I saw a van yesterday with a handpainted crucifixion depiction on both sides of it. It included the beaten-down Jesus and the words "Sin Sins Sinners" along the board parallel to the "ground." The back was brightly painted and posed the question: "Who do you want to spend eternity with?" Each door was then painted to depict heaven and hell.
All of this fire-spouting righteousness caused me to wonder: Does putting the fear of God into people really work?
I'm sure there was a time when uttering "Satan" was like saying the world "old" in front my dad, but times have changed. Does the scare tactic really work? The fear of bankruptcy would work. The fear of loss of sex or sexual organs would probably also do the trick. Even the loss of a finger ala Mob Boss-style would evoke some pretty heady concerns, but does the Almighty wield the fear he or she once did. Will it take a plaque of Paris Hilton movies, music and whorish ensembles before get our learn on?
5 comments:
In fact, Schultz always rails so vociferously against religion that I fear she might be a closeted Jehovah's Witness or something. Denial will get you nowhere, my friend.
But to answer Ashley's question, I don't think most people are religious because of fear of hell or God's wrath, I think they're afraid to face a world in which there is no master plan. People take comfort in the idea that someone or something is calling the shots. I prefer it the other way, but I'll probably GO TO HELL (insert ominous music here).
Paula, you're doing it again.
Amen.
There will always be people who are religious out of fear, but that is simply what they were taught. A comedian I saw said he was Christian enough to know he was going to hell for his routine, but not Christian enough to go to Church and clean his slate.
Seriously. I now know why crappy books that hawk religion are on the bestseller lists. So much interest that I forgot where i put my cheese in my purpose driven life.
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