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Summary of Question:	Comments On The Fear Of God
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Thursday, 1/03/2002 7:58 AM MST

Sat Siri Akaal, all!

The fear of God thing used to come up quite frequently in my Christian past. (Raised Catholic, seven years as Latter-Day Saint.) So I don't know if what I have to say is going to quite match up with Sikh teaching. I welcome correction because that's what I come here for...

I think the fear thing is not so much as the cowering-in-the-corner, cowardly fear that you see in Hollywood ghost stories. I don't want that kind of fear of my Divine Creator. I think the "fear" in this case is a kind of old-English term more akin to respect or give honor to. When I got this, the concept was easier to work with.

Unfortunately the English language can be cumbersome, and a lot of things really get lost in translation from any language.

I hope this helps even a little bit. And again, if there is any need to correct me on this, anyone can feel free!

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Whaeguru ji ki Fateh

Elizabeth

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REPLY
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You are absolutely right, Elizabeth. The word almost always translated as "fear" actually means AWE or WONDER. It represents a deep awe of the Infinite... beyond words, beyond mind. You know, another interesting English word is "aweful". It actually means, of course, "full of awe!"

.....G