My family went to a Southern Baptist church every Sunday. I believed for a while but grew disenchanted and doubtful while still a child. The minister was a real fire and brimstone sort and the things he stressed never made sense to me. GOd loved me, but he'd condemn me to eternal fire and damnation if I got the least bit out of line. Jesus was my saviour but if I had the slightest doubt or questioned the bible he'd punish me for eternity. ETERNITY! Even as an eight year old that made no sense to me. I reasoned that even if I lived to be one hundred years old that would be nothing compared to eternity so even if I was wicked for every second of that hundred years eternity seemed a bit excessive as a punishment. It started to all seem like something grown-ups made up to keep people in line. For a while I continued to believe in some sort of divine power, but I felt it was pretty benign. No heaven, no hell, just some sort of ambient energy or something. Now I figure its all just the invention of man.
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Thousands of Monkeys, all screaming at once. Pulling God's finger.
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