Am I missing something?

sizemik

Do I need to believe in some concept of "God" . . . in order to experience some kind of "salvation" by him/her/it?

What I mean is . . .

I have a personal approach to life which centres around doing as little as possible that would be damaging to anybody, anything, anywhere, anytime. The same approach prompts me to do what postive things I can . . . to anybody, anything, anywhere, anytime . . . if I have the resources to do so. I see myself as part of one systemic, interrelated whole. Whatever positive influence I exert, is therefore of benefit to me . . . whatever harm I do, is harming myself. It governs how I relate to the entire physical world . . . people, animals, the environment.

No rules . . . one principle. No recognition or concept of a deity. In fact, I don't adhere to any concept at all that cannot be reasonably proven or disproven. Like everybody else, I have an imagination and can speculate . . . but I am careful as to what things I believe. Unprovable concepts are not one of them. I don't put weight in ancient writings that cannot be substantiated as "divine". I don't pray. I don't attend church. I don't worship. I don't believe in any currently held human concept of "God"

If someone elses concept of God just happens to be true . . . what does your God have against me? Exactly what would he find me guilty of?

What would my future hold by his reckoning? . . . and specifically why?

Why must I be a believer?

PaintedToeNail

A basic teaching of JW faith indicates that humans were made to worship god. That our brains were programmed to do such worship if we are to be happy.

I personally don't feel terribly inclined to worship a higher power, now perhaps my brain is misprogrammed, but I don't feel it is. I really don't feel compelled to pray either, nor would I ever step into a KH again if I didn't have to to maintain the peace here at home.

Your route through life seems like a good one, do no evil to anyone or anything.

Perhaps your 'question of what does your God have against me' could be answered by, you didn't care to search for him, so you are guilty of apathy. But then, so am I. Your future holds what the future held for the ancients like Abraham, you'll die and lie in the ground. So will I. They aren't cognizant of it and we won't be either. Who knows?

We don't have to be believers. Although I do admit at times certain thoughts of being dead forever start to terrify me, but then I have to start reasoning with myself. I have to start remembering that that image has always been held out by JWs to be terrifying, and by enough service to God we can somehow get out of this destiny. I'm tired of constantly being on heighten alert, armageddon is just around the corner. It has been just around the corner for me for forty years...perhaps I'm just tired of them calling WOLF! for so long and nothing happens. I can't believe any longer either.

C

Aussie Oz

You MUST be a believer... in yourself

There is nothing to be saved from.

Everything is as it has always been on earth, all species being born and dying. Many including man are predators. Many are the prey, including humans. Life has never been overly kind to any creature, nature favours none, even though humans think it has favoured them with intelligence. So each one does its bit to perpetuate its species.

I have done my bit too, i have reproduced. One day i will die, like every other species does. In a few generation time i will have decendants that will not even know my name.

What the realization of all this has meant for me, is that i am finally able to live NOW, and make plans to fill out the rest of my days rather than waiting on a 'jehovah', an armageddon, the return of some alien race, luke sky walker or anybody else to rescue me from life.

However, i plan an outrageous funeral as i want them to celebrate me for a bloody long time!

oz

transhuman68

LOL. No doubt one of the god-botherers like Perry or Steven will show up and tell us that we are just unfortunates who haven't got the Holy Spirit, and there is nothing we can do about it- we are shagged unless we rely on them to explain everything and act on our behalf! We are obviously unaware of just how much we really need god...

elderelite

Size, i cant find the link right this second but if yOu search for "kissing hanks ass" there is a hysterical and tragically accurate parody of religion that you should see.

But it shares your view as do i. Its a shake down of the worst kind. "im not going to tslkxl to you personally but u better believe in me anyway or im going to kill you" its a sham

sizemik

Thanks EE . . . http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/social/entertainment/100754/1/KISSING-HANKS-ASS

Very entertaining read . . . and a tragic parody all rolled into one.

I would still like anyone who believes they have found the true religion and have actually found God, to provide reasonable answers to the questions in the OP, as to what I need to do that I'm not already doing . . . and why.

I don't want to inadvertently upset their God if he exists . . . and I want to be sure I'm not missing something.

elderelite

in a lot of ways size i understand and feel the same. I have come to the conclusion personally that there is a God, but certainly not as the Jews or dubbies portray him. I also, hard as it is to even type it, dont believe that jesus the nazarene is the only path to salvation, whatever that may mean. ( My orginal post should have said "talk" to you but still wants us to believe in him, btw. )

Its a continual path as we leave dubbie land. I like to believe that in asking the questions you and I and many others are asking, size, that we are benefited in the search

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDp7pkEcJVQ

sizemik

I seem to remember that vid now . . . from some time back. Parody has this delightful way of sweeping aside the "clutter" . . . and leaving the real issues laid bare. I suspect almost every man-made religion on earth is a variation of "Hank's Ass Syndrome".

This doesn't dissappoint me however, as it confirms what a lot of people already suspect, in some corner of the sub-conscious somewhere, buried under the rubble of cognitive dissonance . . . even "believers". As my dear Grandmother used to say many years ago "Everybody must have a hope to hold onto Ron . . . we can't live without hope".

Rejecting false hope however, creates an enormous uncomfortable vacuum that asks to be filled. I embrace that vacuum, for it becomes a powerful motivation in the search . . . whether it's successful or not.

On the JC thing . . . putting aside the infallibility of the historical record . . . much of what he had to say falls easily into the broad description I set out in the OP . . . or has he said it "All the things you would have men do to you . . . " "Even a sparrow has value", etc. Maybe he was just a great humanitarian and philosopher of his time, who impressed greatly . . . and then got hi-jacked for a divine role. Who really knows?

I would still like someone holding to a particular concept of God, to tell me what they consider is required by that God and why. If they can put together a cohesive presentation I would be grateful. If they can do it without using the word "faith", I'll be most impressed.

But I'm not holding my breath on this one.

steve2

Believers in ultimate truth believe that everyone except them is "missing" "the Truth" or "the truth", so they'll feast on your question.

Some questions go round and round and exercise great passion and debate: Is there a god? Does "He" care? Is there a plan for me? Should I fear "Him" if I don't know him? and on and on and on.

There is no shortage of empassioned, conviction-filled answers. My view is that you're better off focusing on questions that can be answered such as, How do I want to live my life? What are my own values? What do I want my own life to stand for? How can I make the most of this short life? These questions are possibly more uncomfortable than those about god because they force you to think through what your own philosophy of life. This contrasts with using belief in god to piggy-back that belief onto your own life, knowing that it could collapse like a house of cards depending on who comes along with the next "most" convincing answer.

What's that old saying? Something like, Philosophy struggles to understand the need to question, while religion rescues from the struggle and "just" gives you the answers.

sizemik

Believers in ultimate truth believe that everyone except them is "missing" "the Truth" or "the truth", so they'll feast on your question.

Well . . . that's what I was hoping for Steve . . .

I agree with all that you say BTW . . . and as you can see from the OP, I am not without my own philosophy on life. Maybe my reasons for asking this question, is not made obvious in the asking.

It's a genuine question however . . . my reasons and motives should not effect the answers.

Am I missing something?

Share this