Christians, what are you afraid of?

I was born into Christianity. A devout Baptist family from the hills of Kentucky. Church 3 days a week. Prayer circles, hellfire and brimstone and all the rest. I began to doubt what Christianity was teaching when I was 7 years old. Didn't make sense. Nothing about the Bible or Christianity as presented by my Christian overlords made sense.

God is all powerful but he needs Noah to build him a boat...
God is kind and forgiving but tortures his most loyal follower in a beer bet with the devil...

The examples are endless and suffice it to say I was not treated kindly by those kind Christians for daring to question the theocracy. I was seven years old.

So what are you afraid of?

You find the idea that I don't believe in your God so threatening that you will come to my door and in front of my small children threaten me and them with going to "Hell" for no other reason than we believe differently.

So, what are you afraid of?

I'm not your competition. Personally, I think monotheism is silly. But, if that's your thing, have at it. No harm no foul. I'm not trying to get people to join my church. My belief system doesn't actually have churches, pews, and preachers. We have monasteries and temples and if you go there the key is to **** and meditate. No one's going to try to change your views, or recruit you, or, well, any of the things Christians do when confronted with other beliefs.

Speaking of which why would anyone want to be a Buddhist? Even a bad Buddhist like me? I mean there is no "book," no one to give you the answers. You get the basic tenets which, TBH, fit on a relatively small piece of paper, and you're on your own. I mean seriously, have you ever tried talking with a monk? "There are no answers, only questions. What you think is an answer is just another question." What the heck is that? But, I digress and back to the point,


So, what are you afraid of?

If you're right about your Christian belief then it doesn't matter what I believe. I'll go to hell, you'll go to heaven. And everyone gets what they deserve.
If you're wrong then it also doesn't matter what I believe.
Assuming there's an "afterlife" no one knows till then.

So, what are you afraid of?

Why do you, as Christians, feel the need to crush any other views?

OK, actually, I'm just flucking with you. I know the answer.

Fear. Fear of being wrong.

You see, this monotheism thing is the ultimate zero sum game.
For any belief to be right means all other beliefs are necessarily wrong and all of the "punishments" you've threatened are well deserved (at least in your mind).
If, on the other hand you're wrong...
So, the only way to resolve this particular issue for monotheists is to crush all opposing thought and kill those who will not change.

Because, I know what you're afraid of.
You're afraid of being wrong.

 

Who says Christians are afraid of anything in particular?

Evict the assumption that they think you're not believing in their God affects them in some way. I wouldn't think they would even consider you. As far as I know it's only latter-day saints and Jehovah's witnesses that come to your door and try to sell you religion.

That isn't commonplace in Christianity

It seems like you're making a lot of assumptions that aren't really based in reality, and your mistaking Jehovah's witnesses for all Christians.

So to answer your question Christians are probably afraid of whatever anybody else is afraid of. Spiders dying alone snakes falling off of something.

 

Please. Spoke like a true "christian."

"As far as I know" If you don't know why then are you speaking? Seriously,

You don't know that proselytizing is a commandment for Christians and you don't "remember" 2000 years of invasions in the name of Christianity and you're claiming to speak with any intelligence on the subject?

Try again and, if you don't want to be made fun of, try putting a grm or two of thought into it.

 

Yeah it sounds like you're kind of scattered on this subject.

I answered your question you don't like the answer, so you make up your own and pretend that's my answer.

So the question I ask is why even bother?

 

Wrong.

The question is asked. Try answering honestly.

Why does the presence of non-christians bother christians so much that they feel the need to destroy any non-christian thought.

This concept should come as no surprise. Crusades, Inquisition, "Onward..." Christism has been raging against non-believers since the fantasy about some guy on a cross.

So, the question is, what is the fear driving this need to destroy all that is not "Christy?"

The fake "War on Christmas" is a wonderful example. How are Christians threatened by my saying "Happy Holidays?" Christmas is ONLY on 12/25. Saying "Merry Christmas" is appropriate on 12/24 and 12/25 but other than that? Like wishing someone a happy 4th in December.

The "holidays" start in November and continue into January for various religions and ethnic groups. Most of these holidays relate to the end of year celebrations whose imagery and dates were appropriated by Christians as a means for recruiting non-believers into the faith. So why, particularly given the history of Christmas, are Christians offended by the phrase "happy holidays?"

The answer is, of course, the same.

By saying "Happy Holidays" we acknowledge the existence of Non-Christian beliefs and set those beliefs as equal to Christianity. In doing so, even though that is not then intent, we challenge the the foundational beliefs of Christians "HE is the reason for the season" and they feel threatened that their lifelong beliefs may be w---ww----www----WRONG!

And so, like in Star Wars
Their fear that their beliefs may be wrong leads them to hate those "challenging" them
And hate is the path to ...

 

I answered honestly, you just got your nickers in a knot over my answer not being that you wanted to hear.

If you need your opinions echoed back to you I suggest picking a different subforum.

 

OP believe in anything you want. Don't let the naysayers deter you. Hell when I was a kid I believed in a tooth fairy that would leave money under my pillow when I lost a tooth. Then I grew up and realized it was all a sham. If otherworldly mystical beings bring you comfort who's to judge?

 

No, you didn't. In fact, you specifically avoided speaking honestly. I'm guessing your bothered by the possibility that your beliefs may, in fact be wrong. Not just your beliefs are wrong but that those other guys, the ones your sect considered somewhat less than human, may be right. I understand your fears.

 

OK then. Not sure you actually understood the OP.

 

I'm a Christian and I'm not afraid.

Why do I care if you go to Heaven or not?

Do what you want, just means I will have a shorter line to get in.

Have fun in the heat.

 

no you're just mad because I didn't give you the answer you wanted.

 

Mad? I resolved all of this years ago.

If you're unwilling or unable to understand your own compulsions there is no path forward. After all, I'm not the only one you're trying to delude.

 

Then why is my answer to your question unacceptable? is it because I didn't come to the same conclusion you did and that causes you existential angst?

you asked me what Christians were afraid of, I answered the same thing everybody else is maybe spiders snakes falling off the edge of something.

These compulsions aren't hard to understand.

That answer is not going to change just because it doesn't fit your narrative.

Claiming that everyone that doesn't agree with you is diluted is a logical fallacy.

 

well I'm afraid of things and most people are. When I go camping I'm afraid of getting bit by a snake. But I think my most irrational fear and I'll be completely honest is being afraid of heights. Standing at the edge of like a real tall building gives me vertigo. I don't think this is specific to Christians nor is it related to Christianity in any way it's because I don't want to fall.

well I do, I would like people to get into heaven but I'm the center myself and it's only by the grace of God if I should ever be admitted.

It's important to remember that it's only by God's grace that anyone has ever saved.

 

Because you failed to try to understand either the question or your own answer.

 

No I called you out and you didn't like it.

 

Many Christians probably are afraid that you're going to suffer for eternity in hell.

As for me, I believe Jesus will make known to you The Truth before you choose your fate.

1 Peter 3:
18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,

19 in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,

The only thing I fear is that we (humanity) will snuff eachother out in this crib we call Earth before we learn to walk among the stars and greet God.

 

My brain does not recognize fear as a threat to me.

That switch is broken

If I see a snake I have to consciously think about it then decide if I should move away or not.

 

I am an agnostic atheist. The vast majority of Christians that I meet aren't afraid of me or my ideas. Its actually rare that one will try very hard to convert me. If they want to talk about my views, its mostly out of curiosity. They want to understand this concept of 'agnostic atheist' and explore the how that works. They want me to address some of the stereotypes about atheists. Its not usually antagonistic, and that is probably because I am not trying to weaponize the Spanish Inquisition in 1480's as evidence of anything, nor am I throwing the Christian Right in their faces as examples of what Christianity inevitably becomes. If I relax and stay pleasant, so will they!

 

Beat me to it. And when someone asks me if I have been saved, I say, "Yep! thanks!". Really i was saved from a lifetime of believing magical nonsense by discarding religion, but they don't know that. They just usually smile and say, "Great!".

 

As for the proselytizers, I treat them like any one else that is going door to door trying to market a product or an idea. If they are selling a magazine subscription or a knife set, or a vacumn cleaner, I open the door and quickly decide if I want to talk or not. I do the same for people who market candidates, petitions, religious faiths or ideas. Its America. We let people promote and market ideas in this country because that ensures we will be exposed to ideas that we were not before. With that in mind, If I feel inclined to chat, I will and as long as they can take a hint when we are done, I can take their literature and shut the door. However, if they piss me off by being rude, arrogant or obnoxious, I will make them more uncomfortable than they make me.

 

I am going to end up either play acting or just asking that they leave. I jump right to the end and say, "Yep! Saved to the bone! Good luck!", and wave as I close my door.

 

See its not about the people or the product that brings them to my door, its about the tactics and attitude. Rude people are rude people. Polite ones are polite ones.

 

I don't really take the time to find out. i would just be wasting their time. i am doing them a favor as well.

 

Please. you couldn't call me out if I gave you a pre-paid cell phone.