One of the more genuine, humble atheists in the West is a philosopher who wrote a famous essay in 1974 on consciousness. It is called, What it’s Like to be a Bat.

The philosopher who wrote it is 89-year-old Thomas Nagel. In his essay, Dr Nagel asserts that an organism has conscious mental states if and only if there is something that it is like to be that organism—something it is like for the organism. The organism he chose for his essay, tackling the ‘consciousness problem’, is a bat.

But what struck me about Dr Nagel’s views on theism, is his seeming fear of the existence of God (not to be confused with a ‘God-fearing person’ which is linked to a reverence for God). In The Last Word he wrote:

“I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and, naturally, hope that I’m right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that. Thomas Nagel The Last Word Philosophical Essays : Thomas Nagel : Free Download, Borrow and Streaming : Internet Archive,

Surely a fear of the devil would make more sense. Also, if a person believes in God, lives a morally good life and is redeemed, then an afterlife of eternal bliss awaits them. I wrote about bliss here: Understanding the State of Afterlife Bliss | Mind Matters.

I can understand the prospect of the extinction of the mind after a long life could bring much comfort to a non-believer, as he or she wouldn’t be aware of being dead or conscious (if such a philosophically tricky sentence makes much sense! And, as Woody Allen once said, “I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”).

Also, some people who live degenerate lifestyles seek moral autonomy and don’t want God getting in the way of this, as well as the concept of going to Hell. There is a clinical term for fearing the existence of God which is called Theophobia:

An intense, irrational fear of God or divine beings is Theophobia, a recognized specific phobia characterized by persistent anxiety, avoidance, and panic responses related to God.

According to the Internet’s Mental Health Library, the disorder often traces back to punitive religious upbringing, traumatic experiences linked to religion, or anxious cognitive styles that amplify religious threat appraisals. It adds:

Religious strain, including guilt, divine alienation, and fear of punishment, is linked to higher rates of depression and suicidal ideation. NeuroLaunch.com: Where Grey Matter Matters.

There is no need to fear God. And one such proof of this is laid out in a book called The Immortal Mind, which brings much testimony that Near Death Experiences (NDEs) are real, as well as the feelings of joy they bring to a person knocking on Heaven’s door or entering Heaven’s ‘tunnel’ with a bright light at the end and dead loved ones greeting you. The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul: Egnor, Michael, O’Leary, Denyse: 9781546006350: Amazon.com: Books.

But don’t just take my word on this above great co-written book. Among many rave reviews from distinguished academics, Sean McDowell, PhD, professor of apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, an author or editor of over 20 books, and a popular YouTuber, said:

“This book blew me away. As I read it, I shared many of the stories with my wife. Why? While I have studied the philosophy of mind since graduate school in the early 2000s, Dr. Egnor makes some fresh insights because of his training and experience as a neurosurgeon. If you want to know if there’s good evidence for the existence of the soul, The Immortal Mind book is a must-read.

On a personal note, as a Christian, I sometimes have moments of fear of not making it to Heaven when I die. But that’s only natural for a human being with the Faith. Also, my occasional fears are not Theophobic. The Bible, in numerous verses, repeatedly teaches “fear not,” offering reassurance in our daily lives.

In the end, God wins, as we navigate our lives round the threat of a large-scale war, street riots, mass formation psychosis, cognitive dissonance, Hegelian dialectics, mainstream media and lawfare corruption, massive taxation thievery and other crimes, false flags, psy-ops, botched medical procedures, lab-originated Frankenstein foods, the dark side of AI, addicted pharma substances, and, most importantly of all, spiritual warfare. It’s no harm to be cautious of all the above, but not fearful on a daily basis.

God aside: Those who want to suppress us and keep us toeing the party line know the greatest weapon is fear. People who live in fear are easier to control and that’s why fear is the key. I’ll leave the last words to Plato:

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”