For JW'S and anyone else: Questions to Ask Yourself.

by Mall Cop 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mall Cop

  Is it not likely had you been born in Cairo you would be a Muslim and, as hundreds of millions of people do, would believe that "there is no God but God and Muhammed is his prophet?

  If you had been born in Calcutta would you not in all probability be a Hindu and, as hundreds of millions of people do, accept the Vedas and the Upanishads as sacred scriptures and hope sometime in the future to dwell in nirvana?

  Is it not probable that, had you been born in Jerusalem, you would be a Jew and, as millions of people do, believe that Yahweh is God and that the Torah is God's word?

  Is it not likely that had you been born in Peking, you would be one of the millions who accept the teachings of the Buddha or Confucius or Lao - Tse and strive to follow their teachings and example?

  Is it not likely that millions are Christians because your parents were Christians before you, and why are there literally hundreds of Christian denominations and independent congregations, all of them basing their beliefs on the Bible, and most of them convinced that all the others are, in some ways wrong?

  If all Christians worship the same God, why can they not put aside their theological differences and co-operate actively with one another?

  Now, we all know that the answers to most of the above questions would be yes, and that some have broke away from their cultures and searched for answers to the why of it all, as have I. And this may have been all covered before and it is nothing new here.

  I just wanted to hear from you guys and gals to see if you have something new to add for all of us here.

  Thank you. Blueblades
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  frigginconfused

  Now if a person truely want the truth they have to examine everything. The more I look at these other religions the more I can see Jehovah.

  "there is no God but God and Muhammed is his prophet?

  True. One God, and Muhammed was one of his prophets. He met Jesus and was promised a place in his army at the end when he comes back as Michael the arch angel. So the muslims have some truth.

  accept the Vedas and the Upanishads as sacred scriptures and hope sometime in the future to dwell in nirvana?

  The religions in the area of India in my opinion were created by openeing yourself up to the universe. If they are concidered you will be led to inner peace. But nirvana is not from God. Its actually the meaning of the Apple in the garden of eden. Should we be trapped in a meat body for all eternity of should we be like the angels and have access to heaven when we so choose? Thats what Satans problem was. Why create something with the spirit of an angel and trap it in the body of a monkey.

  The Jews are right too. They only got lost when they didnt recognize Jesus as the messiah. Easy to see the deviation there.

  you would be one of the millions who accept the teachings of the Buddha or Confucius or Lao

  They realized that Everything is temporary and the universe is constantly moving and changing. To hold on to something traps you from being spiritually free. Nothing is too disgusting or too beautiful. This keeps you always in present time accepting all that is in front of you. Good stuff. Works if used properly. And is a great aide to understanding God. Using this way of thinking can really help you be a good christian.

  Now as far as the numerous christians not getting along... I have found the closer you get to the truth the harder Satan tries to mislead. Because the bible is Gods word it would be fitting for the whole christian community to be a complete friggin mess. The roots of the chrisitan religion are deeply connected with controlling people. All the religions loose Jesus' message through all thier periphreal crap. The only way there will be a true religion is if they focus primarily on Jesus and admit that most other stuff is open to interpritation.

  This was all my opinion because I have been searching religion for almost 19 years. But everytime I think I have it figured out I realize how little I do know.
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  Terry

  And here I thought Aristotle's LAW OF THE EXCLUDED MIDDLE settled all that!

  Two or more things cannot at the same time be TRUE and yet contradict each other.

  Naturally, that is rational thinking.

  If you give up the right to think rationally darned near everything can be true at the same time!

  Koans are for this purpose.

  a paradoxical anecdote or a riddle that has no solution; used in Zen Buddhism to show the inadequacy of logical reasoning

  They unhinge your rational ability so that you are open to accept any damned crap that comes your way!

  (The sound of one hand clapping).

  law of excluded middle

  One of the traditional three laws of thought (along with the laws of identity and contradiction).

  Every proposition is either true or not true.

  This is weaker than the law of bivalence (every proposition is true or false), since if there is a third truth value excluded middle can still hold, though bivalence will fail. (However, bivalence is sometimes treated as a version of excluded middle).

  For classical logic, excluded middle follows from the law of contradiction. Intuitionist logic accepts the latter but not excluded middle (also see: double negation), for reasons connected with the 'Jones was brave' example (see bivalence).
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  blondie

  It's true that all of us were influenced by the beliefs of our parents and we accepted them because we knew little else, but eventually we got to know people outside our family, our neighborhood, our country. Through school and media we were exposed to different ideas. We observed how their words and actions matched or did not match. Eventually, we perhaps saw the flaws in the old beliefs. But the biggest challenge is to make the change, accept any losses, deal with the pain, find a new way. Regardless of our beginnings we have similar opportunities. In the end, the goal is to make intelligent changes in yourself.
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  minimus

  Yes, we are products (victims) of our environments.