Great question Kristen. It seems to me there is value in spreading the fear, the fear is a way of controlling. It is 'man' who spreads the fear, claiming to be in the name of God, but as so many of your readers have commented that is hardly the word of God. From my point of view the only thing to be gained by this control through fear is greed and power - neither of which seem very God centered, but rather 'man' centered. 
Why so many individuals allow themselves to be controlled by this fear certainly begs one to ask what they are afraid of, but a Catch22 seems to evolve from that.