Fear Defined
What do you see when you look at the image above? You are correct if you say a goblet, two faces, a woman walking through a doorway, a seated man playing a guitar, and a seated woman with wares on her head. In fact, whatever you see is the correct answer. Pictures like these are called optical illusions. There are many versions of them all over the internet. Different people see different things when looking at the same optical illusion. More importantly and relevant to the topic, people’s assessments of different situations and the associated emotional and physiological responses are variable.
I love acronyms. They are a great memory association tool. In the religious world, we have a few acronyms. One associated with fear is: “False Evidence Appearing Real.” My version is:
False Evaluation Appearing Real!
I replaced one word, but as we will see as this course ensues, fear is more related to perception than evidence. It is perhaps premature to introduce this scripture verse in this section where fear, not faith, is being defined, but to complete the thought, be reminded that:
"..... faith is the substance of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen" [Hebrews 11:1 - King James Version].
The Oxford Language Dictionary defines fear as:
"an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat."
I want to emphasize the significance of the phrase “the belief that.” The unpleasant emotion does not occur because the confronting someone or situation is actually dangerous. Rather, it stems from the belief that they are dangerous. What are you saying? Ideas have consequences. We can and do routinely experience fear based on false evaluations, incorrect assessments, or faulty perceptions. Note that the unpleasant emotions are real and tangible regardless of the actual truth about the supposed threats. More than that, the decisions that may be quickly made and actions that may be reflexively taken may have long-term and negative consequences, far exceeding the falsely perceived threat. Unfortunately, humanity, in attempting to live apart from God or even living life religiously with God, has lived a largely fear-driven life.
Please take a moment to think about it. What is the most compelling argument offered to become a Christian? “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is the title of a famous sermon written by the American theologian Jonathan Edwards in the 1700s. I do not know the details of this sermon, which is still published and sold contemporarily. Some claim that the preaching of this sermon was the catalyst for the First Great Awakening, a religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the 1730s and 1740s. Nothing rooted in fear is sustainable, especially not a meaningful relationship with God. Nothing rooted in fear is attractive, certainly not to the world. In a later section, we will address the appropriate kind of “fear” of God.
The Fear Response is Part of The Stress Response
The fear response is simply the emotional aspect of the stress response. Hans Selye, widely regarded as the father of stress research, defined stress as a state where one experiences a mismatch between perceived demands and one’s perceived ability to cope. Stress is also the mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. The related negative feeling of unease or of being overwhelmed when confronted with challenging situations is called anxiety. Paul’s admonition to the Philippians is relevant:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" [Philippians 4:6 - New International Version].
The Stress Response
It is not the scope of this course to discuss the physiology of the stress response deeply. However, exploring this subject is necessary for a better understanding of fear. Let us begin with the following two figures, which highlight the physiology of stress and the physiology of fear.
Here is a YouTube video that gives a brief overview of the stress response and also provides a few useful tips to deal with it. It goes a little quickly so feel free to pause.
Here is another short YouTube video that may interest those with a more didactic interest.
The Stress response has a critical role in that it prepares us to deal with challenging situations. Our very survival depends on our ability to channel all the required resources away from non-essential activities to actions that promote survival. The nerves we feel before an upcoming test that propels us to prepare are essential. The “butterflies in our stomachs” before a speech indicate that blood is preferentially flowing away from the gut to the brain. From the standpoint of an animal in the wild, running away from a predator is far more critical than bodily functions like digestion. The stress response is a necessary one.
Usually, once the threat is handled, the battle is won (fight), the danger is evaded (flight), or the threat moves on so that we are no longer paralyzed (freeze), physiological balance is restored. The problem is that many people live in a state of chronic stress where equilibrium is never restored.
The brain initiates the stress response. Unfortunately, the brain cannot distinguish between real and imagined threats or challenges. That bears repeating. The body responds the same way whether or not the threat or emergency is real. All that matters is what the respondent perceives or believes. The challenge itself is not the problem. Being overwhelmed because of a perceived inability to overcome the challenge is the real problem. Living in a chronically stressed state is the real problem.  Being in a chronically stressed state because, despite historically demonstrated ability to overcome in the past, one still feels that the next challenge is the one that will take one out is terrible for one’s health. That is: “living in fear.”
Fear
We have determined that the emotional aspect of the stress response is the fear response. This response starts in the brain, is unconscious, and is supported by an individual’s belief system and assessment of their capabilities based on past experiences and other factors. It begins with a stressful stimulus and culminates in the release of chemicals that trigger the emotional and physiological responses we have already discussed.
Two Fear Pathways
There are two pathways involved in the fear response: the low road and the high road. The former is quick and perhaps sloppy, while the latter takes more time and delivers a more precise interpretation of events. Both processes happen simultaneously. The following table compares these two pathways.
| Pathway | Low Road Pathway | High Road Pathway |
| Philosophy | “takes no chances” | “thinks things true” |
| Punctuality | “occurs quickly” | “delayed” |
| Perspective | “pessimism” | “realism” |
| Purpose | “initiates the fear response just in case” | “considers all the options” |
| Process | Sensory data goes to thalamus and is forwarded to the amygdala in case it is dangerous. The amygdala receives the neural impulses and takes protective action by directing the hypothalamus to initiate the fight-or-flight response. | Sensory data is also sent to the sensory cortex for interpretation then to the hippocampus which adds context. If the interpretive context is that there no real danger then the message is sent to the amygdala which tells the hypothalamus to shutdown the the flight-or-flight response. |
The Two Fear Pathways
So what have we established thus far?
- The emotional aspect of the stress response is the fear response.
- There are two fear pathways.
- The Low Road: shoots first while the High Road asks questions to modify the fear response.
- The Low Road: draws from past experiences and one’s belief system to produce an immediate response.
- The High Road: uses context clues and interpretative data to modify the fear response.
Let us take a moment to explore the impact of one’s belief system on the fear response. At the heart of the fear response is the mismatch between the perceived threat and one’s perceived ability to handle threats. At the heart of the low-road fear response is the belief that challenges are insurmountable. At the heart of the low-road fear response is the belief that it is one’s responsibility to protect and provide for themselves. At the heart of the low-road fear response is a pessimistic outlook. At the heart of the low pathway could be the belief that one is being punished by God. Those with a more mature outlook and believe challenges are opportunities for further growth and development tend to autocorrect quickly. They have a realistic and optimistic outlook.
One could argue that the low-road fear response started in Eden when humankind felt the need to pursue the knowledge to take care of themselves rather than trusting in the Creator, who had provided for and protected them up to that point.Â
References
- http://jvp2014.weebly.com/how-fear-works/how-does-fear-work
- https://medium.com/maeflowers/brain-regions-involved-in-the-fear-response-1388dcb0af20
- https://passionateinknowledge.com/medical/do-you-know-brain-is-a-fear-center/