by avidbiblereader 22 Replies latest jw friends
With the election year facing us and so many here that have had their faith ruined by organized religion and when I read the posts with so many doubting the existence of God and Christ's authority.
Who is more gullible?
Those that put their faith in Christ as I profess or
Voting and trusting in men with election or hoping this world gets better?
Just wondering your thoughts
abr
abr,
Are you suggesting (as the WT does) that the two options are mutually exclusive? Or, more simply put, that you won't vote?
When most people vote they don't make a metaphysical choice for some kind of "salvation," they just try to influence the everyday course of events toward what they think is the best possible, or perhaps just the lesser evil. It is, at most, a practical and ethical issue.
(We vote next Sunday for the next French president btw.)
Frankly, I do not have faith in either, even though I vote with hope! I do not pray though, I have no faith, and I am OK with it. I am agnostic so I need to see it to believe it....
Nikki
Most people who vote realize that political candidates all make promises that they may not be able to keep if elected. People who vote based on who makes the best promises are gullible, indeed. However, people who vote based on a candidate's history and character are making an informed choice and are not necessarily gullible.
People who put their faith in an unseen spirit or deity [such as Jesus] are putting their trust in promises from an one(s) whose existence is not factual but an item of faith. Even if such spirits or deities are real, putting trust in some promises made eons ago requires a great amount of faith. The promises are further interpreted and preached by spiritual "leaders" who often dupe and cheat the masses.
So gullibility is possible in the political arena, and very likely in the spiritual arena.
Narkisos
Are you suggesting (as the WT does) that the two options are mutually exclusive? Or, more simply put, that you won't vote?
I apologize for sounding like the WT, I try everything in my power not to sound like them, but no I do not vote, I did not try to make it sound as if people are putting their salvation in a candidate and realize that people want change or else they would not vote period but ironically the phrase you used is one of the reasons I do not vote.
or perhaps just the lesser evil. It is, at most, a practical and ethical issue.
I ask myself why would I want to choose anything evil even if it is the better of the two choices?
I realize this is a personal issue but just wanted to see how others feel about voting not based on religious issue but since so many here seem to have lost faith in what we firmly believed with all our hearts and yet discard what was once rooted in our hearts and minds, and yet seem to throw that away for mere men and false promises and the world sinking ever deeper into a morass of helplessness.
abr
Gopher,
Most people who vote realize that political candidates all make promises that they may not be able to keep if elected. People who vote based on who makes the best promises are gullible, indeed. However, people who vote based on a candidate's history and character are making an informed choice and are not necessarily gullible.
Don't people vote based on your words above, not so much on candidates history, and I do think that this is gullible, most of the candidates havea terrible history, even the present administration has a history even before his reelection, that just makes you wonder what were people thinking.
People who put their faith in an unseen spirit or deity [such as Jesus] are putting their trust in promises from an one(s) whose existence is not factual but an item of faith. Even if such spirits or deities are real, putting trust in some promises made eons ago requires a great amount of faith.
Christ was a fictual person and yes I believe that he is the King that is destined to rule, I believe in a God who created all things, and perhaps this is my faith whether large or small, but I feel that it is secure and a gaurantee to come. Just because I don't understand everything in the Bible or why it happened or when, does not mean that it is not true and all the promises of God will come true.
The promises are further interpreted and preached by spiritual "leaders" who often dupe and cheat the masses.
Couldnt agree with you more on this Gopher BUT
So gullibility is possible in the political arena, and very likely in the spiritual arena.
You lost me on this one, I have a very small brain. abr
I ask myself why would I want to choose anything evil even if it is the better of the two choices?
Because if you don't you are responsible for the additional "evil" (the difference between the worse and the lesser evil). By trying not to "stain yourself" at all (in a sacral view of morals) you become, in effect, morally guilty of not changing what you could have changed, however small.
Like it or not, democracy (which was far from the perspective of the Bible authors btw) implies moral responsibility. You cannot simply sit aside and complain about how bad politics are if you are offered the opportunity to alter them, even very slightly.
I'm not attacking you nor advocating a particular political commitment; just trying to point out why I think the WT stance of "neutrality" (which might still influence you more than you think) is morally inconsistent.
Christ was a fictual person
Ooh, Freudian slip...is that "fictional" or "factual?"
I can't believe that I bought that whole "don't vote for man for your salvation" line. Who said these leaders were going to promise salvation? What does voting do beyond put a person in charge for a limited time? I could understand not voting if you were voting someone in for life...but otherwise it's a silly argument.
So gullibility is possible in the political arena, and very likely in the spiritual arena.You lost me on this one, I have a very small brain.
In other words, you're more gullible for putting faith in God than voting for someone based on a false promises.
I'm not attacking you nor advocating a particular political commitment;
I respect that and I too respect the fact that others do vote, however my voting is not WT influenced, Christ did not involve himself with this world and this is the stance I take.
just trying to point out why I think the WT stance of "neutrality" (which might still influence you more than you think) is morally inconsistent.
But what about the policies that go in to affect and one may be responsible for, such as war?
Does not ones voting advocate or support the affects of the elected politican policies?
abr
SirNose
In other words, you're more gullible for putting faith in God than voting for someone based on a false promises
Just because I have a limited ability to understand a particular phrase, does not make me gullible for God, rather it is where I place my trust. Some very simple and basic people that I know do have very strong feelings about their beliefs, but it does not mean that they or I are gullible, it is a matter of free choice. Respectfully, abr
