-- Posted by Uniq0ne at 12:09 am on Jan. 4, 2009 I asked my Sister as I was reading this little book she gave me about Christianity; "What if I don't wish to believe any of this? And would rather believe in my own personal thoughts?" She replies; "Then you'll rot in hell and burn for all eternity hearing screams all around you." etc. To me it sounded like a threat. And I get these type of responses from a lot of religious people. A built in scare tactic to weaken the poor peoples minds into following a religions every command and demands? I feel so sorry for these people... A lot of religions weaken peoples minds, and flat out brain wash them... nuff said imo -- Posted by kawaweleh at 12:10 am on Jan. 4, 2009 reverse psychology? *shrugs* I would think that being nice and preaching love would bring more people to a faith. -- Posted by matto at 12:10 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Agree.  It's like brainwashing.  And my brain is clean enough thank you very much -- Posted by chilly person at 12:10 am on Jan. 4, 2009 To gain propaganda, and followers. -- Posted by TBMP at 12:10 am on Jan. 4, 2009 My religion doesn't that's mostly the reason i became a wiccan honestly. i'm not allowed to pretend my religion is better than any others though, because for one thing no such thing exists as a 'better religion' -- Posted by greatescape at 12:11 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Your sister's lack of knowledge about religion and inability to answer the question is not indicative of religion itself.  It is indicative of just that....lack of knowledge and inability to explain one's belief. -- Posted by agerask at 12:11 am on Jan. 4, 2009 admit that it's effective -- Posted by blufindr at 12:12 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Scaring people into their beliefs. -- Posted by Baron Samedi at 12:12 am on Jan. 4, 2009 My doppler radar is picking something up on the horizon... But seriously...It's true. -- Posted by Dexter Ward at 12:50 am on Jan. 4, 2009 The reason is simple... It works. Just like how telling kids the boogyman will come for them if their bad, or more modernly tell them that if they're bad Santa won't bring gifts. Edit, and also sadly for most people if they didn't have the literal fear of god put into them they wouldn't worship.  If i carve a rock and say its a god but doesn't do anything whatsoever would you worship it?  Now what if I say if you don't warship and associate all your life's hardships with the lack of worship you might do it. -- Posted by obvious child at 2:18 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Because they are false perhaps? A true religion would be inherent. One would come to it naturally without any threats. -- Posted by LittleBombs at 6:41 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Yup. =/ I have had that many times too. And people saying "Well, will you ever ask for forgiveness...before it's too late?" Some people must think if you choose another religion thats its just a passing time. -- Posted by exceedinglyrare at 8:11 am on Jan. 4, 2009 GOD ALMIGHTY. This is not such a complicated concept: CERTAIN SECTS OF THE SINGULAR RELIGION OF CHRISTIANITY =/= ALL RELIGIONS. I don't understand why you people are having so much trouble with this. -- Posted by RachelLouise at 9:33 am on Jan. 4, 2009 Bill Hicks spoke a couple times on religion and fear. That man was quite the genius. -- Posted by Wilder at 1:12 pm on Jan. 4, 2009 From what I have seen, there are a lot more religions that don't use scare tactics than there are religions that do; the catch is that there are many more large, widespread religions that use scare tactics, which is the key to answering your question. Evangelism through fear has historically been a very successful tool, so through a mechanism similar to natural selection those religions that include a "horrible things will happen to non-believers" clause have been able to spread more than those that do not in many circumstances. -- Posted by draakprinses at 4:18 pm on Jan. 4, 2009 Because it's effective. -- Posted by JohnTheNormalOne at 4:20 pm on Jan. 4, 2009 Well, it works. That is the only thing that is important. -- Posted by franni4 at 2:51 pm on Jan. 5, 2009 Religions = cults. There is no difference. You are scared into believing things and doing things you wouldn't naturally do. You are brainwashed, just as you are in a cult.