In pursuit of Truth, Justice, and the Romantic idealized universe this fundamental I think has had one of the strongest influences on my life and wanderings.

The concept of doing the right things for the right reasons instead of doing the right things for the wrong reasons... It's kind of a tricky philosophical slope that I've tried to tread and it's had several significant impacts on my life.
Including an utter disdain for any religions or religious teachers that use "hellfire and brimstone" or any other forms of fear to motivate their adherents. Any religious figure that uses fear to try and teach someone to love makes me want to develop a twitch as I resist the urge to express my displeasure.

Several religious organizations in my personal experience have used various degrees of this technique. I remember a day when I decided that I wanted to not go to sunday school and wanted to stay with my parents and listen to the "grown-ups" sermon. So I went from my usual sunday morning offerings of wonderous stories and parables that taught us lessons on the best way to live, to a "no holds barred" parade of fear and damnation display of the use of a whip and a carrot to motivate behavior.
What about the churches who are possibly using the fear of loneliness and organize "singles groups" to bring more young adults and even older adults into the fold?

Or have I just become a cynic who overexamines his own motives and those of everyone around him? *shrug* There may be a balance that I may not have quite worked out on that one.

But even as aspects of my personality and worldview are shaped by these early lessons, I received an important foundation for an epiphany that I wouldn't fully realize until much later in my life.

I will not be controlled by Fear.

Especially not the Black Fear, which is that deepest of all fears... The one that all lesser fears are derived from. There is nothing of true value located there. *grin* Get Thee Behind Me!


I originally expected this message to be much longer... but that last part pretty much sums up this whole day for me, and probably much of the week, this year... stretch it out to any focus of time you prefer. I'm going to bed now.