by Simon 34 Replies latest jw experiences
Thanks for sharing Simon!
Paraphrasing, you mention that you wish Hell could exist for evil and manipulative charlatans.
Do you think then the idea of a hell for evil people would be out of the question?
What do you think would be an appropriate punishment for people in religious authority that harm so many innocent lives? We all know JW's is not the only religion in this category.
Julia, the book 1984 and the movie "The Matrix" share powerful common themes I'm sure you'd at least enjoy reading about (red/blue pill).
I enjoyed reading that Julia thanks.
A fine, loving congregation Irlam was … not. - Simon
I know Arthur and Norma Openshaw, and their boys Chris and Aidrian. Do you know them too Simon?
Sam xx
Yes, I remember them - they were there when we were.
@ Fernando, I'm a HUGE fan of all George Orwell's works and am thus very familiar with 1984. I can't say I liked the Matrix though as I didn't even remember the pill reference came from it til you said it then.
What do you think would be an appropriate punishment for people in religious authority that harm so many innocent lives? We all know JW's is not the only religion in this category.
With other industries (yes, religion is just another industry) things are regulated so if a financial advisor mis-sells you an investment or swindles an old lady out of her savings they can be held to account for it. The aim is to separate the reputable from the unsavoury and fine or imprison the charletans.
But how can you do this with religion? How do you judge the sincere from the fraudulent? The helpful from the harmful? The ones with the truth from liars?
The problem is that it's all fraudulent and all full of charletans and the 'good deeds' aren't contingent on having belief as the religious would have us believe so there is nothing to lose from not having it.
Religion is the ultimate ponzi scheme where the price you pay is your life and you sacrifice others to get ahead. But you'll never meet the man at the top or receive the payout you have been promised by previous victims.
So, the only solution is to ban them all. "Nuke it form orbit - it's the only way to be sure". Sure, some people may be sincere ... but it doesn't matter, they are still misguided fools peddling potential suffering to others and why should they get to do that? What does their motive matter when their crime is the same? Other religions that peddle hate and killing need less argument for their destruction.
Sadly, it will not happen in my lifetime but religion should continue to decline and maybe one day will be something kids just read about in history lessons.
Thank you Simon :)
I liked this part of your comment:
Religion is the ultimate ponzi scheme where the price you pay is your life and you sacrifice others to get ahead. But you'll never meet the man at the top or receive the payout you have been promised by previous victims.
I do foresee that with the age of information and the continued hidenness of God will cause future generations to wake up.
I don't know, I don't see humanity getting any more intelligent - just look at TV and tabloid / trashy mags.
There literally is one born every minute and whatever insanity someone has to peddle there will be someone, somewhere who is willing to buy it.
Why do we still get emails from Nigerians claiming the late president left us some money? Because people STILL fall for it, enough that it makes it worthwhile and you hear the story of some fool being duped out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Until there are no more suckers in the world, there will always be religion. And you know what happens if you try and make things fool-proof? The world just invents better idiots.
Information is available to protect those who check facts and research things they hear - if people still fall for it then at least they can't blame anyone else.
There is a sucker born every minute... if we look at history we can see that we will probably just invent new bogus stories to make us feel better or to control others. But I don't want to lose all hope in humanity and at least I am one more who knows religion is a delusion.
