by Dansk 24 Replies latest jw friends
Dansk, my usual flippant reply on this subject is:
The Goddess created atheists to keep the rest of us honest.
I don't know that that helps at all, but personally, I think that as long as you experience the power of love, and as long as your intelligence serves your compassion, what brand name you give it doesn't matter.
Yours for bigger and better Ooga Booga,
gentlyferal
You experience the process of thinking, but you don't experience the thought per se. Does that mean the thought isn't real?
(((Ian)))..My God man!..You have no Faith!..If your going to believe in really stupid Sh*t..You need Faith!..If you have absolutely no Faith..I can sell you Faith for 3 easy payments of $9.99..But wait!..There`s more!..Along with Faith you get this 3 Piece Knife Set,they never need sharpening!..But Wait!..There`s more!..Along with "Faith" and the "3 Piece Kife Set",you get an inhome instruction booklet on "Swiss Alp Yodeling"!!..How could you possibly pass up this limited time offer??..Remember..Stock is limited..Order your Faith today!.....LOL!!..OUTLAW
Dansk:
I like this way of explaining these things:
It's called the Gestalt Prayer
I do my thing and you do your thing.
- I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
- And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
- You are you, and I am I,
- And if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.
- If not, it can't be helped.
(Fritz Perls, 1969)
I love it Ian. My ten year old son had a conversation with his aunt's mom. She has Christian stuff all over her house and he's very curious about Christianity. I am not a Christian, although I do believe Jesus existed. Steve gives Jesus a little more credit than I do, but since he hasn't experienced it, he won't profess any standing. It confuses Rhys (my son) because he goes to school with a lot of believers and my brother and his wife are big time believers, so he wants to know more about it.
So, he asked his aunt's mom about Jesus. Since he's ten and she knows we are not believers, she jumped at the chance to preach to him. Instead of going for the more subtle teachings, she made it easy for me and jumped in with a big fantastic story. She told him that when she was a young girl, her uncle and brother died in a house fire that she also was in or hurt in or something. She had a vision and saw her uncle, brother and dog with Jesus.
I was amazed that she would take this route with him, but was able to use the same reasoning you posted above to help Rhys to see her vision for what it was. Hers. Not his. Not mine. I told him I do not question that she had it. I believe she saw what she said she saw. Whether or not it was from God is not for me or Rhys to decide, because we did not see it. He totally got it.
I couldn't resist taking it one step further. I told him that she believes that I will not be going to heaven since I don't believe. She probably thinks I'll go to hell. I asked why her dog was more deserving than me.
He's an extremely smart boy with a genius IQ. I told him that his beliefs are not for Steve and I to dictate. I only ask that he uses logic when he examines his beliefs, and not what other people say. People can say anything. Make them prove it.
He's an interesting boy. He used logic to disprove the serpent in the Garden of Eden story when he was five. He thought it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. I was simply reading him the story so he could have some bible education. I didn't lead him one way or the other.
It's completely different from how most of us were raised. We were told to believe it. It's nice that now it's my choice, and it will always be up to my kids what they choose to believe.
Thanks for posting Ian.
Rachel
I didn't lead him one way or the other.It's completely different from how most of us were raised. We were told to believe it. It's nice that now it's my choice, and it will always be up to my kids what they choose to believe.
Now that's parenting!
I like the way you chose not to discredit the lady's experience, but guided him to look at it objectively. NO WONDER HE'S GOT A GENIUS IQ....you allow him to actually use his own mind with just the right amount of guidance from you.
Great topic!
Ian, I haven't experienced it................either. I have been a Catholic for 29 years and a JW for 33 years and at 62 years of age I am in no man's land so to speak. Death will bring the answer and it might very well be that at my death I will experience it. Then again maybe not. I raised a family, been married for 39 years, from 1968 to the present, to the same woman. Led a fairly decent life, served my country in the Navy, read the scriptures, many versions a dozen times. I am nobody special, just an ordinary man doing the best that I can with what I have been giving in this life, just as many other people are doing and have done, quietly going about their lives with family and friends.
When others experience it........... I wonder why I haven't yet. So, I guess you and I will just have to wait as long as it will take, even unto death.
Blueblades
Sure would be nice to roll the clock back so I could have Rachel (Princess) for a mom.
(I love my mom, just not all the boogey man, creativity killing, propaganda stuff)
Open mind
LOL at ((((((((Outy))))))).
Genius parenting, Princess, for a genius boy! Congratulations!! ((((((((()))))))))),
Ian
So, I guess you and I will just have to wait as long as it will take, even unto death.
Looks that way, BlueBlades!
Ian
