What does "God Fearing" mean to you?
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
Perth, Australia
April 18, 2019 1:49pm CST
I have heard this term before as well as being asked if I was a God fearing person. That term kinda bothered me but still want to understand if it means what I think it means.
I did a quick Google search and I found: "used to describe religious people who try to obey the rules of their religion and to live in a way that is considered morally right."
But does that mean people are literally scared if they don't obey?
Also, it makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable knowing that some need to be scared into knowing between what is right and wrong. Shouldn't we be kind, generous, understanding, helpful and have good morals because we want to and not because we are feeling forced? Instead of being frightened into being that way? I hope I'm making sense.
I honestly mean nothing disrespectful or anything like that. I'm just trying to understand if God Fearing means how it sounds to me.
8 people like this
9 responses
@Daljinder (23193)
• Bangalore, India
19 Apr 19
A good reply would be that "No, I am not God fearing. I am a person in touch with my conscience. I am the one who works to keep it clean and without malice." You can add on as you like. 
2 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@Daljinder lol! Love it! Hey God could be real, I don't know! But I do know that I learned good morals from...actually where did I learn it? Family? *looks at you and starts laughing*
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@dya80dya I can't really understand why anyone would want to fear God if he is meant to love all of us? I'm just confused by it all. Shouldn't those who are actually bad fear him? Why would a good person want to fear God? I just don't understand. 
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
18 Apr 19
God-fearing basically mean that a person worships God, respects God, obeys his commandments and tries to do things that please God. It has nothing to do with a morbid fear.
Acts 10:2 King James Version (KJV) 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
19 Apr 19
@VivaLaDani13 When I see a policeman I do not fear him but I do show him respect. God is all about love and He is willing to help us. We just need to go to him respectfully.
If a policeman sees criminals destroying property and hurting people, the policeman has the authority and the duty to do something.
There are people that are so destructive and hurtful and unwilling to mend their ways, God cannot let these things continue.
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@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@1hopefulman Ah great answer! Thank you Felix!
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@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
20 Apr 19
@1hopefulman Thank you for the explanation.
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@ihasaquestion (8273)
•
18 Apr 19
For me, it means respecting our Maker and obeying the rules..
Same concept like one should respect their bosses and etc..
2 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@ihasaquestion Thank you for your input. Good example too.
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@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@CarolDM Thank you for your answer. I haven't read the bible. I would like to out of curiosity.
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
18 Apr 19
I consider myself to be God-Fearing, I do my best to live in a way that is pleasing to God, knowing that I am only human, and I will have my shortcomings!
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@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@Michellekidwell Thank you for your answer Michelle. I am glad that you want to live as a good person no matter what the reason is really. Best to be nice to one another anyway.
@Orson_Kart (8295)
• United Kingdom
25 Apr 19
I think it means what you think it means. It's a way of controlling the masses, or it used to be. If you were an atheist like me, you would be struck by a thunderbolt or condemned to hell. Of course many still live in fear. Not me.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
25 Apr 19
@Orson_Kart That's honestly a theory I have that it's to control the masses. I also find it strange that apparently there is a lot of pages / documents from the bible in a vault in the Vatican. If that is true, it makes it hard for me to just blindly follow a religion if we aren't even given the full story. I need ALL information to buy / follow / visit etc. I can't and won't just follow / believe anything until I have all details.
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@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
26 Apr 19
@Orson_Kart I don't know. I don't know what the point in all that would be or what they would be hiding or why it would matter.
LOL yeah I don't know. I would prefer proof. Like actual proof. Text on paper doesn't do it for me.
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
21 Apr 19
@TiarasOceanView Thank you for your answer. 
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@skydream (1445)
• Agate, Colorado
18 Apr 19
When I first heard it i didn't like it my thought was why would we say God fearing, why would we fear God? Now I understand what it means so if someone says they are i understand for me I don't like the saying because for me personally God is something I find comfort and safety in and I do what is right because it's right not because I feel scared of what could happen if you dont and I feel like that saying could make some people panic if they mess up because of what they think could happen because of the saying. I understand the meaning but I personally wouldn't say I'm God fearing just because how it sounds to me even though i do believe in God.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
19 Apr 19
@skydream Hey thank you for your answer! And that's why I have a problem with that saying. It's hard for me to fathom that saying when so many love God and praise him for being all loving but then others are saying the fear him. Confuzzled my mind tank a little.
