Most religious supporters are not mindful of the fear that has been instilled in them, often from birth. It is a fear that is so subtle that it goes undetected for much of the follower’s life. It is so deeply embedded that it is not even recognized as fear, but as truth; when in reality, it is a most destructive form of control.
For those who take the time to study the origins of religious beliefs, they are well aware of how, when and for what purpose a religion began. They are aware of the common themes and beliefs during the time the religion was created. They know what literary archetypes the religion was taken from in order to create the new doctrine. They understand the historic flow of language and the written word and how it has influenced our world – including our many religions.
Unfortunately, a great number of religious followers are either prevented from or discouraged from learning the truth about how their religious system was established. This is highly evident in modern theocracies where citizens are restricted from viewing numerous websites that would offer the information that would reveal the truth about the origin of their religion.
There is a very fundamental reason why many religions insist that their followers do not look elsewhere for answers to life’s questions. It is the questioning that leads to the answers that free people and give them an understanding of the whole picture rather than the narrow view from a small corner of their mind. It is the refusal to ask the questions that keeps them devoted to one specific answer. Take away the questioning and you ensure a future of followers. How do you take away the questioning? You make everything else evil. You make everything scary and frightful so that the follower is actually afraid of swaying from that one answer they have been given. You take away their desire to ask the questions.
Why do many believers refuse to study ancient religions, cultures, science, and philosophy? Why do they refuse to befriend or feel scornful towards those who do not share their beliefs? Why are these things, these other people around them, these conflicting ideas automatically wrong? Have they been taught this mindset?
Anything that fervidly opposes diligent inquiry is not representative of the truth.
Former believers are most aware that the reason for this fear is that their god, their family or peers, their religious leaders and their own internal self-judgement will be discontent with their “inappropriate” curiosity. They fear that it is “the enemy” tempting them away from their faith by introducing them to ideas that conflict with their religion’s version of the truth. They have been taught (often from birth) that questioning is wrong – that seeking answers and gaining knowledge was not meant for us. These concepts are so deeply embedded in their thought that they can even feel guilty just thinking about questioning their faith. Many rarely stop to think about why they have been discouraged from asking questions and understanding things outside their religious sphere. Does the truth need restrictions if it is the truth? No, not unless the truth is being hidden in order to perpetuate the misconception in order to reap the benefits of the purpose of hiding that truth. This becomes overwhelmingly obvious to those who do ask the questions and honestly think about the answers. How obvious this becomes when we recognize how hiding the truth can profit those who discourage their followers from questioning the validity of their beliefs.
How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us. ~ Pope Leo X (1513 -1521)
Even those who have chosen to leave a religion must deal with the remnants of fear until it has been sufficiently purged from their life; that is, until they consciously choose to stop believing in monsters and ghosts and demons and the devil and feathered angels and ask the questions that they have spent much of their life needlessly fearing.
When you keep people from asking questions, you maintain control of them. Kings and queens know this. Religious leaders know this. Governments who restrict internet access that provide many of those answers know this. The wise know this. It’s time religious followers knew this too. It’s ok to ask questions. It’s ok to find the answers. Asking questions is where you truly find freedom.
After reading Michelle Goldberg's excellent book, Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, I started thinking about the goals of the Christian nationalist movement.
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