FAITH: accepting what you are told.....without question!

by Terry 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  journey-on

  How would you answer your own question?

  I have faith that I am where I am supposed to be and am learning what I need for my soul to grow....(you supply the meaning for soul). My life is my experience and what I have experienced cannot be conveyed to you or anyone else in words or pictures, just as yours cannot be conveyed to me. I cannot invalidate your experiences and you cannot invalidate mine. We are each and everyone an expression of an aspect of the creative force and I have faith that my soul in conjunction with my ego self is co-creating my life and it is giving me what I need for my particular lesson and growth.

  Faith is a given. It flops down in that big easy chair in your soul and stays there greedily confiscating the remote and switching channels all day in its underwear!

  I don't agree with the above, but I love the language used to describe the thought, Terry.
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  Terry

  I think we can all agree that Reality is what exists whether we acknowledge it or not.

  For instance, a stone boulder in the center of a mountain highway is THERE whether we acknowledge it or not!

  What FAITH aspires to is something very, very interesting called TRANSCENDANT REALITY.

  What might this be?

  transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence and in one form is also independent of it

  The real Universe just isn't good enough, so, the mind constructs a transcendant one! Kind of like "more better."

  Physical existence isn't necessary there!

  Proof doesn't apply!

  All you need is to whip it up in the imagination and pin all your strongest emotional ties to it!

  The problems come when the REAL universe comes into contact with that imaginary one!

  People encounter illness or crisis and---INSTEAD OF DOING SOMETHING REAL--they immediately seek relief by appealing to the TRANSCENDANT REALITY by PRAYING.

  This is the same thing as doing nothing. No help comes (because there isn't any in that imaginary place.)

  What is the excuse when disaster befalls anyway?

  "I didn't have enough Faith!"

  No.

  You had FAITH instead of a firm grip on REALITY in the real Universe!

  Even a Band-aid is better than a prayer.

  Creating Happy thoughts is an imaginary band-aid.

  The Real World always comes crashing in.

  Faith is the "helmet of salvation" which doesn't protect your head from caving in when it does!

  Try performing this experiment. I know it sounds crazy--but--try it anyway!

  Next time you feel like Prayer or Faith is necessary say this aloud:

  I'M GOING TO DO NOTHING--but-I'M GOING TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WILL HELP ANYWAY!

  Now, doesn't that sound stupid?
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  shopaholic

  Terry
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  The Finger

  I've had prayers answered.
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  leavingwt

  I've had prayers answered.

  If you'd like to share details, I would like to hear them.

  Is it true that many of your prayers were ignored/not answered? If so, what would your explanation be?
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  The Finger

  leavingwt,

  I do not wish to share the details of the reason for praying. However on one occasion when I found the need to pray most of the night. (There have been other nights) The problem had totally gone the next day. The manner in which the problem was dealt with left me in no doubt my prayer had been answered.

  That's not much in over 50 years is it but it is enough for me.

  There have been other occasions where the problems have been dealt with on a slower scale. We had supernatural problems at one time and these were also dealt with. (I think only God can deal with some things)

  When you say prayers ignored or not answered. Yes I would agree with you. It seems as if God ignores us. Maybe he sees the bigger picture. Maybe he gives us what we need, more faith.
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  leavingwt

  The Finger -- Thank you. When you say, "it is enough for me", I can respect that.
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  THE GLADIATOR

  It seems as if God ignores us.

  It seems as though you have been given The finger!
• 

  dgp

  Marked for later.
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  BabaYaga

  Terry, what you have written about your experience absolutely chills me. It is almost as if you were writing about being disfellowshipped, when in actuality, you were making one of the boldest moves possible for the faith! I am so sorry you had that experience. How completely awful.

  On the subject of the word and concept of faith, I am reminded of what a dear friend told me just a couple of months ago. She said that we should have trust, not faith. With faith, we are giving too much away and not taking responsibility for our actions (we can hide behind the excuse of "our faith".) When we trust in something or someone, we always maintain a bit of control. We still have a choice. I have given this a great deal of thought, and I think she's onto something.