Religion and Fear.

[Kevin]

I know most of you know this, but I was thinking about this, and realized it even more.

I have known for a while that religion puts fear into people and that's how it gains members. That's how it works; gets into mankind's natural fear of death. While some may get past it and embrace it, others will fear it. So, they turn to religion and God to find a way past it.

But I do know that there are people who believe in God because of "personal experiences" and because they don't know how the universe got here, so they decide to follow God on that one. But that still leaves: Fear.

I was thinking: My friend says that he believes in God because of personal experiences, and that God saved him from suicide (I won't get into that with him). Ok, now, he believes that God exists. If you believe in God, chances are, you believe in the Bible and Heaven and Hell (assuming, I have a friend who believes in God, but not Jesus or that stuff), so you think, the Bible talks about this, and God has to do with Heaven or Hell.. I have to believe and praise and pray now so I go to Heaven! That had tapped into their fear of death.. Which is all religion does. Gives false hopes for the inevitable.

[Sophus]

Yup. The two typically go hand in hand. Most of the time that fear (of death) is already instilled in the folks before they come religious.

[Kevin]

Yep, and it takes quite a person to get over it.
Like I can't say that I don't fear death, just as much as I can't say that I do fear death.

I don't really fear death, though, kind of.. Idk, it's hard to explain. You know, like I'm 16, there is still a lot I want to do, so I wouldn't like dieing, but there is nothing I can do about it.. God can't help me with it. So I don't really fear death, I fear a bad death.

[BadPoison]

I know exactly what you mean. I brought up a similar scenario in this thread:

http://www.happyatheistforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2295

This was taken from part of my OP.

I truly believe that the vast majority of Christians profess they "believe" because they are really scared of the idea of Hell. Sure, most of them really think they feel god's love - but isn't this just the mind trying to rationalize why they won't suffer eternal damnation? "I love god, he loves me. I know it because I feel his love. So I'm sure I'm saved. I'm so lucky to know the truth and to be saved."
If you ask a Christian "What if there is no heaven?" They will usually respond with "Well, at least I know that I won't be going to hell". The fear of Hell is so gripping that many would rather do whatever they can to stay out of hell than to get into heaven.