God-Fearing People
As I was tuning across the radio dial today trying to find some good music...
...a rather difficult task in itself... ...
...I happened to catch a few words from two radio preachers.
In the few seconds I listened to each I caught the phrase "God-fearing."
One Rev. was apparently condemning all who weren't "God-fearing."
The other was advising us against having friends who weren't "God-fearing."
I immediately concluded that I would fall into the latter category.
We fear dictators and despots.
We fear rattlesnakes.
We fear scorpions.
All for pretty much the same reason.
Personally, I've found that I can't love something or someone I fear...
...including the singular, all pervading force that most would call God.
I guess I consider God the touchstone of Love...
...and not someone with the propensity to do me in.
That's the role of my enemies.
These fire-and-brimstone, fundamentalist types like to threaten us with God....
...revel in the view that those that don't agree with them...
...(and are having all that fun!)...
...will "get theirs" in the end.
Makes them feel better about missing out, I guess.
But, rather than improving the God-people relationship...
... one that definitely needs improving, you might have noticed...
... they're making the situation worse.
God could really stand to update His PR in this respect.
Maybe that's why we now have Neil Walsch's book...
...Friendship With God.
But, as you may have heard, the fundamentalist preacher types don't much care for this book.
I wonder if that's because it undermines their fear-based hold on people...
...not to mention their self-appointed status as being appointed interpreters of God's views.
From a number of standpoints this book may revolutionize your concept of God....
...remove that no-sense-of-humor, stern, vengeful image...
...make God into someone you can regard as your friend....
...talk with...
...love....
...and definitely not fear.
