Religious Guilt

"God will not be very happy if you do not share." This is the line I used to get a piece of chocolate from my 10 year old cousin. I have realized how much this line works. Line like this and similar to these have been used on me for years. 

For example, "God is not happy with you." "God will not be happy with you."  "You did not do this the way you were suppose to, God probably is upset with you." Guilty me! 

"I told you to pray more."  What is more? No one has ever defined or explained more to me. My mom has been trained to blame herself, when she does not get answers from God the way she was expecting. She always feels guilty that she did not pray enough. I sometimes get so anxious when she ask me to pray for something with urgency. It makes me feel something bad is happening or is about to happen. 

Initially, I was ditto and still am at times. However, I am trying to separate my love for God from the religious guilt. I want to love God not just because of the things He provides me or the needs that He fulfills. But because He is God. I don't want to have a conditional relationship with an unconditional God. When I look back and think of the pain I have endured in life, why I always forget the undeserved grace and unmerited gifts I received from Him.

Religious guilt has been used on us to create fear. Fear is the way to manipulate and control. When you overcome your fears, you started living. Let us create love of God not fear of the Loving, Merciful and the most Magnificent God Almighty.