Do you ever feel secure? (page 2)

refiners fire

Im not saying that there is not a God.
For a long time I HATED God because of what the WT made me feel.
But over the past few years I have come to a different view.
I have my own little faith now.
If you want to believe in God. Fine. Go to church. Theres lots of good churches.Main stream churches with moderate practises.
Go there if you will, but dont go somewhere that makes you feel BAD.
Dont go somewhere that makes you believe you are "wicked" because you think things your not "allowed" to.

Aunty

Flower -

I've had the same thoughts you're having periodically over the last 10 years since I've been out. I'll tell you about an experience I had when I first moved to CA.

A few months after I moved out here, I decided maybe I should go to the KH - I had those same thoughts you did - what if I'm wrong? This was before I had done any real research on the WT. Anyway, a young elder's wife took an interest in me and we had many nice conversations about my life and where I came from. I remember sharing with her my guilty feelings for being out of the organization and she said "don't forget, Jehovah remembers what you've done in the past for him." - well, I still think about this comment, but not in the way she wanted me too.

You see, I figure if God really exists and loves me, he knows I want to do what's right. He would know I'm doing what I think is best. Now, years later after I see the WT for what it is, I still remind myself of this comment. I've recently been considering the question of weather God really exists in the way we believe he does, but I think that's irrelevant because we're talking about "what if". I think if you try to be the best friend, neighbor, person you can be that's all God really wants from us. JMHO

Nathan Natas

Hi Flower,

I would suggest that by continuing to refer to WTS dogma as "the truth," you are placing yourself at an intellectual disadvantage. When I use that term now I spell it "the trooth" to make it clear to anyone reading my post that I am not endorsing these teachings. Does anyone require you to refer to GRAVITY or THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM as "the truth" - no, and yet these two principles are demonstrably true in every aspect of your life - something that cannot be claimed for WTS "Trooth."

In one sense you're asking a question that philosophers have debated for centuries - buy you've put a JW spin on it.

Philosophers ask: is there an objective reality or is everything an illusion of our senses?

The question you're asking might be: Is reality the way I perceive it, or is it the way The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society says it is?

You've heard of the WT speaker who said that if the society told him the sky was green, then as far as he was concerned, it was green.

Ultimately, only you can decide whether to believe your own eyes or The WTS.

I believe there is objective reality and that the world is not a metaphysical illusion. Truth is congruent with observable reality.

- Nathan Natas, UADNA
(Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America)

Undecided

Hi Flower,

Think for a moment, has one single thing any JW leader has ever predicted come true? I can't think of one, and can anyone prove that any of the bible is really from a God who controls the universe? The devil is only in the imagination of religious people. People are really the devil since they do the wicked things that we can see. The mind is controlled by our learned behavior and sometimes by chemical imbalances that cause nonrational behavor, not a devil. No one has the answers to the universe and it's origin or control. Just enjoy your life and do what you know makes life enjoyable without hurting others.

Ken P.

WildHorses

Flower,

I've been where you are. It took me a little over a year to get over the doubts I had. Just take your time. Things will become clear for you in time.

Lilacs

I don't want someone in my life I can live with. I want someone in my life I can't live without.

Carmel

"SATAN"? Get serious! You should do some research on the historical development of the idea. Once you realize how far the dubbies and most fundies have come from the original concepts, you'll likely abandon that childhood disease of an idea.

Wish you luck..er...peace...er happiness! Yeah that's it!

carmel

Nathan Natas

Carmel,

Were you addressing your comment to me?

I think you may have misunderstood me - whats your contention?

- Nathan Natas, UADNA
(Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America)

Elsewhere

I propose the “Shot Gun” experiment... it is very simple. All you need is a shotgun (12 gauge will suffice) and one shell (game load or slug).

Step 1: Load and chamber shotgun shell in said shotgun.
Step 2: Position the barrel of the shotgun under your chin and point in the direction of the back of your head.
Step 3: Disable safety on shotgun (If applicable)
Step 4: Pull Trigger.

If you successfully perform this experiment, then all of your questions regarding the supernatural and afterlife/resurrection will be answered.

Note: A true believer should experience no hesitation while performing this experiment, as they are certain to find themselves in paradise.

"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

Elsewhere

I didn't post that to be mean... just to make a point.

"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

seven006

Flower,

You can read as many books on Christianity, philosophy, psychology, and religious mythology as you wish (and I have) and still the only thing that will eventually ease your mind is TIME!

The more you experience life and the more you rely on your personal thoughts and true feelings about things in life the more you will start to be comfortable with it. The concept of "the devil" is just that, "a concept." It is a tool created by religious leaders to evoke fear resulting in control over those who follow their personal line of life philosophy. They place a mythical villain in your psyche so that you can be saved by another mythical hero. This technique of good Vs evil has been used throughout history to keep those who cannot, or choose not to, use their own brains and become self reliant in their own lives. Religion needs to keep their mythical villains alive to keep you buying into the need for their religious heroes. The only devil that exists is the one that has been planted in your head by religion.

Every religion has their villains and heroes. It is not much of a coincidence that the religion who teaches you about their particular villain just happens to be self appointed representatives of the hero in the story. Do as the religion says and the hero will save you. This philosophy is also the basis of most cartoons, movies and books put out today. Unfortunately people need their heroes and villains to survive and feel safe. Being self reliant and self confidant is too hard for most people to deal with.

If you think about it, it is the ultimate control issue used in religion. Religions try to convince you that when you are trying to think for yourself and make decisions based on intelligent thought that it is the "devil" that is thinking for you if that thinking contradicts the philosophy of any particular religion. In reality it is the religious leaders convincing you that thinking for yourself is evil and you must give up your individuality and intellectual thought process and become a slave to their interpretation of their particular mythical hero. If everyone used their own intellect to draw conclusions on issues in life then there would be no need for religion. This thought of good and evil which makes up the overshadowing concept of religion has been the main concept behind the majority of wars on this planet.

My philosophy is good and yours is evil and my God says I'm supposed to kill you because you represent evil and so on and so on. A lot of people who choose not to listen to their natural born instinct to survive need religious myths to feel secure about themselves. The concept of evil is created and the concept of salvation from that self created evil gives those who created it power and control over those who believe it. It is such a simple concept and it has worked for centuries.

It's not easy to believe in yourself. Society has a hard time accepting someone who can think for themselves and act upon their own intellect. Thinking is something that most people really don't know how to do on their own. You are a bright lady. Once you accept that and realize that your ability to think for yourself is a powerful tool in directing your life, you will no longer need villains and heroes to rely on. Using you own brain, is an incredible thing to experience.

Take care little sister and keep thinking, you are doing just fine,

Dave

Do you ever feel secure?

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