much all by myself - intuitively and by reading voraciously about all kinds of spiritual stuff. The Jesus story never resonated with me, and even though I now understand it symbolically, I've found my own ways into the truths that his life and its mythology is about. And I've come to love him for what he was, his bravery and his sacrifice. But I don't feel Saved by Him. Nor do I believe in Heaven and Hell. I feel grateful for all that God IS in my life and to me, that is Saved enough.

In recent years I started to question the stories my parents told me about their upbringings, how fear-based and black and white they were. How they were taught NOT to question things. How could people be so narrow? How could they ignore what science had to teach us? Why couldn't they update and integrate their beliefs with the wisdom of other faiths around them? Hadn't that changed in modern times? Perhaps not. As your experience illustrates, fear is a powerful motivator

My experience tells me that when we set aside fear and hatred, more love comes through. I accept what you're saying about how some of the hellfire and damnation stories are motivated by love, but to me the ends don't justify the means. Getting into heaven at the expense of happiness here on earth isn't worth it to me. (It helps that I don't believe in Hell, I know:) The Kingdom of Heaven is here. Now. When I let go of fear and accept that reality into my heart, I am at peace and happy. I have arrived. I am Saved. I want no more. I could die today and be happy with the life I have lead until this moment. What more could heaven have to offer?

Thank you for your story and your understanding and your invitation to share.