Do the Differences Between Spiritual Beliefs Really Matter?

by daniel-p 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  paul from cleveland

  I think it matters what you believe because what if you thought your God wanted human sacrifices? What if you thought your God wanted you to be a suicide bomber and kill the infidels? What if you thought your God wanted you to stone your daughter if she was raped? Etc. Etc.

  Plus, for me at least, belief isn't a choice. I believe what I believe and can't "decide" to believe something different. (Unless I have new information that proves otherwise... then I'll believe that and won't be able to "choose" the old belief again.)
• 

  LockedChaos

  Does it matter if Santas beard

  is white and soft or white and kinky....................

  supernatural or imaginary

  allegory or mythical

  fantasy or makebelieve

  Choose
• 

  Farkel

  :Do the Differences Between Spiritual Beliefs Really Matter?

  As long as they don't infringe or otherwise interfere with the rights of others, no.

  You are perfectly welcome to believe in invisible purple unicorns living on the planet Zolotone who put fairy dust on your head as long as you keep it to yourself, thank you.

  Farkel
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  JeffT

  Hmmm seems maybe religion has no place in politics. Trying to compel the populace to live according to religious dictates.

  But compeling them to live according to non-religious dictates is acceptable?

  For the record I don't think the differences make much difference, so long as everyone is free to make their own choice. And a person should live according to whatever informs his conscience.
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  quietlyleaving

  the way I see it, the differences between spiritual beliefs help us to see the amazing gifts thinking subjects have and show how we demonstate the ability to commit to all kinds of paths. This reminds me of Paul's words at 1Cor 13:11

  11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

  Along with putting away childish things we also have ability to recapture being able to see as a child, indeed to see as an infant sees. And how does an infant see? Well they are always observing - they observe their parents, they observe the world around them and they try out different ways of doing things both imaginatively and physically and then they commit to the one that seems to work best in harmony with what is expected. This gives a sense of achievement and happiness through trial and error. But the important point is that there is this ground zero - a wonderful place, an amazing faculty we can leave idle or use. This to me is where spirituality resides and it involves quite a lot of positive self deceit in the form of role playing imaginatively and in reality - and this a gift of love and does matter imo
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  trueblue

  As we as humans are imperfect ( It is imposible for us to know the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth) We are not responsible for not being perfect.

  The bible ( Scrolls ) were written in another time period were man understood things different then us ( modern man ) also written in a very different language, but I believe that it was written to help comfort us, when we need a crutch. ( That is all )

  With all the differences in opinions or beliefs helps insure me that God does have a plan, and no differences in beliefs is going to change God's plan...

  I am beginning to believe that we are all going to make it thru a transition very soon. ( harder for some than others )For me seeing is believing and I have seen some things that no one else has seen and no one else would understand or believe so I am not going to bother confusing any one with it. Ecclesiastes 12: 12 As regards anything besides these, my son, take a warning: To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion [to them] is wearisome to the flesh.

  13 The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the [true] God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole [obligation] of man. 14 For the [true] God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment in relation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.
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  nugget

  We should have the right to believe whatever we want so long as our beliefs do not infringe on the rights of others. As soon as a belief system interferes with the rights of others then the form of religon becomes a problem. That is why cults are so dangerous since it is more about control than worship. Whether God is real to someone and how they interpret their spiritual need should be very much a personal choice.

  It could be said that early Catholicism and Protestantism behaved in a cult like way since in centuries gone by people were controled by these faiths and died because of failure to conform to a specific belief system. These religons have matured so that the congregation is free to leave without censure. Perhaps todays cults can learn a thing or two from this.
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  Butterflyleia85

  I agree with palmtree and yes you make sense... I don't really think it matters either.
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  PSacramento

  I have friends and family that are JW's, RC, Buddhists, Hindi, Jewish, agnostic, atheists and Islamic and we all get along because we respect each others beliefs and the rights of each of us to believe what we want, and none of us every try to convert the others ( except for the JWs but they are family so...)

  I know that God and Jesus will judge us based not on what we believe but WHY we believe.
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  palmtree67

  PSac: "I know that God and Jesus will judge us based not on what we believe but WHY we believe."

  Exactly.

  That is why I'd rather have my eternal future resting in god's hands and decided by him, than in the hands of a group of old, fuddy-duddy men sitting in an ivory tower in Brooklyn.