Should Religion Control Our Choices?

An Open Letter from God

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FAITH Q&A: Should religion attempt to control people's behavior?

By The Rev. Duke Tufty, Pastor — Unity Temple on the Kansas City Plaza

Religion should be uplifting

The various levels of government in this country provide us with 150,000 new laws and 2 million new regulations each year, all of which attempt to control the behavior of the people of the United States of America. Why would anybody want to engage in a religion that tried to control them even more?

It appears to me that throughout history, religion has been woefully mistaken in its primary purpose. Religion is not meant to impose rules and regulations on people, but rather propose higher insights that lead to a more successful life. Religion is not meant to overpower the individual's will, but rather empower an individual to take control of his or her life and express a higher potential.

Lastly, religion is not meant to usher ultimatums, bordering on threats, of what will happen to someone in the afterlife if they don't subscribe to and abide by church doctrine in this life. None of those things move us closer to God. We are not sinners; we are not unworthy in the eyes of God; we don't need to be put down, but rather we need to be lifted up. Religions' attempt to control our lives has put us in a cage with crumbs to eat. Let us out, and we will soar to new heights where we will find a new life and a new connection with God that has been heretofore unimagined.

Universal Light Institute