Darkness.

"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."  Psalm 118:26 (NRSV)

There is darkness in God's House.

The fear and guilt induced by traditional teachings in the Church is the product of darkness.

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "'You know neither me nor my Father.  If you knew me, you would know my Father also.'"  John 8:19 (NRSV)

So, if the Pharisees did not know the God they worshipped perhaps the priests and ministers of Jesus' Church don't know Him either.

They preach fear and guilt.

But there is no fear in God, neither is there guilt.

God is our loving Father.

He nurtures us and feeds us like our Mother.

And His promise is true.

You have nothing to fear from God.

God will not judge us.

But His priests and ministers may judge you.

They put the principle before the person.

And they enforce traditional doctrines.

Many are sex-phobic and homophobic.

Many are misogynistic.

But the Church is beginning to change.

As the Light from God increases.

We who are witnesses to the Light are blessed.

But: "'You will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."'"  Matthew 23;39 (NRSV) 

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.] 

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