None of us are "wound free"; however, some carry many more marks on their souls than others. None can escape the rains that fall on life (Matt. 5:45) or the dark clouds that blow in and out of life. How we deal with those stormy times though is too often predicated on our macro view of God. Having a benevolent view of God, works decidedly in our favor.  

Unfortunately many people, and especially those within the Bible Belt where I reside, carry a "punitive father wound".

I think that too often that wound comes from the fundamentalist teachings of an eternal hell, original sin, and an over emphasis on a patriarchal paradigm. We can surely add to that the declining role of a nurturing natural father (in many cases the absence of a natural father figure at all) in our society. Put those two components together meant they would only get bigger.

I think Meister Eckhart had a grasp on the more "law-oriented" approach to God back in the fourteenth century when he wrote, "All the names we give to God come from an understanding of ourselves."

Once upon a time I was steeped in religious fundamentalism, suffering from the lack of a natural father and the traumas of two step dads. I put two and two together and got SIX (number for man of course) and saw this God that I worshipped as I had seen the three MEN in my life. Of course, since God was a MALE, therein the conclusions could easily be drawn.

Matthew Fox wrote, "People who worship a punitive father are themselves punitive."

So it was that back on those "once upon a time" days, that I was wanting God's approval, afraid of God, and mindful of needing to KEEP THE RULES in order to satisfy Father God. My religion, the denomination to which I belonged, was theistic, control oriented, rules centered, male dominated, and of course, RIGHT in all their beliefs (while others were wrong). Thus I had to stay the course, walk the line, and not deviate from the doctrines and dogma of my local church leader.

I was taught to fear the feminine, fear chaos, and fear trusting in anything or anyone that deviated from what my pastor told me.  :-(

I've had a lot of healing. I say "a lot" because to say I am totally healed is nothing but the ego wanting me to think I have arrived, and thus no further growth is needed. Probably one of the greatest benefits to come from my healing of the punitive father wound is that I can see it in others, help them (when asked), and love them as they are without NEEDING to get them saved, rescued, born again, rededicated, or any of those religious concepts.

God is LOVE and that is damned GOOD NEWS!

http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/the-punitive-father-wound-1153857.html