Hello Greven
I'm a Christian (never been a JW) who is very interested in 'debating' let's start?
<<<After being thoroughly deceived by people into believing JW's have the absolute truth I vowed I would never believe people without doing research myself.>>>
sehr gut.
<<<<Why would you base anyhing, like the existance of God, on faith at all? I am not saying you are wrong. Your conclusion can be valid, but should be build upon solid research, get the facts, look upon the issue from various stances, hear pro and con and then make up your conclusion.>>>
Hmmmm, this is a big misunderstanding. There would be no faith without fact. At least in Christianity (and naturally, there is truth in EVERY religion, I would say as a Christian, but not always with regard to God (in 'monotheistic' religions), the Object :). There is the faith 'train' NUMBER ONE: FACT NUMBER TWO: FAITH NUMBER THREE: FEELING. I wouldn't have faith without fact. please. That's just a very poor understanding of faith, and no wonder, as far as I can surmise, the WT slanders Christians nonstop for their belief in 'FAITH' in Christ as the redemption. That IS what is true, it DOES NOT mean faith that is empty, based upon air, it is based absolutely on FACT, we have faith IN the FACTS. As for me, oh my, I hope this does not come off as tooting my horn or something, but just to let you know, more specifically, not just generally that I have checked out both sides (actually *the many many* sides) ,,,I've been on neo-pagan, atheist and the like websites (typing 'Pagans views on Christianity' in search engine, if you want to see what I mean) that listed off at least 20 'deities' or 'god's' all myths, that were the basis for the 'Christ-myth' reading all that was said, and being quite alarmed frankly at the time. I've also been on THE ex-Christian web, where it was much different from any of the ex-JW or wotever sites I'd been on looking up their beliefs, because on all the ex-JW, it was only highlighting the lies of the ORGANIZATION past and present, where on this website it was directly attacking GOD, JESUS CHRIST, and the BIBLE. Nothing I'd ever seen before. I did look at that, yes, truly, sorry have to say, the views of 'apostates' in the Bible (those who turn and teach against Jesus and God, not a false organization :) but I was determined to do it, since I did not wish to be a hypocrite, asking others, such as members of cults to check out what they believed, whilst refusing to do the same.
In regards to checking out not only anti-Christ views, and simply anti- 'Creator' I would say to you, I've read apologies for 'agnosticism' (mostly because my bro was claiming to be one at the time) I've read the 'basics of existialism' some 'Jean-Paul Sartre', I've read too many different persons ideas on WHY they DO NOT believe in God, all over, I've read 'A brief History of Time' (which I've found very useful as a Christian :) by the very Atheistic and brilliant Steven Hawkings, ummm, let me see, I went to public school where evolution is shoved down your throat from when you're a wee one. As well as further reading differing theories on evolution, watching programs on it, etc. etc. I don't think there's one person on earth today who doesn't have a working knowledge of the basics of evolution, simply by the fact that it is saturated in all manner of texts, t.v. programs etc.
I've read about Hinduism, Buddhism, Islaam, the major religions in the world, as well as the cults of Christianity, all because of my concern ABOUT MY BELIEFS, why do I believe this, why is it 'right'?. And I have no intention to stop reading about other faiths, other views, and in fact, anti-views. That had to be to me the most bothersome thing I found about the Watch Tower when I was learning about them, the seal on information, something I couldn't relate to being a Christian. Not even being able to accept literature from 'Christendom' whilst expecting them to not only accept but purchase their literature. (right?)
You must understand that to me, the very toughest and challenging of all of these were the accussations towards Christ.
Though, sadly, these accussations turned out to be quite devious and empty on further examination. If you wish me to explain please ask. I don't want to make this too long.
Again, very simple misunderstanding of Faith, and belief. You wouldn't deny yourself the claim that you are 'disbelieving' in God, or 'believing' in evolution or whatever, if it were not based on what you KNOW to be FACT, would you now? Or are you just as airheaded as us Christians, you know, just believing for no 'good reason'? I really wouldn't know where to start as to why I believe...Do you have any specific inquiries, and do you mind long winded responses? :) And also 'Faith' is a dynamic everyday quantity, not limited to the belief in the Creator.
<<<Some believe in fairies, others are convinced the Loch Ness monster exists. They do not become real because people believe in them. Do you believe in any of them? If not: why not? Try to find the reason why you do not believe in them and then you'll see why many people do not believe in God. --> Absense of evidence for, and plenty against.>>>>>
That's very good. I think the ultimate test for anything is not that it can be 'proven' but it CAN NOT be disproven. For example, people may be able to prove that something existed, unless there came along stronger evidence that not only nullified, but came to be the 'truth' about it. You can 'prove' with 'evidence' that bigfoot exists, but that can easily be disproven. Actually I don't know what I'm talking about it's very late, I hope this made sense, hope you read it even. :)
Myxomatosis
*happiness is a warm gun*
