[oweirdo]

The Fear of the Lord


For the Week of July 24, 2006
by Rubel Shelly

There is this strange phrase that occurs again and again in Scripture. It tends to confuse readers – although some never realize the confusion in which they are tangled! It centers around the notion of “the fear of the Lord.”

The obvious confusion is for those who come across the phrase only to be revolted. “How dare some preacher try to scare me into religion! Threatening me with a horrible fate if I don’t confess what I don’t believe, join something I don’t like, and support what I would never want spread abroad!” This person is confused in the sense of being horrified or astounded but clear about why she feels that way. She can’t believe in a deity who is a cosmic bully. At least, she can’t believe in that sort of deity so as to admire, love, and worship him.

The non-obvious confusion belongs to the person who sees terror and dread of the sort I feel for venomous snakes as the motivation for religion and embraces it. This is the person who joins or avoids or tithes lest he go to hell for doing otherwise. I’ve seen lots of this in religion and find it hard to separate from self-interest. God isn’t sought and obeyed for his own sake but for dread of the horrible consequences if one doesn’t. That isn’t very pious or noble.

In spite of the obvious truth that there are dreadful consequences to firing a .38 into someone’s brain, tying a plastic bag over one’s own head, or rejecting God, I am willing to state my conviction that panic over those possibilities is by no means the purest or even the most sensible reason for avoiding them.

When either the Hebrew Bible or Christian Scripture sanctions “the fear of the Lord,” it is referring to what Eugene Peterson describes as “a fear that pulls us out of our preoccupation with ourselves, our feelings, or our circumstances into a world of wonder.” Not dread but astonishment. Not terror but reverence. Not shaking-in-your-boots panic but enraptured-with-love fascination.

Thus we begin to understand why Scripture says: “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him” (Psalm 33:. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom . . .” (Proverbs 9:10). “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others . . .” (2 Corinthians 5:11).

The God who has showed himself in history as Jesus of Nazareth is not a thug who threatens and pushes people around. He is the God who creates such beauty in the world that we stand speechless, upholds us in our crisis moments so that we do not collapse, and would rather die on a cross than live without us.

Stand in awe! Fear his name! It is for your sake that he has given all.

[simplyme]

I have heard to some of the preachers who want to force people into being good and this to me is very wrong. This type of preacher is NOT filled with the Spirit of God.
The Lord loves each and everyone of us and came for us sinners.
The only thing that He expects from us is to accept his WORD, be baptized by immertion and show our love by doing our best to follow Him.

[pladecalvo]

"A man's ethical behaviour should be based on sympathy, education and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would be in a poor state if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
-- Einstein.

[mrmnmom82]

I don't see anything wrong with "fear of punishment." Real consequences to our actions is how we learn what works, and what doesn't. We are all given a choice. Our loving Heavenly Father is there and ready to support and bless us, all we have to do is choose.

[pladecalvo]

Originally Posted by mrmnmom82

I don't see anything wrong with "fear of punishment." Real consequences to our actions is how we learn what works, and what doesn't.

I agree..if we are talking about the real world but what we are actually talking about is infinte puishment for a finite 'crime'. What is the crime? As far as I can see it's because we excercise the 'free-will' that Christianity claims we have. In other words the Christian god is saying 'I have given you free will to do as you please but if you don't do as I say I'll torture you for eternity'. Some free will eh?

We are all given a choice. Our loving Heavenly Father is there and ready to support and bless us, all we have to do is choose.

So if I stop you in the street and say to you:

You have a choice as to whether or not you give me your wallet....but if you don't, I'll blow your brains out'....would you really consider that I'm giving you a choice?

You see my friend, your "Heavenly Father" isn't actually giving you a choice is he? What he's saying is that you must worship him, obey him and do everything he says or he will send you to burn in Hell for eternity.

Now, in legal circles the proper word for what I've just described is "extortion". It's a crime in most places. First you create a peril, then you offer to save someone from the peril in exchange for something. That's extortion and that's what Christianity claims is acceptable.

[mrmnmom82]

I don't believe our Heavenly Father "extorts" us. I also don't believe we are sent to hell for making mystakes. I'm mormon and our views of heaven and different stages of exhaltation are different than most other Christians. But that is what we have repentace for anyway! Because he died for us and was resurrected, and bled from every poor taking our sins on himself, we are able to make things right through repentance. He doesn't just "shoot us in the head" when we don't do what we're supposed to. We have the oppornunity to make things right.

And you may think I'm and idiot in believing in all of this, but I would rather be an idiot that wants to do good things in her life, and make positive loving choices, than have no hope, or only negitivity to cling to in this lifetime. To believe I am here for no reason at all, there is no point to any of this? That's so sad. I can't live my life like that, I'd be too depressed. So I prefer to believe in a loving God who wants the best from me. And I'm ok with that.

I'm sorry you have a problem with my beleifs, but I have no intention on changing my mind, I'm happy! Be it in misunderstanding or not. I will continue to live my life this way. OK?

[pladecalvo]

Originally Posted by mrmnmom82

I don't believe our Heavenly Father "extorts" us.

It's Christianity that's commiting the extortion.

I also don't believe we are sent to hell for making mystakes.

Depends on what you class as a mistake.

I'm mormon and our views of heaven and different stages of exhaltation are different than most other Christians.

Ah! So you're not a 'REAL Christian' (TM). Just kidding!!

But that is what we have repentace for anyway! Because he died for us and was resurrected, and bled from every poor taking our sins on himself,

Well we only have the claims of Christianity for that having happened. There were dozens of historians who were contemporaries of the Christian man-god who failed to notice this momentous event. Why do you think that in all the vast crowd that is alleged to have witnessed the crucifixion...nobody outside of the Bible and other religious works seems to have thought it worthy of mention?

He doesn't just "shoot us in the head" when we don't do what we're supposed to. We have the oppornunity to make things right.

....and if we don't?

And you may think I'm and idiot in believing in all of this,

I don't think for one minute that you are an idiot....slightly misguided perhaps....but not an idiot!

but I would rather be an idiot that wants to do good things in her life, and make positive loving choices, than have no hope, or only negitivity to cling to in this lifetime.

Why do you think you need to be a theist to do good things, make loving choices and have hope in one's life? Do you think that atheists don't do these things. Why do you consider a life without religion to have no "hope".

To believe I am here for no reason at all, there is no point to any of this? That's so sad. I can't live my life like that, I'd be too depressed. So I prefer to believe in a loving God who wants the best from me. And I'm ok with that.

What is sad is that someone considers their life to be pointless without believing in a magical deity.

I'm sorry you have a problem with my beleifs,

I don't have a problem with your "beliefs". What I have a problem with is when I'm told that someone's 'beliefs' are absolute truth or when people attempt to pass laws that are based on their religious beliefs.

I have no intention on changing my mind,

I'm not here to change your mind.

I'm happy! Be it in misunderstanding or not. I will continue to live my life this way. OK?

Fine! Many thanks for your input and please don't be put of discussing it. It's quite enjoyable when you get into it!!

[mrmnmom82]

Hey now! Don't start with me on Mormons being Christians! That's not nice. In case you haven't noticed, religios people take their beliefs pretty seriously. I don't have any intention, and never have, of going around and telling someone who is atheist that they're going to H E double hockey sticks! Again with the agency!! You choose to not beleive, that's fine, I'm sure your a very nice person, when you're not trying to start arguments on innocent forums! Ha! Ha! I don't believe that only religios people make good choices, but I do believe that religion offers more. More happiness, more blessings, more spiritual growth. I, as do all Mormons, believe all religions have truth in them. I choose to believe that my choice of religion is the right one, but who doesn't think that what they believe is the right way? Not even athiest's can disagree with that one, you think your right. And we live in the perfect place to have these different beliefs, America. Where we can agree to disagree.

[twinzplus3]

Plad--how was the Bible written in your view? ( In 50 words or less. )

(Actually--maybe this is better in another thread.)

[Alejandros Mommy]

Yes it is Val The debate area would be best.