Being Agnostic is depressing me....

by SkyGreen 68 Replies latest jw friends

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  EntirelyPossible

  You don't need to be an atheist to have loads of fun. Seriously, you don't. When I was being raised in the Episcopal Church, it was so burdenless, that I naturally came tot he conclusion that there was nothing that God could not forgive people for. There I was, 8 and 9 years old, understanding better than adults I knew, that Hell was the most ridiculous thing ever invented by humans.

  I never said you couldn't have fun as a Christian. And at 8 or 9, of course you knew everything. You were already cherry picking the Bible to support what you decided you wanted to believe.
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  2+2=5

  I am still adjusting myself so I know exactly the emotions and feelings you are experiencing, a bit insecure, frustrated, confused, annoyed, sad overwhelmed and so on. The whole idea and purpose behind your life seems gone, and it's like your scrambling for the right direction. So much of what we knew was wrong and now we are back at the start and have so much to learn. Our minds are opened but it is a bit daunting and can get depressing.

  I have found that I am pretty content with agnostic views. If it wasn't so confusing, if I had clear direction, I could please God knowing what he expects. But it is confusing and God has not left any clear direction. I can't spend my life trying to work out the standards and requirements or following other people's invented standards trying to please God. A God who has hidden himself from mankind.

  The only thing that is guaranteed is the life we live now. This is it. Try and enjoy it and find happiness. If God does exist he cannot punish anyone who lived a good life wondering what the purpose of it is, or even a life of questioning his existence.

  Most here understand your feelings. You would have to of been a JW and believed it to understand what your going through, it's a huge adjustment. I hope you get some comfort and good advice here no matter what you decide or where you put your faith. Don't stress. Try and enjoy life.
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  You don't need to be an atheist to have loads of fun. Seriously, you don't. When I was being raised in the Episcopal Church, it was so burden less, that I naturally came tot he conclusion that there was nothing that God could not forgive people for. There I was, 8 and 9 years old, understanding better than adults I knew, that Hell was the most ridiculous thing ever invented by humans.

  I never said you couldn't have fun as a Christian. And at 8 or 9, of course you knew everything. You were already cherry picking the Bible to support what you decided you wanted to believe.

  I sure remember getting a B or two on my report cards! At 8 or 9, I didn't have the opinion that the Bible was from God. I did however see through the Hell doctrine that I heard of from friends or the movies. I remember thinking some very deep thoughts that challenged what I heard about God, even as a pre-schooler. If a child can figure that the Hell doctrine is unjust, then adults can,too.

  EP, my comment was not directed to you. My comment is to the OP. She or anyone doesn't have to become an atheist, per your invitation, to have loads of fun. She's in a quandary. She deserves to know both sides, the middle and all points in between. There's a lot of pressure on JWN to drop any kind of faith. Since you don't really read what I'm saying in my posts, you haven't grasped that Bible is not a sacred, god inspired book to me. It wasn't when I was a child, growing up in a home of thinkers. It isn't now.
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  EntirelyPossible

  Pressure? To drop faith? Interesting you think that. Also interestng that say you don't think the Bible is holy, but it's exactly where your notion of God comes from. You want to have your cake and eat it too, just like other Christians that cherry pick the things they like. I am not saying that's wrong, there are certainly a lot of horrible things in the Bible that should be dropped from faith. It's also just an honest asseement of what people often do.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Pressure? To drop faith? Interesting you think that. Also interestng that say you don't think the Bible is holy, but it's exactly where your notion of God comes from. You want to have your cake and eat it too, just like other Christians that cherry pick the things they like. I am not saying that's wrong, there are certainly a lot of horrible things in the Bible that should be dropped from faith. It's also just an honest asseement of what people often do.

  EP, read my posts, I'm not Christian and my concept of God would make some Christians back away with index fingers crossed in front of them. Yes, I do go the church of my youth when I go to church, but it doesn't mean I believe the Bible is more than a book recorded by ancient peoples. Which is what a lot of Episcopalians believe, it is not a God written book. Believing in God doesn't have to mean the Bible god. A lot of what is written about god in the Bible is painted as worse than the Bible Satan. If God slaughters innocent men, women and children, then what makes him different or better than Satan? Something that kids can figure out. My son figured out the same thing about Jehovah when he was younger than five. He told me he was not going to teach his children about Jehovah. He does believe in God at 28, but it's nothing like the Bible god.
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  Giordano

  It you decide to pursue a spiritual life with another church pick one with a pastor who is a woman........... just for a change. There are plenty of them for instance:

  In 1961, the Universalists and the Unitarians combined to become the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations and in 1999, the number of women pastors leading Unitarian Universalist churches outnumbered the number of male pastors.

  Read more: Which Churches Allow Women Pastors? | eHow.comhttp://www.ehow.com/info_8113824_churches-allow-women-pastors.html#ixzz2Gkr59BOS
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  FlyingHighNow

  Anglicans/Episcopalians and some Lutherans and Presbyterian have woman pastors, too.
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  EntirelyPossible

  Official Episcopalian doctrine is that Jesus is fully human and fully God, that the Bible was written under inspiration of God, the trinity, etc.

  You version of God, at 8 or 9, was from the Bible and church. Today it... well, whatever it is. If Episcopalians are deciding which parts of the Bible they like, they are cherry picking. No shame in it, it just is what it is.

  IMO, that's is one reason science is superior. It works whether you believe in it or not. All the time, every time. God(s), spiritual, supernatual, etc., belief, is cherry picking.
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  FlyingHighNow

  That's official, EP. The liberating fact is that Episcopalians, either clergy or laity, do not have to agree with official doctrine, and frequently don't. Very refreshing to go back after the suffocating command to rigidly support and believe the WTBTS doctrine. Most priests I know are Evolutionists.
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  EntirelyPossible

  Most religions are like that. They all cherry pick. Even JWs. Granted, they are much more rigid about it, but they still do.