One Simple Question

magotan

If we are to serve Jehovah because of 'selflessness' and because 'love him' and not because of 'what he does for us', how is the 'Promise of the Paradise' NOT selfish? The faith hinges on it!

This has bothered me for a long, long time.

return of parakeet

It's a great example of Skinnerian operant conditioning. Rewards for good behavior and punishment for bad behavior. Works on monkeys. Works on humans.

It's the basis for all faith-based religions.

Larsinger58

Good question. But actually we can be tested in ways that make the reward part of our faith not matter.

For instance, we all love life. We might have a wonderful family. But if we sign up for military duty, we volunteer to give up our lives, when it comes to it, for our country, or some cause. Now sure, you are getting paid and there's the promise of education and all that, but ultimately, you can still do something and make that ultimate sacrifice, for some greater cause. That's where the "selflessness" comes in;when you are willing to die for some cause greater than yourself. You are not thinking about the promised perks at that point.

Tater-T

yep!!! it's all F'd up now when I look at anything.... in the bible once your eyes are opened you can't shut them ..

If Jesus paid the price why do we have to believe it.. the debt was settled or it wasn't..

I wouldn't kill my kid because GOD told me too .. either

the list goes on and on...

did the angels have a tree of good and bad senario.. why or why not.. they sinned and lived.. double standard..

Lore

I don't trust anyone who purports to be completely altruistic.

Even when I believed it was the truth, I knew I was only worshiping god for the benefits.

Which really made the account of Job weird. Since Satan was clearly correct about motivations.

If there was no ressurection hope, nobody in their right mind woud be a witness.

magotan

Holy hell, I thought I was the only one who thought this way. :P

Pterist

Ray Franz in his book, forget which one, called this hope of an earthly paradise a spiritual materialism.

Its a false gospel that gets away from self denial and surrender. Living your Christian baptism, is a daily dying in Christ (self denial) and a relience on his resurrection power to live a spirit filled life. You will have his righteousness, his peace, by having not just faith in what Jehovah did for us in Christ, but actually having the very faith that Jesus has, as he shares his divine life with us.

Shalom

clarity

Magtan... hi & welcome to this "eyes wide open" place

>

Ya, you know... "keep our eyes on the PRIZE".......but that

can't be why we serve him ....huh?

Looking forward to hearing your story,

clarity

Tater-T

oh and welcome I didn't notice you were new.. and good luck sorting it all out ..

magotan

No, I had feelings like this far before I ventured onto any of these "Apostate" websites. I'm only 19, but ever since I was 12 or 13, it never made sense. I felt bad, because everytime I'd try and think critically about my faith, it would unravel. I thought it was something I had done, or something I was doing wrong.

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