Should God Be Feared?

[TomBrooks]

The following is from today's Wall Street Journal which quotes Time Magazine's report that a notable person, the former Congressional House Leader Tom Delay, thinks God ought to be feared. To this forum, I present it not for political discussion on the separation of church and state but to pose the question, "Should God Be Feared?"

I say not. I know of nothing about the universal power, or God as it is commonly called, that requires it to be feared.

WSJ April 4, 2006
DeLay's Departure
By MARK GONGLOFF

[Re:]Tom DeLay's resignation...
Mr. DeLay said he would dedicate his free time to promoting conservative causes, including the end of abortion "as we know it," the replacement of the tax code with a national sales tax and closer ties between church and state. "People that go to church understand that a country has to be based on some sort of religion and fear of God," he told Time Magazine.

[chezlaw]

There's either nothing to fear or fearing is not a better strategy than not fearing.

chez

[spanshcastlemagc]

generally speaking, fear is a tool of manipulation and a way to get people to do things they wouldnt normally do, totalitarian governments use fear to control citizens who would be a threat to their ideologies/power otherwise, fear keeps people in check, looking at the christian perception of God, i think (and im not expert) that the bible paints the picture that God is to be feared, but i think i disagree, i think a lot of people believe in God because of fear of hell, and i think that this is wrong, because i feel that from the christian perspective God wants us to love him and believe in him because we choose to, not because were afraid of hell, being afraid of hell seems selfish and indifferent towards God because you just want to save your own ass, so should we fear God? if that God is the christian God, i think no, if its not the christian God then i still think no, i cant seem to think how fear can be good in any way