Hell Anxiety | Overcoming the Fear of Eternal Torment

In this episode, we explore hell anxiety and ask ourselves three important questions to help spark the deconstruction of the indoctrinated belief in hell;

1. Is this fear rational?
2. Is hell a just punishment for sin?
3. What do we believe about god?

*Please keep in mind that all everything I say here is my subjective opinion, and is intended to deconstruct fundamentalist/evangelical/conservative Christian ideologies from an ex christian perspective*

Outro Music | "Pixels" by Jeff Kaale

tags | Ex christian, deconstructing christianity, exvangelical, former fundie, leaving christianity, gospels, jesus, bible, god, christian, evangelism, apologist, atheist vs christian, agnostic, recovering from religion

[jefcaine]

Sadly, the most dangerous thing about Hell is traumatizing children with the fear of it

[thatdudekyle]

If we are afraid and in a state of anxiety we are already in hell

[wynnmorningstar]

"They know the most effective tool for getting you to stay where they want you to stay, think and believe what they want you to think and believe, is FEAR.
And if they can make you afraid. They can make you do almost anything they want you to do."
True 💯

[mcr]

I remember being a kid, sobbing at night because I was terrified of hell, but also afraid to be baptized because there was no way I could live up to the expectations. Later in my life, my dad also left the “One true church” and the fear is hell, the “ What if I’m wrong?” came up a lot. It was good to have him to talk to.

[subtle.presence]

If you have to feel afraid of YOUR god torturing you for eternity, how could you possibly love or respect that god at all?

[captivedesk]

My wife who was never a serious believer still struggled with the idea of hell for years. Its not only in the religions its in the culture

[Tealford]

"Religious Trauma Syndrome" is a real thing. Rejecting one's religious indoctrination is difficult. Following your own mind and heart in opposing belief/believers requires great courage in the face of fear.

[himwiththehair]

This fear has kept me paralyzed since I left a cult I was born into at 17, unable to live my life or make any kind of decision, just lock myself up in my room, terrified. I feel somewhat better now. Thank you for this.

[TracyCooper-nqff]

I find it comforting to come here and know that i am not alone in my experiences of leaving the faith.

[husseinrevolts]

As an ex-muslim I can assure you that it is as hard for me to let go of the fear of Hell (islamic hell) as it is for you ex-christians. However, It never occurs to me that I will be standing in front of Jesus when I die, because that's not what I have been programmed to believe.

[Hopeful-Agnostic]

I think that realizing that I believed more in Hell than in God was one of the final knots to untie with it all.

[davekoser]

I grew up with super-fundamentalist parents. I was indoctrinated with literal hell at an extremely young age. When I was 3, they took me to a “realistic” dramatized movie about hell on a big screen. I was genuinely moritfied by that experience. Throughout my childhood, I said the “Sinner’s Prayer” probably hundreds of times privately because when I would inevitably sin, I felt so guilty and scared of hell that I had to do it again…and again…and again. Years ago, I stopped believing and my life has improved greatly. But I still have anxiety and depression and I’m convinced it’s attributable to my toxic childhood existence.

[davidlynds]

I have told people my main goal in life is to be completely free of this fear by the time I'm on my death bed. Excited to listen to this now!

[indys]

Even after deconstructing, I ask myself 'what if I'm wrong' often. Your content has been a great help and really helped my anxiety. Thank you so much!

[unhealingwithsandy]

This has to be the single most helpful thing I've heard in my journey to heal from this fear. Thank you.

[Rowen]

It’s the concept of sin that is so emotionally and psychologically damaging for me. I hate what fear does to people.., Thank you for this.

[OPNURISYDER]

If you can keep a mass of people both Ignorant and Afraid, you can rule them for the rest of their lives.

[starfuqua]

I just wanted to say that watching your videos has helped me so much with deconstructing my faith and resolving my fears of Hell. I felt very alone in the beginning of this journey but YT has a great atheist community and you're one of the best! ✨ thanks for all you do! 😊💜

[robertdixon]

Yes, I really was hungry for God and gave it my best shot. Several years ago I was kicked out of a church, and upon reflection of this incident, I theorize that it may have been because I kept asking some very hard questions regarding the bible. Nowadays, I can honestly say that I'm almost an atheist. Strangely, it seems more liberating and life is much more precious now.

[voicemaestro]

Love the way your mind works, Kristi!

I was a fundamentalist Christian for my first 20 years. But questioning basic tenets, as you suggest, brought me to a state of agnosticism. I was too afraid at first to declare myself an atheist, but I knew the god of the Bible was internally inconsistent and monstrous, therefore not likely to be real. Overcoming the fear of hell (because it's a cruel and stupid idea and at odds with justice and reason, ) despite deep indoctrination, allowed me to overcome the more general fear of death, which greatly improved my life—even while I searched for some smidgeon of truth about my childhood god or a reasonable facsimile of a personal god like it who cared for me. Didn't find one. It took me another 28 years to finally admit I'm an atheist who is willing to become a theist if there were even a trace of evidence for some sort of god. There has been none.

So I happily live my life, being good just because it's the right thing to do, without anxiety about hell or heaven. I like Mark Twain's quote: "I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it." Eternity may or may not be real, but I'll not be around for it, so I don't worry about it. When I die, I figure I'll slip into that great void I came from, not as punishment, but as the natural order of things. I try to make the moments I have count. It's all I can do, and I'm at peace with that.