During the months following my deparure I had a period of thoughtful indecision about my religious/spiritual feelings. I share brains conclusions and have done for over thirty years.
Any one else like me?
by braincleaned 52 Replies latest jw experiences
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Hortensia
Once I got out of the wtbts, I cruised other religions to see what they were like. Just like the wtbts, more or less. I finally woke up one day and realized "I simply don't believe it." The more I look at evolution, the more I read about the discoveries scientists make, the more I could see the truth. It wasn't switching one belief for another. It was more like taking off blinders and throwing them away.
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whathappened
I can't believe how certain I was of "everything" when I was an active Jehovah's Witness. I thought we had all the answers and was so happy and proud.
I would never have imagined even 2 years ago that I would now be an atheist. The hard part was giving up the resurrection hope and the idea of a paradise earth. I had a newborn baby die 19 years ago and always dreamed of having her back in my arms again. Now I know it will never happen and it's a loss all over again.
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mamochan13
I'm also one of those who find myself puzzled when exJWs strongly embrace another religion. There does seem to be a common philosophy across all cultures that spirituality is necessary for true fulfilment and happiness in life, and many people confuse spirituality with religion. Perhaps that is one of the reasons.
Personally I navigated the spiritual void for many years, but going to university helped me resolve some things. In learning the logic of science and technology I realized that my leanings were towards athiesm. I've been quite comfortable staying in the void up until now. However, my grandchildren are starting to question things like the existence of god and what happens when you die, so I'm beginning to think perhaps I need to crystallize my belief system.
What'shappening - I felt the same way in many respects. Recently I've started to resolve what I believe about death, though, and it helped mitigate the sense of loss. I don't believe in resurrection, but I do believe my loved ones are still with me in different ways. I guess it comes down to needing to believe in something, rather than nothing at all.
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still thinking
I do not think evolution is logical, I mean how can we be the best that evolution has to offer
Who says we are? You assume we are the end result, when we are still evolving.
Evolution doesn't 'offer' anything. It is not a god...it is a process.
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King Solomon
whathappened said:
I would never have imagined even 2 years ago that I would now be an atheist. The hard part was giving up the resurrection hope and the idea of a paradise earth. I had a newborn baby die 19 years ago and always dreamed of having her back in my arms again. Now I know it will never happen and it's a loss all over again.
Sorry to hear of the delayed grief, which we've recently discussed on a thread a few months ago where an avalanche of emotions can sweep over someone when the implications of the situation sink in. Most would say it's better to know the ugly truth, than to accept a comfortable, sweet little (well, pretty BIG) lie.
Mamochan said:
I don't believe in resurrection, but I do believe my loved ones are still with me in different ways. I guess it comes down to needing to believe in something, rather than nothing at all.
It's easy for Xians to dismiss atheism as what may imagine them to be, and not what they are. The fact is we DO carry the memories of loved ones with us, and we keep what "gifts" or life lessons they imparted to us: that's just the truth, whether you believe in a God or not.
I'd say that "thinking atheists believe in nothing" is based on confusing us with nihilists, who believe that life is pointless, with no reason to live. Far from it: many atheists are the EXACT opposite, and know that believing in what we do is important with the life they have, as that's all there is to this life: the bird in the hand (and JWs promise not just TWO in the bush, but an infinite supply of "birds", with "birds" being a metaphor for "time")....
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rip van winkle
Well, I was not raised in any religion. There wasn't any God talk in my household. But, I believed that God existed. I became a JW because I believed they had the truth. I know now that I was wrong in that belief.
As far as ever being involved in religion again, the answer is emphatically,NO. I will not participate in any organized religion.
According to what Xians believe and what I kept in the back of my own mind for 20 years is: a dog returns to his vomit.
I am on a little vacation from God. I am hurt.
Braincleaned, I don't believe I will ever be an athiest, but then again, I never thought I would be an "apostate".
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braincleaned
King Solomon "thinking atheists believe in nothing" is based on confusing us with nihilists, who believe that life is pointless"
So true that confusion... or rather, willful ignorance.
rip van winkle I don't believe I will ever be an athiest, but then again, I never thought I would be an "apostate".
I agree -- I would have NEVER thought I would leave the WTS - nor God... but when hard evidence hits you, and you are open to be coherant with yourself, it happens naturally. Or not. We are all wonderfully different.May I just say, that when you are hit by the grace of logic and reason linked to reality, the experience is mind boggling!!! A quazi-spiritual moment for me. Science and discovery, the sheer beauty of natural selection, and the realization that "morality" precedes scripture -- its a WOW moment you will never forget.
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braincleaned
BTW, I really appreciate the input of everyone on this! Hope more will chime in, on both sides.
Nice place to be! ;) -
King Solomon
Tams, sorry for not responding to you in that other thread. I'll get to it soon...
HOWEVER, I gotta call you out on this:
"Science and God are not in conflict. Only our understanding (or rather misunderstanding of one OR of the other)"
Nope, I cannot agree. Knowing that Tam's concept of God is YHWH, well, THAT version of God is completely inconsistent with science (and the Bible's depiction of YHWH is even internally inconsistent).
Now, if you wanted to claim that a generic deist "unknown God" is consistent with science, I'd cringe, but maybe I'd accept that (depending on how ornery I was feeling at the time).
But YOUR Abrahamic God, YHWH? Nope, not even close to being "at peace" (the antonym of "in conflict") with science.