by 7robert7 63 Replies latest jw friends
I believe in some form of God. I believe that if you look at the examples of Jesus, Gahndi, and Mother Teresa, you can see examples of God like behavior in people; examples worthy of emulation.
I don't believe in the god of fundementalist, JW's, or really any organization that believes they have 'all the answers'.
Jelly
Francois
they no longer had any teeth, but in their efforts to gum me to death they were made to look ridiculous.
LOL
Naeblis.......
If god wants my belief he's going to have to earn it.
He's trying too! Through others, that care>
Christian love
Your friend (I hope
qwerty
Just a thought on why so many Ex-JW's are atheist.
Outside of the fundi churches many people that call themselves christians do not base their faith on the bible. The bible is thought of as one of the tools that people use to get to know their creator and not the only tool. Many liberal xian churches also believe that the bible is not inerrant, and that we must realize that some of the bible is not the inspired word of god, but instead the word of man.
As Jehovahs witnesses our whole faith was based on the bible. As JW's leave the organization they begin to learn about the bible and realize that it is not inerrant. This I believe has one of two effects:
(1) people decide the bible is wrong therefore no God exist, or
(2) people decide that the bible was not written to convey facts but was written to convey a general message. Leading to a more liberal view of God and spirituality.
Jelly
I know you probably didn't mean it to be insulting, but;
"how many, due to the Societies teachings have given up on God all together ?"
... is like me saying
"how many, due to an inability or unwillingness to look with fresh eyes at all aspects of their belief structure, still believe in god?
I don't believe in god because I honestly and sincerely find a lack of evidence for a god. My disenchantment with the Borg got me to a point where I did look at everything from the ground up. And I didn't find god.
I find it inconceievable that there would not be clear objective evidence of the creator, as provable as that of gravity, if that god is a god of love and is judging us according to our actions.
You might subjectively be able to believe in god through genetic inclination or force of will, or MAYBE because I am missing out on something, but it is a SUBJECTIVE experience of god that I cannot share in.
To then put my lack of belief in god down to the 'Society's teachings' rather than a considered opinion is to treat me like a petulant child.
I try to be respectful of theists' beliefs as I do realise they are real to them. I don't always succeed. As I said, I'm sure you didn't realise you were being condecending...
I believe that god is the universe, the fabric of space and time, evrything around us, and including us. I think it's actually demeaning to view god as a person; he is more than that. I believe that our whole reality exists within god (and doesnt actually exist any where else at all).
I feel that this gives everything a kind of life force and there is a consciousness almost flowing, at times, seemingly intelligent of it's own.
I'm with Abaddon on this. I don't believe in gods, because I see no evidence for their existence, not because of the teachings of the Watchtower Society or any other godmongers.
--
Ubi dubium ibi libertas
I believe there is a God. I believe IN God.
I don't believe in God either. My thoughts are he was made up by early man, because they didn't understand the scientific world around them. I think the Bible is just a story, written by man, conceived by man. Kind of a how-to book with life lessons and morals thrown in. Can we find good council in the Bible? Certainly we can. Do I think it's inspired by god? Nope.
I echo the thoughts of many here. I think there is a creator, however I don't find the creator to be the entity described in the bible. That God acts waaay too much like the like the men who wrote about him. I don't remember who said it but I agree with the quote that "Man isn't created in Gods image, God is created in man's image"
Anyone know who that belongs to? I forget BW is sleepy this morning!
BW
"The important thing is to not stop questioning" Albert Einstein
I'm just curious as to how many ex-witnesses here still believe in the God of the Bible ? And how many, due to the Societies teachings have given up on God all together ?
Questioning the teachings of the Witnesses lead to questioning the bible as well. A natural progression of events in my opinion. For me questioning my beliefs meant questioning the source of my beliefs as well. This has meant that I no longer have a belief in the god identified and described by the bible.
I will add that the teachings of the society had nothing to do with my reaching the conclusion that if there is a god it is not the god of the bible. Rather it was the bible and clear thinking that have lead me to this conclusion.
As for the question of is their a creator, the jury is still out on that one. I do lean towards believing that their is something beyond us. What that is I don't know.
felix a (David P)
