Do you "believe" differently from what you "know"?

by compound complex 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  compound complex

  Greetings, all those still searching, still wondering . . .

  In one of many faith-related books I have read, I recall the author declaring that there's a difference between what we know and what we believe. While I cannot recall the author nor his commentary, I acknowledge that, while I do know TTATT and that the Bible in not without error, yet there's a part of me deep inside that holds onto the so-called spiritual.

  How is it for you personally as you make the transition from the invisible to the visible? (however you would describe it)

  THANKS!

  CC
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  Dis-Member

  I used to believe what I thought I knew. Because of TATT I don't know what I know any more. Probably nothing. I no longer know what I even believe. I don't want to believe any more for the sake of believing or because it sounds good or feels good. There is no point in self deception. Without God himself giving me a personal revelation or experience I'd say all I have left now is hope.
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  compound complex

  Hope is always a good thing, Dis-Member.

  I remember learning as a JW that there's desire, expectation and hope. Not all the same, so I read . . .

  Likewise, what to believe? You put it so well.

  THANKS!

  CC
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  Iown Mylife

  This is a good chew for my brain to gnaw at.

  First thing i thought from reading the title, was that people wanna pee on your leg and tell you it's raining. Okay, I KNOW it's pee, but I BELIEVE it's rain.

  I'm like Dis-Member, i don't know WHAT i believe anymore. I do know that being honest benefits my life, and trying to identify where I'm hypocritical and squash it! lol

  Marina
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  compound complex

  Good points, Iown!

  Be honest, avoid hypocrisy. It's tough but doable.

  THANKS!

  CC
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  Dis-Member

  Yes Iown.. I'm with you totally there. I don't have any real idea what the truth is on anything at all any more really.. but I know for a fact the me personally being absolutely honest and truthful in everything feels good and right and ultimately pleasant in my deepest being.

  Being kind, generous and loving and compassionate with others and especially for some reason animals also satisfies something very deep in me so I will definitely hang on to these things. I don't know if 'truth' or 'rightness' can be written on the human heart but that seems to be the place where this stuff is coming from lately for me. It's kind of all I have.
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  designs

  How we know what we must do to make the earth's future better and how we live presently is a ocean apart.
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  Iown Mylife

  You two are just wonderful, hugs to you's! Dis-Member i feel the same way about our cat here, i make sure she's treated respectfully and she is just a pleasure to live with. She is kept indoors but we didn't have her declawed. I keep her inside because there are coyotes in the area and also big ol' hawks; plus she won't come home until she's good and ready and in this s/d we're not supposed to let animals go wandering.

  We have a birdbath and i keep it clean and filled. If we go away i just empty it because it gets filthy. But I don't want to disappoint the birds who have come to depend on having that facility. It is so much fun to watch birds getting their shower, i just love it.

  So these things are really a fulfilling aspect of my life right now.

  Marina
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  Iown Mylife

  Designs, too RIGHT you are.

  M.
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  wearewatchingyouman

  I like to describe my spirituality as Agnostic Theism. While the rational side of me says there's no way that God exists, I still believe one does. Isn't God supposed to be this unkowable, unfathomable entity anyway? I mean who am I, or any human for that matter, with my feeble little brain to try and say who/what God is, if It exists, and what It wants from us? Seems to me that if It wanted us to know It would have made it a hell of a lot clearer and easier to figure out. That or the whole point is just to keep searching, asking and praying until our each individual tuth is revealed. So that's what I do. I believe it's referred to as faith.