Deepest Fear

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

I just watched this video, which was sent to me by David Roche's sister. It remarks that perhaps our greatest fear is not belonging. Is that your greatest fear?

 

It's a VERY good video, if you have 8 min. to watch.

 

http://www.soulbiographies.com/2009/06/the-second-glance/

[Mike]

Hi Janet thanks for sharing the video. I watched it and think it's very good.

My greatest fear? I'm not sure, I don't think it's a fear of not belonging. Perhaps of dying without being at all ready, at least it's something that's come to my mind quite a bit. But the greatest scare would be waking up afterward and discovering Jack Chick was right.

 

Peace to you,

Mike

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

I was thinking that my deepest fear is to be totally alone, with no one to love, and no one to love me. But, probably that and not belonging, and being put out of the tribe is much the same thing. We'll see if any others want to share...

[glintofpewter]

It has taken me this long to figure out an answer. Mike's response helped.

 

To die alone.

 

My mom, when she lived on her own, went to funerals when she thought no one would be attending. If I work backwards from fear of dying alone then that leads to other things mentioned.

 

Dutch

[Javelin]

I’ve experienced the tribe pointing me towards the exit sign and strongly suggesting I find a new tribe. I wasn’t all that big of a deal though because I was already headed in that direction anyway. I’ve found it difficult to connect with a new tribe though.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that being part of a tribe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Tribes tend to want to exert too much control over their member’s lives and what they think & believe.

 

I’m not sure what my greatest fear is. Maybe it’s out living my children or grand children. My youngest sister had to bury her oldest daughter who died of cancer. That is probably the most difficult thing a parent would ever have to do.

[minsocal]

A profound message.

 

As a gay male, some treat me as though I were disfigured. Even well intentioned people, including other gay men, sometimes try to speak for me, not realizing my pain at not having my own "voice". I am a Progressive Christian because here I have a voice. This is also the message I find in the teachings and life of Jesus who gave a "voice" to the poor and the outcast.

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

Minsocial, I'm glad you liked the video, AND I'm sorry you have been treated as if you were disfigured!

 

Javelin, great insights about having to bury a child or grandchild. That is a horrible possiblity, and I could see why you would fear that.

 

Dutch, I agree that all the answers are a bit intertwined. That was really sweet of your mom!

 

Thanks for all the replies. I enjoy hearing what others think.

 

Janet

[Kyler Rush]

Well, I'm not sure if I have a constant deepest fear. I know at the moment I have a fear of death. I don't want my loved ones to die before me, and I don't want to leave them alone when I die. But if I had to choose, I'd rather die first so I wouldn't have to live alone. My loved ones are an irreplaceable part of what makes up my life. To loose them would be to loose a part of my body. Their life is my life. We live in and with each other.

I guess the fear of death is a common fear, with many of the same underlying causes.

 

Kyler.

 

P.S. I haven't seen the video yet. But I will post again when I do.

[Alan]

I just watched this video, which was sent to me by David Roche's sister. It remarks that perhaps our greatest fear is not belonging. Is that your greatest fear?

 

It's a VERY good video, if you have 8 min. to watch.

 

http://www.soulbiographies.com/2009/06/the-second-glance/

 

 

 

Wow...that's a FANTASTIC video!! Thank you for posting it.

 

From what everyone has posted, it seems our fears of not belonging, our fears of death, our fears of losing a loved one, all stem to a root fear: the fear of being alone.

 

This is one of my greatest fears. Sure, I like to get away, be by myself, and experience life through silence and circumspection, but I know that I will eventually return to my family and friends. Even when I get away, I know that my connection with God is still there and I can feel the Divine Presence within me.

 

But losing all of that is scary. We must have interaction with others in order to express our emotions, exchange ideas, compare experiences, and have a feeling of connectedness. Without God, our lives would serve no purpose and there would be no promise of a better place.

 

Maybe hell is a place of total isolation.

 

Respectfully,

 

Alan

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

Wow...that's a FANTASTIC video!! Thank you for posting it.

 

 

Maybe hell is a place of total isolation.

 

Respectfully,

 

Alan

 

Alan,

Thanks for the insight! I'm glad you liked the video. Have you read C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce? He would agree with you about hell.

 

Janet

[Alan]

Alan,

Thanks for the insight! I'm glad you liked the video. Have you read C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce? He would agree with you about hell.

 

Janet

 

Janet,

 

No, I haven't read that book yet. I will add it to my lengthy list of potentials.

 

BTW, I looked around the Soul Biographies website and there are some really fun and engaging videos there. Thanks, again, for posting the link.

 

Alan

[Adi Gibb]

This post has moved me to paste in here the lyrics to a song by Regina Spektor. In a sense, all of the things listed here are my greatest fears, written as a glorious and thought provoking take on faith. Anyway, just feel compelled to share it. Adi. ps, with music and her sublime voice, it is a thousand times more profound. Check it out on youtube, called 'Laughing With'.

 

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

 

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests

No one's laughing at God when it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from that party yet

 

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake

No one's laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they're mistaken

No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say, "We've got some bad new, sir"

No one's laughing at God when there's a famine, fire or flood

 

But God can be funny

At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or

Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

 

God can be funny

When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way

And when presented like a genie

Who does magic like Houdini

Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

 

God can be so hilarious

Ha ha

Ha ha

 

No one laughs at God in a hospital

No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for

 

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes

No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

 

CHORUS etc

[Alan]

Adi,

 

Wow...this song brings out a lot of emotion in me...

 

Thanks for posting that.

 

Alan

[murmsk]

I think my greatest fear is not meaning something that is positive. I am not even sure it is a fear maybe more of a greatest motivation. I don't fear death, partly because the concept of Hell makes no sense to me, but I am not ready because I think I still have something to offer. One of the greatest gifts my father(an athiest ) gave me as a child is what ever you do be worthwhile.

 

steve

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

Adi, I love the song!

 

Steve, I wanted to say that knowing the positive meaning of my life is one thing that draws me to Christianity. The fact that we're all working to bring God's kingdom to this earth, and knowing that idea has gone before me and will outlast me gives me a sense of meaning and purpose.

 

Thanks for the posts!

 

Janet