Exactly. All there is is fear.
Fear of slipping up.
Fear of never making the grade, no matter how much you try, hoping against hope that at the very least you’re only looking at an extended stay in purgatory instead of hell itself.
There is no freedom when your entire eternal destiny is based on your perfect performance, which no one can possibly achieve anyway.
And not only that, look at those who have been assumed ARE already in Heaven, therefore recognized as "saints".
They are the "martyrs" - presumed to be in heaven because they died for Christ. It is never considered, as far as I can remember, whether or not the person actually DID accept Jesus Christ as savior before being killed for him.
How many have been declared saints simply because they led "saintly" lives? It is assumed they went straight to Heaven, not based on the grace of God but on the way they lived. Reading about some of the saints of the Church and what they did to earn the title is sometimes a little creepy to me. I remember in Catholic grade school feeling a cold chill hearing about some of their stories.
How many people are declared saints because someone prayed to them and their prayer was "answered". It is assumed they MUST be in heaven or else God would not have answered their prayer. How many such "miracles" are required these days to proclaim a person a saint?
I remember after going to confession on Saturday before Mass on Sunday being so careful to not do anything wrong, going so far as to wish I would die in between the time of confession and communion or right after communion because I was the most "holy" during that time. It is a fear - especially for little kids - and even into adulthood that, even now, some reading this thread have determined to skip reading anything that would cause them to question those who they are convinced, or have been convinced, are the only true arbiters of truth.
Yet, we are witnesses that God CAN break through and lead us to him away from false religion into the glorious knowledge of the truth of the Gospel in Jesus Christ. Praise His name!