When I was a kid, I turned to religion because I was afraid of dying. Now as an adult, I'm not as afraid of

Question

dying and not as religious. Anyone else feel the same way?

Answer 1

There are many reasons why people become religious. One of the main ones is a concern for death. It is hard to imagine yourself not existing anymore. Some people never get over this.

There are also other reasons people become religious. Religion provides pat answers for questions that are really unanswered at this point. And most people would more readily accept a made-up answer than admitting ignorance about something.

Also, people are uncomfortable with the idea that we're just on a rock hurtling through space. They'd rather believe that there is some "purpose" to us being here. Of course, there is no reason evidence of this purpose, but thinking there is one makes people feel better.

Religion relies on many of these emotional arguments to sway converts. That's why they talk so much about the "love of God" and the "wrath of God". It is also the reason they talk about Heaven and Hell so much. If you listen to how religious people talk, you'll notice there is very little substance and a LOT of emotional tugs.

Answer 2

No I didn't turn to religion as a kid. I was brought up by religious parents. They took me to church from the time I was born. We had to put on our Sunday best and sit out the long sermons.
When I was about eleven or twelve I told my mother that I didn't want to go to church any more. She asked why. I told her that all that I keep hearing over and over just didn't make sense to me. Mom said that she knows that I've given it a lot of thought, and if I didn't believe what I've been hearing, there is no sense in my listening to more of the same.
Many army chaplains who were fellow officers and personnel friends of mine tried to get me to believe. They couldn't come up with anything convincing, so here I am, still an unbeliever. I am far up in age, and could die any day. That doesn't scare me a bit. No religious person lives up to every rule of their God, so there is always some doubt as to which way they're going. I don't have that problem. I know where I'm going- -- to the Service cemetary.

Answer 3

In youth you were afraid of dying?? I thought it was the other way around. When I was young I never thought about dying, and to be honest I had very little patience for all the church and religion thing. I kept saying to them, without uttering an audible word: "Give me a freakin break."

Now, as I get older, I'm more aware of mortality; and to be honest with you, I wish there were a god -- but it's too late for me, cause I already know too much, cause of my education and stuff.

If I could somehow fool myself into believing in a god and heaven etc, I would. Well maybe.

Answer 4

Death has no fear for me at all. It's inevitable. The only thing that scares me is dying before I see my children grow up. So I look both ways when I cross the road, eat healthily and laugh a lot.

And no, I don't have a religious atom in my body.

Answer 5

when you're younger, it's scarey to think about dying and never getting to experience so many things. You get older, you get to experience things, you almost get bored with life if you're not careful. I think it may be helpful if you find a new passion in life so that you won't take life for granted and appreciate every moment and just in general. I don't feel the way you do but I can sorta understand. :)

Answer 6

I'm not looking forward to dying by any means; that seems to be the venue of christians anxious to be with Jesus.

I do however recognize that I came from nothingness, nothing prior to my birth, so it's not that difficult to assume that there will be nothing after my death. Until there's evidence to the contrary, I'll go with what the physical universe tells me.

Answer 7

Same here. I was scared into being a Christian by the threat of hell, but as I got older and learned more, I was no longer afraid of something I realized didn't exist, so I became Agnostic.

Answer 8

when I was a kid I was very afraid of dying now that I believe in the Lord Jesus I dont fear death at all I fear how I may die only.

Answer 9

The older you are the closer you are to dying. Why then do you afraid less of it?

Answer 10

I'm not afraid of dying because of my belief in God and the life I live.