Whats wrong with obeying God? (page 3)

Gopher

How does "God" give his commands? Is it through a holy book?

If so, doesn't that holy book need to be interpreted and explained? "Indeed, how could I understand without someone to guide me" -- a certain Ethiopian official was quoted as saying in Acts.

So to properly understand the commands, we would need guidance. But from who? That's where theocrats of various religions come in, and tell you how obedience to God should best be carried out for one's salvation.

Christian theocrats have directed people to fight in wars and to persecute minorities. Islamic theocrats have directed acts of terrorism against innocents. I could go on and on. But if the commands come through a book that must be interpreted, then we are relying on men (who are no more special than you or I) to tell us what obedience means.

On the other hand, if the comnands don't come through a book -- but by prayer, then everyone can invent their own way of interpreting what obedience means. And this happens frequently too.

For example, in the polgyamist LDS offshoot in Texas, the belief is that to obey God and get in the Kingdom, a man must have a minimum of 3 wives. So that's their way of obeying God, and they think they're just as right in belief as mainstream believers are.

All these crazy beliefs and people "obeying" God and doing terrible acts in the name of God is almost enough to make one an atheist.

Alpaca

If you are talking about the God of the Bible....

How's this for starters:

Slavery is okay, keeping women in a subservient relationship is required -- women are not equal to men, intolerance of free thought, slaughtering innocent women and children was fine, incest was no big deal for a servant of God, double standards for rich and powerful Bible characters who commit adultery and murder, and the list goes on.

The one that gets me the most though is the Bible's standards for the treatment of women. It's actually shocking!!!

Cheers,

Alex

yknot

Real One

I don't think that most here who believe in God have a problem with the concept of obeying.

We have a diverse group of people, we try to respect and understand the various reactions of leaving the WTS.

Everyone is different. Everyone recovers differently.

In the end other then a few encouraging words all you can do is cast your concerns unto God through prayer.

inkling

God does not ask us to do unreasonable things

"If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his
assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her
hand. Show her no pity."

--Deuteronomy 25:11-12

chrisjoel

I dont think there is Anything wrong with obeying God at all. I still obey my JW father whenever i can. Its just that in terms of "God " it Maybe that he is not what we thought He was.

PrimateDave

Real One said:

"God does not ask us to do unreasonable things. Most of the things he ask us to do protects our lives."

With all due respect (and without reading the rest of the thread first) let me just say that God has never told me a single thing, ever. Humans speak, claiming to know what their God wants me to do. Humans write, claiming inspiration from their God. Humans are the only ones who attempt to make demands upon me in the name of their God. Humans are the only ones who attempt to con me with promises of future rewards if I will only "obey their God" now.

I put up with this for nearly four decades until I figured out how things really work. Thanks for your concern, Real One, but I think I will manage without your needy and demanding God.

Dave

Homerovah the Almighty

I obeyed god for 20 years and I did buy and sell his magazines , all I got out of it was two empty pockets and allot of mental anguish

God only exists in the minds of men that seek power and control over others, kind of like a REAL god and maybe a little money to boot

So real one when are you going to start up your own religion, you sound like you heading in that direction ?

Do you think you can handle the power ?

White Dove

I have a problem obeying someone who I think most likely doesn't exist. I can't do it. Might as well obey the Easter Bunny and eat chocolate and lay eggs.

White Dove

I do not believe in the god of the Bible.

I live after my flesh with glee!

I recognize that there are good or bad consequences to everything I do.

I attempt to live with good consequences as my aim.

I am quite content not cowtowing to an invisible, imaginary entity that won't talk to me but according to the Bible demands that I talk to it.

I refuse to believe in the god of the Bible having a penis and therefore being called "He."

White Dove

As one that used to obey a needy and demanding god, I totally understand why people need to do this. They need hope for something really good and they need to feel needed. God of the Bible supplies this in abundunce. I believe we all have the need to feel needed and also something better to hope for, be it by serving a god or creating their own luck and good life. The results may be the same: happy people. For my part, I cannot live a Christian life of servitude to the invisible power. My eyes see what nurishes me and all of life. I honor nature that nurtures me. Hey, it works for me! Everyone needs to believe in something.

Whats wrong with obeying God?

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