Why do some people fear eternity?

Question

what is it about eternity in heaven that scares some people, does it scare you?

Answer 1

I have never heard of anyone being scared on eternity in heaven. I am scared of eternity on Earth. But assuming heaven exists - it will be like heaven. Ha ha.

Answer 2

Bold Eagle, you are annoying and stupid.  It's 2008 and there still are people like you around.  In 3008, religious people will be as rare as the Dodo bird.

Answer 3

All humans have innate fear of the unknown.

Answer 4

>Why do some people fear eternity?

Some people have proposed that living forever would eventually become too boring, or that a person's mistakes would add up and weigh on their mind until they could no longer bear it. Personally I think that's bullcrap, at least for me. You don't live forever all at once, you live forever one day at a time, and if there's always something enjoyable to look forward to, why stop?

>what is it about eternity in heaven that scares some people

See above.

>does it scare you?

No. I don't believe that Heaven actually exists, but I would not be afraid of going there. Well, I might be afraid of GOING there, just because it's so mysterious and would mean such huge changes that I'd be nervous about it, but the idea of BEING there for eternity doesn't scare me at all.

Answer 5

Considering the number of Christians who use it to fear potential converts, I would say that selling fear has been a great marketing ploy.

Answer 6

being in heaven like 100 or 1000 could be cool, but being there for eternity would be terrible. it would be boring. after like 1000 yrs it would become a h**l

Answer 7

It's boring...

Answer 8

They are more likely scared that if they have not done ALL God requires of us they will end up in h**l, with fire around them, for ever.

Answer 9

I don't know but I am afraid of dying.

Answer 10

Eternity doesn't scare me. But I can guarantee death scares you.

Answer 11

It's fear of the unknown, I think we being human cannot comprehend what heaven, purgatory or h**l will be like.We only know what this life is like. Also many might have a fear of death itself, the pain of death. We don't understand when the soul leaves the body if there is pain.

And yes it scares me for that reason. If I have lived a good life or if I have shirked my duties as a human being. Only God can answer this.

God bless you.

Answer 12

I don't fear eternity, and I believe our souls exist forever. However, I do fear the Christian heaven because I would be bored to death inside of a half hour, and all the really interesting people will have gone Down There. An eternity of heavenly butt kissing does not appeal.  

Answer 13

It is awfully boring!!!  Good thing that Jesus came up with some entertainment that promises to last for a while...

By believing in Jesus and being “saved” the Bible teaches that you will get one of the first seats in Heaven to watch how the vast majority of all the human beings perhaps into the TRILLIONS including your “unsaved” family members and old acquaintances will be especially tormented one by one in a sulfuric lake of fire or what have you for ever and ever. You will be encouraged to poke fun at them showing a wet big finger for them to l**k to quench their thirst because in h**l there is no fresh water and you can tease them all you want for ever and ever! That’s HEAVEN! No wonder Jesus said that you must hate your father and your mother and everybody else to follow him, especially if they are "unsaved" and go to h**l! You will hear a lot of “I told you so…” from Sweet Jesus! He thought of everything even some low IQ teasing games that WE CAN ALL PLAY with the damned in h**l! Heaven is for the childlike poor and uneducated so please bear with me in this story right out of God’s Holy Word, the Bible!

Luke 16:23-25-NIV (Jesus is telling us…) AND BEING IN TORMENTS IN h**l, he* (*Not a g*y person, or an Atheist, but a rich Jewish person whom Jesus knew personally!) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom* (*If you go to h**l you will recognize EVERYBODY in Heaven, and vise versa!). “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; FOR I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME.’ (and Jesus all excited and turned on like mad continues the story telling…) But Abraham said, ‘Son* (*this rich man was an ancestor of Abraham! Notice how little compassion any member of your own family will have for you if you end up in h**l!), remember that in your lifetime you received your good things* (*in this story, to be rich is a sin! Christian preachers now use it to make it applicable to ANY SIN!), and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted* (* for all eternity, for ever and ever, and ever! billions and trillions of years…!!!) and YOU ARE TORMENTED!

The Bible God promised the Jews to be “rich lenders not borrowers” like this rich man in h**l, otherwise they will be poor “slaves and borrowers” like Lazarus! This story is more proof that nothing in the Bible makes any sense or can be taken seriously! Especially the silly teasing words that Sweet Jesus aka “Creator of the Universe” is dreaming up in anticipation of the day when he will personally enjoy watching the Christians POKING FUN AT ALL THOSE IN h**l FOR EVER AND EVER for rejecting the Jesus idea, or for never hearing about him, or not having the mental faculties in order to “accept” Jesus, and to obey the clergy, and pay the tithes and offerings ON TIME! It will be a long time before everybody in Heaven can possibly get bored… Only Jesus knows what other torments await those who never heard about Jesus or all the atheists who end up in HELL…!!! Low IQ people will love to be entertained for ever like that… or wouldn’t they? But what the heck! It is all in the Bible that Christians hardly read!

Luke 19:27 (NIV) (Jesus is very excited telling this other story, too!) But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.* (*Not even the Mafia measures up to Jesus! Christianity surely is a “slaughter house” religion!)

Revelation 14:10-11 (NIV) [Jesus says] "he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. HE WILL BE TORMENTED WITH BURNING SULFUR IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY ANGELS AND OF THE LAMB* (*i.e. God the Son Jesus Christ, and the Christians who managed to be saved in spite of all the hurdles that he set up -John 17:24) And THE SMOKE OF THEIR TORMENT RISES FOR EVER AND EVER. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

On a second thought I give you my personal view on Heaven and h**l that some Bible writers share with me... Relax, there is no Heaven and h**l it is all a money making scheme banking on human religious gullibility! I echo the same opinion held by some of the most honest writers of the Bible who couldn’t resist telling everybody the ultimate truth of life on this Earth…!!! In fact, one of them is the Bible God’s certified WISEST MAN ever to set foot on this Earth King Solomon, but Christian preachers hate him because he doesn’t go along with the prosperity and get well message that is so popular today!!!

Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 (NIV) For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward* (*The grave is the final reward!), and even the memory of them is forgotten. [10]   WHATEVER your hand finds to do, DO IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT* (*without any restriction just be wise!), for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 3:19 (NIV) Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is vanity.

Job 7:9 (NIV) As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return.

Believe it or not, some of the Bible writers were VERY HONEST about what happens to any of us after we die. The rest of the writers knew how to exploit human gullibility in the supernatural arena fantasy. They created Christianity for us and throughout history the clergy was fooled on this premise. Still, the preachers surely laugh all the way to the Bank. They never had to be a productive member in our society at all! They live on people’s religious’ gullibility!!!

Jeremiah 6:13 (NIV) "From the least to the greatest, ALL are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, ALL practice deceit."

Answer 14

I would assume that it is not eternity that is so scary , but fear that a person will not live eternity in Heaven , but in h**l. Fear could also come with questioning their beleifs in God in general.

Answer 15

I think it may be because we have no actual concept of "eternity" yet. It's difficult to imagine, therefore, it's quite scary for some people. "Fear of the unknown" etc.

Sorry, I didn't realise so many people had already covered what I said... I really should read other people's comments before I make my own! Sorry Guys!

Answer 16

I don't get why people are so up in arms about living for eternity. I think that'd be boring as all h**l, wouldn't you? I don't see the appeal in living for forever. Reminds me of The Green Mile, actually...

Answer 17

No eternity and heaven defiantly does not scar me. Its not heaven and eternity that scars people its the unknown that scars people,fear of doing something they have never done before...like dying !...but no, I don't fear death because I know that death has no sting, its simply to way to eternal life...But if you're not a born again child of God (Christian) you should fear death, because in that case physical death is the way to eternal spiritual death...

Answer 18

what scares me most is...not knowing exactly WHICH hoops to jump through in order to get in.

Answer 19

It's incomprehensible.

Moreover, people think eternity is going to be the same as it is now. Nobody in his right mind would want to have things as they are now forever. What they need to know is that it is going to be a totally different world with literally endless possibilities.

Answer 20

It's unknown, we can't get our minds around it because it is bigger than the human mind, this tends to frighten people ... if they don't know the truth ...

Answer 21

I don't wanna spend any eternal life to a place singing praise and huzzahs to a very insecure guy eternally.

Answer 22

The rest of all time in one place?

I'd rather poke around the galaxy.  

Answer 23

It's not fear of eternity itself, it's where you'll spend your eternity that worries some..Those who have decided, either way have no fear as they've already come to terms with what they want.