yeah but I don't understand him.
Do you still believe in God?
by IT Support 79 Replies latest watchtower bible
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franklin J
fundamentally, Yes.
I admit that I do not possess any real underrstanding or knowledge of what "GOD" or "the person or entity" responsible for existience (other than established religious beliefs, which I feel are just "man made teachings") is all about.
But I do believe something is responsible for our existence.
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Euphemism
I think Blueblades is right on the money:
It has been said:"No one can prove the existence of God,and,No one can prove that God does not exist."
It then boils down to a belief system or personal experience of some kind that leads one to believe in God.
But my feeling is... if there's a God, why not leave us some unmistakable evidence of his/her/its existence? This whole "you have to have faith" game just doesn't make sense to me.
It's true that we can't completely explain how life and the universe originated. But science is still in its infancy. If you used God to explain what science can't account for, your God would have gotten gradually smaller and smaller and smaller over the last few hundred years.
Nor can I believe that a God who was omnipotent and omniscient could not have created a Universe without suffering.
So if there is a God--which I doubt--I can think of him/her/it in terms of a life force, a creative force, the spiritual energy of the Universe, something like that. But not, by any means, the sort of personal God that Christianity teaches.
One last recommendation: if you're really interested in this subject, ignore the Watchtower Library. Go to a real library. You'll find numerous books--by theologians, philosophers, etc--that are far more thoughtful and well-researched than the Watchtower publications.
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Valis
No I don't. To me the scales are way tilted against believing in a god. In a fantsy world it would be great it you could have a deity that would at least talk back to you or show you some irrefutable proof. Until then I won't hold my breath. One also supposes that my upbringing in a certain religion has infused me w/enough sarcasm and disbelief in a god that I got enough fuel to power several athiests ad infinitum..*LOL*
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
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happehanna
I just want to thank you for posing such a direct question. I know this sounds daft but since I left JWs I haven't thought about such a basic fundamental. I shall now though.
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JamesThomas
may I ask whether you still believe in God? Why? Or why not?
First may I say it is extremely wise and healthy to deeply question the concepts and beliefs about God/Truth that we were raised with. So much of it we blindly accept and never question. A good place to start is with books about the history of God(s). When we place our entire life interpretation on something, it's nice to know how stable or shaky the ground is since we do see the universe through the lens of our religious or none-religious beliefs. Personally, I no longer believe in a "God", an entity, a divine invisible personage out there. Which would classify me as an atheist. I have abandon "beliefs" about God. However, there is a strong yearning to embrace a deeper more intimate sense and aliveness of That (I do not use this word as if to point to a thing or object), which all life flows from -- and back to. It is a journey to discover what is at the Center of our Being. What is actual, real and intimate of intimate, closer than close. Discovery of our true-self, void of what we have been told or what we believe ourselves to be. No church or religion needed for this. Just earnest attention within the moment of aliveness. Strange thing is, is that attention to Life brings a natural sense of respect, honesty, beauty, love and peace. Not as things separate from each other, but as an integrated whole within you, as you. There is depthless and alive wisdom within us, if we but look there -- instead of books and beliefs. It's as if we have a treasure in our pocket, and never knew. j
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Valis
There is depthless and alive wisdom within us, if we but look there -- instead of books and beliefs. It's as if we have a treasure in our pocket, and never knew.
speak for yourself JT...*LOL* Just wanted to say I like your outlook. One thing I think your approach does is take the ego driven need for an external "higher power" and set it aside. I think...*LOL* Sincerely, District Overbeer
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got my forty homey?
I do simply because of the marvleous designs of many of natures creatures and our own human bodies! I really can't believe that all of these things occurred on there own. However on the same line of thought how would an intelligant creature leave us on this planet to destroy ourselves and make our lives miserable. And why would such an intelligent all knowing designer need to have a "religon" to worship him, or a "bible" to learn about him. It doesn't make sense.
Life is a meaningless nightmare of suffering, so who cares, pop some valley's and dans!
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IT Support
I think they do try to sincerely prove the existence of God
Some interesting thoughts here: I only realised when reading through them all, that I had limited my concept of 'God' to that described in the Bible (which is, of course, rather different from the God in WT literature!).
So if starting again from fundamentals, I think the question should have been, and should now be restated as: "Do you still believe in a form of divinity, or god-ness?" rather than the more Biblically-biased "Do you still believe in God?"
Regards,
Ken
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IT Support
Mouthy,
So did the folks that ran Jonestown & Koresh!!!!
Very funny, thanks, but your point is well made.
I believe that one is a judgemental god my GOD is loving me UNconditionally -HIS naame to me is JESUS!!!!
Whoa, there!! I think I should make sure first that I'm walking on solid ground, before I start thinking of running.
I suggest you read Crises of Conscience
Hmm, I've read it a few times (and underlined it--just like it's an enormous Watchtower study, LOL--and type up a precis for myself) but I don't recall Ray specifically covering this issue. Apart from anything else, his 'crisis' was only to do with the organisation: he remains convinced of his heavenly hope, which implies he's happy with his belief in God.
Thanks,
Ken