God fearing

[JoshasorousRex]

Is it just me or does anyone else think the term "God fearing" has now become literal? You see all these people not doing or believing things like Darwin's theory of evolution because the bible says earth was made in six days. (seventh was the rest day) Do people really love God and want to be good people or is it that they don't want to go to hell? "God to give you a plausible reason to doubt his existence. Do you believe in [evolution] and not God? Gotcha! You're going to hell." <---- quote from here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_142/3048-In-His-Name-We-Pray-Ramen

 

[fulano]

I don't believe it's about fear; it's about habit, and it's about culture. It's much, much easier to live life knowing you are right than just going out there and saying "I know nothing." Besides, it's not like evolution manifests in everyday life in a manner that the layman person can perceive, so it's much, much harder for people to just grasp it, and say "fuck it, it contradicts my faith but I don't care. The evidence is there," than other human ideas like the theory of electricity, or gravity fields(classic ones).

It's just how people are.

 

[Starblazer117]

If someone fears hell then they should fear themselves.

 

[darrinwright]

For the unbeliever, the fear of God is to fear the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer's fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this, "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire."

Basically, I'd be a little afraid of someone who could snuff me out of existence with a twitch, regardless of whether or not I'm on His good side.

That being said, I'm not gonna get involved in too much debate on this topic, that's just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[Cowabungaa]

I don't believe it's about fear; it's about habit, and it's about culture. It's much, much easier to live life knowing you are right than just going out there and saying "I know nothing." Besides, it's not like evolution manifests in everyday life in a manner that the layman person can perceive, so it's much, much harder for people to just grasp it, and say "fuck it, it contradicts my faith but I don't care. The evidence is there," than other human ideas like the theory of electricity, or gravity fields(classic ones).

It's just how people are.

Classic cognitive dissonance.

 

[hippo24]

I never Understood the 6 days thing.
The story Isn't divinely inspired, god had no hand in transcribing it, its simply a traditional Jewish story. Also the concept that "day" may have referred to a specific set of time also seems to be lost.

And on the theory of evolution, could god not have used evolution as a means of creation even if it doesn't apply to the actual human itself, not to mention that several forms of evolution actually support the biblical stories. It even says in the bible that he commanded the earth and seas to bring forth the that lives.

Not every part of the bible is literal, people need to learn that.

 

[Mr Frogurt]

Well I used to be scared of the bogyman (it took a lot of rehab) but then i realized story characters stay in the book.

 

[fulano]

I never Understood the 6 days thing.
The story Isn't divinely inspired, god had no hand in transcribing it, its simply a traditional Jewish story. Also the concept that "day" may have referred to a specific set of time also seems to be lost.

And on the theory of evolution, could god not have used evolution as a means of creation even if it doesn't apply to the actual human itself, not to mention that several forms of evolution actually support the biblical stories. It even says in the bible that he commanded the earth and seas to bring forth the that lives.

Not every part of the bible is literal, people need to learn that.

Excuse me, but where exactly can I find the Manual for Interpreting the Bible? Because it doesn't come bundled with my copy of the bible.

In all seriousness, that interpretation, just like original sin, is man made. Suddenly the bible becomes interpretative art? Then what isn't interpretative? Should people now start picking indiscriminately what is and isn't a clear message out of any religious text whenever it touches upon fanastical elements, now? Since we live now in modern technological times, I guess the answer to that should be: Yes, Yes they do. Otherwise people risk not making a lot of sense.

But still, there is no reason not to take the bible literally, I'd say, other than keeping up with modern times.

 

[ae86gamer]

The only thing I'm scared of is my mother.

 

[edinflames]

The idea that if there is a god we should be afraid of him/her is absurd. Why would said god want to instill fear in his creations unless he/she was a horrible and cruel entity.

If the only freedom in god's kingdom is to bow down and worship god then I would side with the devil, who according to christian mythology rebelled against a tyrannical regime in heaven. Like in Milton's 'Paradise Lost': a deeply christian Milton ends up writing a text elaborating on the bible's story that cant help but represent Lucifer in a better light than God, who punishes all of mankind because two individuals chose to eat fruit from the 'tree of knowledge'. If god doesn't want us to be knowledgeable then he is a tyrant, in the same way that Communist China's censorship of people's access to the internet is tyrannical.

I'm agnostic, I don't know if there's a god and I believe that because none of you possess powers that I do not then none of you can possibly know either. The moral course of action is to be good to people, period. Anyone who acts good only because they are afraid of eternal torture is not a good person. Goodness and kindness in people should be motivated by love not fear. Original Sin is a concept that makes us all guilty regardless of whether we have acted wrongly, and of course the only way to be forgiven for something you didn't do is attend a church.

Behaving well because you are afraid of after death punishment is not an effective source of morality, honesty or genuine integrity.

That is why the 'god fearing' are often hypocrites. For example: Ted Haggard, the top Evangelical minister (the version of Christianity most dominated by homophobia) in the USA, got caught having homosexual sex with male prostitutes and taking crystal-meth. He then blamed his actions on the devil and publicly begged the forgiveness of Jesus. Fear orientated dogmatic faith creates this kind of paradox, where a homosexual denies his homosexuality because his faith dictates that god hates homosexuals and is provided by the bible with the ammunition to defend his hypocrisies.

This is why it is inherently immoral to 'fear' god. Instead try loving humanity.