Facts Overcome Fear

 

Photo Credit: BahaiTeachings.org

Facts Overcome Fear

Faith cannot overcome fear; it merely substitutes another fear. Only facts overcome fear. It has been said by a well-known philosopher – “It’s a fact that people are afraid of what they don’t understand. And most are too lazy or ignorant to find out more.”

When we face something fearful, we engage our monkey brain, which is an integral part of our nervous system, it helps us to react quickly to danger. The monkey brain pumps adrenaline into our systems. Adrenaline is harmful to our higher brain functions, so it shuts of circulation to the frontal cortex to protect it.

The problem is, we need to engage our higher thinking functions to make better decisions, if not we react out of fear instead of with a calculated response.  The key is learning how to spot the sources to avoid being manipulated by fear.

Faith cannot overcome fear; it substitutes another fear which it can monetise.  Instead of facing the object of our fear, belief replaces it with another.   The most misused fear is our existential fear of death.

Our existential fear of death should drive us on a journey of inner discovery.  Unfortunately, many people fall for the counterfeit answer from religion.  It comes in the form of Afterlife beliefs.  Now we fear the loss of life and our place in the afterlife.  Will it be an eternity in heaven or hell?  No matter which religion we pick, we will be wrong.

Fear engages our primitive brain, which activates our fight, flight, or freeze response.  It helped us survive by reacting in the wild, but this tactic is counterproductive when we think about the best answer.  Belief cannot overcome fear. Belief is another name for denial.

A better way is to use facts.  Follow the advice of science; this is a better antidote.  If we find ourselves caught up in negative feelings, stop. Regain emotional equilibrium and think instead of just reacting. The emotional check-in process which helps one regain emotional equilibrium.  It can help if we are aware enough to recognise when your emotions of fear and anger are triggered.

Facts overcome fear when we can act responsibly and deliberately.  We are not in denial of a crisis; instead, we learn to make better decisions.  We learn to recognise those who are trying to manipulate with a secondary gain or hidden agendas.

Belief and faith cannot overcome fear.  They are counterfeit that help make one a customer of organised religion. One cannot learn about oneself by pretending.  The belief in fairy tales is a dead end.   Spiritual growth is an inward journey, it has nothing to do with organised religion. Meditation under the guidance of a realised Master is the only way to know oneself.