fear and religion

Everyone has a right to live..right to follow the religion of their choice. However that right is sometimes becomes the right to oppress, and eventually it becomes the rule by fear.
In Malaysia, a muslim will never be able to leave islam, even if he/she wants to.
They must follow the fasting month religiously, we have enforcement officers who check on the people who eat during the fasting month. They can arrest and fine not only the person who is eating, they can also cancel the license of the eatery that sold the food to a muslim, during the fasting hours.
A newspaper that published the offending cartoon of Prophet Muhammed is banned for life.( never mind that it was published under the title that”not much effect in Malaysia” regarding the controversy, though it is an islamic country)
A muslim girl in Malaysia will never be able to attend a beauty pagent…This is even if she has no problem doing the swim suit part of the pagent, the idiots who makes the rule think otherwise.
The same girl can’t go out for a date with her boyfriend, unless she brings another female, or else she will be arrested for “close proximity”
Once she is married she may then live under the fear that any day her husband can take another wife.
We have religious leaders who encourage beautiful women to stay home, since they can always lure rich husbands anyway.
Same leaders also fine muslim women who don’t wear the tudong.
I am glad I wasn’t born in to a bumi family. I could choose to live my life the way I want. I could go to a buddhist temple or a hindu temple. I could choose to go to a church. I could enter MV Doulos the floating ship( muslims in Malaysia are forbidden to visit the ship, because doulos sell christian literature).I could study any religion i wanted to, read any religious books i wanted to, without being banned for life under blasphemy. I could go out on date without taking my pain in the butt sisters. I could marry knowing very well that another wife is goodbye at the courts.

Religion is meant to show the truth and the way.. was it ever meant to suppress and rule by fear? would heaven close the door on me for the way I dress, for my belief?.
Years ago while doing my rural posting in a village far away from civilization I met a christian missionary, who told me, Jesus is the only way to heaven. Then I asked her, what would happen to those who don’t beleive in Jesus, she said they wouldn’t go to heaven. She was pretty sure that heavenly gate only opened to those who followed Jesus. Yet she couldn’t answer, what happend to those who lived before Jesus was born, those who lead a ‘pure’ life,but don’t beleive in jesus? Do they not go to heaven? She couldn’t answer.
Then I asked her who Cain married, If Adam and Eve were the first people, and Cain their first born, when Cain was banished from the eden, who did Cain marry? Were there other people as well?
Would Dalai Lama go to heaven? If he doesn’t, then perhaps heaven is nothing but an illusion, created to bring fear to the people. Fear to suppress. We would be free, the day religion frees us.. The day we live because we want to and choose our options wisely. Until then we kill in the name of religion.. and then pray for redemption..

4 thoughts on “fear and religion

  1. interesting post.

    people often do not know why they do something, or understand what they teach. Ignorance is at the root of a lot of evil.

    Unfortunately it must have its time.

  2. I can tell you that those who have never heard of Jesus, may yet be saved by their conduct in life. But this is up to God’s grace.

    When Cain and Abel were born, the Bible did not specifically say only 2 sons were born to Adam and Eve. Other sons and daughters were born as well. The Bible mentions about Cain and Abel is because it is worthy to mention them as it involved the manner of worshipping God. Cain probably married his own sister, who are one of those that left with Cain when God punished him.

    Dalai Lama is sure to go to hell, unless he repented and become a believer in Jesus. I’m sure Dalai Lama has heard of Jesus. Ignorant is not the same as have never heard.

    a member of TJC church

  3. So it is ok for a brother to marry a sister!,..In the 21st century we call that incest, punishable under most countries legal system

    What is hell? Have you been there? has anyone you know being there? Is it cold or is it hot there? Or you are just regugitating what you have been taught?
    Do you know there is nothing mentioned about hell/after life in the old testament?(Except Daniel 12:2 and Isiah 66:24, which says something about ever lasting life and about worms being still around the dead body!)
    There is also a mention about extinction of the soul after death ( Ecclesiastes 9:10)
    Since there was no hell before Christ, then christ and the christians invented hell??

    Why does a god so merciful and kindful, still be vindictive and vengeful? How can you beleive someone who is vengeful?
    How do you justify a god who would deprive Dalai lama( who except for worshipping another god and working on Sabbath day follows the 10 commandments) a ticket to heaven, yet offer admission to a man who murderers and rapes and repents and get a first class ticket to heaven?
    Ignorance is indeed the root cause of all trouble.. When was the last time you looked at yourself?( you are still scared of your own identity and hide behind anon!)

  4. I happened to chance upon your blog recently and had become a regular visitor. As I was reading some from the archives I came to this post http://malaysianincanada.blogspot.com/2006/02/fear-and-religion.html and this is my attempt to help you find answers. Please have the patience to read fully.

    Religion is meant to show the truth and the way – True and Jesus said I am the way, the Truth and the Life. – John14: 6

    What happend to those who lived before Jesus was born, those who lead a ‘pure’ life,but don’t beleive in jesus –
    Jesus was born because God decided to make His Son (Jesus) die as punishment for the sins of mankind. Jesus has been with God right from the beginning of time but was born as a human at a certain point in time to fulfill God’s plan for man’s salvation. I am the alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End – Revelation 22:13. Those who lived before Jesus was born, but worshipped God who created the universe and everything in it will have eternal life in heaven. Until Jesus was born, there were sacrifices as atonement for sins. But those sacrifices lost their meaning when people continued to sin without true repentance. To obey is better than sacrifice (1Samuel 15:22). God is the same yesterday, today and forever and it is faith in God that matters. Jesus is not a character who was born out of nowhere one fine day. He was with God even before time began. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us – John 1:14. With the birth of Jesus, the only thing that changed is the covenant God had with men. Jesus died on the cross as the ultimate and final sacrifice. God made a new covenant with man (hence it is the new testament, not because it was a different God before that).

    What you need to understand here is that God made his Son, Jesus die on the cross under the new covenant, not because he is a vengeful God but because He is a God of love. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son to die, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life -John 3:16. By dying on the cross, Jesus took the punishment that was meant for me and you – sinners, upon Himself and gave of the gift of redemption to you and me freely. All I now need to do is repent and believe in Jesus. I find it amazing that God loves even a murderer and rapist so much that if he repented and believed in the sacrifice that Jesus did on the cross (in effect he is believing that the punishment for his sins has already been borne by Jesus who was the murderer/ rapist’s substitute), he’d be saved. That’s the love of a true Father. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all – Isaiah 53:5, 6.

    When was the last time you looked at yourself?
    I do everyday and I find myself highly short of God’s standards of purity. If everyone really looked at himself or herself close enough, they’d realize that all are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. You might have lived a pretty decent life, stood up against all odds for the principles and values that you considered were right, but can you truly say that you have never sinned?
    Have you really looked at yourself really well?

    Dalai Lama who except for worshipping another god and working on Sabbath day follows the 10 commandments
    There is no other God. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved – Acts 4:12. At the Name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord – Philippians 2:10. Aren’t we skipping a few commandments when we say that someone is following all the 10 commandments? Have you never lied? Or are you trying to define standards for God as to what sin should be and what sin shouldn’t be? Has a bad thought never crossed your mind? Are you setting parameters for yourself and for God by which you think you should be judged as to whether you are a sinner or not? How much do you know Dalai Lama? Do you know his innermost thoughts and specific details of his personal life? He is a very respected and noble person and may God be his judge! But why don’t you think about where you are with God?

    Fear and Freedom
    If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36. You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father. We are God’s children. – Romans 8: 15, 16. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18. He loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood. – Revelation 1:5.
    How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God. – 1 John 3:1. God has called you to freedom, not to slavery. To be His sons and daughters not servants. . May the truth of His word set you free and bring you to Light.

    On the cross of Calvary Jesus died for our sins and conquered death by rising from the dead. God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus – Ephesians 2:6. I worship a God who is living. He is not buried in any tomb, He is watching over me, He will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4)

    And lastly, in all probability, Cain did marry his sister. Pls read follow this link http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c004.html for more light on this. Let that not be a deterrent in your quest for Truth and experiencing the love of God. Pray and ask God to reveal the truth. Do not believe because some girl sitting in another corner of the world in Bangalore, India is telling you few things. As you pray, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5. Ask almighty God, and He will reveal Himself to you.

    Ignorance is indeed the root cause of all trouble. Please read the bible carefully. Seek the Lord with a humble heart. – Isaiah 55:6 to 9. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Wise men still seek God!

    Anu Jose
    Bangalore
    anujcpa@gmail.com

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