What hope is there then? (page 13)

leavingwt

PSac:

He did.

I can accept and respect your beliefs. Please know that for many of us, there is not currently sufficient evidence to convince us of this. I can only ask that you try to understand my point of view.

Heartofaboy

I've never understood why when the most precious thing I have is my life that I must view it all as a pile of refuse. (Apostle Paul/ Watchtower teaching)

How ungrateful that must seem to the creator that I view it of such little consequence & just keep looking for something better.

It like a father or mother giving their child a most precious gift & the kid just throwing it aside & looking for something bigger & better.

leavingwt

Heartofaboy -- Great point. I agree. Life is grand.

Mad Sweeney

If JWs don't have the truth; if there is no paradise earth; if there is no end of this system; if death is all there is, then what hope do we have to look forward too?

I haven't read the thread. Wanted to answer the initial question here straight from my gut.

What hope do we have?

We have hope that we will make today better than yesterday.

We have hope that those we love will feel our love today, tomorrow, and every day of our lives.

We have hope that we will create joy, peace, love, and good will in ourselves and others, leaving the world of our children and grandchildren a better one than it has ever been.

We have hope that our lives NOW, TODAY, will be lived freely, without psychological coercion and manipulation from others who wish to control us.

We have hope that what we do each day will REALLY help others, not simply convince them to put all of life's challenges on the "wait on Jehovah" shelf where nothing is ever done to help them.

We have hope that those we love will one day be free from the oppression of high-control religious cults and the concept of divine authority they are captive to.

We have hope that with continued charity, philanthropy, and active public and private support, medical care will continue advancing and that each of us may live a long and fulfilled life.

We have hope that crime will continue the same rapid decreases we have seen over the last two decades and that more and more people will learn to share with one another.

We have hope that fewer people will feel the need for mood-altering drugs, whether legal or otherwise, because their life will be more joyful and fulfilling.

We have THE SAME HOPES for the future we have always had but with just a couple key differences. First, WE ARE THE ONES creating this future FOR OURSELVES and our POSTERITY; no sky-daddy is going to clean up our messes, it's time to get to work. Two, our time as individuals is finite; whether 80, 90, or 100+ years, our life's work MUST BE passed on to another generation at some point because we ARE NOT living forever.

I can't imagine ever returning to the helpless hopelessness of Watchtower doctrine, not when there's real work to be done.

sayitsnotso

Can you accept that Watchtower is not "God's Organization" or the "only true religion"?

At this point no. To me if God exists and the Bible is reliable then I have no problem accepting that JWs are the one true religion. My reasons based on the following composite (in no particular order of importance):

Having a worldwide brotherhood that loves one another.
Not going to war (otherwise we wouldn't have #1)
Basing beliefs on the Bible (remember the prerequsite that the bible is reliable above) See 4-11.
Teaches that the soul is not immortal (otherwise, yes we would have heard back from someone that died by now)
Teaches that there is no hellfire. A loving God wouldn't punish people with forever-long suffering. That isn't reasonable.
Does not hide or downplay God's name Jehovah or teach a Trinity.
Preaches the Good News of God's Kingdom
Keeps seperate from the world
Adam and Eve lost perfect life in pardasic conditions on earth.
The bible says Jesus was the Second Adam to enable mankind to regain what was lost.
Just as in Noah's day, Jehovah will again destroy ungodly people
Satan challanged God's right to rule, implying that self-rule (or Satan's way) would be better.

What other religion does or teaches ALL these things? Sure, one could take issue with the calcualtions surrounding 1914, "this generation", the 144,000, the logic of avoiding certain celebrations and holidays, any specific explanation of the book of Revelation or Issiah, any specific occurance of the name Jehovah in the Christan Greek scriptures being what was in the original text, etc. It could very well be that some or many of these things may be inaccurate and in time be changed. But in the end, the 12 things I numbered (which isn't neccessarily an exhuastive list for me), seem to be undisputible and no other organization believes these same things.

leavingwt

At this point no.

Are you willing to read "apostate literature" and do independent research to "make sure" of the more important things?

undercover

To me if God exists and the Bible is reliable then I have no problem accepting that JWs are the one true religion.

If someone where to take the time to prove the JWs/WTS wrong would you accept it?

cult classic

Those are the answers to questions that WT gave you. Now start asking your own questions.

notverylikely

But in the end, the 12 things I numbered (which isn't neccessarily an exhuastive list for me), seem to be undisputible and no other organization believes these same things.

Methinks we have an undercover JW in our midst...

sayitsnotso

I have an open mind. I think that is important to maintain.

Those points I listed are not comming diretly from the WT. Nowhere will you find a recent WT saying 1914 may not be true, for example.

I would accept the facts if proof was provided. I think that is part of having an open mind. I don't take the position of "don't confuse me with the facts." I have already acknowledged that some things I feel could be inaccurate. I am fine with that. I think other things are indisputable, or atleast many believes have no better (or more concrete) alternative provided. No organization here on earth could be perfect as it is made up of imperfect humans.

What hope is there then?

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