JWLITE

by Teddnzo 124 Replies latest jw friends

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  Teddnzo

  Stan you are right there have always been some hanging on come to meetings occasionally.

  This is very different though, this JWLITE thing is for everyone as you don’t need to go door to door anymore. Everything is easier than the 1960s.

  Pascal’s wager idea applied to JWLITE is to live as if there is a God and JWs are one of the ideas closest to the truth from his word the Bible then you have nothing to lose by carrying on being physically in but mentally agnostic.

  The AGM said you can get through last minute if you want if and when you see all the things happening that the GB say will happen, like governments turn in religion and cry of peace and security. They say only JWs will be the only religious group to break the law once the laws are passed that religious practices are illegal.

  I’m almost 100% sure the GB are wrong but what is the harm in waiting to see
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  stan livedeath

  problem for me is i'm not agnostic--i'm atheist. To me its a case of " in the beginning man made god"

  But i would consider jwlite--it it meant by attending occasionally my son and daughter might speak to me. But realistically its far too late for that.
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  Teddnzo

  Pascal’s wager is interesting because it makes it obvious that whatever your belief system is you are taking a wager or a bet.

  
  

  Even being apathetic is a wager and you may lose.

  
  

  Being atheist is a bet that the universe origin was chance. This may be wrong and then you are missing out.

  
  

  
  

  Believing intelligent design was involved is also a wager or a bet
  

  
  

  Is there an way where you can bet on all opinions and not have any disadvantages?

  
  

  Yes I believe there is. JWLITE but make sure you don’t have any disadvantages to being physically in

  
  
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  TonusOH

  Keep in mind that if it is all just a wager, the odds don't look very good. Those who choose to deny religion, along with those who sit on the fence, and also those who choose the wrong god(s), have to hope that the actual god is one who is forgiving of such choices (in which case, why even put humanity through all of this?). If it is one of the many gods who are not forgiving --say, the kind who threaten eternal suffering for anyone who did not meet 100% of the requirements-- then we're all doomed to an eternity of suffering at the hands of a very cruel being.

  With so many religions and religious denominations --many which demand exclusive and rigid devotion-- the odds are that most people will fall short. On the other hand, the idea of a god who wants everyone to be saved, but allows such splintering of support over time, doesn't make sense. Such a god really can't exist.
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  Teddnzo

  stan livedeath4 hours ago

  But i would consider jwlite--if it meant by attending occasionally my son and daughter might speak to me. But realistically its far too late for that

  -

  ITS NOT TOO LATE STAN.

  It would be better for now if disfwllowshipped one’s being shunned by family got reinstated and joined the JWLITE brigade.

  Then you could slowly show your family members that the GB are wrong and do it in a very subtle way
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  stan livedeath

  TS NOT TOO LATE STAN.

  what i meant was--its too late--by many years--to try to build bridges with my family. Its their choice--not mine. But if i thought that me attending the occasional talk could smooth the way for them--i would give it a try.

  Ive no interest in any religion--and the whole idea of life after death--or armageddon--is just laughable nonsense. Just stuff to encourage soldiers into battle.

  I spent several years in the 70's attending some meetings to appease the wife. I hated every minute of it--i had already resigned to the elders. I was never d/f'd.
  
  
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  GrreatTeacher

  I would never take Pascal's Wager.

  There is no one I would enjoy spending forever with less than the hypocritical lot of JWs.

  I didn't enjoy being around them back then and I certainly cannot imagine spending eternity with them.

  What a miserable world the New World would be.
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  Teddnzo

  Great teacher it’s a shame you say that but this is your choice, if there is a Creator and the Bible is his word then it says he has given us all a choice.

  You do know it is a wager that you are taking by choosing not to take Pascal’s wager? You are taking a wager whatever choice you make even if apathetic.

  I choose to take Pascal’s wager and live JWLITE life staying physically in but making damn sure there are zero disadvantages to my wager.

  You have to ask yourself are there disadvantages to the wager you are choosing?
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  ExBethelitenowPIMA

  stan livedeath4 days ago

  problem for me is i'm not agnostic--i'm atheist. To me its a case of " in the beginning man made god"

  What are the advantages of being atheist? I suppose if you genuinely believe the origin of everything was just chance then everything has no purpose it’s all meaningless. You don’t have to feel guilty about hurting others or doing anything wrong according to the Bible. Everyone just does eventually and that’s all there is to it, no hope for the future at all.

  Maybe this is all true but I don’t see any advantage to believing in possibilities of intelligent design behind it all.

  To keep the possibility there that there is something more to it than just change is more advantageous to me.
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  TonusOH

  Re: the meaninglessness of life: our lives have the meaning we give it. Knowing there is no 'after' just gives those lives more meaning now.

  Re: Guilt/doing wrong: human societies have been developing moral codes for as long as there have been human societies. Being able to figure out what works and what doesn't is part of our nature. Human history bears this out, with moral codes developing and changing through the centuries (something that would be unnecessary if we'd gotten a 'correct' code right from the start).

  In any event, I didn't choose atheism just as I did not choose to believe when I was a JW. Being wrong is one thing. Deliberately lying to myself would not work.