Okay. I ate breakfast and now have read your article. I certainly agree with your thoughts on free will and choice, often include it in my essays. I also write about the dynamics of consequences - both temporal and eternal -and yet have never had any fear of God (in the sense fear means inordinate trepidation and being afraid. That isn't what my parents' church taught.

Just a few of my findings: sin is simply doing hurt and harm to ourselves or to one another. God is a good, good father, and His Laws sere given to prevent negative consequences; down through the eons of time what was the church (first assemblies of Messianic Believers) would not recognize what men have done to the Gospel as presented in tjhe Book called Acts: there are many other dynamics and I wrote an essasy with my wird called "Why We Believe," and posted it on Medium, if you're interested.

https://medium.com/@68dlh1592/why-we-believe-970cc971e986

My parents were Presbyterian and had a strict commitment for Church attendance - Sunday School when I was young and later, Church Services for adults. However, it was nothing like the strictures of your Catholic Parish. My wife grew up in a Catholic family and held to that system at l east nominally, but again, not like the intensity of your parent's Parish.

Still and all, I hope the historically wrong thinking and edicts of arrogant men won't dissuade you from pursuing truths of God, Jesus, and the Bible.