Why do Christians insist that they don’t believe out of fear?

Question

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but if you talk to a Christian about the fear involved with the Christian indoctrination process, they automatically think you’re talking about the fear of hell. They’re quick to deny that they use the fear of hell to indoctrinate their children. But that’s only one method that Christians have for creating fear in the minds of their children and there is a plethora of others.

The most obvious to me is the very symbol behind which Christians have rallied for the last 2000 years – the cross. Is not the cross a device used to slowly and painfully, torture people to death? Why is it so freakin’ obvious to me that this is to create fear in the minds of the vulnerable but not to Christians?

Answer 1

I disagree with some of the Christians above who said that such fear isn't part of the belief system, and instead it's all about love. However, we are speaking in subtleties here. In the early days, Paul's rampant ministry was in fact as much about fear as it was fear itself: fear of outside knowledge (philosophy), fear of the sensual body, fear of women, fear of indpendence. That kind of fear is still felt within Catholic homes and churches.

But with the reformation (Martin Luther, in the 15th century) that fear was trumped, at least partially, by a new, militant and personal "relationship" with Jesus. And this relationship does seem to me to be based on love, albeit a one-sided kind of love where all the love goes to god, and god may or may not reciprocate.

As a student of history, it seems that the trend within the Christian evangelical world (and certainly in the more traditional Protestant flavors), for the symbol of the cross has become more complex. And it's not all fear. But neither is it all love. The main sources that have had an effect on the Protestant mind set are Enlightenment science and art and governing theory. Or, you could say it this way: Copernicus plus Gallileo and Newton, plus Voltaire, plus Jefferson all together mitigate religious fear-based beliefs.

I think the fear is still there, but it's not what it once was. Maybe that's a good trend. I'm speaking here as a serious atheist, but one who is willing to be "sensitive" to Christian sentiment.

Answer 2

I understand where you're coming from . . . but it sounds like your exposure is pretty limited. A youth group leader or a bad pastor, and a lot of people can get the same idea you have.

For example, tune into Joel Osteen, some Sunday morning. I don't much care for him, but he's a Christian who doesn't seem to mention hell, or death, ever. 26,000 people fill the stadium multiple times a day, for his services. He doesn't play on fear, at all.

http://joelosteen.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer?pagename=JOM_homepage

I found Christ completely independent of churches, or fear, or anything else. . . . eternal life was a bonus, not the reason I chose to follow Christ.

And the Cross is a symbol that Christ couldn't be contained by death. He died, he was resurrected -- people saw him resurrected, they told people, who told people. The cross is the symbol of Christ's control over death, not the symbol of his death.

Most Christians don't "see" what is obvious to you, because it's not there for most Christians. Fear doesn't drive us, doesn't influence us, and isn't a part of our lives or worship. So while you may choose to focus on fear, and the death associated with the cross, most Christians focus on the joy of eternal life.

Godspeed.

Answer 3

exaclly,now a days christians try to put fear in kids by telling them that if you do wrong you go to hell.why do they say that **** all there doing is preparing kids for death when there still young they still have a long life ahead of them to get straight with the one we call god.right another thing christians need to stop pushing it on people.if the person dosent want to here it leave them the hell alone.Just so you know i live by god but this is the way i feel.

Answer 4

...and then there's the fear of jumping off a cliff, or the fear of driving your car into a wall at 80mph, and the fear of putting your arm into a blazing fire and leaving it there for about an hour, or the fear of grabbing a rattle snake by the teeth.....oh wait, those are good fears that keep us from bad consequences. I'm guessing you'll hope the person driving their vehicle toward yours fears a head on collision or you may be looking for a new vehicle or worse.
Fear does not necessarily = bad.
If fearing these things makes me "vulnerable" as you put it then by all means call me vulnerable.

Answer 5

The short answer is that if they acknowledged that FEAR was driving their religiosity they'd be seen as the weak-willed, weak-minded cowardly slaves that they really are.

FEAR of hell IS the driver, the prime mover, but as you suggest there are other FEARS, among which are:
The Fear of appearing to be different … from their fellow citizens.
The Fear of taking responsibility for the own lives.
The Fear of making a mistake and offending their parasitic preacher who, regardless of what they assert, is their link to understanding ‘god’.
The Fear of ‘being alone in the Multiverse’.
The Fear of having no ultimate purpose in life or, no raison d'être, outside that of procreation.
The Fear of being no more than a highly evolved animal.
The Fear of NOT being Lords of the Multivers with dominion über alles.
The Fear of the finiteness of death.
The Fear of NOT living up to the courage of the Martyrs.
AND other Fears I haven’t touched on.
They are psychological time-bombs and Psychiatrists and Psychologists make good money from them as do the scamming leeches that organise the religion.

I’ve said many times, there’s good money to be made from religion, selling it OR treating it, IF you can keep a straight face.

Regarding the cross: you're right even though the original pagan symbology of the cross was of the year being divided in to four seasons
.

Answer 6

Generally, the religion of Christianity appears evil to me. I'm not saying Christians are necessarily evil, but the religion sure seems that way. In the Bible, Jesus says to follow him and not "religion." It's true that a lot of children believe in God because they are afraid of His wrath. But it's unbelievable how much preachers do NOT tell church-goers. It is rare that someone who goes to church has read the whole Bible. If they had, they would not feel the need to be there, learning the same excerpts over and over. They'd feel the need to be out there among people who don't know what you can only learn by reading the Book.

Believers in Christ are told to offer the belief to others, not force it down their throats.

Answer 7

I don't believe out of fear, because I was never afraid.

The cross is not used as a threat to anyone, so it is not a source of fear.

If you ask a little child why they believe in Jesus, they are most likely going to say, "because Jesus loves me." Not, "I am so scaaaarrred!"

You really don't know anything about Christians or their beliefs, do you??! Again, I'm wondering why you are so obsessed with Christians and what they believe?

I think you need some counseling. And I don't say that lightly.

Answer 8

You call Christians stupid yet you yourself do not know how much anything can have different meanings?

Take the Dragon for example, in the west many people see it as the Devil and the symbol of malevolence and evil. In the east, however, people see it as a powerful deity representing prosperity and good fortune.

So basically, your question doesn't make any sense. In fact, YOU don't make any sense.

Answer 9

YES, the cross is a horrible device used to slowly and painfully torture people and my Savior had to die on it so that I could have eternal life- that is a symbol of love to me. If it was in fear we talk about the cross, I would run from it- believe me, it was not the nails that kept Jesus on the cross it was His love.

Answer 10

on condition that i'm a blind stiff necked Jew :-) & in accordance to maximum Christians do not comprehend our Holy Hebrew writings assume i'm both opinionated & conceited to ever enable those Christians disuade me from desirous to transform to their their perception..i do not trust contained in the tooth fairy or Santa both,does that recommend i will Christianity's imaginary hell?? Tho if it did exist can be a relief no longer listening to the F..UP fundies scriptures on a daily basis..no longer in simple terms are maximum distorted although the final public are fairly anti-semetic. .Paperback the different day in the previous her ? change into deleted for NO reason gave best examples from the Christian Bibles to get,kill the Jews & a lot more suitable!! and they say our G-D is merciless,evil..So,Jesus is loving on condition that you compromise for him as a saviour,would not sound loving to me.. Christians that consistently attempt threatening us with their hell,reproduction & paste distinct scriptures then 'outline' Judaism to Jews are conceited & offensive to maximum Jews..those who do this coach NO appreciate for Judaism in any respect.. ought to supply many motives i ought to in no way settle for Christianity & ask your self how Christians ought to like that or my disrespecting their faith?? Exceptions like Suzanne & those phony so referred to as Messianic Jews are few & far between..Their neither fish nor chicken incorperating 2 incompatible ideals! A Jew would nicely be secular yet when he/she believes Jesus to be their saviour that makes one a Christian no longer Jewish!!!!! ! ! Sorry for my run-on sentences,disorganized techniques.My first day in over 30 years and not using a cigarette,Aghhh effective want I had one.whats up,perchance some fundie will knock at my door & get me a %. of cigs if I pretend to pay interest LMAOOooo sturdy question Nadine.. Kol haKavod