How Does One Find Another Religion

by pettygrudger 37 Replies latest jw friends

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  Stacey

  Another thing that really bothers me... the holier than art thou attitude of most christians. I was there, I once probably said the same things as many of them did.

  Wow, getting out of the BOX opens up the world so much. Tollerance and acceptance, what is wrong with that? The attitude of I am right and you are wrong is what I cannot ever be a part of again. Embracing questions in life is so much better than having a pre-made packaged DEAL. Just my little old opinion.

  Please dont be sad for me. I'm much more open in my life and feeling free than I ever have been before.

  Wow, the mentality...
  Stacey
• 

  SixofNine

  Cindy,
  

  I just hope that you see what a comfort The Bible can be not a burden to be studied but a joy.

  The Bible is not a comfort to those who actually read it. I mean read it w/o glossing over the lack of support for it having a divine source, and w/o glossing over the type of scriptural violent pornography that bboyneko posted above.

  Oh it's a burden all right, to anyone who reads it or is affected by those who do read and worship it. And make no mistake, you may think you and others worship the god described in the bible, but you really worship the description therein.
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  Mommie Dark

  since when is the truth blasphemous?

  I've read the Bible. Studied it with and without WT blinders. Read many Bible commentaries of all descriptions. I've also read most of the world's other 'sacred' books and the most comprehensive commentaries on them that I could find. Can you say the same thing for yourself? I seriously doubt it.

  I made a choice based on sound reasoning and careful research. I am free of superstition and the fear of supernatural beings. There is nothing sad about it, I assure you. Life is rich and full and never ever dull. Someday I will die, and become fertilizer. As will you. As has every single human who ever or will ever live. It's the natural order of things. I think YOU are pathetic for wanting more than your natural existence. I think you're an emotional cripple to need to rely on an archaic and frankly disgusting bit of rubbishy nonsense, much of it written by doped-up religiofanatics, for a guide to life.

  I have no use for the Bible except as a good leveller for that wobbly table leg. (And the end pages do make great rolling papers once you get the knack of working without the gummed edge.)

  There is nothing useful in the Bible that you couldn't find in simpler and better-written form in any good kindergarten library. The rest of the book is frankly lurid trash, and because of that I do not allow my young child access to any Bible story without proper supervision. I don't want him growing up to believe that he owes something to some invisible skydaddy. I find the whole concept of sin/salvation to be repugnant. I refuse to use guilt, fear, and emotional manipulation to control his behavior. So far, love, common sense, and accurate information have helped him grow into a funny, caring, honest, decent and happy young man. He has none of the fears and worries that the Bible and religion instilled in most of his family. No god necessary, no Bible beyond discussion of Judeo-Christian concepts as they arise in daily life. It's working beautifully.

  Freedom is a wonderful precious thing. You might try it sometime, if you can get past your cowardice long enough to poke your head out of your misconceptions and take an unblindered look around.
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  cindy

  I have had my own problems acceptting some of the things in the Old Testament too. I do not claim to know the mind of God. I do understand from history,I have studied from that time, and some about those people. If you did something to one of them as a tribe or nation against nation even if they were children when it occurred they would seek revenge of their own one day. Just as these wars that have gone on for centuries in the holy lands and middle eastern countries. Killing everyone elemenates that problem. Like I said I don't claim to really understand but that makes it easier for me. I believe that God exists and that Jesus is his son. I pray and my prayers are answered and I'm comforted when I am troubled. I am thankful for that. No one has answered if they have any doubts in the back of their minds about their beliefs? I do feel that everyone should live by their own convictions though. I cannot live your life for you just as you cannot live mine. You have to feel comfortable with the decisions that you make no one else. Mommie Dark just shows all of this anger in the things that she says. I understand being mad at the JW's but will you be able to move on from that? And also if The Bible is such and awful book than why would you own one, much less allow your son to read it at all. Something that I had that kind of feeling about, like it's only useful for toilet paper and rolling joints I would not allow my children to be around it. One more thing I totally believe that there are right things and there are wrong things. I do not believe that everything is okay. I'm sure that you don't either. The Bible whether you are a believer or not is a good guide line on how to live your life.

  I almost forgot about MD's other comment about growing up and living my life. I don't know if I'm grown up or not yet but I'm working on it. My future is totally on my back and only mine. I can try to do good or just coast through life not caring about my actions and only worring about myself. I try to live my life according to my convictions and do good to those around me. Jesus is my role model and I hope that I can half way live up to the example He set for me. I try to help anyone in need and try to keep the mind set of putting others before myself. I know that I can always improve in this area, but I hope I will continue on this path the rest of my life. What is wrong with this mentallity? Do you MD wish that there were no people in this world who wanted to help others? I don't think that I've been whinning, but I guess I'd rather whine than have such a huge monkey on my back. I'm glad that I am not filled with hate and contempt.

  Gentlyferal if you are not a Christian and not an Atheist then how do you classify yourself.
• 

  tell all

  GOD ordered the death of children due to the fact that these particular children had the same heart condition of their vile parents , if you had let these children live they would grow up to kill the israelites and repeat everything that their parents did.As you study about past civilizations such as the ones mentioned in the bible , you will find out that they worship satan and drank human blood, rape little kids, cut the heads off of innocent people etc...If you want to find what religion is true , the answer is = the person that LOVES EVERYONE LIKE HE LOVES HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND TREATS THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY WITH DEEP RESPECT,DIGNITY,AND CARE. RELIGION DOESN'T MAKE THE PERSON BUT THE HEART CONDITION DOES. When reading the bible always compare different versions to see if one bible has a better translation than another, this will help to open your mind to see different slant or point of view on whatever chapter that you're studying.
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  Mommie Dark

  Cindy do you think only religionists have the ability to be charitable, to love, to be productive citizens? This is going to come as a major shock to all the atheists like me who take in stray homeless kids, who feed anyone who comes asking whether they can afford it or not, who raise money for their schools and community projects and the local battered women's shelter, and who volunteer their time and energy to help people suffering from the aftereffects of their religious upbringing.

  You make the typical Christer assumption that without God we have no moral compass and no ability to behave decently. This is insulting in the extreme, and is one of the reasons I hold Christians in general in abject contempt.

  The arrogance of your ignorance is appalling, Cindy. Yes I am irate at Christerbabblers. Religion is the cause of most war in the world. Most of the needless suffering on the planet could be eliminated if people were't forever busy trying to force others to follow their imaginary skydaddy's mandates. And you all inevitably tell us how superior you are to everyone else because you follow Jayzez. PUKE! That fake humility while proclaiming how much better you are goes over like a lead balloon with thinking people.

  As i said before, anything useful in the Bible can be found in all 'sacred books' (but almost no religous people actually follow what's written there). I keep several Bibles as reference books and when my son is old enough to distinguish fantasy from reality he can use them as such. He will also be permitted to read the Satanist Bible when he's ready, and any other religious material he might want to study. But I protect him from it for now, just like I protect him from pornography and gratuitous violence.

  When you defend your Biblegod you sound just like an abused child defending the Daddy that alternately kisses and kicks her. It's really sort of pitiful to hear. I realize you are afraid to even think about a life without the structure and safety of a prepackaged morality, but trust me, yours is not the only way and it most definitely is NOT the best way to live. It's just way easier than learning to think for yourself and finding genuine ethics by which to live sanely.
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  bboyneko

  I can't beleive you sick bastards are defending child murder. Your attitude is 'If god did it or ordered it it MUST be right!' Open your mind a little..if god is all powerful, why didnt he just make the enemies barren so they could have no more children, and let them die out that way? My point is CHILDREN ARE INNOCENT..I can't beleive the ignorance in saying that a baby has any sort of heart condition. You really think a 2 year old has hate and murder in his or her heart and deserves to die? How would the world react if the United states killed EVERYONE in afghanistan ESPECIALLY children because the children would one day grow up and seek revenge?
  -Dan
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  cindy

  Dan,

  I do not defend the decision of God to take childrens live how can I? I don't understand either. I was only explaining the way I have come to try to understand why this might have happened. I believe these children were probably better off dying young because I believe they were saved from the destructive lives they would lead if they had lived. I believe they were not held accountable for anything and they will live eternally. I don't claim to know the mind of God. I also believe that He knows the future and the choices we will make before we do. I can't remember the quoate or who has that on their posts but I'm sure you've seen it. Something to the effect of if someone is a billion times older than you and a trillion times smarter how do you understand them. I believe that God loves you and me, and that is what is affecting me today and what matters today. One day I hope to know the answers to these questions.

  Mommie Dark, I think that I'm going to start a new thread that I'd like you to respon to. I would like to hear your views on creation and other things.