Is there another motivation for christian belief?

[FatAndFaithless]

When I analyze all the motivations I can think of they all come down to fear.

I won't go to heaven.
I will go to hell.
I won't be accepted.
I will be alone.
I won't be loved.
I won't be comforted.
And on and on.

When I boil any motivation down I come up with fear. Frankly, that's pretty fucked up.

Then once you're in, other motivations take over. Power, money, manipulation, superiority, .............

... and if one does not fear those things? Do you assume that their can be no other motivation?

I don't fear any of those things, and never considered any of them to ever be a motivating factor for what I believe. Truthfully there is only one Denomination that depends heavily on fear, and if you are not taught to fear few do. Rather We are all designed for a purpose and to find and full fill that purpose far outweighs any fear based motivation. Now some think they have found their purpose in work, family, the accumulation of things, or in substance abuse/drugs etc... But truthfully, nothing compares to playing out the role God has set up for you. There is a completeness and a sense of contentment In finding God and knowing beyond all doubt that he is with you in your day to day.

I do not follow God because I fear hell or being alone. I follow because I am made whole, and simply do not want to be 1/2 of what I am with Him.

I'd be interested to hear what that one denomination is.

[Mister Agenda]

It's largely about tribalism. The actual content of belief doesn't matter so much as whether or not you're on 'Team Jesus'.

[Aoi Magi]

I think the prime reason for blind faith is simply because reality is scary!

[brewer]

... and if one does not fear those things? Do you assume that their can be no other motivation?

I don't fear any of those things, and never considered any of them to ever be a motivating factor for what I believe. Truthfully there is only one Denomination that depends heavily on fear, and if you are not taught to fear few do. Rather We are all designed for a purpose and to find and full fill that purpose far outweighs any fear based motivation. Now some think they have found their purpose in work, family, the accumulation of things, or in substance abuse/drugs etc... But truthfully, nothing compares to playing out the role God has set up for you. There is a completeness and a sense of contentment In finding God and knowing beyond all doubt that he is with you in your day to day.

I do not follow God because I fear hell or being alone. I follow because I am made whole, and simply do not want to be 1/2 of what I am with Him.

Fear that you can't be your own guiding force. Fear that you can't be happy on your own. Fear of not having a leader.

[brewer]

Fear of being nothing.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/we-can-do-nothing

[Neo-Scholastic]

Why is it so important to some atheists to speculate about why believers believe as they do? Does it make you feel better about yourself by insulting them?

[Athene]

Relax, Wooters.
There's no shortage of speculation 'round these parts. 

You and your Christian brethren speculate as to the motives of atheists all of the time.

You need but ask yourself why it is you do those very things, and you'll likely gain some insight.

[RobertE]

The way I see it is this. As atheists we don't need to try and educate those who follow Christianity, Judaism or Islam. They are too far gone in their beliefs that nothing can be done. It is like trying to flog a dead horse. What should be done is the next generation and the way I see it, with each generation that is born, there are less and less Christians on the planet. However, more and more babies are being born under Islam and that has to be the target for atheists. For some atheists, it can be a conflict because they also believe in equality, against Islamophobia etc. For other atheists, it isn't a problem because they don't care about race but the belief system and as far as Europe is concerned, Christianity is dying a slow death and Islam is growing exponentially. So, we should tackle Islam and try and make it go the same way as Christianity;into non-existance.

[TubbyTubby]

Why is it so important to some atheists to speculate about why believers believe as they do? Does it make you feel better about yourself by insulting them?

You're like performers in our virtual circus/forum. We just watch, fascinated by your ability to live in a magical world oblivious to reality.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Relax, Wooters. There's no shortage of speculation 'round these parts...You and your Christian brethren speculate as to the motives of atheists all of the time.

That's true to some degree. I have my own theories based on personal experience that I've shared. At the same time I don't see long-time Christian members starting whole threads around atheist motivations. Occasionally, I see shit-and-run fundies do that though.

You need but ask yourself why it is you do those very things, and you'll likely gain some insight.

While it is true that people are often blind to their true motivations, I would like to believe that while I may not be particularly insightful I have done a fair amount of self-reflection on the issue. None of the motivations of the OP seem primary to myself or any other believers I know personally.

I must remind you up-front that I used to be an atheist. People have many reasons for denying the existence of the Divine and I had my own. At the same time, I am the sort that seeks to understand the fundamental questions of the human condition. I came to the conclusion that, philosophically speaking, the most common atheistic approaches to those questions lead to either 1) concluding that reality was absurd or 2) denying the possibility of knowledge. Those approaches come at great cost and seem self-defeating. I have made the existential choice to consider reality intelligible and true knowledge possible. As result I feel reason compels me to acknowledge that God exists, that His Providence guides Creation, that He loves us, and that He desires that we should know and Love Him in return.