Religious obsession has its roots and
origins in childhood when children start feeling dazzled by the pictures
portrayed to them of heaven, hell, the heavenly father, and the court of
angels, archangels and cherubs.
What impresses children the most are
the tales about miracles, rewards and divine punishment.
One does not need to be highly
imaginative in order to realise what such fantasies mean during the critical
period of formation of man's personality and character, and how much they
contribute to dull reasoning and to stunt one's growth in the vast field of
spirituality.
Among the most serious errors of
religions, the forgiveness of faults and even of crimes committed by their
followers is outstanding.
Absolution of sins pleases the flock,
giving much relief to their consciences. The soul remains supposedly free from
guilt. With such impunity assured by absolution, they do not hesitate to commit
new faults, new mistakes, new crimes, from which they will be acquitted in the
confessional or on their death beds when they receive the anointment of the
sick.
Moral debts are thus paid with
confessions, much the same as monetary debts are paid with money. And the good
payer always has open credit for new operations.
It is very common to attribute to God,
whose designs are said to be impenetrable, the responsibility for much of what
happens on Earth.
Thus, if a member of a family dies, it
was God who took him or her. If an accident happens, it was God's will. If
someone escapes from being run over by an automobile, God gets the credit for
saving the quasi-victim.
Individuality is thus always dependent
on a third entity and this subordination exercises a crushing negative
influence over the human spirit.
This shows to what extent religions are
unable to convey to their followers a true concept of spiritual life, due to
their complete ignorance about matters related to incorporeal life.
Religious obsession
by Luiz de Mattos