Love the Shaw quote.
....And what if it IS the truth????
by MsGrowingGirl20 110 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
00DAD
It's not already. Why continue try to convince yourself that an incoherent batch of half-baked lies and ridiculous doctrines promoted by a small, secretive cadre of uneducated men is the Truth. It isn't.
00DAD
-
SweetBabyCheezits
This has probably already been said but I'll throw it out there:
The goal is to find truth, right? I'd offer that you first need to identify a solid method to separate fact from fiction. Develop your critical thinking skills first, then go on the attack. Learn how to spot fallacious reasoning. Question everything.
If your intentions are pure and Jehovah's Witnesses really do have a monopoly on truth, then you'll wind up back there and your faith will be more solid than ever. But don't make the mistake of contorting everything you see to fit a foregone conclusion.
Learn critical thinking, release all of your childhood presuppositions, start with slate as blank as possible, and follow the evidence wherever it leads.
-
Knowsnothing
This one applies as well. It might be a little bit strong for you right now, but take it with ease.
-
SweetBabyCheezits
Another great video, KN.
-
Knowsnothing
Thanks SBC. My thoughts on your comments. Critical thinking is critical (pun intended), because we are mainly drawn to make conclusions based on emotions, relational ties, and such irrational thinking.
I know this, because I've been through it. Feeling, believing this is the truth will not make it the truth. The truth stands regardless of where we stand.
-
SweetBabyCheezits
I completely agree. Seems to me that when we recognize and accept that bias affects judgment - our own - the next logical step is to figure out how to suppress bias so that we demonstrate better judgment. (Of course, this is assuming the goal is truth, not just peace.)
Personally, I came to hold science in high regard only after I learned the importance of critical thinking the hard way - my experience of being easily misled for so long without it. Then it occurred to me that the scientific method was a form of critical thinking in practice. Critical thinking is it's very foundation. It addressed our inherent biases, it was unfeeling, unconcerned with cherished beliefs. It demanded consistent scrutiny.
I've yet to see such a guantlet for religious concepts.
-
BluesBrother
And what if it IS the truth????
Well, it would mean that God is a lying duplicitous character who has fun by "Spirit directing" his organization to make false predictions of dates, flip flop over doctrines and explanations of scripture when he knew the truth all the time.
It would also mean that God is bloodthirsty tyrant who wants to slaughter 90% of the human family in order to give a paradise to those few that had both heard and believed the message. It means that he really does need to receive constant praise in order to be satisfied, and only the exactly right praise. All the other sincere praise , he would ignore.
Since I belive that god is NONE of these things and cannot be maligned in this way, the J W doctrine cannot be the truth.....
-
00DAD
BB, if I may be so bold, I'd like to suggest a few edits to your well-argued points. (CHANGES IN BOLD CAPS):
It would also mean that God is bloodthirsty tyrant who wants to slaughter 99.9% of the human family in order to give a paradise to those few that had both heard and believed the FALSE message.
-
DesirousOfChange
thanks yesidid xx i think once i make a final decision ill either out myself here or remove my membership.
Not ready, I encourage you to move very cautiously. There are remifications and there is NO going back.
Doc