Non-Muslims, are you afraid of dying and going to hell?

Question

I was born in Turkey, and was raised as a Muslim. A life without God (Allah) is a life that is meaningless for people here. And they don't see the Westerners as the good guys. If religion expresses a universal truth, why should there be differences and conflicts among men professing different religions?

However my observation is that Islam is a violent religion and it reduces our quality of life. There are no human rights in Islamic countries. But on the other hand, I also have a pretty intense fear of death... Where do people go after they die? In other words, you, as non-muslims, how do you cope with it and what do you think about religion?

Metallsturm · Accepted Answer

As an atheist, I am not afraid of hell, as it's a human made fictional concept, thus does not exist.

To elaborate my reasoning:

Imagine that we'd collectively wipe all the knowledge, technology, advancements, humans have so far, like everything, and go back into times of neanderthals. Eventually humans would discover the same things, like math: one apple and one more apple is now two apples, there's no way around it. Eventually humans would discover gravity, would discover bacteria, basically everything related to science, because it is static. They may call things differently, sure -- like "earth pulling" instead of "gravity", but the concept and laws of how it works would remain the same. Can we agree there? Great.

But would someone come up with ABSOLUTELY the same large text? No. Take a book of your favorite writer; now imagine this writer never existed. Would someone come up with the exact same book? No chance.

Would people in such circumstances come up with a religion? Most likely absolutely, as there were thousands of religions throughout human history. However, there's NO CHANCE someone would come up with THE EXACT same religion, with the EXACT the same religious texts (bible, quran, torah, whatever) that are now. Why? Because it's a compilation of imagination of either one or several individuals, and imagination is not static.

And since nobody would come up with the exact same text again, why consider any of those texts -- meaning religions -- legitimate? Just because some people dozens and dozens of centuries ago came up with those stories?

In your case it's islam; heck, to this day there are new fatwas being issued to somehow fix the nonsense that quran and hadiths have, as they're full of contradictions, or sometimes outright nonsense (like fatwas on eating mermaids -- not joking about this one). There are even fatwas issued to fix math errors in quran regarding inheritance -- different for sunnis and shias, by the way. Allah fails at math?

Google it if you don't believe me. Here's a detailed explanation:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exmuslim/comments/98rpd8/qurans_mathematical_errors_in_inheritance/

So relax. When we die, our brain simply ceases to function and our bodies start rotting, nothing more, nothing less. It's simply human's ego that prevents us from accepting that we eventually will fade away into dust and that'll be the end of us, thus humans make up stories to somehow cope with it. A therapy, of sorts, before therapy was invented.

Subglacial · Accepted Answer

Are you worried about going to hell if you leave your religion, or do you still believe but are worried you're doing something wrong?

If you still want to practice Islam but are worried about hell, I'm afraid I don't have any good advice for you. I don't know much about hell in Islam. I was raised as a "love thy neighbor" type of Christian as opposed to the fire-and-brimstone type, so hell wasn't something I was ever really afraid of. The idea that people could be sent to hell for not believing the right thing or not practicing the right way, or that a place like hell could even exist, seemed completely incompatible with the idea of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God.

If you're thinking about leaving your religion, I can tell you that lingering anxiety about hell is very common among ex-believers. Even if you've reasoned your way out of believing in hell, there's still that emotional part of you that worries, "But what if I'm wrong?" We're conditioned to be afraid of leaving, and it works very well.

If you can't find a good answer here, you could try searching for resources online. You'll find that there are many people, even ex-Muslims, who have the same fears, and there are support groups to help people deal with them.

LaFemmeFatale_1 · Accepted Answer

You are a man who asks questions, you are a curious person. It means you are intelligent.  Impressive! Asking questions and doubting the truth you were taught not to doubt is the first step to wisdom.

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Accepted Answer

If Allah is as loving a god as they say, why would He not forgive his children that were good people without worshipping him?

jennifer_bloom · Answer

I believe humility before God and human beings, honesty, and a willingness to devote yourself to what is good, is all you need to be saved.

Yannae · Answer

Why this is only directed at Non-Muslims. I've met Muslims who were afraid of dying and hell.
To answer, I'm not afraid. Dead will probably come as the punch you least expect. I'm living a good life right now. I actually walked past a shooting that happened a couple hours earlier, had I gone at that time, it could have been it.

The next part. If religion expresses the universal truth, but there are differences in each religion causing conflict among us, is it really the universal truth anymore?
I have met good Muslims, a bus driver I often meet is a Muslim. He is appalled by the terrorists. The religion is all about respect, he says. Unfortunately we have extremes who go next level and think they do good, they believe they'll see Paradise by killing the innocent. That's two kinds of people of the same religion, that "universal truth" even gets confused by some of its followers. Christians had their own fair share of monsters, none of it seems pure or Actually True to me. Because of the individuals who are supposed to represent it. Fighting for what is right and true has only given us another reason to divide us as people.

Levin · Answer

Well indeed, I don't have much time for religion. I don't see many Muslims out on the streets condemning the atrocities of Hamas, not that I think either side is better than the other.

I would say I'm more spiritual than religious. Religion is about doctrine and social orders forcing you what you should do. I believe in goodness and transmutation of one's being on a day to day basis. ie a constant work of refinement, becoming a better person, and becoming more awake. Fear is a lower frequency which keeps one in bondage. This is different to the average Westerner who really believes in cynicism and scientific materialism. The most overt expression of this is the descent of art in the last 100 years. Art and music gives an indication of man's soul, and looking at it, it ain't so healthy at the moment...

Miristheiss · Answer

No.

Islam can't save anyone.

When you stand before God, how are you going to escape the judgement of all the sins you've committed? All the lies you told, the selfishness you had, the lust you've had, the curses and the ill thoughts about others, the pride, the neglect of others, the lack of love in your heart, the times you dishonored and disobeyed your parents, the things you've stolen (even if it is time from an employer by not working hard your full shift)?

After a life of doing wrong... how does Islam save you?

Why will you not be found guilty?

NamerOfStars · Answer

Well, no; but then, I'm Catholic. We have our own Heaven, with blackjack and hookers (well, hookers who turn to Jesus, anyway; forgiveness is awesome like that). And I guess Islamic Hell would be a place with wine and bacon raining from the sky; I think I'd be okay with that.

More seriously- I don't know what happens to you when you die. Nobody does, except the dead. As per Catholic doctrine, after death, you meet God (Allah; same deity, different name), and if you accept Him then, you still get in- but you lose out on all the things the faith would've given you while you were alive. If your religion only benefits you after death, it's not a good fit for you.

As to why there are so many religious differences: suppose you were running a company. A big one, with lots of employees. Does it not stand to reason that you'd want one group of people to work on the factory floor, and one to be the janitors, and one to be customer service, and so on?

KC-Sunbeam · Answer

Yes, I'm non-Muslim. Yes, I'm afraid of going to Hell. But that has nothing to do with not being Muslim. I'm of the Christian faith. I also reject the doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved. That idea is a perversion of original Christianity. Therefore, I have my worries & concerns. This life is an ongoing fight to continue on the righteous path. Although our Creator God paid it all for true believers, that saving grace will no longer be valid if we allow ourselves to backslide into corruption. My religion emphasizes a relationship with God, & relationships are two-way streets.

Lara_Croft · Answer

Jesus is Lord. He is the way the truth and the life no one can come to the father except through him. Jesus is my hope without faith in him hell us our destiny but by believing in him, who he is and what we did we shall be saved in confession. Consider learning about Jesus, Islam has deceived many. Jesus died and rose again. Think of it his name is the only one with authority to heal and reform

sean1234 · Answer

In Islam, Jesus is a man, in reality, he's God, otherwise it's blasphemy. In Christianity if you break the laws of God, you don't make it into heaven?

As for Islamic customs, specifically the burka that covers a woman's face, I mean why? ! ? Muslim women wore average clothing like any woman in the early 1980s.

OfDeath · Answer

Afraid of dying? Yes. This is a natural instinct. Any sentient living organism with no fear of death will do nothing to avoid it and won't live to pass on its genes. Hence every animal you come across being afraid of at least something which poses a threat to its life.

Afraid of going to Hell? No. I am an atheist and don't believe in stupid crap like that. This is reality we are in and there is no valid reason to actually believe there is a Hell you go to after you die.

Twalli · Answer

I choose to believe that any God doesn't care about ritualistic prayer. So if I don't dany the existence of a diety and pray selflessly, I should not be damned.
In other words, I don't want an all powerful diety who is petty, and because I didn't ascribe to the correct practices, I am damned.

Buffotine1996 · Answer

Believe me I would convert to islam, there's just one tiny little problem, there's these things I like to do called drugs and if I were to convert to islam I would have to give up those things, luckily being oriental orthodox christian we do t have restrictions on recreational drugs.

Anonymous · Answer

I am Christian and i am pretty sure that God has promised a heaven to me because  i am saved by Jesus Christ's blood on the cross . If i was muslim, then i would fear to go to hell... but it is only my opinion and what I believe

lorenzomichael · Answer

If you die without Jesus your definitely going to hell. The Bible is real. Jesus is the son of God and He died for all of our sins. Muslim or not. He did it for the world. And Father God is the Creator of all things.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Nope. Also, I can understand those who do not believe, and I can understand those who belong to a faith that has an assurance of salvation, but I cannot understand belonging to a faith in which one can never be sure of avoiding torment.

Fromdusktilldawn · Answer

From my observations islam is still in the dark ages. While many (former) christian countries in Europe slowly get over outdated beliefs and nonsens discriminating dogma, muslims are stuck in their medieval rulings

strateguy632 · Answer

certainly it is not impossible. so we can resesrch how to avoid it. book john offers a solution.

Keyboardkat · Answer

God is not exclusionary! God loves all good people! You actually don't have to be Muslim to go to heaven!

love_conquers_lust · Answer

Nobody knows. No one has ever known. If we did know, what would be the point of living? Therein is where the loophole is closed. Rage against the dying of the light.

johnnydeeeep · Answer

Lol, if I was afraid of dying and going to hell, you would need to be horrified of much worse.

Juxtapose · Answer

I think when I die I am utterly gone completely. You come to peace with it in about 10 or 20 years after fully realizing the likely reality of non-existence after death.

slatyb · Answer

About as scared as you are of vampires and werewolves.

exitseven · Answer

I like the hot weather so he'll doesn't scare me much. Besides most of my friends will be there.

Staximus · Answer

I think religion is like Santa Claus but more serious. A big story people tell kids to make them want to be good and be afraid to be bad

Blueeyes81 · Answer

No. I'm not afraid of death and I don't believe in God. Because I don't believe in God I don't believe in heaven or hell.

zagor · Answer

Maybe hell was invented by religious leaders to get others to follow their commands?

OddBeMe · Answer

I didn’t worry before I was born. Why worry what happens after I die? Most likely nothing.

jjj101010 · Answer

I’m a devout atheist, not looking forward to death but it’s unavoidable so not worth worrying about it until it happens

Anonymous · Answer

No and I've pre-booked a room with a few on that one

sumhngguy · Answer

Great question considering all the BS happening right now. Grow up and read a book.

Anonymous · Answer

Neah man those are baloonies, men invented all kind of places after death all based on fear

ChicoFromThe305 · Answer

I'm not going to he'll, m Christian

Dargil · Answer

They should be.

Drumlin2001 · Answer

Nope. Caue I'm not afraid of imaginary places.

Jersey2 · Answer

Not afraid. I am Catholic.

DextroShade · Answer

I'm more afraid of dying and there being nothing.

Lokiion · Answer

Anonymous for a reason smh troll

AviatorTom · Answer

Nope

shortster · Answer

Not exactly.

Non-Muslims, are you afraid of dying and going to hell?

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Does Islam frighten you?

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Does Islam frighten you?

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