just what am I supposed to believe now?? (page 6)

FlyingHighNow

Believe what you choose to and remember that hope, faith and belief are not necessarily bad things.

cofty

Faith is your enemy.

Make sure all of your beliefs are commensurate with the evidence.

Everything else is a self-indulgent delusion. "Choosing" your beliefs makes no sense.

Read, study, absorb information. Test the evidence. Demand more evidence. Expose yourself to the best arguments against your preferences.

Your beliefs will sort themselves out.

FlyingHighNow

Faith is your enemy.

This is extreme opinion.

Everything else is a self-indulgent delusion. "Choosing" your beliefs makes no sense.

Also extreme opinion.

Read, study, absorb information. Test the evidence.

Be aware that what is strong, very real evidence to you, might be scoffed at by others.

FlyingHighNow

Relax, enjoy your journey. Don't ever allow the sceptics to steal your hope.

cofty

We should all be skeptics. It was a lack of skepticism that kept us in a cult. It simply means declining to assent to other's beliefs until you have been convinced by objective evidence.

It has nothing to do with being a cynic.

Hope is wonderful. It is essential. It makes our lives exciting and meaningful.

It has nothing to do with faith.

A dose of healthy skepticism is a good thing. When it is taken to extremes, not so much. Guard against being negatively affected by extremist thinking. You are leaving an extreme, be careful not to swing to other extremes. Be aware that some of the Watchtower extremes can be a challenge to shed. When it comes to your newly developing beliefs, the WT stance on things like science and religion can be hard to recognize in yourself.

purrpurr

Thanks everyone, I can see I have a long journey ahead of me. For those that have sent me PM's, I have tried to reply but as soon as I begin typing the submit/send button disappears??? Ideas anyone?

rebel8

There is so much wonder and magic in the natural world. There are some awesome books you can read to begin your journey to recapture that sense of wonder, for example, Broca's Brain.

FlyingHighNow

There should be a subject box and text box above the submit button. Are you trying to reply on your phone?

OnTheWayOut

You have already received excellent answers about believing in yourself. Our belief in God can be like spinning the prize wheel. We were JW's because "they" found us first or we were born that way. Many, upon leaving, go to the church down the street because it is nearby. That's like taking another spin of the wheel. Many of those try a different church if the one down the street is strange or boring, like just another spin.

Others just don't need to spin the wheel. They just wait on deciding what they need to believe and focus on values and self improvement and rely on their own moral compass while they are unsure of their beliefs. It is a great thing to be able to say "I just don't know."

just what am I supposed to believe now??

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