I think my faith might be returning. Feeling very confused.

by jambon1 95 Replies latest jw friends

  • adamah
    adamah

    Ruby said- adamah, I don't agree that dogmatism and resistance to change stem from emotional factors although I agree that they may play a small part.

    No? Then what do you think plays a role?

    Ruby said- Are you familiar with the fascinating term availability heuristic?

    Sure. Any particular reason for asking, or is that what you're suggesting plays more of a role in dogmatism?

    Are you familiar with the 'affect heuristic', which is associated with making subconscious emotional 'snap-decisions' (colloquially-referred to as "trusting one's gut")? Of course, the need to protect one's faith as a Xian means adopting an appropriate faith-based affect heuristic, such the defenses trigger at the perception of a threat in order to shut down the cognitive processes: that's hardly anything BUT an emotional reaction.

    That stated, ALL such heuristic models of decision-making suffer from the same limitation of being only models of what they attempt to explain, where the actual-decision-making processes are not as cut-and-dry as falling into only one category or the other, but result from a lifetime of influences, physiologically arising primarily from the interactions of many different neurons in the brain.

    Even examining the process by which certain heuristic processes are adopted often involves their fulfilling certain emotional needs (heuristics DO have an adaptive value, and hence survival benefit), but it's unreasonable to think we'll ever be able to 'tease out' which decisions are made for what reason, and how much each factor played an influence (at least, anytime in the near future). Heck, JWs intentionally inculcate the adoption of certain decision-making processes, driven by a theocratically-driven heuristic.

    That stated, this IS an ex-JW board and thus is a sub-population of JWs, who are known to recruit and sell a message to those possessing certain pre-existing biases, attracted by the use of certain emotional lures, such that potential recruits are more swayed than the general population by eg emotional appeals (eg love bombing, a desire to live forever, and to see their resurrected loved ones again, etc).

    The JW message is not necessarily one that would appeal to say, a trained palentologist, esp once they realized that JW's were YEC, a belief which flys in the face of the evidence which they've been exposed to in their profession.

    Adam

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    Almost every atheist here gives atheism a good name compared to Adam's rabid rants. They are over the top arguments - simply to argue. Wow. He can use dictionary.com! Fruitage rather than fruit. Well, everyone here must hang their head in shame. He appears to believe that his views are the only views permissible on this small planet. Meanwhile, the First Amendment gives American the right to freedom of belief. There is debate and there is trouncing someone for some trigger within yourself.

    How many people are ever converted to a belief by sheer rudeness? Many educated people are agnostic or believers. I personally know many. People who study higher criticism and study Church Fathers and modern theologians. Christians believe in evolution, too. It serves a purpose to pretend that these Christians do not exist. Just as fundamentalists are not the best poster kids for Christianity, someone who has so much anger towards moderate Christians does not serve atheism well.

    Atheism has a right to exist. Believers have rights, too. This assault reminds me of the assaults by Christian fringe groups, such as the Westboro Baptist Church. When someone has to conquer, the person is twisted. There are other types of forums to beat someone over the head. This is deeply troubling. I have not decided what to do. I do not want another Shelby/AGuest ordering others what to do and what to believe. We are competent adults here. There is something deep in the character of Witnesses. The need to trounce. I grew up with at home and in the KH.

    Witnesses don't allow others freedom of thought or life style. It is the GB way or no way. One of the reasons mainstream Christianity attracts me is the absence of dogma. Meet Lenin, Stalin, and Mao! You must. No, I must not. It is for me to decide. This is an Internet forum. We don't know each in real life with a few exceptions. How can anyone judge my fruit of the Spirit from JWN? It would be nice to know me for three minutes before judging me or anyone else. I see a dry Witness in our midst.

    These evolution threads are troublesome. Tone most certainly does matter. My profession places high value on presenting a point of view in the best possible manner. Vindictiveness does not. I don't read the evolution threads as a rule b/c I've heard it all a million times before. It is hard for me to conceive of anyone believing in Adam and Eve and a literal view of creation.

    I suggest a poll on how many members have changed their minds by bad conduct on the part of the opposite party. Bad conduct reinforces someone's belief or nonbelief. Sometimes I wish there were some way that members would just let one another be and celebrate our freedom. We are human.

  • adamah
    adamah

    BOTR said-

    Almost every atheist here gives atheism a good name compared to Adam's rabid rants. They are over the top arguments - simply to argue.

    More tone trolling, BOTR?

    Oh, you seem to think atheists are a GROUP: not so, since aside from sharing a lack of a belief in God(s), there is no other agenda, no group to "represent" or to join, or to give a "good name" or "bad name" to. You're simply projecting your theological Xian bent onto others (again), whether it fits or not.

    So please feel free to use this as an opportunity to exercise some self-control (a fruitage of the spirit, IIRC) and simply IGNORE what I write (I mostly overlook your stream-of-consciousness posts). There are no quizzes, and there is not a required reading list on JWN.

    Adam

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    Adam,

    With every post you make, fewer and fewer members respect you. Mind your fruits of the spirit. Behind this pseudo-intellectual bluster, you are a big kindergarten bully. You dazzle no one, except yourself.

  • rip van winkle
    rip van winkle

    I like Adam's posts. They are logical and methodical and not scattered in all different emotionally wrought directions. And I find his words readable and enjoyable here as on his blog site. I'm glad he's here.

    To each his own.

    I guess I must be dazzled!!!

    Now back to your regularly scheduled program....

  • Violia
    Violia

    Adam posts are oppressive . The OP asked a question and he has took it off topic and insults everyone who does agree with him.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit