They all look alike now.

by AK - Jeff 37 Replies latest jw experiences

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  THE GLADIATOR

  AK - Jeff “It is not 'good people' who stand by praying to an imaginary god while allowing a child to bleed to death …”

  This is true. Of course what is ‘good’ among humans is often subjective. Cognitive dissidence causes otherwise ‘good’ people to behave in bizarre ways believing that they are acting in the long term interests of another.

  When religion or belief in God causes people to act in a harmful way there is ‘good’ reason to be alarmed. On the other hand belief in God is not in itself harmful. What matters is how believers think their God wants them to act. If they seek to emulate a God of true love and kindness then there can be positive results. If they seek to emulate an evil God the reverse is true.

  It is sometimes wise to judge people on how they act and allow the reason for their actions to remain their own business. I expect people to treat me in a fair and reasonable way. They can do this because they respect me, love me, fear me or hope to get something from me. Or because they respect God, love God, fear God or hope to get something from God. It matters not. Only their actions are of importance in my logical world.

  AK - Jeff “It is good to know that there is no god, no sin, no hell, no heaven. Imagine the time when all will know this, it's easy if you try.”

  This is true for you but many people prefer to live with a belief that these things exist. Personally I prefer not to know what is responsible for the force that has resulted in life on earth and concentrate on getting the most out of my short life by living in the moment. I could well be a cl oset atheist but I am not in a hurry to yank the door off. To me ignorance is bliss!
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  AK - Jeff

  Well stated Glad.

  I 'yanked the door off' a couple years back. I admitted my doubts, examined the reasons for them [precisely zero evidence for any god or gods], and decided to pull off the mask of uncertainty. I think Pascal was wrong in his Wager. If we see a nation conduct a lottery, but there is never a winner, then why would we continue to wager for the chance we might be the first winner someday? It seems more likely there are no real winners, and there never will be, and that the scam is just taking hearts without mercy.

  On the other hand, if god is real, all he has to do is show himself. He won't. And the best evidence for his lack of appearance is that he isn't. Until further evidence arrives [and mankind has been waiting for it for millenia after millenia], why waste a single electron of energy in 'faith' [just another word for 'there is no reason to believe it, but I do anyway cause I hope to enter a better place when this one disapears].

  Peace/Namaste to all this fine day.

  Jeff
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  Knowsnothing

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/180750/1/Ouija-Board-Hysteria

  Jeff, do you still believe in this?
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  THE GLADIATOR

  AK - Jeff “If we see a nation conduct a lottery, but there is never a winner, then why would we continue to wager for the chance we might be the first winner someday? ”

  Thanks for your reply, I would have replied sooner but have been busy solving the global funding crisis. This is a logical conclusion but what if there is no reward for any one and we just seek to know if there is any meaning to our limited existence? Or perhaps we are just curious to know if there is a part of the equation that we as humans have missed.

  I have no answers. All I know for certain is that I shall live until I die. I say shall and not will because this is not my will. Leaving a top floor window open is not the same as jumping out of it, which would be an act of faith.
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  still thinking

  Gladiator....

  It is sometimes wise to judge people on how they act and allow the reason for their actions to remain their own business. I expect people to treat me in a fair and reasonable way. They can do this because they respect me, love me, fear me or hope to get something from me. Or because they respect God, love God, fear God or hope to get something from God. It matters not. Only their actions are of importance in my logical world.

  That has to be my favourite quote for the week

  curiouscynic....

  Best bumper sticker ever: My karma ran over your dogma.

  I want that bumper sticker...LOL
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  Shanagirl

  Hi Jeff,

  I do agree with a lot of what you said, Jeff. I've also come to the realization of the "imaginary" friend. But I do believe this fake imaginary god spoken of in the Bible asThe God, is nothing more than an illusion. Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, who is representative of all the "good" people and their own "true religion". I do beleive their is the True God of Light and myraids of emmanations of this True Source. I believe there is a light within all of us that can connect with our inner knowing of this True Light. God, the All. Our inner knowing tells us that shunning is wrong. Sacrificing our children to a tribal god of the desert is wrong. I believe a great messenger of that True Light, was the Christ, a light who came down to teach us to teach us that we are all of that Light. He told the Jews who condemned him that they came from the "father of the lie". He was the fake god they worshipped, Yahweh, who still misleads world religions of the earth. In islam the fake god is Allah, and in Christianity, he's Jehovah. But he's all one and the same dark force, of the dark world he created and wants sacrifice even blood sacrifice. He's the same old god of the old Israelites in the desert, and the same fake god later adopted into the Catholic Church by the early Church Fathers. He's the same fake god who was later adopted into all the denominations of Protestant Christianity and later Jehovah's Witness. He's the dark force of the universe of matter and chaos, our own universe, and the opposite of what the True God, the All and Source of the millions of other galaxies, and lights of the many heavens outside the realm of 3 dimensional matter that we live in. I believe our own light source within, connects with this True Source of Light and knowing, and is all about the message that was given to us from Christ, known as Jesus. That inner knowing does not teach law and blood sacrifice, ritualism. The thing that Christ brought to us was to Love and recognize that every human being has that light within them, whether or not they are aware of it or just connected to matter. The fake blind god of the Israelites, is a jealous war god who continues to demand sacrifice. Some religions take it more seriously than others but they all reflect their fake god of the Bible, Yahweh Jehovah, Allah, all from the god of Abraham.

  I believe, that this inner knowing within us is what has let us see Jehovah's Witnesses and all other religions like them, is not of Love.

  I'm still pondering all of this in my mind and heart, but I know one thing. I feel free of the Jehovah god, and no longer feel obligated in my heart to ever pray to the True God , by using any name.

  Shana
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  aquagirl

  Wow,an interesting discussion for sure.I shed the idea of a "sky person god" years ago.Right about the time I found out the truth about Santa,"AH!!!"but you say,"one cannot PROVE the nonexixtance of Santa"! Thats true I guess....An interesting take on it for sure..As I get older,I am beginning to realize that we are all our own gods,if we so desire such a thing.Who loves me,takes care of me,thinks of me and for my personal benefit all of the time?ME!!! Who sees every thing I do,even knows what I am thinking?ME!!!Who can change my life in any way I desire?ME!!!When I want something really good to happen to someone,who can make it happen?ME!!!!!!! See???Riddle solved!
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  aquagirl

  Also,using the bible to make a point to someone who obviously dosent believe in the charm and mystique of the bible seems a bit counterproductive,no? I remember arguing w/dubs and other rabid religious types and their only fallback,often,was,"Because it says so in the Bible"!!! Now,think about that for a second.Its absurd! Its like arguing with a non-football fan about which playerbest.It dosent matter! Because they dont care,and dont play that game! So,when you are trying to prove gods validity or non validity{is that a word?}to an atheist,using a bible to do it,isnt really the most productive way to sell your product.Just my humblest of opinions....