Fear is a remarkable human emotion with the power to relentlessly protect and encourage an individual. It serves as humanity’s fiercest and most devoted protector, as stated in the short essay “Is It Foolish to Fear?”. In the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, preacher Jonathan Edwards demonstrates that fear can be an impressively influential motivator. At the same time, however, fear is believed to be useless and even harmful to humanity. Nevertheless, this is disproven by the assertion that fear serves a crucial function in protecting individuals from potential harm, as stated in the article “What Are You So Afraid Of?” by Akiko Busch. Fear is an incredibly powerful and beneficial part of humanity that should not be falsely regarded
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“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon by preacher Jonathan Edwards that uses fear to motivate churchgoers to be more religiously involved. Edwards asserts that not even the most devout members of the congregation are exempt from punishment, stating that “However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction” (Edwards para 5). By emphasizing humanity’s insignificance and describing the torments of eternal damnation, Edwards forcefully intimidates the audience into reconciling their sins. Fear motivates people by giving them a simple solution to remedy the discomfort they are experiencing. For this reason, fear is possibly the most powerful and effective motivator to the human mind. Therefore, fear’s function as an influential motivator immensely benefits humanity and should not be regarded as something …show more content…
In the article “What Are You So Afraid Of?”, author Akiko Busch discusses the stifling effects of irrational fear. Busch uses a personal anecdote to further emphasize her point, stating that “A childhood accident causes a friend of mine to become white and shake at the sight of broken glass. But she is a chain smoker as well, and has little worry about her pack-a-day habit” (Busch 2). The fear this woman suffers is almost completely useless. This emotion does absolutely nothing for her survival, as it shields her from something of little danger while allowing her to effectively destroy her body every day. It simply debilitates her in a ridiculously safe situation. Obviously, fear is not a good emotion because it creates more harm than good for this particular woman. However, this is simply not the case. In the same article, Busch explains that such fears exist as a natural human reaction and states “Fear, arriving in layers in which genetic legacy converges with personal experience, is vital to our survival. When we freeze, stop in our tracks or take flight, it is a biological response to what we sense as near and present danger” (Busch 2). While this woman’s fear does not directly protect her from harm, it does keep her away from a potentially dangerous situation. When she experienced the initial accident, her body was severely endangered. After the immediate perils she faced
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon by preacher Jonathan Edwards that uses fear to motivate churchgoers to be more religiously involved. Edwards asserts that not even the most devout members of the congregation are exempt from punishment, stating that “However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction” (Edwards para 5). By emphasizing humanity’s insignificance and describing the torments of eternal damnation, Edwards forcefully intimidates the audience into reconciling their sins. Fear motivates people by giving them a simple solution to remedy the discomfort they are experiencing. For this reason, fear is possibly the most powerful and effective motivator to the human mind. Therefore, fear’s function as an influential motivator immensely benefits humanity and should not be regarded as something …show more content…
In the article “What Are You So Afraid Of?”, author Akiko Busch discusses the stifling effects of irrational fear. Busch uses a personal anecdote to further emphasize her point, stating that “A childhood accident causes a friend of mine to become white and shake at the sight of broken glass. But she is a chain smoker as well, and has little worry about her pack-a-day habit” (Busch 2). The fear this woman suffers is almost completely useless. This emotion does absolutely nothing for her survival, as it shields her from something of little danger while allowing her to effectively destroy her body every day. It simply debilitates her in a ridiculously safe situation. Obviously, fear is not a good emotion because it creates more harm than good for this particular woman. However, this is simply not the case. In the same article, Busch explains that such fears exist as a natural human reaction and states “Fear, arriving in layers in which genetic legacy converges with personal experience, is vital to our survival. When we freeze, stop in our tracks or take flight, it is a biological response to what we sense as near and present danger” (Busch 2). While this woman’s fear does not directly protect her from harm, it does keep her away from a potentially dangerous situation. When she experienced the initial accident, her body was severely endangered. After the immediate perils she faced