Fear

I saw this church sign while I was out and about this past weekend. So taken aback by it that I decided to stop and take a picture to share.

At first I was angry at what I read. What a way to teach a message to your followers. Fill them with fear. If they are afraid then they will be more willing to do what you want them to do. (Now, I am not picking on the Lutheran faith. I am meaning this in an over all opinion about "organized" religion.)

But mostly reading this make me sad. Sad that so many (my family and many friends) believe that their religion is the only right one. That all of those who don't believe a certain way are domed in the end. That when they talk to me about how righteous their way is, they are also looking at me with pity in their eyes. For you see, since I don't believe in their way, then I will not go to their heaven and instead will be living the rest of my afterlife in their hell.
I know that a structured belief system gets many, many people through each day. The hard times they have and offers them comfort they need too. 

It's sad in a way to me that these people will never know what it is like to truly feel what is around them. That when they look at the moon they will never feel her power or pull. That they complain about the sun instead of feeling the heat that goes soul deep.

So I take a deep breath. Give my thanks to the God and Goddess and take a moment to feel the energy around me.
Blessing be.