Irational fear of hell still naggs me from time to time

[Arsoo]

Being a young adult, the idea of hell doesn't really make a whole lot of sense- yet I still fear it! I think it makes sense that the concept would have been created to scare people into being law abiding citizens in a era where law didn't exist. There was no police to stop them, so fear was the only surefire method. Today, people still buy into the fear. Although this explanation makes the most sense, I still fear the concept, that if I don't believe and I end up being incorrect, that I may suffer an afterlife of torture. Some of my fear stems from a few videos and books I have read about people who make the claim that they visited hell-- I KNOW! Being a young adult I should know better than to buy into some propaganda online or in a book, but for me, it's easier said than done. I want to let go of this, but I feel the best way to do this is to write down why I fear it, and deduce some logical conclusions with the help of others on a site where religion isn't the primary focus. On the contrary, logic is the primary focus.
I saw a few videos where people either had a Near Death Experience, or had a dream that they visited hell. What I found to be somewhat frightening was the fact that many people described the same concepts in their versions of hell. Commonly, they were:
- fire and brimstone
- demons which look like reptiles that attack them
- the people who say they went to hell often report being put into a cage or a cube
- they hear other people suffering and whaling
- often they get burnt or beaten, and when they lose a piece of skin or a body part, it grows back and they get tortured again.
Now, I know this all sounds like some fairy tale, but I saw at least 10 accounts like this. I don't know what to make of it. I know the concept of fire can be found as early as Augistine in the 300s or 400s, and I know the bible implies torment to those who do badly in their lives. Much of the imagery isn't too much of a shock there, but the idea that people report a multitude of cases seeing demons which they report look similar among accounts, and often torture or laugh at people suffering is what I cannot understand. Being raised Christian, I always had an image of what hell may look like. I could totally imagine how my brain during a Near death experience or a dream could create most of the fire and suffering imagery, but I would never expect hell to be filled with demons who look like reptiles. I asked some of my Christian friends, and they say the same thing. Why then, is this demon thing so consistent across "hellish" experiences? If I could get a logical answer to that, then I would be willing to say that these experiences are nothing more than a brain that is scared and confused trying to fill in the gaps during an episode. Does anyone have a plausible explanation here? It would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks and have a great day,
Arsoo

[Fake Messiah]

All NDE are nothing more then mere hallucinations because all those who have the so called near death experience see only prominent figures who are associated with their religion. Hindus do not report seeing Zeus, Christians do not report meeting Mohammed, and Muslims never seem to encounter Joseph Smith. And no one ever gets greeted by a long-forgotten god from an extinct prehistoric religion. I mean would that not be one of the best ways to determine what is the real God? When Christian dies and sees Oziris, an ancient Egyptian god he can go back and tell it to the rest of us.

It is well known that our brains can fool us into believing sights, sounds, and even complex experiences that do not match with reality.

[Edwardo Piet]

No need to be afraid of Hell as atheists are no more or less likely to go to Heaven or Hell than Christians or other theists. What the Bible says doesn't mean shit. So if there is a God that sends people to Heaven and Hell... it could just as easily be atheists that go to Heaven and theists that go to Hell.

[chimp3]

NDE's are nonsense. Don't let that trouble you.

[downbeatplumb]

Man up and get over it.

[brewer]

My take, all of religion/god/heaven/hell is a fantasy, a product of mans mind. For some evolutionary reason our minds have developed to have some strange need for a mental god like belief/presence. That does not mean that it's real, only that on some level the fantasy allows us to resolve issues of the unknown that create an emotional state of fear. 

Religion now uses the fantasy of heaven/hell (and/or others) to manipulate society.

Once you can see the fantasy for what it is you can rid yourself of the irrational fear.

[Homeless Nutter]

[...]I saw a few videos where people either had a Near Death Experience, or had a dream that they visited hell. What I found to be somewhat frightening was the fact that many people described the same concepts in their versions of hell.

That's because they'd all been fed the same superstitious nonsense since they were children. And when it comes to horror most cultures of today seem to be pretty unimaginative. It's just like alien abductions - it started as a phenomenon, once sci-fiction literature, movies and TV shows popularized the concept of aliens and all the alleged abductees take cues from popular culture, as well as each other's stories.

Also, people who make videos and shows about NDEs tend to cherry-pick the people they include, so that their testimonies fit into the mythology of the target audience's culture. And there sure isn't a shortage of lonely, sick people desperate for attention - not to mention cynical liars and regular nut-jobs - to choose from. 

Also also - just like alien abductions - NDEs are total bullsh*t. Dreams, hallucinations of an oxygen deprived brain, false memories or flat-out lies - you don't need anything else to explain virtually all of them.

Commonly, they were:
- fire and brimstone

Yeah, what the f*ck is up with brimstone? Why is this such a horrible thing? I mean - I'm already on fire, why do I give a sh*t about some god-damn brimstone? Especially, that now we know of a lot of things probably way more unpleasant than sulfur, like - say - mustard gas, or napalm, or uranium, or whatever sh*t they spray-painted Trump with... How come Satan is still using Middle Age technology?

- demons which look like reptiles that attack them

Lol... Why? What do demons get out of all that, other than probably some of that brimstone all over themselves? If I were a demon - and I'd definitely consider that option - I'd probably get bored with attacking random helpless humans within - I don't know - a week, or two, depending on what else there is to do for reptilian-looking demons in Hell... I mean - I'd give them the odd smack if they got in my way, but seems like a lot of pointless hassle, going after them, for eternity. Especially, that they're already on fire and smell of farts...

- the people who say they went to hell often report being put into a cage or a cube

What for? Where would they otherwise go? And anyway - with all the brimstone, and demons all around - seems like your own cage, or a cube is an improvement, doesn't it? 

- they hear other people suffering and whaling

As I imagine they would be. "Oooooooh! Aaaaaah! No, not the BRIMSTONE!!!".

- often they get burnt or beaten, and when they lose a piece of skin or a body part, it grows back and they get tortured again.[...]

Well, that sounds awesome. First of all - how often is "often"? Like - once a day, once a week? 'Cause I think I'd take the occasional beating/burning, in exchange for limb regeneration. Secondly - all of this seems fairly labor-intensive. I imagine Hell is going to need a lot of those demon-people. Any of the NDEes mentioned anything about how one would apply for that job?  

Now, I know this all sounds like some fairy tale,

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

but I saw at least 10 accounts like this. [...]

And - of course - there have never been ten people lying, or simply deeply mistaken about something, which they can't possibly prove, but which gives them attention, perhaps for the only time in their worthless lives...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Next time you worry about a demon, picture him/her/it in assless chaps and wearing Insane Clown Posse makeup.

ETA: Saying "Redikulus!" is not required, but can be fun.

[KevinM1]

What is with people and NDEs? Brain chemistry is a fickle thing. If it wasn't, there wouldn't be psychosis. If it wasn't, there wouldn't be hallucinations. If it wasn't, people wouldn't go out of their way to get drunk or high or stoned.

[Brian37]

Well it should not nagg you. That is just leftover bullshit after a lifetime of being told you need a cosmic dictator.

But to be fair, the idea of reward punishment in an afterlife is not unique to the religions of Islam, Christianity, or Jews.

Even Buddhists and Hindus believe in the superstition of reincarnation, in that if you do good in this life, you will be better in the next, and if you do bad, you will be at lesser status in the next. "Karma" is also another bullshit superstition. The idea that what comes around goes around simply is false. Sometimes bad people DO get away with it and never get punished.

Even the Ancient Egyptians had their ideas of judgment in the afterlife. Even in ancient Japanese religions they have concepts of reward and punishment in the underworld if you do bad.

Religious ideas of punishment and reward really simply stem from the ignorance of antiquity. They really are nothing more than a child like construct reflecting our first regulation after birth, our parents. If we please our parents and obey them we do better, if we don't they punish us.

Mythological concepts of good vs evil, are really no different than fiction like Yoda vs Darth Vader. How afraid are you of being seduced to the "dark side"? GREAT, now apply that to your former religion.

Trust me, you don't have to fear a fictional afterlife anymore than you had a cognition prior to your birth. You can still be good and do good without fear. You will still have ups and downs to some degree, and of course that isn't advocating a free for all so you can rape or murder. It merely means you don't need Santa threatening coal in your stocking.

The threat/bribe motif of religion is vile to me. Real morality to me is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching, even when you don't get rewarded for it.