I watch a debate between john lennox (prof of math)and peter atkin (prof of chem),and one of the point atkin brought out was that fear is what drove us to religion.
I admit that for me it is, but is it un natural?
Admit it that hard wired withing our core is a healthy respect for our welfare. We decide, behave and carries every moves to promote this welbeing. We nevigate our self out of the path of a truck tundering down the highway. Even when the road is empty, we make a habit of not walking in the center...it is not cowardly...it is wise.
Believe in a religion through some fear is natural, does not take away the honesty of our motivation, does not stain the believe or diminish its sincerety.
A good proverb says..the fear of the Almighty is the begining of wisdom
For a minute there you sounded like a an evolutionist lol
ReplyDeleteI suppose people become Christians mainly due to fear of death.
That's a good thought. Some things we do are driven by greed, by desire, by hunger, etc... so why not fear?
ReplyDelete"That's a good thought. Some things we do are driven by greed, by desire, by hunger, etc... so why not fear?"
ReplyDeleteBecause it's not rational?
Sure we can stone-wall any suggestions as irrational, but the test should be how it conforms to the simple task of daily living.
ReplyDeleteFair point. Fear is useful, to a certain and limited extent, as a survival mechanism. However, its utility is not an affirmation that the tenets of religion - mainly that a personal God exists - are true.
ReplyDeleteI could be mistaken here, but what you have written (about belief motivated by fear)appears to be an implicit, watered-down version of Pascal's Wager?
ReplyDeleteFaith does provide an additional personal strength to living. Likewise, doesn't mean that's the only thing faith's good for either hahaha. Also another way I see it - if not so out of fear, then out of a perpetuating hope of something more.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.
ReplyDelete- George Bernard Shaw