What's with the fear?

 I've been taught that God is a loving, personal god. People who describe their near-death experiences refer to a pervasive love. If that is so, then why do the leaders of the faith use fear and threats to demand conformity? "If you don't believe in Jesus, then you go to hell - forever." "You're a sinner and need to be saved." "God's vengeance will be on non-believers." "If you don't confess your sins (and do the penance), your sins will not be forgiven."

The basic process of acquiring and retaining membership seems to be:

1) acquire members... "God is love." "If you confess your belief, you will live forever." "Join us and feel included."

2) retain members... "You are a sinner and must confess if you want to go to heaven." "If you don't do what we say, God will cut you out."

What if it is more simple than all of this. What if God has created what we perceive as the universe to amuse/entertain. God truly loves what God created, and that includes everyone... not just the "faithful". Our souls, being part of the immaterial realm is outside of the physical realm (which is where time exists). Our souls will live on past our physical bodies. We don't need to be threatened by religious leaders to live on in the immaterial realm. It is part of God's creation.

So why have a religion? What do we gain by doing what God tells us to do? This universe is God's creation and God has a purpose for the whole thing. I don't know what that purpose is, but I can guess. My best guess is that God wants the universe to carry on and evolve. When we are hateful and destructive to one another, we risk destroying a part of God's creation. This is why God has revealed himself at various times to various cultures (each in a way that the culture would understand).

The message, while said in different ways at different times, comes down to the same tenets of our faith, namely: Love unconditionally. Encourage diversity. Be a humble servant.

Help. Love. Build. Coordinate. These are the things God wants for us. The things God wants us to avoid includes: selfishness, isolation, hierarchy, greed, and such. We need to spend less time threatening one another and controlling others with fear. This builds isolation instead of community.