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[daryl_zero]

"would you say that to most christians, the fear of going to hell motivates good behavior more than a desire to go to heaven? i would never condone a good outcome if it was brought about by fear."

if any human suffering has ever been prevented by fear I am all for it. never is a dang big word.

Comments

[meganrogers]

I agree with you

[verily_poetic]

Fear is a form of ignorance and an inhibitor of anger. And if fear is what it takes to motivate your morals then I would say anyone who follows that idea is more akin to caged animals instead of humans.

[slowmotioncrash]

I don't think fear is necessarily a form of ignorance. It can be, although I (or anyone else, for that matter) can research something to the point where I understand it but I still fear it. It is difficult to talk about fear and its mix with faith without stepping on someone's toes, but I think you must have a certain amount of fear (perhaps the most accurate word is respect) when you believe in a higher being such as God. I believe it goes hand in hand with respect; if you do not fear God (and not in the "I'm running away screaming way"), then you may see yourself to be on the same level as He.

And really, fear and morals also go hand in hand, and that doesn't mean all of us who have morals are caged animals, foaming at the mouth and being unable to think. If you do not have a concept of fear, then can you really have morals and standards? Fear is what instills in us the concept of consequences and right from wrong. Again, maybe "respect" is a better word, but maybe at least some of this made sense.

[norathedestroya]

But musn't we fear god?

[illuminotion]

I think the point is living a life for the wrong reasons. It's like seeing a glass half-empty or half-full; it's a subtle reasoning. How horrible it must be to live a "good" life only because you are afraid of Hell, instead of just wanting to love and do things right.

~ardith

a little too wordy, but bear with me..

[_headcase]

I like the dith's choice of words: subtle reasoning. If someone has the capacity to be motivated truly, for the right reasons, but also keep the deadliest of ultimatums (hell) at the right spot in their mind, then all power too them. But how often are average people able to pull this off? I believe that an idea of hell initiated early in a child's mind is damaging. a sense of permanence is something our minds must eventually grasp, but for me it was completely influenced by this idea of hell, right from the beginning. i used to live utterly terrified, and it wasnt that this was clouding my judgment, of seeing ethical situations in terms of behavior, because i believe i have always had a good grasp on that. and dont get me wrong-- i think establishing consequence is vital, but eternal damnation? Jesus thats extreme. i cannot fathom the idea of a "loving" god wielding such a weapon, yet still calling himself loving. and if god truly loves all, even the sinners, but will still willingly damn millions to this (truly bottom line) fate,

[_headcase]

whoops that was supposed to be a "post comment" not a "reply to this"

and more simply..

[verily_poetic]

what is right about fear?