Why Do people think they need A GOD to be good people?
They don't have enough faith in the human spirit.
J
Why Do people think they need A GOD to be good people?
by LucyA 75 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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WTWizard
If you believe in a God, or you love God, you are probably only being "good" because He is watching you. And what is "good" could include wasting your whole life trying to preach the message, even doing things that prevent problems from being solved. Advice from the Bible or Quran only prevents your problems from ever being fixed--instead, you die after a miserable life and get a "reward", but only if God sees fit.
This has the effect of devaluing one's life. Most commonly, it results in wasted time and inhibitions that should not have been there. Sometimes it means going to war. Other times, it means accepting hardships (up to and including death) for one's religion (including doctrinal issues and to spread the religion). Rarely, people even kill their families and/or themselves hoping to take a shortcut to that reward.
Without religion, you are going to have good people doing good things. You are going to have bad people doing bad things. But, once you start adding religion to the mix, you start having otherwise good people doing bad things.
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AllTimeJeff
Hi password. I will do that if the opportunity presents itself. I hope you realize that there are some days I am deist, and I do allow for a higher power. I don't see identity at the moment. So it could be anyone's god, not your idea of god.
In a nut shell, this is why atheists clash with a Christian world-view. One of these views is upside down. They can't both be correct.
Perry, at worst, your theistic views (which I might add, are uniquely yours, not everyone on this board believes in a god who will destroy as you do) are just your interpretation. My I say that your approach in talking to JWFacts about this was in my view, disrespectful. But that is between you two at this point.
Your approach certainly isn't very inspiring or inviting as far as I am concerned.
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passwordprotected
No one has addressed the existence of Moral Law. This desire to do good - even when no reward is offered - where did it come from?
And I'm never done being stunned at the response of people on this forum to religion (yes, I can understand bitter antipathy and resentful suspicion towards any form of religion), but seriously?
This has the effect of devaluing one's life. Most commonly, it results in wasted time and inhibitions that should not have been there. Sometimes it means going to war. Other times, it means accepting hardships (up to and including death) for one's religion (including doctrinal issues and to spread the religion). Rarely, people even kill their families and/or themselves hoping to take a shortcut to that reward.
Without religion, you are going to have good people doing good things. You are going to have bad people doing bad things. But, once you start adding religion to the mix, you start having otherwise good people doing bad things.
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Perry
Jeff,
You apparently enjoy misquoting Christians since I have corrected you before on stating things like this:
Perry, at worst, your theistic views (which I might add, are uniquely yours, not everyone on this board believes in a god who will destroy as you do)
What is it about Christianity don't you understand? You will eventually die, you will be destroyed through decay along with everyone else. God doesn't do this. Why do you insist on claiming that Christians say this....just look around, people die all the time.
Jesus offers life to the dead, not death to the living.
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Perry
Hi JWfacts,
My life has changed little between when I was a JW and now in that my choices are based on not wishing to harm others.
How do you know if you are harming others or not?
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Perry
Hi PasswordProtected:
No one has addressed the existence of Moral Law. This desire to do good - even when no reward is offered - where did it come from?
Well, of course it came from God.
And I'm never done being stunned at the response of people on this forum to religion
I understand your frustration. However, as Jehovah's Witnesses we all mocked, derided and twisted things Christians said.
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LucyA
First a blanket apology to everyone who read this thread I was a little annoyed at someone yesterday and sort of vented at you guys.
Thanks everyone for your answers.
PWP: I was just trying to pont out that I was at least attemping to live a moral life by my own standards WITHOUT RELIGION and was attemping to understand why many people belive as my mother does.
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caliber
No one has addressed the existence of Moral Law. This desire to do good - even when no reward is offered - where did it come from?
Good point... how can a conscience that speaks to 99% of us (sociopaths excluded) spring from thin air ?
IMHO.... my conscience owes its source to something much beyond me ! -
Balsam
People who don't believe in God as good a people as so called believers. It is all a matter of personal integrity isn't it. I get really irritated with people who think that atheist are not good people it simply isn't true. I went through a period of not believing in God but I've come to believe in a higher power. How I define that power is my own perspective. Life is just too magical in some ways not to have much more to it. But it isn't necessary to worship a divine creator I think it was all put into place then left to evolutionary ways. A Deist is is what I am now.
