How many Christians are Christian only because of fear?

You don’t really believe all of the things they tell you about Christianity, but you don’t want to be singled out and made fun of. Also it’s kind of cool to be a Christian cause all of your friends are Christian, but deep down inside, you know that all of this can’t be true. However, you dear not think about it, because what if you were wrong, you don’t want to be possessed by a demon or burn for eternity in hell.

Is this you? Do you feel this way, but don’t want to tell anyone? Do you think that science makes a lot more sense, but you would rather go with the crowd?

If this is you, tell us about it.

Warning: Please, do not come here to flame anyone who posts here.

If i felt this way and didnt want to tell anyone then why would we tell you here?...and um science cant prove everything...if we wanted to go with the crowd wouldnt it be more logical to go with the majority of the world the NON christians!?! dude we are singled out and made fun of.

Originally posted by stop_sign
If i felt this way and didnt want to tell anyone then why would we tell you here?...and um science cant prove everything...if we wanted to go with the crowd wouldnt it be more logical to go with the majority of the world the NON christians!?! dude we are singled out and made fun of.

You are in the majority; atheists hate Christians only because of how some of Christians treat them. I see it all the time, some atheist comes out and says there is no god, then a bunch of Christians jump on their case and make as if they were stupid.

I want people to talk about, not flame people.

I would imagine that many people are Christians out of fear, just my opinion, of course. We'll see how many Christians who post here are believers out of fear. 😉

Not all atheists hate.

But I think there are a lot of Christians who are Christian more out of habit, or social conditioning then fear. For example, back in my high school days, living out of town, I caught the bus. It collected for 5 different schools (two public schools, a private one, a primary one and a religious one.) Now the religious one was a school that taught the very small community of Plinith Brethren (the branch of Christianity I like the least.)

Now, these kids, kids of very strict religious parents, where some of the least religious people I knew. Rebellious, juvenile, over sexed, swearing like one eyed carpenters and all that - except when their parents were around, in which case they were perfectly behaved and role models for the religious sect. Now, fear might come into it at this stage. But the thing is, very, very few leave it. Despite spending so much of their early life complaining about it and talking about a future outside the religion. They start off like that, and then evolve into perfect members of their religious community, they marry only within the religion and do all that's expected of them by their parents, even when they are legally free to do what they want.

And there are plenty of Christians I have known who when asked why they are Christian they respond "well, that's what my parents were" - they aren't inherently religious, but they go through the motions, not so much out of fear, but habit.

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Not all atheists hate.

But I think there are a lot of Christians who are Christian more out of habit, or social conditioning then fear. For example, back in my high school days, living out of town, I caught the bus. It collected for 5 different schools (two public schools, a private one, a primary one and a religious one.) Now the religious one was a school that taught the very small community of Plinith Brethren (the branch of Christianity I like the least.)

Now, these kids, kids of very strict religious parents, where some of the least religious people I knew. Rebellious, juvenile, over sexed, swearing like one eyed carpenters and all that - except when their parents were around, in which case they were perfectly behaved and role models for the religious sect. Now, fear might come into it at this stage. But the thing is, very, very few leave it. Despite spending so much of their early life complaining about it and talking about a future outside the religion. They start off like that, and then evolve into perfect members of their religious community, they marry only within the religion and do all that's expected of them by their parents, even when they are legally free to do what they want.

And there are plenty of Christians I have known who when asked why they are Christian they respond "well, that's what my parents were" - they aren't inherently religious, but they go through the motions, not so much out of fear, but habit.

First off, about the atheists hating, I was being general and mostly about this forum.

I was raised just like those kids you speak of and I say the hypocrisy, and guess what, they don't change when they grow up, they just know how to hide it better. I have seen the most evil people in the world, and they were Christians.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I have seen the most evil people in the world, and they were Christians.

***You can't see straight if you're filled with hate***

Originally posted by Echuu
***You can't see straight if you're filled with hate***

I know that there are good people who are Christian, and back then I only saw the evil people, so, I was blind, but now I know better.

Are you a Christian because of fear?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
I know that there are good people who are Christian, and back then I only saw the evil people, so, I was blind, but now I know better.

Are you a Christian because of fear?

Excellent

Absolutely not. I am a Christian because of the love of Jesus Christ.

Originally posted by Echuu
Excellent

Absolutely not. I am a Christian because of the love of Jesus Christ.

Good, now get out of here, kid. 😆

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
First off, about the atheists hating, I was being general and mostly about this forum.

I was raised just like those kids you speak of and I say the hypocrisy, and guess what, they don't change when they grow up, they just know how to hide it better. I have seen the most evil people in the world, and they were Christians.

About the atheists hating thing - most atheists do NOT hate Christians. Rather, they dislike Christianity itself.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Good, now get out of here, kid. 😆

😂 😛

I feel many people are Christians out of fear. What if they were to leave the faith and be wrong? Many won't even give it a 2nd thought. Some know some truths about also, but still won't leave the faith feeling that if the faith is untrue just like other myths, they'd have a nervous break down...honest to god truth!...Can you imagine finally finding out you've been living a lie your whole life?.....People can't and won't handle that. Though I also know many generally Catholics that just go through the motions of communions and confirmations and feel they're set anyway. Because it's mostly all ritual, they're guaranteed their place in heaven.

Originally posted by debbiejo
I feel many people are Christians out of fear. What if they were to leave the faith and be wrong? Many won't even give it a 2nd thought. Some know some truths about also, but still won't leave the faith feeling that if the faith is untrue just like other myths, they'd have a nervous break down...honest to god truth!...Can you imagine finally finding out you've been living a lie your whole life?.....People can't and won't handle that. Though I also know many generally Catholics that just go through the motions of communions and confirmations and feel they're set anyway. Because it's mostly all ritual, they're guaranteed their place in heaven.

Imagine that! sounds like my life story.

They could become a Buddhist. 😉

Yeah, same here. I'm a Christian because I love the Lord. Nothing about fear, there isn't anything really to be afraid of.

Originally posted by RoguePw25
Yeah, same here. I'm a Christian because I love the Lord. Nothing about fear, there isn't anything really to be afraid of.

So you are not afraid of going to hell. What if you are not in the right church?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So you are not afraid of going to hell. What if you are not in the right church?

No I'm not afraid of going to hell, because I know that I'm not. And it's about about being in the "right" church. As long as you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) and therefore, there is not need to worry. You're saved.

Originally posted by RoguePw25
No I'm not afraid of going to hell, because I know that I'm not. And it's about about being in the "right" church. As long as you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) and therefore, there is not need to worry. You're saved.

What if one day, you have doubt?

BTW There is no hell after death.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
You don’t really believe all of the things they tell you about Christianity, but you don’t want to be singled out and made fun of. Also it’s kind of cool to be a Christian cause all of your friends are Christian, but deep down inside, you know that all of this can’t be true. However, you dear not think about it, because what if you were wrong, you don’t want to be possessed by a demon or burn for eternity in hell.

Is this you? Do you feel this way, but don’t want to tell anyone? Do you think that science makes a lot more sense, but you would rather go with the crowd?

If this is you, tell us about it.

Warning: Please, do not come here to flame anyone who posts here.

I am a Christian because of the Lord's love for me.

I grew up in a Christian home, and went to church, but I hated it.
I hated any organized religion, because it felt fake. Like a routine.

"Now we do the greeting. Now we sing. Now we pass the plate for money. Now we sing a little more. Then the man talks. One more song."

Wash, rinse, and repeat each Sunday. I can tell you honestly that after three of them, I was dead set against it.

In fact, I was dead set against anything my parents wanted, because they were hipocrytes. My step-father, (a correctional officer at San Quentin) would rage and was abusive. My mother is bi-polar, and would just "trust in the Lord" to heal her broken marriage, and do nothing for my sister, brother, and I.

So I gave them the finger, and moved out at 16. I went to the worst high shcool in my city (East Side San Jose, CA.), and became a tagger. I got in fights, stole things, did drugs, but kept my grades up.

By the time I was 17 however, I had drifted way farther than "a little mischief". I started hanging around with older guys, Norteno's, who were 25,26 years old on parole, who cooked crystal meth.

I became a severe addict. I stole guns from neighbors, cars, ran check scams and credit card frauds, and 4 months to my 18th birthday, I had 2 felonies and 7 misdemeanors.

I don't say this to brag,.... I'm not a "gangsta", it was all for theft/drugs.

I hated myself, I hated my life, but.... like so many people, I continued on, bravely putting on the front that I was IN CONTROL of my life.

I was lucky enough to be sent to a boot camp in Jamaica(no B.S.!) for 9 months, and I had a chance to get back in shape, sober up, and get my life right.

When I came home, I lived with my parents, but I worked full time, and I wasn't with them much. I met my wife in this point of time, in the job I worked in a Christian book store.

I got back into church, not out of fear, but for her. (so...only sort of out of fear 😛 ). I found the power of the Lord Jesus in church, because this time I had lost my pride. I knew that my life was sh*t if I did it my way.

I began to open up, and the Lord healed me in many ways. I forgave my parents, and have a better relationship with them.

For those who really live it, it is a wonderfull thing.

I went for a while with my wife(then girlfriend), kinda enjoyed but, eh, it was okay.

Then one sunday, I sang a worship song. Now, I had sang before, but it was always just to go along with the crowd.

I thought about the words, and said "Lord Jesus, if you really are real, then I will sing to you." (mostly to see if anything would happen).

It did. As I sang to the Lord, really meaning the words of thanks, praise, humbleness, and shame over my past sins, .... I felt him.

Really felt him. My entire body was numb, and my face flushed, as if I was on the Top Gun roller coaster, even though I stood still. I dropped to my knees, and WEPT.

It felt so good!!
I felt released. Released from my past, my doubts, my shame, my frustrations, ...released from this crappy world, fake and uncarring,....because I KNEW there was a God, and that He loves me.

I have such a peace in my life now. That was 2 years ago now, and my wife and I are married (PM me, I can show you some pics... I also have a few pics of me in my "gangsta" days 😛 ). I have a job as the Operations Manager of a flooring company in Norhtern California, making $15 per hour, (not bad for a 22, soon to be 23 year old), and we both help in the sunday shcool, every third month.

The Lord is real, folks. I won't try to prove it to you... I just know, for me in my life, that he is. I FEEL him when I pray, he answers and provides for me and my family.

I understand the point of this thread....
but I had to say my piece.

Not all Christians are jerks, not all are "obsessed", and most are not "scared into it."

Some of us are just sinners,.. saved by grace.

I look forward to many long , contentious discussions with you all, since you may have guessed by now that I am quite a character, and not put off by much naysaying.

Peace.
rockon

Christianity is getting less popular, alot of times its even made fun of. I dont think anyone would join Christianity because of peer pressure nowadays...somone may be pressured into it by their parents but thats about it.