Well, western Christianity is founded, based and live on the precepts of guilt and punishment.

"If you do that, you'll make Jesus sad and his suffering was for naught."

"If you do that, you'll go to hell and suffer forever."

I have a friend who describes Christianity in general as a slave religion, i.e., that it was created for people in slave-like conditions. Basically, you won't get any reward on earth, so let's pretend that if you suffer and do all these things here, you'll get to heaven. And if you don't obey those in charge and do as we say, you'll never get "paid."

I don't necessarily agree with everything he says on that subject, but I certainly understand his point of view. It's like pie in the sky, basically. Let's pretend that there's great things awaiting us after death, so that we don't have to think about or address the misery and suffering on earth.

I mean, if that's the case, why bother with life at all? Let's just all die now, go straight to heaven and be done with it. I just find it inconceivable that we're not supposed to enjoy life on earth and try to make it pleasant. Apparently, if we're having fun, we're doing something wrong. Sinning, or something.

My parents are fundamentalists of the strictest sort. Pretty much anything that's pleasant or pleasurable is off limits. Their whole lives revolve around the church. It's their mother, father, brother, companion, friend, and life. Anything that takes away from your devotion or time at church is considered suspect.

That can't be healthy, you know?

I often wonder if Calvin wasn't a masochist.