unsure

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Posts by unsure

• 
  119

  Do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved?

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do i have to believe in jesus to be saved?.

  i was raised as a jehovah's witness.

  i was born in.

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  unsure

  
  
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  119

  Do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved?

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do i have to believe in jesus to be saved?.

  i was raised as a jehovah's witness.

  i was born in.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  unsure

  @Anders Andersen

  I agree completely.

  Except sometimes I think, what if this draw I have to Christianity is Gods way of drawing me to them? That God, Jesus love me, you know the same tired explanations you hear all the time. What if? Yes it doesn't make sense, but what if the same old tired explanation of Divine Will cannot be understood by imperfect minds is true? My issue is that I always "what if" each side.

  I confess that it all does not make sense to me but I still believe there is something greater but have no evidence to support this, just faith.

  Hopefully, if there is a God, they do not fault me for not ignoring my own logic.
• 
  119

  Do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved?

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do i have to believe in jesus to be saved?.

  i was raised as a jehovah's witness.

  i was born in.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  unsure

  Do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved?

  I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. I was born in.

  After leaning The Truth About The Truth, how can I be expected to believe in anything anymore? Nonetheless, I still believe in a God and I still have this built in draw to Christianity. The finer details, I'm not sure about, nor will I ever know. Is there a Trinity? Is Jesus God's son and his first creation? Why did Jesus have to be sacrificed? I've heard all the arguments and it still does not make sense to me. Each side has their evidence to support their argument "beyond a doubt". I can't even understand why God permits suffering; yes I've heard it all before. Please do not post scripture trying to prove your belief on this matter.

  If Christianity is correct, do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved when I can't even determine if he is God's first creation, his son or part of a Trinity? Do I have to believe if I feel that the whole sacrifice arrangement seems more like an illogical story that does not fit into reality? Some days I try to have "faith" but other days I acknowledge that I may very well be just lying to myself in trying to make sense of it all.

  Is it enough to believe in a God and that they have a purpose for us and a greater hope of some kind?

  EDIT: even though I have the "draw" to Christianity, I would be lying to myself if I said the Bible made sense TO ME.
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  42

  “Tree of good and bad” means what?

  by venus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if “tree of good and bad” were literal, it would mean adam and eve would know what is “good and bad” only after eating of that tree.

  however, even before eating of it, they would think “it is good for us to eat of this tree” which means they are already endowed knowledge of “good and bad.” that means “tree of good and bad” is symbolic of something.. since religious organizations interpret this differently, each reader has to adopt his own conclusion.

  for me it looks like this: one thinks of good and bad in relation to himself—if something is beneficial for him he would say it is good for him, and bad for him if it is not beneficial.

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  unsure

  Interesting point @Smiddy

  That's why to me, it makes more sense that God is not this perfectly all loving being. That they have these very human like emotions and ways. That they are like God's in mythology with imperfections and struggles themselves. That "bad things" are just the way the universe is, order and chaos, Ying and Yang. That God is a being very much like us just on a different plane and infinitely more powerful.
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  48

  God of the Old Testament

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to those on these forums who are christian and or to those who believe in the god of the old testament; how does one overcome many of the questionable actions god took or allowed to happen in the old testament?.

  many if not most of us have heard of criticisms of the god of the old testament.

  you can find these criticisms on many websites.. how do you explain to an honest hearted person why god acted the way they did?.

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  unsure

  @Cold Steel

  The Bible says God is love and that we were created in his image. If our human compassion and love (in God's image) can lead us to question some of the actions of God in the Bible, surely we can't be faulted for questioning it.

  On top of all the other faith we need to beleive in which God, within which religion is the right one we are also expected to have faith in God's​ actions and not question them?

  See my other thread asking "why does it have to be this complicated?"

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5631312687792128/there-evidence-creator-if-you-just-look
  
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  48

  God of the Old Testament

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to those on these forums who are christian and or to those who believe in the god of the old testament; how does one overcome many of the questionable actions god took or allowed to happen in the old testament?.

  many if not most of us have heard of criticisms of the god of the old testament.

  you can find these criticisms on many websites.. how do you explain to an honest hearted person why god acted the way they did?.

  1. 
  2. 
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  unsure

  @Cold Steel said:

  "God, on the other hand, views atheists as children who reach outrageous and exceedingly foolish conclusions based on inadequate understandings of all facets having to do with any given situation."

  Atheists are very intelligent and base their viewpoints on facts rather than faith and confirmation bias.

  Some of the greatest minds in human history are atheist.

  The existence of a God cannot be proven.

  I'm sorry, I want to believe and on some days I do, but I accept that I have no evidence to base this beleif on, only faith. To do otherwise would be lying to myself.
• 
  48

  God of the Old Testament

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to those on these forums who are christian and or to those who believe in the god of the old testament; how does one overcome many of the questionable actions god took or allowed to happen in the old testament?.

  many if not most of us have heard of criticisms of the god of the old testament.

  you can find these criticisms on many websites.. how do you explain to an honest hearted person why god acted the way they did?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  unsure

  I hope that it is that we are too limited as human beings to understand God's purpose or thinking. It's the only way I can accept the God of the Old Testament and the Bible as a whole. I want to beleive in a God and it's the only explanation at this time that will allow me to believe.
• 
  48

  God of the Old Testament

  by unsure in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to those on these forums who are christian and or to those who believe in the god of the old testament; how does one overcome many of the questionable actions god took or allowed to happen in the old testament?.

  many if not most of us have heard of criticisms of the god of the old testament.

  you can find these criticisms on many websites.. how do you explain to an honest hearted person why god acted the way they did?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  unsure

  A few of us have given examples of questionable actions in the Old Testament.

  To those who take the Old Testament literally, why did God make those decisions?
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  41

  Where do I go now?

  by Libby in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i thought my purpose was to serve jehovah and get baptised.

  where do i go now to get baptised?

  is baptism even a requirement for serving god or was that just for the disciples and people of that time.

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  unsure

  @Libby

  Very welcome. I'm happy I came across your post.
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  41

  Where do I go now?

  by Libby in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i thought my purpose was to serve jehovah and get baptised.

  where do i go now to get baptised?

  is baptism even a requirement for serving god or was that just for the disciples and people of that time.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  unsure

  @Libby

  I can sympathize with you and am sorry for what you are going through.

  Most days I'm agnostic and some days I'm atheist. Many days I feel empty and that life is pointless and meaningless. Other days I try and have a hope in something.

  Sometimes I pray to whatever is out there. In my prayers I confess that I don't understand their purpose, let alone which is the true religion. Sometimes I give thanks although I confess that I don't understand why I'm blessed in certain ways while others have nothing; I feel like a hypocrite. Sometimes I apologize for my sins although I don't understand why I should apologize and why God is testing us and allowing suffering in the first place. I ask that whatever is out there, reveal itself to me.

  That is the way I pray. I open up my heart, try to humble myself, and wait.

  Hope that helps.