LOVE GOD or FEAR GOD?
We always hear about the "Charedim" and "Chilonim" in Israel. The first being the 'religous' and the latter being 'the opposite'. In truth Charedi means the one who "fears", ie. one who is afraid of Hashem - "Yirah" of Hashem.
The root word for Yirah is "Roeh" to see - one who feras G-d is one who sees - the consequnces of one actions - and sometimes that causes fear.
WAIT!??
Does that make sense to you?!
If they are so religous what are they afraid of? My friends the answer to this ironic quandry is, that the truth is the opposite of Charedi is not Chiloni - its "Ohavei" - the opposite of fear is love. Fear closes you up, love opens you up.
The only real challenge some "Non Religous" people have is that they love G-d - when all they need really is a little 'understanding of the effects of their actions' aka fear.
And the only challenge "Religous people" have is 'to stop being so afraid of G-d and embrace G-d with Love - open up to G-d and to others - with peace and wisdom.
So we compliment each other - and we all have where to grow. Freud once said: As soon as you love something you will be afraid to lose it - the challenge we all have is to manage a love and a reverence at the same time - one way to do this with G-d is replace fear of Punishment with with fear of Exaltedness - which means to be inspired and mezmerised by G-dliness in the world, this can only happen with LEARNING and STUDYING.