Why do Christian pastors often focus on negativity in their messaging?

[ret04]

This is one of the primary reasons why I've always felt driven away from religion. Often times when you hear them speak the supposed word of god, their message is very much heavily reliant on fear-mongering, shame, negativity, etc

"God hates us, he hates your nation, we are wicked, vile, and unworthy, you'll never make it into heaven unless you know exactly what to do, Hell is this, that, and other and you're gonna spend eternity there" etc, etc. This is always been my general impressions of the religion of Christianity, which makes it seem like a very difficult, scary, confusing religion that you're probably going to get wrong, and many people within it are very judgmental, hypocritical, and full of disdain for their fellow man.

The whole thing has always seemed so unappealing to me. Although I'm beginning to get the impression that a lot of this just has to do with how flawed people are, just as in anything else. Just because some people claim to follow a religion, or even teach one, doesn't always mean they have got their head screwed on correctly. I feel like there are probably a lot of bad pastors out there, doing damage to people who want to understand "the word of god", and perhaps a lot of followers who don't truly understand as a result.

My uncle has been a pastor for over 40 years, and his preaching has never been about negativity, shame, guilt tripping, etc. His message has always been one that is positive, uplifting, and hopeful. Focusing on the interpretation of the Christian bible and giving practical and approachable analogies in a present day context... he doesn't fly off into some loud angry rant about how a celebrity in the news is the re-incarnation of the devil or something silly like that.

What's the deal with all the negativity, rage, and anger in the religion?

[Rkbleezy]

Most of the time it is to get you to feel bad about yourself so that you seek their view of God in hopes that you'll be redeemed through them. This ultimately leads to you essentially wasting your time and money in a place that truly doesn't care about you. Its honestly really sad because I have really studied the scriptures and the majority of the message is just positive, and to spread this false narrative to all kinds of people really just puts a trip mine in the way of potential growth and progress. People conform under fear, but grow under hope and love.

For instance here is basically the bible in a nutshell.

I have read the scriptures, dead sea scrolls, and most of the "lost parts" of the bible as some call it. Believe it or not, the scriptures only ask you of one thing in exchange for eternal salvation. Its found in Romans 10: 9-10. Literally just professing with your mouth and genuinely believing that Jesus died for our salvation on earth and was raised from the dead by God. Its not as simple as some joke about, but there really isn't any "Works" needed. Nor does it mention sexuality or age or gender. In-fact in Revelation 22:17, it talks about the "Spirit" which is God, because the book states many times that God, Jesus, And the holy spirit are the same/part of the same being. And "Bride" referring to us, because in the spirit we are genderless, not like nonbinary, but that there is no term to exist because it is a concept that doesn't exist in the spirit. Its only an earthly thing. The bible uses Bride and Groom interchangeably throughout the text, which is why I say that. But then the text goes on to say "Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life." Thirstiness is referring to your spirit, most people feel depressed and anxious, or beat down and broken. And he is saying come and take part, and reside in my presence AS YOU ARE. Not as you will be, not as you could be, but as you are.

The rest of the entire book is just a guide book for life, that's literally it. The majority of it is mostly identity building material to help one shape a better life for themselves and help impact others lives as well as be a conduit for miracles. My favorite part is Acts, its really encouraging to know that God uses us to do miracles on earth. And John 14:12, Jesus basically says, in God, we will do greater miracles than he did. Read all of the miracles Jesus did, they're not even all recorded either. John 21:25, He basically says if all Jesus' miracles and wonders had been written down that its quite possible the whole world could not contain the books. So by just furthering our relationship with God, which is simply understanding who he really is and spending time seeking his presence, we can call upon him, and if it aligns with the principles of who he is, it shall be done. And we learn who he is by reading the stories he gave about himself!

Some people try to make it so much more difficult or negative to get you to come back, and although fellowship is important because Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." In some cases, the church or place of worship you are in is not truly building you up and aiding you in an understanding of God.

[NamerOfStars]

Marketing and ignorance, mostly. The core message of Christianity is about hope; a deviation from the center of every prior religion (save Zarathustranism and arguably Buddhism), which were all about placating a perpetually pissed-off deity, or group thereof. Christianity said no; God LOVES you, and is willing to get in the game and put His temporal ass on the line to prove it. That God isn't to be found in an endless set of rules and regulations; He is a living- and, thus, thinking- entity.

A lot of people don't like that; they're the types who don't look for answers, but for a SOURCE of answers- they're content to live the unexamined life if they believe it's been examined by a higher authority. Such people revel in the condemnation of others for reasons that even they don't really understand; they know their AUTHORITY (be it religious or secular) says action X is bad, and that's enough for them to oppose action X- and the actors of X, too, and they will NEVER take well to being asked to explain what the problem is, beyond "It's action X!" or "[AUTHORITY] condemns it!".

Negative preaching is an easy sell to such people; not only does it bring them in, it reinforces their self-righteousness and silences their doubts (they almost always DO have doubts, from time to time, but you'll be hard-pressed to get them to admit it; confessing to the doubt that humanizes their faith is anathema to them), ensuring they stick around.

[misogynistic_pig]

Religions were created to induce behaviors in people that otherwise would never be carried out, this to allow a healthy development of society, that is why religions instill fear in their followers because it is the best way for them to behave in the right way. correct, religions that are very soft have little success, that is the reason why Christianity lost power in the west, while in the middle east, a certain religion is just as strong. In the church where my grandmother takes me, some verses from the Bible are read, but nothing interesting is ever said, rather they are cliché lessons.

[TheorionMage]

From time immemorial, promulgating 'unworthiness' and low self-esteem have fed religion's Clergy and filled the temple's coffers and gullibility those Clergy's lust for sex and prestige ~ 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto GOD that which is God's" ... and DON'T confuse the two! ;)

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

A pastor that teaches what you wrote in the 1st part is a righteous and a good pastor.

A pastor like your uncle are typically the fake ones that tell people what they desire to hear.

A pastor is suppose to teach the flaming hot word of God, yet be balance and teach both sides of God, the merciful and wrathful side.

[TroyDT2]

If Christianity is true it would be a disobedience and the opposite of love to allow people to wallow in their sin heading for condemnation without warning them. A fake preacher will do that.

[ret04]

Not sure how you make the jump to "letting them wallow in sin", just because they don't go into angry rants about Justin Beiber or something stupid like that. I feels like many teachers of Christianity think people are really dumb and can't understand basic concepts of morality.

[TroyDT2]

I was replying to the word "negativity" in your question. I should have made that clearer, which would have avoided your apparent assumption that I was defending the scream kings who do not balance the warnings with the message of hope. Both the warnings and the hope are needed.

[jshm2]

The same reason parents do.

They are warning you not to do something. not encouraging you to do something for them.

[888theGreat]

Everyone will go to Hell unless you get saved. It is a fact. If people are not told they will not get saved and go to hell for eternity. How are facts negative?

[ret04]

There's a difference in negative and positive messaging and the effects that it has on people. If you don't do this, something terrible will happen to you! Versus... This is what you need to do, and something wonderful will happen when you do! The first is like saying you want to be saved just because you're scared of hell. The later is saying you want to be saved because you want to be with god. It's a better message.

[BarryLiverstone]

Most pastors do not focus on negativity. It’s a limited # who do

[Jamie05rhs]

I agree with you, dawg. And I'm a Christian.

[In_Trance]

To demoralize you