I asked this because I am trying to figure something out.I know it has probably been asked before.But I am still curious.What I am curious about is why believers think that telling Atheists they are going to Hell works or describing Hell in detail convinces non believers enough to believe that it must exist because it was described.
Also, *scratches head* why do believers think that non believers are going to be convinced of anything having to do with God or heaven or Hell or Jesus and so forth because it says so in the Bible?Are they oblivious to the fact that non believers are usually non believers because they already don't believe that the Bible is anything more then some rather long and boring fiction written by a bunch of guys in the desert?
2007-09-13 10:33:43 · 20 answers · asked by Demopublican 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Of course I'm not afraid of hell. I scratch my head over this one too. Is it really so hard to step out of your box just long enough to determine what someone else will find compelling?
2007-09-13 10:38:32 · answer #1 · answered by wondermus 5 · 8⤊ 1⤋
NO an Atheist would not be afraid of hell because they do not even believe Hell exists.
Most atheists I know believe life can be hell enough that they find no reason or evidence to prove a heaven or hell.
I am not atheist, I am Pagan, but I still try to understand as many perspectives as I can. Its called tolerance of others beliefs.
So the atheists i do know, which are many because they grew up in East Germany during the Communist reign and Religion was not accepted by the State then. They have NO concept of Religion or God other than from books and most think it is a very silly story. Some have good morals to them but other than that they cannot believe Westerners believe what they do.
Being Wiccan or agnostic whatever, I am not treated as an idiot with them, my views make more logic to them i am told.
so no they have no fear of something that does not exist but in ones own mind.
(It is too bad we could not ask Sam Kinison (comedian) what he thought, he was so funny in the late 80's. It is a shame he died.)
2007-09-13 10:50:27 · answer #2 · answered by Legend Gates Shotokan Karate 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's all they know. They believe something because it's written down in a book; they think everyone else will too. they can't understand that other people's minds don't work the same way as theirs.
You'd think converts would be able to make a better case for religion, but it isn't so. it appears that only the intellectually weak go over to the other side. We're stronger without them.
2007-09-13 10:41:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't need the threat of Hell to convince me to be a good person. Goodness has it's own rewards. And if you act in an evil way, your Hell may be right here in this lifetime.
Millions and millions of people across time and culture have never heard of the Bible and still acted as good people.
2007-09-13 10:41:33 · answer #4 · answered by Honest Opinion 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Of course not.
I don't know why people seem to think this will work to convince us. Unless one is already part of that faith, the elements of it--like Hell, or the supposed divine origins of the Bible--don't mean much of anything. I suppose it is because all of us see the world through our own filter, and they often don't realize that we really genuinely don't believe as they do.
2007-09-13 10:42:17 · answer #5 · answered by N 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This is a very interesting question.
Heaven, hell and their creators existence goes against Atheism. So I don't see how telling atheists they are going to hell, or to heaven if they repent, is going to do any good.
2007-09-13 10:51:31 · answer #6 · answered by Blue 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, I for one am deathly afraid of hell. I know that on pizza night in hell, they put anchovies on the pizza, but on most nights, everything tastes just like chicken. I don't know about you, but the thought of "Little House on the Prairie" in high definition 24/7 on a plasma tv gives me some goosebumps. plus, as we all know, barry manilow's greatest hits on an endless loops is not a positive thing for the proper rest required for the rigors of hell.
2007-09-13 14:06:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Good question.
No, obviously I'm not afraid of hell, because I don't believe such a thing exists. That's like asking me if I'm afraid of the Terminator.
As to why religious folks think that's a good tactic to threaten atheists into believing... well, no one ever said religious folks were smart.
2007-09-13 10:43:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If heaven is going to be full of the so-called Christians we see here, give me hell any day. Spending more than five minutes with fundies is hell on earth.
It doesn't really matter as there is no evidence that either heaven or hell exist.
2007-09-13 10:41:47 · answer #9 · answered by tentofield 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Hell makes for wonderful art, I love Hieronymus Bosch, Henry Fuseli did some great prints of demons... but this statement doesnt answer your question... I just like to talk... and type dots... apparently.
2007-09-13 10:40:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋