It is all about fear
Seriously!
What is the fruit of fear?
When we are afraid we are separated from each other.
We cannot see each other as friends, collaborators,
brothers and sisters.
We see them as threats
And when others are threats
We must dominate them
Control them
Intimidate them
The ideology of domination comes from fear, not strength
Fear, not a sense of “rightness”
Fear, not God
God says “Perfect love (my love) casts out all fear”
It is fear that causes right-wing politicians to use their
power
To oppress and suppress
To punish
To minimize
To control
Authoritarian governments are born out of fear
It is fear that drives the gun-rights movement
Fear of those uppity people who should know their place
Fear of those who are different
Fear of progress
Fear
It was fear that caused an old man to shoot through the glass
at an innocent teenager
It was fear, and the need to feel powerful, that caused a
man to fire bullets
Into a car, killing a young person who just happened to
be lost
It is fear that drives the American right to the polls to
vote for a toxic narcissist
It is fear that causes many a preacher to push dominance
and hate
It is a theology of fear that insists that if you don’t
turn you will burn
And be in conscious eternal torment for eternity
It is fear of this same malign God of domination that
lies behind
The rigidity and ideological myopia of the pro-life
movement
(God will get you if you don’t watch out)
It is fear that drives racism and greed
That robs people of insight and compassion
That keeps them from being welcoming, generous, and kind
How many times do the angels show up
Saying “Do not be afraid”
Jesus tells the people, do not be afraid
God has the sparrows, God has you
Fear not, God is giving you the kingdom
And his last intimate conversation with his disciples
begins
Do not let your hearts be troubled
It is interesting that those who live in fear
Want the rest of us to fear
And it works, doesn’t it?!
How many of us, watching the creep of fear-driven
authoritarianism
Are afraid.
But still, the message comes
Be not afraid
Be not afraid
Be not afraid
"...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of
power and love and self-control." (2 Tim)
God is
God is with us
God loves us
God has given us the power of love
Be not afraid
But use the power of love
Get up, Get going, Get doing,
And overcome evil with good
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