How would you answer ???

The_Replacement

Even if my religion is wrong (and I know it is not), It has saved me from a life of drugs and hopelessness, I was going no-where, I had no life, I lived with depression, I had no goals, just drifted through life and hated life and myself, Since finding Jesus my life has changed and I am a good, honest, caring person, I am now the best father I have ever been, I was never there for my kids before. I have a great job and provide for my family, How can you say to me, that religion is wrong ?

this is a person I met and had a discussion with, he is NOT a JW, but I wonder is a religious belief even if it is wrong, better for someone who cannot face the world. The world is a cold and cruel place, billions have a religious belief.

Is it not better to know the truth about a religion then to go on blindly believing it, like so many JW's do.

Every religion has experiences of people that were on skid row (even death row) and found Jesus and it turned their life around, heck I remember some in my congregation that became JW's and it turned their life around ...

But, Is it better to believe a lie and have a good and safe life for you and your children, or better to know the truth, or keep searching for the truth ???

poppers

Religion may be useful in providing a framework for how to conduct one's life. That, however, is no prerequisite for knowing truth. If anything, religion restricts one's search for truth. Part of the difficulty in finding "truth" is defining what truth is. Within religion and philosophies truth is usually bound by the definitions they use. What passes for truth there is holding on to some sort of belief system which promises a reward in the future is they simply stick to the tenets which they supply. Can truth be restricted to belief, to ideas held within one's mind? Is truth found by following ritual and words which were written thousands of years ago, words which have been proclaimed to have come from "god"? Or is truth always here in this very moment, free of ideas held in the mind, fresh and ever new, available to everyone in this very moment. No future can bring truth, for there is no future. No past will bring truth for the past is dead and gone and all that remains of it are memories held in the mind. Truth will only be found in this very moment when mind is still and quiet and the essence of truth, one's very Being, shines forth uncontaminated by any idea or belief. See what's here right now and truth presents itself, and the need for religion will whither away.

SPAZnik

Is it really the religion that made this guy a good father? Or his own innate desire to be one and to find whatever supports/experiments that led him to that end? How are we defining religion anyway? Is it the doctrine or the community?

It seems to me there are all kinds of fathers both in and out of religion and they all do some stuff well and other stuff suckily and whatever the case about religion I think it's great that this guy values being a good father.

Perhaps he's not as extreme about religion as some and won't face a day when he'll allow his or any religion to come between him and his children (or family or neighbors). Sounds like he's mainly using it as a tool.

I can see how just about anything can be used for good purposes or destructive purposes. Even life itself. Guns can be used to feed your family or kill your family or protect your family or simply improve your aim and make a lot of noise. The internet can be used to target children or to save people or educate or confuse. Perhaps religion is much the same depending on how it's pros and cons are managed by each individual.

How would I answer??? I would probably either say nothing or ask more questions in genuine interest about his lifepath and values and how he manages not to let religion overtake him or his relationships the way some seem to have done ( even me ). I might even share some of my thoughts re when my own father recently seemed to credit everything good in his life to his religion. I might share that I once thought the same way but now I see things a little differently and share why.

I used to give a lot of credit to the religion of my youth. "Credit where credit is due" as it were. Now I'm seeing that much credit belongs to the actions of various people in my life (religious & not) more so than any one organization. Now I'm seeing that there are common denominators amongst human beings that defy all sorts of boundaries and dividing lines.

Has religion always existed in some form or under some other label? Will it always exist? Will humanity evolve (or is humanity evolving) to some new place and way of bonding, connecting, surviving, rationalizing, reasoning, dividing, conquering? There is a saying that necessity breeds invention. I look forward to seeing what inventions the future may necessitate.

SPAZ :)

BlackSwan of Memphis

But, Is it better to believe a lie and have a good and safe life for you and your children, or better to know the truth, or keep searching for the truth ???

I would say it depends on the person.

Some might absolutely fall apart without the lie. Others flourish looking for truth. Whatever truth is to them.

Some are afraid to live without the lie and thus never realize their potential for searching for truth.

Perspective I guess.

SPAZnik

Is there a "THE lie" and a "THE truth"?

I have difficulty thinking anything is as absolute as that.

the sage

[But, Is it better to believe a lie and have a good and safe life for you and your children, or better to know the truth, or keep searching for the truth ??? ]

It would seem one should take the truth of religion, science, or reality and apply it to ones life only when our informed conscience recognizes it. 1Pe 3:21 'the request made to God for a good conscience'. Organized religion, science and reality have revealed truths, but they don't own truth.

If one were prudent, truth would be accepted only when it's proven by time or supported by fact. One would also need to keep in mind, things we accept as truth change with revealed facts. Pr 4:18. 'the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.'

Do we need to belong to some religious organization to make decisions in life. Why not rather be guided by revealed truth in harmony with our conscience.

Does not the truth manifest itself regularly on this forum. In fact Pr 1:20, 21 says: 'wisdom itself keeps crying out in the very streets'.

The Sage!

IP_SEC

How would you answer ???

I would say: "Well, I certainly cannot deny your personal experience. Hava good life." *thinks to self "suckerrrrr"*

Mulan

Religon is not for me, but I would not try to dissuade someone who obviously needs theirs.

I believe that for some people, their religion saves them from a life of many mistakes.

Mary

I wonder is a religious belief even if it is wrong, better for someone who cannot face the world.

Alot of people like religion because it provides them, not only a hope for a future life, but it also provides them with structure and a purpose to their life now. Having a support system in place (the congregation) is also an added bonus. Plus, alot of people have a strong spiritual need and an organized religion helps them fill that, whether or not they teach "truth".

DanTheMan

I was going no-where, I had no life, I lived with depression, I had no goals, just drifted through life and hated life and myself

Hmmm...sounds like me before, during, and after JWism. ROFL

How would you answer ???

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