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submitted 3 months ago by nifty@lemmy.world to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

But the belief in religion like Christianity comes with an afterlife. If you truly believe that there is a heaven and hell, torture is not going to make you drop those beliefs. On the flip side, if being gay was a choice, all you're choosing is strife and being gay.

I think it's a perfectly fine argument.

[-] blackstampede@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago

I doubt that a potential future reward is going to allow a person to hold up under torture in the now. I think some Christians probably refuse to recant under torture because their sense of self is rooted in their religion, rather than because they expect a reward. Of course, paradise is part of those religious beliefs, so it's hard to tell.

[-] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I think it's less of a reward, more of a fear. How can I turn my back on god and risk eternal damnation? That's a powerful thing right there. But true, it is also a massive part of some people's identity.

[-] blackstampede@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

When I deconverted, I found it to be really hard to get past the fear. The thing that finally did it for me was the idea that a truly benevolent God wouldn't have an issue with inquiry, and a malevolent God wasn't one I wanted to follow. Fear is definitely a factor that keeps people in the church.