[MoonlitWaves]

There have been many questions of late that revolve around, "If I/he/she does (pick your sin and place it here), will hell be consequence?" Because of this, I can't help but wonder if all people are taught to love God by using the fear of hell.

I know the importance of knowing the consequences of actions taken. But why does instilling fear of the consequences seem to be the forefront of stopping bad actions?

When you were a child and your parents told you not to pick on other children...Should it be, "If you do this you will receive such and such punishment" Or should it be, "It is cruel and wrong to put other people down. This is not how anyone should act." Are they both just as effective?

Maybe both ways are just as effective, but if you choose people's fear of punishment, then they don't gain understanding of why such action shouldn't be done. I feel that is what is most important. The understanding of why a bad action shouldn't be done teaches morals, it teaches us how to be good persons because that is how people should be and NOT because something bad will happen to you if you do the opposite.

In my own observations I see how people being taught to love God through their fear of hell causes them to equate God with hell. God should NEVER be equated with hell. Hell has nothing to do with any discriptions of God. I have seen too, that people seem to have a harder time understanding the whole point in Jesus' death. They also don't understand the "door of grace". Many of them think of God as cruel, stern, no sense of humor, stiff and even unfriendly. How can anyone ever be expected to grow close to God when these are the distinctions in the forefront of minds when thinking of Him?

Yes, God is strict and He is the epitome of strength, as well as He should be. But He is more than that too. He is grace, mercy, kindness, forgiveness and LOVE like you've never been loved before. God is the only reason there is love and goodness because that is who He is. Without God there is no good in this world or in people.

Why do so many people use hell to scare people into loving God instead of allowing God to truly shine through and be loved on His own accord, because He is deserving of it simply because He is God and not because you will go to hell if you don't?!?

[progunr]

There is no doubt that religion uses FEAR to keep people on the straight and narrow.

What could be worse than thinking you are going to burn in hell for eternity, as a way to keep you from doing something the religion believes is wrong.

I don't think it has anything to do with loving God, just a way to scare you into going to church and being a good boy or girl.

[Scleros]

Why do so many people use hell to scare people into loving God...

Frankly, there isn't much to motivate non-believers. Other reasons could include inability to let another make their own decisions without input. Desire for control. Belief of moral obligation/duty to convert non-believers. Note my low opinion of religion in general may be influencing my response.

[Galveston1]

Fear is a poor motivator anyway. You can only be afraid of something or someone for only so long, then you begin to get comfortable with the thought and the fear diminishes. Only love is a permanent motivator. In some instances, fear of Hell may bring some people to an altar, but if the connection with Jesus Christ is not made, that person will drift away before long.

[MoonlitWaves]

Fear is a poor motivator anyway. You can only be afraid of something or someone for only so long, then you begin to get comfortable with the thought and the fear diminishes. Only love is a permanent motivator. In some instances, fear of Hell may bring some people to an altar, but if the connection with Jesus Christ is not made, that person will drift away before long.

I completely agree with you Galveston. And that is my point... If people use fear, which seems to be too common of an occurrence, then people aren't understanding Truth.

I'm not condoning sin. Nor do I ever want to put off the impression that one should rely on forgiveness so they can feel okay about sinning. But the truth is that we all sin saved or not. God knowing this sent Jesus to keep us from damnation, yet by the recent questions it seems as though people are oblivious to this. It seems as though the reason for this is because they have misconceptions of who God is... and it's probably because of how they were taught. (Note: I mean understanding and knowing God as much as one can in this body and mind. I know we don't have the capability to completely understand God, but He doesn't hide Himself either.)

As I said before, knowing consequences is important and I'm not saying it should be omitted when spreading God's Word.

Let me ask this... When reading about punishments in the Bible... Do you think God said this with the intentions to scare us into asking for salvation? Do you think this is the way God would want people to come to Him?

[Choux]

The monotheistic religions... Judaism, Christianity and Islam... ARE BASED on the original GodAlmighty, a god who punishes human beings capriciously!! (see the story of Job)!. the paradigm is that GodAlmighty is a parent/father and human beings are flawed children who are kept in line by fear and laws and rules. Of course, in Christianity, all this is glossed over by protestations of "God Is Love", "Jesus Loves You", BUT there is always the threat of punishment(*eternal* in some cases!) lurking in the shadows. :)

[ordinaryguy]

I don't think it has anything to do with loving God, just a way to scare you into going to church and being a good boy or girl.

And don't forget to bring money!

[Choux]

Tom, it is the BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY. Do what you are told *or* you will burn in hell for eternity.

Jesus, If what happened to Job isn't cruel and unusual punishment, then I don't know what is!

Cri, What happened to Job, no matter how you rationalize it or how the story rationalized it , was **horrific and unusual punishment by a capricious and callous god!** You see, that was the real GodAlmighty's "personality"... master puppeteer, cruel beyond measure.

[mountain_man]

Tom, it is the BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY. Do what you are told *or* you will burn in hell for eternity.

Jesus, If what happened to Job isn't cruel and unusual punishment, then I don't know what is!

Cri, What happened to Job, no matter how you rationalize it or how the story rationalized it , was **horrific and unusual punishment by a capricious and callous god!** You see, that was the real GodAlmighty's "personality"...master puppeteer, cruel beyond measure.

If you don't believe the absolute TRUTH of the Bible as a whole (which you have stated many times); how can you now pull a complete book out of the Bible (Job) and misinterpret it and then base that on the whole foundation of Christianity. Does that sound resonable to you?

[Choux]

MM, The question is about the FEAR OF HELL in Christianity... that is the core of Christianity... to get "salvation" so you don't GO TO HELL.

Hell is GodAlmighty's *eternal* punishment. Heaven is "his" reward.

[Alty]

The God I believe in is a forgiving, kind, caring God, and yes, I do believe in God. The bible, that's a book written by men, not God. Church, I don't go, yet another mans interpretation of God's word. I worship God at home, I believe in his kindness, and that he loves us all. So if I'm wrong, then I guess I'm going to hell, I won't be alone, of that I am certain.

[Tj3]

Tom, it is the BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY. Do what you are told *or* you will burn in hell for eternity.

Choux,

I don't know who told you about Christianity, but you heard wrong.

Man willfully chose to go stray, and willfully chose to go to hell. God never wanted that. Hell was made for Satan and His demons.

Matt 25:41-42
41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
NKJV

And why? Because they rebelled against God and deceived men into following them into hell. Hell was created as a punishment for Satand and the demons in part for what THEY (not God) did to men in leading them to hell.

In response, what did God do? God chose to come to earthy as a man and died on the cross for us, that we might have a means by which we could have another chnace to escape the torment of our choosing.

1 Tim 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
NKJV

Jesus did not come to condemn, but rather to die for us that we might live in an eternity free from the punishment that we chose.

John 3:15-18
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
NKJV

Jesus choice to die on the cross for us once again gave us a chance to consider our choice to spend eternity in hell.

I don't know who misled you by misrepresenting Christian teachings, but I fear that millions will go to hell having been misled in like fashion.

[arcura]

To answer the original question.
I think you are partly right, that fear IS used to get people motivated and moved to belief in and obidience to God.
But I was raised to love a God who loves me and many other people were also raised that way.
"Jesus loves me this I know,
Because the bible tells me so."
Is the first song I was taught to sing in Sunday School.
I think people who teach by fear are missing the boat,
There is far more in the bible about a loving, helpful, merciful God than hell and damnation.
Basically Jesus taught by attraction with both words and deeds.
Punishment for being or doing wrong is found in all societies throughout history.
So it is standard procedure.
So is explaining why one should be good without the threat of fear.
Loving brings love.
Hate and fear brings hate and fear.
The whole GOOD story is that love eventually triumphs, some times sooner, some times later so the golden rule applies significantly in a person's life and versions of it is found in most religions.
For my and my family that is the best way to go.
:) Peace and kindness,:)
Fred (arcura)

[Choux]

Tom, You are totally mistaken.

It is God/Almighty who created everything in your worldview of Christianity ESPECIALLY the rules of salvation. Christianity is based on the paradigm of GodAlmighty setting rules that allow for a human being to gain salvation(enter heaven after death), and GodAlmighty has the power to send people to burn for *eternity* in hell if the rules for salvation are not followed.

That is the basis for Christianity, from which all the rest of scripture follows, whether you like it or not.

[Wondergirl]

It's like raising a small child. The parent doesn't tell the child, "Love your sister," because the child doesn't know what love is. The parent gives specific rules as the child behaves negatively: "Don't hit your sister" and "Don't spit on your sister" and "Don't step on your sister's dollhouse furniture." Only when the child has matured enough will he know how to show love to his sister, and that will come only after years of finding out what NOT to do and practicing with the parent's suggestions on what TO do: "Please help your sister find her orange socks" and "Mr. Smith next door broke his leg. I want you to cut his lawn every week until he can do it himself" or "Please help me carry in the groceries." Someday that child will be driving and will be cut off by another motorist (especially if he lives in the Chicago area), but because he understands love, he won't retaliate. Someday that child will find someone's lost possession, but instead of keeping it, will do his best to find the owner and thereby show love.

The OT has ten commandments that guide us, and the NT has two commandments that sum up the ten. God had to start with the ten rules and regs as training, so we could eventually do the two spontaneously.

Hellfire is man's construction--sinners in the hands of a God who is angry with them for never "getting it."

[savedsinner7]

Fear of going to Hell is why I knew as a child that I needed Jesus. This did not keep me from sinning. You an read my profile to learn more about the way that I chose to go if you want to.

When I started going to church this time, I met God. I felt His presence for the first time in my life. I was hooked. How can one get more? I have been on a journey seeking the Face of God and Jesus presence in my life every day. I need Him in every part of my life. This is love and this is motivation to be with someone. Not fear of Hell. Yes, Hell is real and is a consequence of a life of disobedience, but living in a real relationship with the Creator and Savior is the BEST. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is better than being on anything else! This is what we need to share with the rest of the world and not fear. To fear God in a Biblical sense is to love and respect and revere Him above all else so that when He speaks we stop what we are doing and listen and obey. Not be so afraid of Him that we cower in His presence. He loves us so dearly, he came to live with us and then took our sins on Himself and then died our death so that He would not have to spend eternity without us!! Who else does that for humans? What other god loves its people? None but the LORD Jesus Christ!

[Tj3]

Tom, You are totally mistaken.

It is God/Almighty who created everything in your worldview of Christianity ESPECIALLY the rules of salvation. Christianity is based on the paradigm of GodAlmighty setting rules that allow for a human being to gain salvation(enter heaven after death), and GodAlmighty has the power to send people to burn for *eternity* in hell if the rules for salvation are not followed.

That is the basis for Christianity, from which all the rest of scripture follows, whether you like it or not.

Choux,

Like I said, I don't know who gave you these false ideas but your view is not scriptural and I note, you have not provided any validation for your claim.

To suggest that because someone gets punished that it is the fault of God is like saying that it is the fault of the police because a person who violates the rules of the road gets a ticket. Any reasonable person would say that is ridiculous.

But it get more ridiculous yet because Jesus came and paid a penalty that He did not owe on behalf of the guilty person so that He might be found blameless. So your position would be analogous to blame an innocent person who sacrifices to pay a fine that he does not owe to help a person who is guilty.

I feel sorry for you. I don't know who mis-led you into mis-understanding Christianity, but don't let that person cause you to reject your one and only hope.

[bushg]

The OT has ten commandments that guide us, and the NT has two commandments that sum up the ten. God had to start with the ten rules and regs as training, so we could eventually do the two spontaneously.



Very nice post wondergirl... I'm curious though what are the NT two commandments?

[Galveston1]

Tom, it is the BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY. Do what you are told *or* you will burn in hell for eternity.

Jesus, If what happened to Job isn't cruel and unusual punishment, then I don't know what is!

Cri, What happened to Job, no matter how you rationalize it or how the story rationalized it , was **horrific and unusual punishment by a capricious and callous god!** You see, that was the real GodAlmighty's "personality"...master puppeteer, cruel beyond measure.

You have missed the whole point of the book of Job. It was Satan who took everything from Job. Job did think it was God for some time, as he didn't know all the facts. Satan issued a challenge to God that could not be ignored.
That challenge was the claim that even the best man alive at that time did not serve God because he loved Him, implying that God was not qualified to be supreme because he had no real following. In the end, Job proved Satan wrong. Now go back and read the book, maybe it will make some sense to you. You sure didn't get it before.
P.S. God is NEVER capricious.

[Wondergirl]

You have missed the whole point of the book of Job. It was Satan who took everything from Job.

Ummm, check Job 1:12.

YOU have missed the whole point of the book.