Non-believers......... Do they "bash" Believers too hard? (page 3)

Xena

If I truely cared about someone, I would want them to know the "truth" of what they are believing. To me, that's not forcing someone to believe as I do, that's showing a friend he or she can find a better path to travel. This life is too short for any of us to waste time on things that are not true. The WT is a good example. There is no doubt that many people here didn't want to believe the org was wrong, I didn't. But if you had the chance to show anyone the org was wrong, even though they are happy with it, would you? I know this is an example of the org compared to the topic, but it goes to the same principle. There are alot of people in the org who don't get hurt by it and are happy, would you show them the "truth"? I would. I would consider it a failing on my part not to help my fellow man (or woman) to a better path in life.

Not everyone is or will be ready for what you might consider "truth". And you can show people your perception of the "truth" but you can't cram it down their throats. Life and let live is my motto personally....I share my thoughts and ideas with other people but I don't expect them to embrace them....

On a serious note, though, I have observed in my life that when some people lose their happiness or discover that it was a false happiness, they cannot wait to harsh somebody else's buzz and become intolerant of behavior or beliefs that they once held dear.
Misery loves company sometimes

It appears that way with some people doesn't it?

unfortunately buried in a thread that appears about to be taken over by the smurf set.

Was the remark really necessary? Was there a point to it or did you just feel the need to degrade others thoughts and feelings?

DannyBear

LT,

***I can understand the desire, because I'd like the WTS to fall, just as much as the next person. What I find hard to comprehend is going at it, hammer and tongs, with no reasonable alternative offered.***

Kinda like the tried and true jw response 'where will we go?". Not a good reason to continue to base one's life course on any foundation.

I really think that your honest comment is the crux of this whole discussion. From the time we reach the age of 2 or 3 we barrage our parents with questions, about everything.....I mean to the point of exasperation (for our parents anyway). Most loving parents will at least try and answer our questions......give us some 'alternative' to our most often unanswerable questions.

Religion may well have been invented, just to give parents a way out.

Perhaps the tradition of always having an answer, satiating the need to know, is why we seem to think there must be an answer. I have concluded that no one has any better 'alternative' then the next.

Instead of looking for an alternative perhaps we should be asking more questions..........without the expectation of getting THE RIGHT ANSWER. There may be none to be found.

Danny

obiwan

I agree Xena, as I said before. Showing the facts to someone is what I look for, not cramming it down thier throats. If they choose to believe another way, that's thier choice, but I will show them the "truth" or "facts".

willyloman

Was the remark really necessary? Was there a point to it or did you just feel the need to degrade others thoughts and feelings?

Xena: Happily, I was wrong, and no, it wasn't necessary. I'm sorry, I just over reacted to something.

logansrun

Well, Christians are fucked up anyway so why shouldn't I point that out to them?

Just kidding......sort of . Seriously, I have no problem with Christians or new-agers or any other person of a belief system posting whatever they damn well please. Just as they have every right to interject their comments into "atheist" threads (such as the many on evolution), nonbelievers have the right to comment on the believers threads -- as long as it remains somewhat civil.

I just don't buy the "why ruin their faith if it makes them happy" argument. Sorry. Nope. Not gunna stoop to that. If you sincerely believe something you should be able to defend that belief to whatever arguments or reasoning that is held against it. To not allow this would be far too Watchtoweresque if you ask me.

Bradley

PS -- One little footnote I'd like to mention is the fact that, especially in the US, Christianity is quite strong and such things as creationism and fundamentalism is growing. I view any reasoned arguments against them (and a few polemical ones!) to be a necessary public duty to counterract such baloney.

kgfreeperson

This thread has been tremendously helpful to me and I'd like to thank you all. I am very reactive about religion and, while I think I am tolerant of the views of people who are religious (in just about any way), I have to accept the fact that I am not. And you have helped me see one of the ways I signal I am not--when I say "humans have a hard time seeing themselves as ordinary, simply another life form, not part of a divine plan, but just part of life" I set myself apart, I suggest that I am somehow not one of those "needy" humans who can't see reality for what it is. That is very condescending. Sometimes I see the inability to (or perhaps it is merely a disinclination to) yearn for the divine as a learning disability. It is just not present in me and I find it very hard to believe (have faith) that it is real for other people and that that reality isn't a delusion or aberration. And I have to remind myself: just because I can't believe it doesn't make it not so or wrong. At any rate, thank you for the discussion.

Frannie Banannie

Excellent posts here....and great thread......just wanted to say that it should be understandable to all on this site, as xdubs, that there is initially an open and often vitriolic hostility often displayed by those somewhat freshly freed from the borg....against the borg, any borganizers (JWs) and often other religious entities and their supporters....however, there isn't likely anyone here that doesn't know how to use their mouse to click on another thread, another post, which would be more to their liking, if they can't find anything supportive, empathetic or reassuring to reply to such hostile or "bashing" posts.....it's a way to show tolerance and compassion.....to let those suffering angst over the WT-BATS and anything that reeks of religion.....work through their hostilities.....until they can get past the anger....or if not get past it, to at least learn to control it.

Frannie B

How's that?

At least you're honest!

Spanner

Non-believers......... Do they "bash" Believers too hard?

Xena

DannyBear

obiwan

willyloman

logansrun

kgfreeperson

Frannie Banannie

Yerusalyim

obiwan

SpannerintheWorks

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