by LexIsFree 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I think to ask if 'WE' have a spiritual need is going to get a mixed reaction. rightly so.
sometimes I wake up with the need to speak to a higher power.
I don't. I wake up and think, Oh, sh1t I'm still alive!
I don't have a need to pray because my experience is that, even when I sincerely believed, my prayers weren't answered.
My conclusion, god is either a dick or doesn't exist. Either way, sod it!
Alex, hope life is going well for you. I missed your first post so Welcome!!
Growing up I was not a jw, but always felt like "religious" people had something or knew something better than me. It was still a big time for church-going so it seemed that everyone knew some secret that I didn't have a clue about, and it somehow made me "less than".
Sadly, those feelings played right into the jw indoctrination program/"bible study" so that I dived in completely. Some of my family was "in" so I felt like I finally belonged. Tried to do everything right, studied hard, raised my kids as dubs, pioneered, moved to serve "where the need was great", etc.
But I still came up empty. Because when it was all said and done, and I'd done everything the way it was dictated from the wts, life wasn't glorious and wonderful after all. It was like finding out that "god's mouthpiece" was really the little man behind the green curtain in the Wizard of Oz.
Once I realized they were phony (there was just no way that a god of love, reason, compassion as represented by jesus could be so cruel, heartless, power-hungry and greedy), I just couldn't keep up the charade and walked away.
After a time of venting the anger over wasting my life and doing this to my kids, I started to read (gasp) worldly books about other religions and beliefs. There was so much commonality in the belief systems, I realized it all came down to your personal core beliefs. So I had to figure out what I thought was right without having a structured group tell me. I had to develop my own belief system.
I like to say I am spiritual but not religionist. I can't say that I still believe in a mystical guy in the sky because there's way too much scientific evidence to the contrary. It did take courage to go out on my own without my family and figure out what I needed to be happy in a spiritual way, and I don't think that journey will ever stop. But watching people drive to churches and pray over their meals and post comments on fb about jesus and god bless -- those things make me shake my head. It's ritual that provides comfort, but it's living in a box that someone else defined and designed.
Give yourself the freedom to explore, and the permission to not feel guilty. I have a feeling you're going to figure it all out pretty soon, and I imagine you'll be one of the happiest guys around because you have the heart and the brains to find peace within yourself.
Hugs to you and your loved ones,
cBg
I do think that people have a spiritual need, but if you do not believe in God you define spirituality in a different way. When I think of spirituality, I mean the best ideals of the human spirit. It's usually defined by religious belief, because that is how most people define morality and spirituality, it's what they know, but that doesn't have to be the case.
For example, I believe in being honest. I am not honest because I believe God will punish me, but because I think it's the best way to be, it's part of my personal code of conduct. Being spiritual for me means working towards those ideals, being my best self and reaching my full potential. I spend a fair amount of time thinking about these things and making sure my outward actions match my inner code of conduct.
I also meditate every day, which helps keep me from getting off track and involved with things that don't mesh with my beliefs.
As Ghandi said, "you must be the change you wish to see in the world. "
