Abandon Christianity? Reason 1: Based on Fear

            On freethoughtpedia.com, there is a list of 20 reasons why Christianity should be 

abandoned (in favor of atheism). I’ll be going through this list.

            The first issue this website has with Christianity is that it is based on fear.

            Before I actually get into this, I notice that this is an emotional “problem” with our 

faith, not a logical argument against Christianity. Whether something is based on fear or 

any other emotion does not have anything to do with its truthfulness. So this is not a 

“Christianity is WRONG because of (insert argument)”. It is an “I don’t like Christianity 

because of this emotion”. Again, that has nothing to do with whether or not Christianity is 

true.

            But now back to the actual claim. Is Christianity based on fear? No, but it certainly 

contains fear. Matthew 10:28 states:

            “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear 

Him who is able to destroy both soul and the body in Hell.” (NASB)

            I fear what poisonous snakes can do to me. The result? I stay away from them. I’m 

afraid of being in questionable areas after dark. The result? I stay away from them. I fear 

Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell. The result? I run to Jesus.

            I’m not big into the extreme leftist “Jesus loves you, God is love. Love 

everyone else, God forgives you, you’re good. Love love love” stuff. While all that is true, 

it is extremely shallow and doesn’t touch the other area of God, His justice. To know God, 

you have to study who He is. He is love, yes, but He is also just.

            What have we established so far? Christianity does contain fear. Also, if God does 

exist, it is a healthy fear (just like the fear of poisonous snakes). Now for the second part: is 

Christianity based on fear? That, I have to say, is absolutely incorrect.

            Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis)*. Sin enters the world, and 

mankind is separated from God. God judges mankind by sending a worldwide flood. He 

saves Noah and his family. Fast forward to Abraham. God makes a covenant with Abraham 

which produces Israel (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc.). Israel produces Jesus 

(the Gospels). Jesus, God on earth, is tortured brutally and dies on the Cross for mankind. 

He rises three days later, appears to hundreds of people, and ascends.

            The church is started (Acts). It’s mission? Spread the Gospel (good news). Get the 

word out.

            Looking back at all that, I don’t see Christianity being based on fear. No, the 

basis for Christianity is God’s love for mankind. He could’ve obliterated us after we sinned. 

He would’ve been justified to do so. But He did not.

            No. The emotional basis for Christianity is love, not fear.

            Freethoughtpedia.com’s first reason to abandon Christianity is incorrect. 

Christianity contains fear. But two things: 1) Christianity is not based on fear, 2) it is a 

healthy fear.




*See what happens when you don't fear God?