JWLITE

by Teddnzo 124 Replies latest jw friends

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  ExBethelitenowPIMA

  

  Leathercrop17 hours ago

  I tend to feel like a lot of non-hardcore Christians do, at least what I perceive them to, that Christ makes amends where we come up short, and that faith in Christ goes a long way

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  Yes that faith goes a long way. But here is my question? Is ignorance bliss? Can a placebo work if you are truly not sure if it maybe just placebo?

  Could you have the view that maybe the Bibles promises are correct and having faith and hope in the POSSIBILITY of the Bible being right, will this help?

  If a doctor gives a placebo to a critical thinker, and this patient is not sure if it’s just placebo. But the doctor was very convincing that this medication will help. If the patient has the view that maybe it’s placebo but maybe not will it still help?
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  Teddnzo

  Here is one option of a belief system that suits me. This is a JWLITE version of Pascal’s wager.

  Stay physically in the JWs to the extent of going to meetings and assembly’s/conventions when it suits, maybe give answers/items occasionally but not putting too much effort into them. Half the time on zoom in your slippers and PJs with a nice cuppa.

  Going in ministry groups mainly zoom only for the social aspect, really it’s just a social meet up and good old gossip never really written letters and everyone knows this. Only very occasionally in person ministry groups at the hall or someone’s home, but never going on door to door work. Just say you are going to do ‘calls’ or street/park witnessing but never actually do any of that. Then meet up for coffee breaks. Make the most of all gatherings and be very zealous at visiting members of the congregation.

  This is the best part being in a close knit community. Really great folks who you can trust to always be there for you in times of need. Everyone in JWs are so kind and generous and always have the best gatherings and hospitality.

  Make it look like you are at the heart of the congregation and be very involved with everyone as this is the only good part of staying physically in.

  Mentally live as pascals wager but a JWLITE version according to the latest AGM. Live how you want as it really doesn’t matter according to the latest AGM. If the JWs turn out to be right you can repent last min.

  The advantage to this approach is the placebo affect compared to being an atheist. With at least a tiny amount of faith Jesus said the size of a mustard seed you could move a mountain.

  So keeping one foot in and one foot out the get the best of both worlds.

  When you analyse someone with faith in God particularly the JWs they do have this placebo affect where they don’t worry so much and can cope with illness even short life expectancy diagnosis.

  Yes I can have this placebo affect even though it may not be true I can hope that it is.
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  ExBethelitenowPIMA

  Yes hope and faith are different in the way that hope is binary either ones or zeros. You either have hope or you don’t. Atheists don’t have hope in the Bibles promises of something better but agnostics and theists do.

  
  

  Faith on the other hand could be measured on a scale of 1-100. Atheists have zero faith in the Bible so no hope. Theists can be up near 100 while agnostics maybe down near to zero the size Jesus mustard grain but they both have hope.

  
  

  Pascal’s wager is basically saying it’s better to have faith the size of a mustard grain and therefore hope than to have none.

  
  

  If you visit someone on the dying bed or someone who has just lost loved ones, you can hold their hand and tell them about the Biblical promises like in this Rev21:3,4, and even if you are nearer to zero on the scale it’s still a hope.

  
  

  Even if it is placebo it’s still a help. The thing about placebo is that believing it helps is actually helping. So to say it actually does no good whatsoever is not accurate as it does do some good as long as you have hope.
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  TonusOH

  Just to clarify: Pascal was saying that if you did not believe in god, it was better to fake it. Because if god does exist, there was a chance he would not punish you in the afterlife. It is less about hope and more about cynicism, since it relies on a god who is either easy to fool or quite apathetic.

  The problem is that the god of the Bible does not come across as either foolish or uninterested. Nor does he seem to appreciate people trying to slip past him. Pascal might be roasting in one of the hottest pits of all at this moment, joined by all of the people who thought god was okay with a half-effort.
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  Teddnzo

  Tonus, yes Pascal’s wager is just a good philosophical thing to think about deeply. Then use it or adjust it to suit you.

  It makes me think about taking it further. I can’t say for absolutely certain that the origin of the universe was not from intelligent design. So I will love my life as if that intelligent design had something to do with the Bible. Even if not to live by the Bible is very beneficial in my opinion.

  I love this new JWLITE idea that is being talked about everywhere since the AGM. I don’t know know who came up with it originally but I love it, and just like Pascal’s wager the JWLITE wager is something to think deeply about. Then use it or adjust it to suit you.
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  Leathercrop

  Yes that faith goes a long way. But here is my question? Is ignorance bliss? Can a placebo work if you are truly not sure if it maybe just placebo?

  Hi exbethelite,

  Yes, I believe genuine ignorance can be bliss.

  Not sure if I'm understanding your follow up questions correctly tho.

  As far as what the Bible promises...these days I tend to simply accept that human beings are here on earth now, more specifically myself, and I don't worry much about what will happen after I die. The concepts of heaven after death can clearly be interpreted in so many ways, ie paradise on earth, that it doesn't really matter to me anymore.

  Heaven, earth, literal, figurative etc etc ..

  I have faith in God, which makes it easy for me to have faith in what the Bible states happened in the past...and what happens in the future I leave to God as well.
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  Leathercrop

  Pascal might be roasting in one of the hottest pits of all at this moment, joined by all of the people who thought god was okay with a half-effort.

  Yikes, I sure hope hell isn't literal
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  ExBethelitenowPIMA

  Is there any downside to the JWLITE wager? It’s a good way of life and if there is a downside then avoid that, just take the benefits.

  It’s a great community of people. Very interesting following the Bible with an open mind.

  Ignore the GB direction on everything never shun anyone and keep your head down. Some on Reddit are saying this new JWLITE wager means you never ever talk to elders if they ever want to take you to the back room.

  well I am an elder and I’m choosing the JWLITE wager. I can talk about the Bibles promises completely leaving the GB out of it. I can encourage everyone even those who have left the organisation.
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  Rivergang

  Maybe a little off-topic, but it is noticeable that those who have kept with the JW religion seem to share a common characteristic:

  i.e. They pay lip-service to every utterance issued by the GB (and prior to that, “The Society”), but in practice, quietly ignore the more extreme demands of their religion. In that way, they are little different from the so-called “Mainstream Churches”. (This certainly applies to the members of my family who have remained with the JWs).
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  a watcher

  JWLITE seems similar to 'quiet quitting'.