Hello everyone

I'm C.J and this is my first post. I'm basically asking for your help to put my mind at ease concerning eternal punishment.

My story is a long and complex one which involves my eventual deconversion from Christianity (I'm Agnostic-Atheist).

My troubles are to do with my phobia of hellfire, and while I am not affiliated to any religious group, I still worry about that from time to time. It used to be the Christian hell, but recently I have begun worrying about the Islam hell. It terrifies me just as much :/

My anxieties stem from the idea that it "could exist." Again, this is a very long and complex story cut short. Over the years I have posted numerous times on the old Rational Skepticism forums (I thought it had closed down but it seems open again), and the Ex Christian (.net) website, And for years I have been feeling fine, but this last week, old horrors have resurfaced (in the form of the Islam hell).

I have been diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, and Social Anxiety, and am about to go through a series of tests for Autism (high functioning). I am currently in therapy (due to a less than secure childhood) and I'll readily admit my emotions can sometimes run roughshod over me. Sometimes it feels as if I need someone else to think for me because my anxiety makes logical thinking very difficult.

This is my third day in researching things like errors, contradictions, false prophecies, etc, in the Quran. I do this build up a knowledge base, enough so I can reasonably assume Islam is false. As an example, you can't frighten me with no presents on Christimas day because I don't believe in Santa Claus. I did the exact same thing with Christianity and even though it took just over 10 years to do so, it worked.

A lot of people over the years have been so very helpful and friendly to me and they have literally kept me sane during the darkest of times. I really don't want to go through this again, and so I've decided to build that knowledge base because knowledge is the best form of defence against irrational thoughts and ignorance.

I was wondering if anybody here might be able to point me to good sources of information that critiques the Quran? I might have already visited a few of the sites suggested as this is my third day of research, but anything would be most appreciated.

Thank you all very much for your time

Are you afraid of encountering a Purple People Eater out in the world one day?

If not, imagine hellfire as simply another fictional concept that will in no way ever harm you.

Failing that, which I hope you do not, the next best thing is to become a firewalker in order to condition yourself to handle the heat.

https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/page....ook=q&id=2

(March 16, 2024 at 9:26 am)brewer Wrote: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/page....ook=q&id=2

Thank you brewer. I never knew they did one for the Quran.

(March 16, 2024 at 9:24 am)Foxaèr Wrote: Are you afraid of encountering a Purple People Eater out in the world one day?

If not, imagine hellfire as simply another fictional concept that will in no way ever harm you.

Failing that, which I hope you do not, the next best thing is to become a firewalker in order to condition yourself to handle the heat.

Hi Foxaer

Yes, on one level I know this is all absurd. But there's a small part of me that worries it is true.

I don't think you can reason away fear. You just have to accept that you're afraid. I suspect whether you do something or not, it will fade with time. Your struggling against it keeps it alive.

I suppose it's like grief. It just takes time to reach a peace with your feelings.

If this is due to OCD intrusive thoughts you need to address/treat the underlying OCD, not try to rationalize it away. I suggest that you speak with your therapist.

Welcome, CJ.

Boru

Hiyas and welcome, CJ. Maybe you may adopt the outlook of only worrying about what you control, and letting go what you can't. Ask your therapist about mindfulness, and that may be helpful to you as well. Good luck.

(March 16, 2024 at 9:26 am)brewer Wrote: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/page....ook=q&id=2

Beat me to the punch!

(March 16, 2024 at 10:24 am)Angrboda Wrote: I don't think you can reason away fear.  You just have to accept that you're afraid.  I suspect whether you do something or not, it will fade with time.  Your struggling against it keeps it alive.

I suppose it's like grief.  It just takes time to reach a peace with your feelings.

Fear can sometimes be a dread of the unknown. Like when walking through a dark forest at night. During the day time, you can see much better, and so the fear is greatly diminished (possibly gone completely). I like the anaology of shedding light into a darkness to illumiate what's really there. That's the strategy I used when Deconverting from Christianity at least. I'm hoping it will work here, too.

Thanks for the reply.