What is fear? This poses a never-ending question by most philosophers, and I suspect that we may never come to any conclusion. Let me first start by saying that one's own mind keeps them from being free. What exactly does this mean? Let us make up an example: are you afraid of visiting cemeteries in the darkness of the night? If you are, why? Fear. And this fear will keep you from traveling through the moors of time, into the vast unknown. Therefore you are held prisoner by your own fear, afraid to travel into the cemetery at night. Your own mind is holding you back from the exploration of your world.

What is it that most humans fear about the dark? I do not believe they simply fear the absence of light, it is more true to believe that they fear what is within the darkness. As small children, we are taught of monsters under our beds, boogy-men in the closets, and other things that "go bump in the night". These fears reside in the subconscious, thus holding us prisoner against our will. Dare I say that most humans fear the unknown, whether it be the absence of light, death, starting a new job, or whatever?

Fear is a natural thing, it creates safeguards for us. Fear is what teaches us to be cautious, for self-preservation is primal. Therefore, it is safe to suggest that we may be afraid to travel into that unlit cemetery for fear of being hurt by something unknown. What could this unknown factor be? A ghost? Perhaps, but I feel that that such fears are unfounded. Although this fear of ghosts and other things was installed when we were young, the fear never goes away. For we fear being physically hurt in any manner. Fear is a natural thing, it is indeed what keeps us safe and secure. I, for one, am dreadfully afraid of heights. Not so much in the fact that I am high above something, but more in the knowledge of knowing that I could fall... and to fall would be to get hurt or possibly die. So my basic instinct of self-preservation comes into play, and my pulse races and my palms become sweaty, I become ready for fight or flight, and I simply must come down to lower ground. As a rational human being, why do I let my fears control me and hold me prisoner? I believe that fear is not a logical thought, but rather an irrational emotion. And as hard as we may try to curb it, at times it is not possible, as other times it is. But what of the explorations that we miss out on due to fear?

I do not believe that we should allow fear to keep us from exploring our world. I have many irrational fears, but I do my best to control them, otherwise I would simply have to lock myself in a little room due to my fear of everything. This is not to say that there are not fears that will never be overcome. One of those fears for me is water, after almost drowning many years ago, and then watching as my brother and father almost drowned while white-water rafting. To me, this is a rational fear, because I know what damage water can do, thus self-preservation. Self-preservation is not so much in the fact that we are afraid to die (although many people are), it is more in the way of we have a reason to live. Someone who has no definite reason to live usually does not have a fear of anything, for they are not afraid to die, thus not afraid of being hurt in any manner. It is safe to say that most humankind is not this way. However, we can be cautious and still enjoy all that life has to offer.

For instance, I am afraid of roller coasters (I am afraid of many many things actually), for I am afraid that I will get hurt by the track falling apart, or my safety harness coming undone or an earthquake or something else dramatic. I am putting my life in someone else's hands, someone I do not even know, but must learn to trust immediately. I must believe that this ride is safe, although I have no idea whether it really is or not. At the same time, I love going on roller coasters, and why would I do something that I feared in such a major way? Perhaps my enjoyment of the roller coaster is more than my fear of it. Perhaps I have just enough trust in knowing that nothing will happen, for how often do we here of roller coaster accidents? Therefore, my fear of roller coasters is unfounded, and I feel just safe enough to climb aboard. I take control over my environment and my fear to do something that I enjoy.

So does fear basically come down to founded fear, unfounded fear, and self-preservation? I believe so... and we simply cannot justify allowing fear to stop us from doing something that we really believe in or wish to do. It takes time to get over fear, sometimes years. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking one's time getting over fears, and it is well worth it, especially if those fears are unfounded fears. For many years I feared starting the Temple of Azrael, for fear of being laughed at and ridiculed by those who did not understand or accept, or chose not to. It took many years to realize that the only people who would laugh at me would be those who feared me and the unknown. People destroy that which they cannot understand, and I realized it was much more important to build the Temple for those who believed in it, instead of not for those who would not understand. So I cast my fear aside, trusted in Azrael to protect me from all harm, and stood up to be counted. Although fear is natural, we must put it aside if we are to ever take full control over our lives and live life to the fullest, and I believe it is well worth the effort. We simply must do what we feel inside, we must get rid of the fear.... People destroy that which they cannot understand simply because they fear the unknown, and it must cease!! For we are destroying the world...

Rev. Dellamorte 1997