It's like cancer

[philosoraptor]

I can relate somewhat to what the writer of the original article is saying.  I grew up having Christianity crammed down my throat and was forced to go to church until I was a teenager.  I decided I didn't want any part of a religion that claimed God loved everyone, and yet at the same time was rife with bigotry and misogyny, and played on fear more than love.  Even 8 years later though, I still have that occasional pang of fear-what if they're right, and I'm wrong?  What if God actually does exist, and I'm doomed for being a heathen?  I know these kind of thoughts are irrational, but I almost can't help having them occasionally.  I take comfort in knowing that when it comes down to it, I can prove my beliefs through logic and reason and not smoke and mirrors.

[The Heretic]

.  Why do so many Christians insist on using fear as a tool for conversion?

fear is an easily used weapon for any religion they want you to convert in their eyes what they are doing is correct...fear makes people confused and thus easily swayed by a hope of an imaginary being protecting you from an imaginary place... just my two cents.

[Davin]

.  Why do so many Christians insist on using fear as a tool for conversion?

fear is an easily used weapon for any religion they want you to convert in their eyes what they are doing is correct...fear makes people confused and thus easily swayed by a hope of an imaginary being protecting you from an imaginary place... just my two cents.

Fear is a tool not only used by religion, it's a tool used by many a man to manipulate the masses for secular goals as well.

[Joe Klooski]

Sounds like you wrote a poem rather than asking for help, I like your style.

Remember, fear is how religions work! Seriously, that is the essence of them! Without the fear, people wouldn't join up. The fear of being tortured forever and ever until the end of time is startling, and no ex-theist can shake that idea off of them and have it stay off, but if it is inflicting with every-day life like it sounds, I seriously suggest that you go see a Psychiatrist, they are there to help.

Also, to help keep your mind off of the christian hell, many speculate that the translators mistranslated. This will help calm your nerves: http://www.bibleed.com/bibleteachings/o ... dgrave.asp

Just remember, life is life. Life is a postive, not a negative!

Stay cool, enjoy life  

[nwilliams]

It is disappointing that fear has create a mark in the religious way. Fear works like a cancer but it depends upon you to choose the right thing. Sometimes fear helps in presenting your views in front of the people. It not always good but it is necessary to think and live in the positive way even there are many problems. Fear creates the confusion and negative thinking. But you must live in the positive way which gives no fear.

[Category]

Isn't christianity based on fear? I've never come across a sect that doesn't have the heaven+hell concept in which you must act morally good(grammar?) or else be sent to rot and burn in whichever circle of hell your sin assigns you. Sadly corruption is everywhere, I've considered communism to be a wonderful idea if not for man's greed and strive for power.

[dionysiou]

the "church" as a collective isnt perfect. Youll find some genuine folk who want to do the right the right thing and others who just want your money. Fear is a powerful tool when serving God, it gives man a greater ability to resist sin. That is what it is supposed to be used for, not putting fear into the hearts of individuals, but if these people would pickup a bible i wouldnt have to tell them that.

[Stevil]

I've considered communism to be a wonderful idea

Communisim is worse than organised religion in my opinion. The thought of taking away my personal freedoms and bestowing my life's decision's onto my government so that they can make my decisions for me for the greater good of the people. Really, what is the point to life if you don't get to make decisions for yourself. As a capable adult your life should be in your own hands, you do not need mummy and daddy telling you what to do. Governments should only intervene if absolutely necessary.

[lookitsaustin]

Hmm... Hell doesn't scare me. But HEAVEN? Jeez, I'd be bored out of my mind. Eternal peace and eternal happiness. No!!! Life is beautiful because of some of the aches and pains. When we grow accustomed to eternal peace it becomes eternal routine... like a dead end job. If I'd go to heaven, I'd actually jump out from the ka-billionth-floor and down to hell. And as soon as I hit the flames, I'm glad that I could feel pain once again and finally diminish into nothingness as the lava of satan burns me into nothingness... But that's more of a lampoon.

Do I fear what the afterlife holds? No. It's kind of inane to say what heaven and hell is like since there is nothing to support such a stupid claim. Like the claim that there is a teapot revolving around the sun...

That's the way I feel about it too, if I did get to heaven I would be bored out of my mind! I would be right behind jaymayo jumping from that building! I'll need to borrow an asbestos suit first! Lol.

"…Hope you have an asbestos suit, cause you're going to HELL…"

[Too Few Lions]

Obviously heaven and hell don't exist, but I've always thought that the Christian idea of heaven would be my idea of hell anyway. Having to spend all eternity in the company of stupid religious zealots. I really can't imagine anything more painful, it would be like one long eternal church service that never ended....working on that logic maybe we all end up in the same place anyway!

Plus I've always thought that any god that would take pleasure in torturing and burning people for all eternity just because they didn't believe in him (particularly when all the evidence seems to point to his non-existence), or because they're gay, or had pre-marital sex or used condoms or committed any other number of pointless little sins, really would have to be a rather nasty and barbaric deity not worthy of worshipping anyway. Looks like God never learnt to turn the other cheek!

Any Christian who tells you that you're going to burn in hell for not believing in their god has some serious personality disorders to wish that kind of torture and punishment on another human being. I always find a good way of winding any Christian up who spouts this rubbish is to tell them that actually they'll be the ones punished in the afterlife for not accepting Zeus as the sovereign creator of the Universe (or Allah or Odin or any other non-Christian deity...take your pick!) Although I guess  you just could tell them that hell (like their god) doesn't exist...

[periwinklefish]

Little sleep, and maybe some bad pizza... ?

[Thinkbigger]

This person is clearly mentally unstable. Blame others for your problems.. why not? Everyone else does.

[LegendarySandwich]

This person is clearly mentally unstable. Blame others for your problems.. why not? Everyone else does.

Blaming others for problems caused by them? Clearly an indicator of mental insanity.

[Thinkbigger]

This person is clearly mentally unstable. Blame others for your problems.. why not? Everyone else does.

Blaming others for problems caused by them? Clearly an indicator of mental insanity.

Well good, I'm glad we agree, but seriously.. Those Christians are literally getting on her nerves but no-one caused her psychosis, they only aggravated it.  That person seems to be having an panic disorder reaction to her life. Try rereading it and pretend it's written on a psychiatrists notepad. I'm willing to wager that she has a (monsters under the bed) problem too.

Personally, when I first realized that the whole God/Devil thing was starting to seem a little dicey, I felt relieved, not freaked out. That woman needs special care.

[LegendarySandwich]

This person is clearly mentally unstable. Blame others for your problems.. why not? Everyone else does.

Blaming others for problems caused by them? Clearly an indicator of mental insanity.

Well good, I'm glad we agree, but seriously.. Those Christians are literally getting on her nerves but no-one caused her psychosis, they only aggravated it.  That person seems to be having an panic disorder reaction to her life. Try rereading it and pretend it's written on a psychiatrists notepad. I'm willing to wager that she has a (monsters under the bed) problem too.

Personally, when I first realized that the whole God/Devil thing was starting to seem a little dicey, I felt relieved, not freaked out. That woman needs special care.

Just because everyone's not like you doesn't mean they have fucking mental problems.

Religion, and ideology in general, can have a powerful and frightening grip on peoples' minds.