Wotan
Active Member
I think you're so right about the abusive element to the way some people use religion to try to shape, mis-shape and taunt children, and it goes on into adulthood as well with the Church in all sorts of awful ways. I was raised in an entirely non-religious household, then 'found God' when I went to university, then 'lost' him/ her/ it again somewhere along the way thereafter. The thing that really gets me is that ever since, their attitudes have permeated my attempts to think honestly and seriously about spiritual matters because of that fear element. Why do they feel the need to use fear and threats to try to make people share their views?!
Because simple reasoning shows the entire system to be both foolish and useless. So fear is the only real weapon they have.
And they do SO enjoy using it.