Fear God

Argue for and against Christianity

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nobspeople
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Fear God

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

What's the point of fearing God?

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Though I've never seen God shell out knowledge - factually Genesis seems to indicate he doesn't like to give knowledge - or at the very least does so in accordance with his will, which we're demanded to have faith in, not knowledge of.

"“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!"
That's a pleasant thought! What a was to win souls: threatening them with hell!

"And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation."
More threats (promises?).

"But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."
Seems he wants those to fear him and they will be rewarded with being 'acceptable'? What grand praise! :facepalm:

How does 'fear' promote love and devotion in a positive way? Or is this a case where the ends justifies the means?

Fearing God, some say, saves us from our sinful nature. Perhaps, but is that the best way to go about it? Does using vinegar catch more flies than honey actually work? Maybe that's why it seems the fear of hell is taught throughout Christianity more than love and acceptance.

Some say God poses an ominous threat to their ego, but not to them directly. Debatable. Still, that's harm and harm's not a good thing, particularly when it comes to a being that's capable of any and every thing possible. Surely there's a better way, for him, to go about getting the point across without harm. Is God so barbaric, so archaic that it resorts to physical and emotion abuse to get its point across when it's capable of so much more?

Or is this yet another "that's not what fear meant then" excuse pulled from believers?

Maybe we just need 'the spirit' to interpret this the 'correct way'?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Fear God

Post #11

Post by nobspeople »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:32 am
nobspeople wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:54 am What's the point of fearing God?

My bible Encylopedia has the following entry under FEAR...
What is the fear of Jehovah that we should have?

The Bible shows that there is a proper fear and an improper fear. Thus, fear may be wholesome and cause the individual to proceed with due caution in the face of danger, thereby averting disaster, or it may be morbid, destroying hope and weakening a person’s nervous stamina, even to the point of bringing about death. The fear of God is healthful; it is an awe and a profound reverence for the Creator and a wholesome dread of displeasing him. This fear of incurring his displeasure is a result of appreciation of his loving-kindness and goodness together with the realization that he is the Supreme Judge and the Almighty, who has the power to inflict punishment or death upon those who disobey him.​—See AWE; DREAD.

source: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200001500#h=4


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LOVE, HATE and ...BIBLICAL FEAR
Thanks for that clarification. However, any fear, to me, tends to show a means of self preservation. I see no reason a loving god would need any reason to instill any fear on to anyTHING, much less a person. I would expect more from such a supreme deity.
Too many times, God seems to incorporate more mundane, human behavior and characteristics, many of them normal for people but highly unbecoming for such a thing as god.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Fear God

Post #12

Post by 1213 »

Tcg wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:18 pm
1213 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 2:18 pm There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 1:7
I guess we have to choose between love and knowledge. Either that or simply realize that once again the Bible isn't consistent in it's claims.
I think it is consistent and there is no need to pick one. Fear is the beginning of the knowledge, it usually gives time to learn, but it is not all and not necessary the end.

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Re: Fear God

Post #13

Post by JehovahsWitness »

nobspeople wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:27 am
Thanks for that clarification. However, any fear, to me, tends to show a means of self preservation.
I do not understand what you mean, perhaps you can elaborate? " a means of self preservation" for whom ? The one who is feared. ... or he who fears?
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Re: Fear God

Post #14

Post by nobspeople »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:12 am
nobspeople wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:27 am
Thanks for that clarification. However, any fear, to me, tends to show a means of self preservation.
I do not understand what you mean, perhaps you can elaborate? " a means of self preservation" for whom ? The one who is feared. ... or he who fears?
Meaning if you fear something, you do so to protect yourself from harm.
You may fear a bear in the woods, for example. Which is fine - you don't want to become a chew toy. But a bear is much less than a supreme, all loving being capable of anything.
You can fear when your house catches fire. Again, fine. But a fire, again, isn't a supreme, all loving being capable of anything.

It seems to me, such a a supreme, all loving being capable of anything, can get their point across so much better without instilling fear.

However, if 'fear' here means 'respect' or 'reverence', that's different. That said, if this is true, then the word 'fear' should be replaced with the appropriate term.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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