Unconditional Love...No Carrot

ballistic

A question that has bothered me, even when pioneering and the strongest of witnesses is, Why do people serve God in order to receive something in return?
The bible says to love God with your whole heart, mind and soul. If you take away the carrot of the new system, how many witnesses would go from door to door, study, meditate, attend meetings and assemblies or even show an interest?
I am only semi-religous now, but I feel sure I would not follow a religion for any prize or even harbour the idea of any kind of self-importance as the witnesses do, even sub-conciously.
This feeling that most witnesses worship out of "righteous greed" is what makes me truly believe that God (whoever that is) looks down in favour on those who lead a good and honest life with no under-lying reward or prize or whatever you want to call it in the shopping basket.

joelbear

Its interesting that among all of God's servants mentioned in the Bible, only the story of Job involves the angle of serving God for no reward, in fact, even taking Job's health and wealth away.

the Jews were promised the promised land
Jesus was promised ruling from the right hand of god.
apostles and annointed promised they would rule as kings in heaven

everybody else was promised some kind of reward for service.

Even Adam was in a business deal arrangement. Everlasting life for obedience.

all give and take

Joel

wannahelp

Excellent point!!!!

I've had a few witnesses tell me that they hate going door-to-door, and that they are doing things that "They don't want to do"..

My guess is that even slaves in the 1800's had 'love' for their masters because they were afraid of the beatings they would receive if they were disobedient.. Wonder how many slaves in the south would have voluntarily stayed with their masters if all threats of punishment were taken away, and it was just "the love" that was left..

Very good analogy!!!

Fredhall

Hey All,

If you are serving God; then what is your motive of doing it?

_alf_

I dont like carrots. Thats why I didnt stay a JW. Now if they dangled a golden cat then I would have joined. But not a solid gold cat. A golden roasted cat.

It was those tigers on the awakes that got me going... mmmmmmmmm here kitty kitty

ashitaka

That's interesting, ballistic, and I agree to a point. I always think of Jonah's example being the best, under the bottle gourd plant. Remember how he didn't care about all the people who were going to perish? And how God corrected him in the account?

Well, that's what witnesses don't get. They immediatly refer to their field service as what the account is about-it isn't....it's about caring for the people we meet on a daily basis; JW's love to imagine all the fertilizer that is to come, but will preach to people they secretly despise. Even when placing magazines some 'bros' and 'sisters' would mock the people they had just preached to. It's disgusting. Do you know what I mean?

That's why my new religion is tolorent love. It's the only thing people really need. I think they can do without supreme judgements and religous magazines being stuffed in their front doors.

NameWithheld

Fred, god promised me lots of pussies ... that's my motive ...

joelbear

Fred,

You asked a good question.

I believe god is the greater whole of life and that love is the power by which god heals and makes life grow.

Therefore, for me, serving god, means helping in this process by being a kind and loving person.

The reward is the act itself, the privelege of being able to help others, if only in a small way.

Joel
www.joelbear.com

4horsemen

Motivation = motive + action.

This isnt just a religious issue. Think about some mundane task, like picking up dog crap in your back yard. You dont have to do it, but if you dont...

Now imagine if your whole life involved "rewards" not much better than picking up said crap. Would you feel real motivation to do anything? People dont go to college to be mom and pop janitors.

Rewards, real or imagined are a coping mechanism. Reinforces behavior.

Think about yourself. How do you get yourself to do anything?

Either you move to a goal/objective (reward) or away from it(avoid punishment). We use both. Religion just uses it most effectively.

So, serve Jah and live in paradise OR be independent (ie Satan) of God have your temporary sinful pleasures and unnecessary heartache and eventually end up in sheol or worse.

They got ya coming or going, but its not just a religious thing

ballistic

Is even dying for a cause meaningful if you believe that death is a sleep and you'll be reserected?

Unconditional Love...No Carrot

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