Comment 20 by Paula Kirby

In my analogy it is the intellect that is imprisoned; in yours, it is the emotions that do the imprisoning. Two sides of the same coin, pretty much.

Yes. What I find fascinating is the way that believers can think that they are thinking rationally when their arguments are really driven by emotion. All too often, they don't see the bars of the cage imprisoning their intellects.

I think you are right, too, that for many Christians the driving emotion is fear of death. But don't rule out the fear of life too. Life can feel pretty overwhelming at times, and the idea of a benign, all-powerful being who will look after us and 'work all things for good' if only we'll let him can be very appealing.

A story comes to mind of a rat that has been kept in a cage for most of its life. When offered freedom, it ran back to the cage, because the cage, though a prison, was familiar and safe. I don't know if this story is true, but it makes sense.