Jesus Camp

This posting is for a beloved friend, whom I love to tease! This freindship is truly special. It is rair to find someone you can have such long converations that go so far yet travel in circles. We travel great distances with much sacrifice only to discover we are exactly where we started. We search the world to discover that what is already within us.
Pam and I had a lengthy conversation about God. For some history I had watched a documentary called "Jesus Camp" and was horrified by what I had seen. I am a recovering Caholic, forced to sit through countless hours of "training" Taught that God is a seperate being which we must "please" How do you please "him"? By obaying rules, rules which were created by humans (get this) to be broken! If you obay the "rules" and "please" God you will have earned your place in paradise (Heaven). At the end of it all, you have been taught to Fear God, thus fear yourself. As Pam puts it God is within everything, nothing can be without God and God can not be seperate from anyone or anything. So we search outside of ourselves to find what is really within! conclusion: God is asleep within us "Life is but a dream" waiting to wake up.
After watching "Jesus Camp" I was (and if I am honest still am) angry by what I had seen. This Woman (preacher) was asking of CHILDREN to commit to "Laying down their LIFE for Jesus" A concept that no child can truly understand. In my eyes the Catholic religion is built on fear and guilt. (Look at the fear in the little girls eyes... above) These children truly want to "please" God, but how can they when they have to commit to rules that they can not possibly keep? When I was watching I was very much distracted by the message she was getting through loud and clear to me. Read between the lines and come up with this.... Dont break any of the rules I have not already broken.. (The ones she has already broken are not significant enough to keep her from gaining her place in heaven) It seemed convenient to me that she had skipped over the "rules" she had herself broken and focused on those that she may not have. I am not saying here that she needs to be perfect, no one is and keeping in mind those rules were created to be broken. But to pass judgement on any other person or expectations on any other person is to pass judgement on God and yourself. So here I go passing judgement... like I said there isnt perfection anywhere. Remember I am a recovering catholic... I'm not there yet. But working on it.
Where we got and where we came from? The same place. God is within, not seperate. You are God, I am God and Pam is God. When God wakes up within us there will lie trouth and contentment. Leaving in its wake the need to think, talk and search. I am still talking... Someone pour cold water on me and wake me up!!!!