Why did you stop believing in God?

by The Quiet One 118 Replies latest jw experiences

  • Theocratic Sedition
    Theocratic Sedition

    I still want to believe, and there have been quite a few moments in my life where things happened that caused me to look up at the sky and express thanks or privately acknowledge a hidden helping hand. However there have been more times in my life, especially looking at other people's lives and the messed up circumstances that they're in through no fault of their own, that make me question God's existance. Yesterday I called off from work, and it was a gorgous day, absolutely beautful. I was able to go to the bank and get some business taken care of, stopped and grabbed a bite to eat, sun was shining like the Bob Marley song, beautiful women everywhere, sighhhhh, and just to be off of work as I need a vacation and yesterday's call-off turned out to be a mental health day. The night ended with Floyd Mayweather highlights. Twas a good day. However...........

    On my way home I stopped at a light and saw a young man with a physical condition, a physical retardation that I don't believe to have ever have seen before. He looked like a create-a-player from Madden 04" that went wrong. Both his feet were facing opposite directions like one was going northeast, the other northwest. His hips were dang near where his upper back was, and his groin was likewise near his chest. He was walking down the street and I thought to myself, "thank God I'm not............." which was selfish of me. Then I thought cynically, "Oh yeah, God is love alright." He reminded me of a photo manipulation that depicted a two legged elephant. It was one of those things that just messed me up yesterday for a brief moment.

    Later on I caught the latter end of a film about Rwanda with John Hurt yesterday on IFC, and seeing the way people were slaughtered, and the indifference on the part of the Clinton administration was another one of those God questioning moments. At one point in the film John Hurt's character which I believe was based on an actual person, stated that God was right there amongst the people. Was thinking to myself, "if you say so bruh." To be fair to God, the actions and inactions during that whole affair can be directly attributed to humans, but the situation didn't exactly make God look great either. In general, situations like Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia, or natural disasters that just indiscriminately destroy people's lives, make it easy to loose faith in a God.

    Then there's this religion known as Jehovah's Witnesses and even more so the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society......................nothing else needs said as to why one would lose complete faith in God and his existance.

  • The Quiet One
    The Quiet One

    Precisely.. Those who believe in a loving God often have their head in the clouds, forgetting/ignoring all of the horrific things that happen to people on a massive scale every day? I can't think about it too much or I wouldn't be able to get through another meeting/another day. Thanks everyone..

  • The Quiet One
    The Quiet One

    @brainmelt-- I'm really sorry that you've had to watch your family suffer, I can empathise to a degree.. @Xanthippe-- Perfect post, sums up all I could say in a brief and succinct way. @Villagegirl-- Please could you explain why someone would merely pretend not to believe in a God? Atheism doesn't make Jw family/friends like you very much, does it? And why do you believe that life as an atheist would be impossible to bear? You can spend less time talking to yourself, less time reading bloodthirsty myths about dismembered concubines and all the rest of the Bibles pleasantries.. And more time dealing with real peoples real problems in the real world.

  • The Quiet One
    The Quiet One

    A great point here from Brainmelt.. 'Why the 2000 year silence?'

  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    Atheists in my opinion secretly believe - villagegirl

    Believers, in my opinion, secretly doubt - Oubliette

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5

    Atheists in my opinion secretly believe - villagegirl

    Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone's got one.

  • never a jw
    never a jw

    I was about 13 when I got deeper into science and evolution, which were a good reason to get rid of the "loving" spirit who would send me to hell for missing Mass. Never looked back. Lately, at 48, I am discovering that my instincts in my youth were right on the money. The God of the Bible is just a fabrication by men to control men.

  • Berengaria
    Berengaria

    OTWO:

    The short story:
    I researched the lies of Watchtower until I was satisfied that they did not have the truth.
    I didn't stop there. I researched the Bible because of my waking up about the Watchtower.
    I researched a little bit of non-Bible religion. Eastern philosophy was good, but you don't need God to accept that.
    I learned that the Bible is the work of men. I added science into my research and saw that the answers didn't need God.

    I would say I added History into my research and saw that god is man made.

    Hortensia:

    I had an AHA! moment after I attended several different churches and realized they're all the same.

    Villagegirl:

    Atheists in my opinion secretly believe; if the WT isn't right then God

    must be dead, which is like saying, if I can't have it my way ,

    This is sooooo typical and tiresome of believers. I actually feel it is the opposite. If believers were so comfortable with their belief, they would not need to project it on others. There are plenty of atheists through history that have had nothing to do with the JWs.

    Edit: having now finished the thread I see this has been addressed

  • Glander
    Glander

    Actually, today, when I heard that George Jones had passed.

  • Joliette
    Joliette

    I just can't understand how a god would allow things to happen to a good person like me. I was too good, humble and meek growing up. I had issues, I got angry, I'll admit, but overall I was a good person.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit