What do you believe now? (page 4)

JH

Yeah, Jesus died for our sins, and we can't buy our way to salvation. That's true.

But still I refer to 1 Corinthians 6:9

What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.

Jake99

JH ,

I agree that the money changer will be no more, and the gambler will not enter the kingdom either. Those jobs will be eliminated by the Messiah, and the thief will steal no more. Its not the people who are bad, its the systems they use that produce the problems they have.The King of Kings changes to a simple and fair operating system and the environmental problems and wasted manpower dissappears automatically. That does not mean people are gone, but rather spending more time at home, or on public transportation as a result of a highly efficient system change.

NowImFree

I definitely don't think organized religion is the answer. I believe a personal faith in Christ for salvation is the answer. Since I left the JWs and became Christian, I don't follow men anymore. My ultimate guidance is God through Christ and the bible. If someone who is a religious authority says something that I don't agree with or doesn't sound right to me, I take it with a grain of salt. I do go to church for the fellowship and I find it very encouraging and uplifting, but I follow my conscience and try to do what I think Christ would want me to do. Totally different mindset than when I was a Jehovah's Witness, I was worshipping and following a manmade organization and didn't even know it.

What is secular humanist? I have never heard of that term before.

NowImFree

sass_my_frass

I'm officially out for a year, and at this point deciding my spirituality is not my highest priority, and I consider it more of a lifetime search. I'm keeping it simple, doing my best not to offend any potential God, and being a good wife and citizen.

Hellrider

mdb:

Hellrider, You then go on to talk about the reward... if there is one (which there is for some), but neglect to comment on the possible punishment. Do you think that a form of punishment would be a "bonus" you'd like to find out about, regreting then that you had a chance during this life to avoid that punishment, receiving that reward you also say "might be there" as a bonus? I seem to chase you around this board. I don't know why that is.

I don`t mind being chased (not that I ever felt that I was, either). Hm, not sure why I didn`t comment on the punishment. Well, let me put it this way: If, instead of being given a room in hotel Heaven, I am sent to hotel Hell, I wouldn`t understand wtf I was sent there for. I have never killed, raped or tortured anyone. I was in some fights as a drunk youth, but I was never the one starting anything, and noone ever got seriously hurt. Yes, I swear, I am not married to the woman I live with, I had quite a few girlfriends before my current one, I smoke a bit, but I always go out of the house to do that, as I have a kid, and I pick my nose, even so people can see it...if this qualifies me as a permanent resident of 666 Eternal Damnation-street, then so be it. I bet they even have better cabel-TV down there anyway......the point being: It`s not hard to figure out right from wrong. It is written in the heart of every man and woman. And if you have to do something in addition to what`s written in your heart, then God screwed up, imo.

poppers

daystar said, "I have a hard time with it sometimes, but I don't think I really need a religious identity in order to be whole."

You are onto something profound here, daystar. As we accumulate more beliefs and ideas we move further away from realizing our inherent wholeness. We are already whole, yet we don't realize it because we cling to ideas and identify with concepts of wholeness, or concepts which promise to lead to wholeness as found in religion and philosophy. Drop every idea of self, god, wholeness, separateness, and everything else and remain present with what is right in front of you. Rest in and as that which never changes, that which watches everything else without judgment or label and you will dis-cover your inherent wholeness.

A word to the wise - a dollup of JamesThomas goes a long way.

Carmel

An inquisitive agnostic for 18 years post JW. Now a Baha'i.

carmel

Eyebrow2

I would like to embrace Jesus and give him a good noogie .

I think he needs one, Jehovah too....

Regarding humanist values...I am not what one would call 100% humanist...BUT....I do think that living a "good" life, as in not taking advantage of others to better yourself is just, well good.

I don't need a reward for that, and I don't think it is really a form of altruism either. I have found that living a decent life is good for ME. What goes around comes around...call it karma...whatever.

(Btw...for those that I haven't already bored to tears with this....I do go to a humanist "church"...)

Of course, what is considered decent varies from person to person some times.

Two of my number rules to live by:

Don't Litter.

Put the shopping cart in the cart corral.

MerryMagdalene

Though you have left that cult, if you still hold to those doctrines which downplay the saving grace of God and pervert the gospel message by the belittling of our Lord, then your trust is not in that Jesus of the Scriptures who saves and you are still in your sins.

No worries, mdb. I do not still hold to those doctrines

~Merry

Rooster

I definitely don't think organized religion is the answer. I believe a personal faith in Christ for salvation is the answer. Since I left the JWs and became Christian, I don't follow men anymore. My ultimate guidance is God through Christ and the bible. If someone who is a religious authority says something that I don't agree with or doesn't sound right to me, I take it with a grain of salt. I do go to church for the fellowship and I find it very encouraging and uplifting, but I follow my conscience and try to do what I think Christ would want me to do. Totally different mindset than when I was a Jehovah's Witness, I was worshipping and following a manmade organization and didn't even know it.

I read my bible daily and have taken my stand with Jesus Christ. I don't go to any church now. I have gotten under Jesus' yoke and will try to stay there. I identify myself as a Christian when someone wants to take on the conversation. I must say I have been unsuccessful in talking to any of the current witness. They all shut down when you discuss the bible with them. I feel sorry for them.

What do you believe now?

Share this