[caption id="attachment_985" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Whose God?"]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/20110401_1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-985" title="20110401_1" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/20110401_1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>[/caption]

It has always been fascinating to me the way different people view God.

There is the punitive God of the Old Testament and the jealous God some followers of specific religions seem to see.

I have never understood why certain people in certain churches seem to think that making people afraid of God is the best way -- or even a particularly effective way -- to gain their loyalty.

I'm certainly no theologian, but it seems to me that any loyalty won through fear is loyalty that only lasts as long as the fear does.

I much prefer the New Testament God, the one who loved the world so much that he sent his only son down to redeem man with his sacrifice, to the people who run around saying God hates liberals, homosexuals and anyone who doesn't go to the right church.

It really comes down to one thing for me, one thing that transcends any and all religions.

We love God, because God is love.