Revelling in not believing

by PaulJ 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  PaulJ

  Ok I've been thinking about posting this for a while. I'd really love to see what people think, there might even be people who think the same thing.

  As JW's we got every single little thing rammed down our throats right? So, we had set beliefs or answers for everything- does God exist?, are there aliens? do ghosts exist? so on and so forth.... there was always an answer to everything. Much of it (if not all of it) came down to faith and/or believing what were told to believe.

  Since I've left and researched things a little myself, i find myself in a place where I actually dont have anything set out as answers in front of me. I think I believe in God (or something), but thats about it. Do ghosts exist? I dont know, I havent seen one! Do aliens exist? I dont know. Is the bible true? I dont know. Is the davinci code true? I dont know. Evolution or creation? I dont know.

  Its like i actually feel free to come to my own conclusions as and when I see fit.

  Now unless someone comes along and gives me the concrete evidence that I would need to believe something, my thoughts are going to stay the same. There will probably always be arguments for and against. No one can prove things like this without relying somewhat on faith.

  Naturally I have a bit of a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to organised religion. I struggle to see how an organised religion can prove to you they are right and everyone else is either wrong or havent got it totally right. Surely what they believe is either a 'mans' opinion or they have been 'shown' something else somehow. I mean especially JW's they have only been going what not even 150 years. How arrogant is it that THEY say THEY have it right and no one else does? maybe I'm completey wrong....

  Anyway, if you are down this far, thanks for reading. I really want to know your opinion! What do you believe? If you believe in something firmly- why? What proved it to you? What gave you what you needed?

  Maybe I'm waaaaay off here. But I've come a long way since first coming to this forum... and right now I'm as happy as I have ever been.

  Thanks

  PaulJ
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  Sunnygal41

  hey, Paul...........sorry, I never realized you were part of jwd.....but, i don't come here very often anymore...........i left approx. 7-8 years ago........."officially" disfellowshipped, but, i walked into that JC and basically told them that i wanted to save them all time and tell them i no longer wanted to be a jw...........so, it's been a wonderful growing experience.........I

  its like i actually feel free to come to my own conclusions as and when I see fit.

  this is an extremely powerful phrase, because you are realizing YOU are in total control of your own life.......you are taking back the power you allowed this "cult" to drain from you.

  To quote a wonderful GF regarding my state in life: "she's gone back to her roots"

  I am part native american.........northern New York/Canada border..........don't know what tribe/s, but, it's on both my mom and dad's side..........

  For me, i started with native american spirituality and have since branched out, by intense reading and study into the roots of religion and spirituality...........i've also done a scientific study.........and believe that i am most aligned with pantheism. I have begun studies with a shaman...........that in itself is totally mindblowing and really ties in with Quantum Physics etc........anyways, to summarize: i'm a happy little piece of flotsam/jetsam on life's sea and i have total confidence in it's captain...........

  Terri
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  Abaddon

  Welcome to destruct testing reality.

  All was not as what it seemed. If there was no baby, does it mean there is no bath-water? Were you wrong (like in a taste-test picking out an own-brand instead of Coke) or WRONG (thinking that Pure-Heart Carebear is the bestest bear instead of Rainbow Carebear)? Is it all as mundane as being glorified monkeys?

  It was an exhillarating time for me.

  I still don't know it all (despite having a reputation for seeming otherwise).

  I firmly believe that if anything isn't provable to reasonable standards, it isn't worth basing my life around. The idea of a god playing tricks - not proving it exists to test your faith - is sick. In the unlikely event of god being like that, then it already knows what I think about it. Therefore I don't believe in god, at least not in any way comparable to what I used to believe. It's more metaphorical than metphysical for me.

  I think anyone who thinks atheists have no moral base or ulterior motives for disbelief or are incapable of sharing wonder at the beatuty of the world needs to go to their room and think very hard. I think religionists and more general theists are perfectly entitled to believe what they will, but have no right to restrict what I or others do or believe on the basis of those beliefs unless somone is actually going to be harmed.

  There's an awful lot of detail about the above I could go into, and lots that follows from the above, but I think you just want the highlights.
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  Brother Apostate

  Everyone has to believe in something.

  I believe I'll have another beer.
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  misanthropic

  Naturally I have a bit of a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to organised religion. I struggle to see how an organised religion can prove to you they are right and everyone else is either wrong or havent got it totally right. Surely what they believe is either a 'mans' opinion or they have been 'shown' something else somehow.

  
  That's how I started feeling at first, still believing in God, just against organized religion. But as time has progressed and I read many different things I definitely believe in Evolution. I sometimes think it's very interesting to see how many people still believe in The Bible and God in this day and age.
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  fullofdoubtnow

  I've come a long way since first coming to this forum... and right now I'm as happy as I have ever been

  Me too Paul.

  Its like i actually feel free to come to my own conclusions as and when I see fit.

  Amen to that as well.

  It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it, having that sort of freedom after all those years of being spoonfed with wts doctrine, being told what to do and what to believe. Knowing we aren't going to live forever, and not having to be constantly worrying about being found worthy to do so is so liberating, I think.

  Personally, I no longer believe in any higher power. I no longer feel any need for spiritual things, and organised religion repulses me. I will certainly never allow myself to become entangled with one again.
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  RAF

  I've never liked boxes and will never stay in a boxe (unless I don't have the choice) since I have the choice it's all open ...
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  nvrgnbk

  Ditto. One can be a kind, pleasant, responsible, contributing member of the human family without subscribing to a particular belief system. We were indoctrinated to see all in terms of good/bad, black/white even while our personal experiences taught us that so little in life is that simple. It's exhilirating to live without the fear, dread, and guilt that "Mother" so lovingly served.
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  Faded-out
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  Faded-out