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Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
#1
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Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
When I was leaving Christianity as a young teen, I recall the last thing holding me back was the fear of hell. The point of this post is to show two quick reasons for those in this in-between state of religion and irreligion (specifically in regard to Christianity/Islam which threatens your eternal afterlife with punishment) and how you can move past this.

1. Fear is not a reason to believe + Belief is not something you can choose

Fear being used to act a certain way, to behave in a specific manner or declare something is not a reason. It is not a logical argument or evidence. It is a coercion tactic. Think of the action-movie you've seen with the prisoner strapped to the chair being beaten to give secrets. That is what religion does with belief.

If the last thing holding you onto religion is the fear of the afterlife (hell), then recall that fear is not a reason. It is a coercion tactic. If all that's left is the coercion, the fear itself, but there is no substance (no evidence to the truth or existence of God/Chrsitianity), then there is no reason to believe.

Furthermore, if it is just a deep-seated fear that is left, maybe you are due for a bit more introspection. If there is no other reason, then you simply cannot choose to believe in the existence of god. There is a distinction between choosing to act a certain way versus believing something. You cannot choose what you believe in. You are convinced of it, and so you believe in it. If you somehow believe in something you are not convinced of, you are just lying to yourself, or acting.

2. Giving yourself to a lying religion then causes you to lose this life to it.

If you're afraid of losing an eternal afterlife due to lack of belief, consider the alternative-- you are losing this life to religion if you decide to pursue it and it is a lie. Every minute you spend praying, every hour spent in church, every moment spent studying its scriptures, you are wasting your time on lies. Now, if you want to study Christianity as an intellectual exercise, by no means will that be a waste of time, but the time is wasted when you realize it is all a lie. It is like spending time with a scammer who is buttering you up to steal from you. It is like going on dates with someone who is not interested in you.

For as much fear as you have to losing an afterlife, do not forget the risk you incur of losing this life you're in right now.

Those are just two of the big arguments to fear of hell/pascal's wager that I see less often talked about, and thought was worth a post.

Forever Sophist
Ex-believer. Secular philosopher. Forever Sophist  
Throw Computer I am on YouTube! Cool
Maybe, this lack of purpose, lack of innate meaning, and lack of cosmological grandeur is perhaps the most liberating thing we can enjoy as humans.


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#2
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
Heaven and Hell aren't places—they're literary weapons. Constructs designed to enforce obedience through fear of eternal punishment.
And judging by the hypocrisy of Christians, if Heaven was real, they'd be the last ones allowed in.
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
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#3
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
It always amuses me when theists say "you must believe" because I don't. If I see convincing evidence I would believe (that's what "convincing" means) If you put a gun to my head I may say "I believe" and would probably follow all the rules and rituals, but I wouldn't truly believe.
The meek shall inherit the Earth, the rest of us will fly to the stars.

Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups

Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud ..... after a while you realise that the pig likes it!

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#4
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
I've tried to believe that Australia doesn't exist, but it still persists in being there.

Belief doesn't impact reality. Actions do.

Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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#5
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(June 11, 2025 at 3:20 am)zebo-the-fat Wrote: It always amuses me when theists say "you must believe" because I don't. If I see convincing evidence I would believe (that's what "convincing" means) If you put a gun to my head I may say "I believe" and would probably follow all the rules and rituals, but I wouldn't truly believe.

Exactly. Christianity losing this last battle to me felt like the gun being removed followed by realizing it was imaginary the whole time...
Ex-believer. Secular philosopher. Forever Sophist  
Throw Computer I am on YouTube! Cool
Maybe, this lack of purpose, lack of innate meaning, and lack of cosmological grandeur is perhaps the most liberating thing we can enjoy as humans.


Reply
#6
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(June 11, 2025 at 4:37 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I've tried to believe that Australia doesn't exist, but it still persists in being there.

Belief doesn't impact reality. Actions do.

Boru

So, I'm your demon and you fear me.

Is that why you don't want Oz to exist?

Playing Cluedo with my mum while I was at Uni:

"You did WHAT?  With WHO?  WHERE???"
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#7
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(June 11, 2025 at 4:49 am)The Valkyrie Wrote:
(June 11, 2025 at 4:37 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I've tried to believe that Australia doesn't exist, but it still persists in being there.

Belief doesn't impact reality. Actions do.

Boru

So, I'm your demon and you fear me.

Is that why you don't want Oz to exist?

It's not fear, but the absurdity of the concept. 'No, on second thought, let's not go to Australia. Tis a silly place.'

Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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#8
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(June 11, 2025 at 5:05 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:
(June 11, 2025 at 4:49 am)The Valkyrie Wrote: So, I'm your demon and you fear me.

Is that why you don't want Oz to exist?

It's not fear, but the absurdity of the concept. 'No, on second thought, let's not go to Australia. Tis a silly place.'

Boru

You won't catch me singing, "We're the knights..."

If that helps?

Playing Cluedo with my mum while I was at Uni:

"You did WHAT?  With WHO?  WHERE???"
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#9
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(June 10, 2025 at 6:14 pm)Forever Sophist Wrote: When I was leaving Christianity as a young teen, I recall the last thing holding me back was the fear of hell. The point of this post is to show two quick reasons for those in this in-between state of religion and irreligion (specifically in regard to Christianity/Islam which threatens your eternal afterlife with punishment) and how you can move past this.

1. Fear is not a reason to believe + Belief is not something you can choose

If your idea of hell is literal fiery torment, let me assure you that there are no scriptures in the Judeo-Christian Bible in support of that.
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#10
RE: Cutting off the Last Straw from Religion - Fear of Hell - Two Quick Reasons to let go
(July 25, 2025 at 1:24 pm)NeutralZone Wrote:
(June 10, 2025 at 6:14 pm)Forever Sophist Wrote: When I was leaving Christianity as a young teen, I recall the last thing holding me back was the fear of hell. The point of this post is to show two quick reasons for those in this in-between state of religion and irreligion (specifically in regard to Christianity/Islam which threatens your eternal afterlife with punishment) and how you can move past this.

1. Fear is not a reason to believe + Belief is not something you can choose

If your idea of hell is literal fiery torment, let me assure you that there are no scriptures in the Judeo-Christian Bible in support of that.

Revelation 21:8
Matthew 18:8-9
Mark 9:43
Revelation 20:13-14
Revelation 20:10
Matthew 25:41
Matthew 5:22
Matthew 13:50
Mark 9:48
Matthew 13:42

That should do to be going on with.

Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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