"Belief" and "Faith" are Simply Emotional Terms for Ideas and Opinions (long post)

by xjwsrock 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  xjwsrock

  This is my current bottom-line conclusion after starting to see through the JW game 3 to 4 years ago and going through my own process of waking up. It helps to write it down and put it "out there". I hope it helps or resonates with you in your own personal process.

  Basically if I were given 10 seconds to say something to an active Jehovah's Witness that I cared about it would be the headline above. If I had a few minutes I would say something like this:

  ......

  "First of all I care for you very much, and I want to share something with you that I feel is very important. If I die tomorrow, I want you to always remember what I am about to tell you:

  ........

  There are certain things in life that are currently unexplained and unknowable. The big life questions. The questions about the origin of life. The questions about a Creator and whether there is a grand purpose or plan. The questions about what happens when we die, if anything.

  NOBODY knows the answers to these questions conclusively or absolutely. NOBODY has it all figured out. With this in mind, I offer this warning..... If a person or group EVER tries to convince you that he/she/they have all these answers, BE VERY WARY and TAKE EXTREME CAUTION. This is and always will be a huge red flag in life. If anybody tries to convince you that you should follow them because they have it all figured out, you are dealing with one of two possible types of people.

  ...........

  1.) A cold-hearted, con-artist seeking to control, manipulate, or exploit your emotional need for answers.

  2.) A deluded "true-believer" that has fallen prey to the stories sold by the person described above.

  ........

  Both of these individuals are equally dangerous, though for different reasons. Both of them will let you waist money, time, talent, relationships, opportunity, or even die for a cause. Both will do this without remorse.

  The words "Faith", "Belief", Convictions", etc. are words that simply describe Ideas and Opinions. That's all they ever can be. You don't use the word "belief" unless it is something that can't be verified. If it could be verified, stronger words are available. If something cannot be verified then all you are left with is an idea, a speculation, an opinion about what it is or could be.

  All religion is - is a stack of opinions chosen by some authority figure for the group to believe/follow. This can actually be said for many ideological groups or organizations. There is nothing wrong with opinions or agreeing with what a group stands for. It becomes dangerous when opinions begin to be presented as facts and then come with a list of demanding obligations or threats.

  For instance,

  If anyone tries to stifle your questioning or debate, restrict your access to information, not allow you to speak or associate with certain individuals or groups, threatens to hurt you or your family physically or emotionally, these are dangerous red flags. Please run the other way.

  Unfortunately the Jehovah's Witness organization fits this description well. Please stand up for yourself and research their history objectively and thoroughly study the counter-arguments to their belief system from a source other than the organization itself. It is never wrong to become more informed.

  .......

  P.S.

  The only way we could ever know if a Creator is interested in us or has a purpose for us is if that Creator spoke to us directly. No Creator, at this point in time, would be stupid enough or so ineffective as to communicate via hearsay through someone else. There are far too many con-artists wishing to exploit us for God to risk communicating in this manner. Any communication would need to be direct and to multiple eyewitnesses at the same time to eliminate the possibility of hallucination, schizophrenia, etc.

  I personally demand that God communicate with me in this way or I will readily assume I have stumbled on yet another person that falls into one of the two above categories. A reasonable God would respect these wishes.
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  Saename

  xjwsrock - Any communication would need to be direct and to multiple eyewitnesses at the same time to eliminate the possibility of hallucination, schizophrenia, etc.

  Actually... there are documented cases of people sharing the same or similar delusions. You can read this Wikipedia article about it. It is possible for multiple individuals to have the same hallucination or delusion—unfortunately.

  Still, a normal (read: real) God would consider what you have just said. For instance, why would He allegedly inspire the Bible if He did not preserve the original manuscripts? (I realise this example is not exactly what you are talking about, but it still touches on unreasonable communication of a divine with humans.)
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  xjwsrock

  Saename,

  I see your point about the possibility of shared delusion, but that is probably a pretty rare thing. When I say multiple witnesses, I mean like dozens of people to verify the communication. Like I have said before, God could be covered on cable news and be broadcast immediately to billions. No need for a century of door knocking. LOL.....

  I agree with your second point about the bible. I say if God wanted a book about Jews to seem miraculous then have it written by people in China or South America that had no contact with this "chosen nation". If a nation writes its own holy book and coincidentally writes themselves in as God's chosen people, then what miracle do you really have?
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  Perry

  The only way we could ever know if a Creator is interested in us or has a purpose for us is if that Creator spoke to us directly.

  God has done plenty to show his love for us. According to the Creator, it is our faith that forms the basis for a full pardon for our sin. It was the first man & woman's' lack of belief that led them (and us) to the death penalty. Because of the death of Jesus in our stead, man is put in the same position he was at the beginning - destiny determined by belief, not by how many rules you follow.

  I have started to get used to waking by faith and not by sight. It has taken a long time to get used to it. I can't say that I totally like it. But I look forward to many of the hidden surprises (love gifts from God) that this kind of lifestyle offers. I like it more as time goes on. I wished I liked it more than I do. I can honestly say that I look forward to having more belief/faith because it has such a positive affect on me and my family. It also is what God likes. What kind of gift can you give the person who literally has/knows everything? Just believe him. He likes it.

  By the way, God speaks to anyone who can listen to a recording of the bible or read it for themselves. And for the record, every person will definitely have a face to face encounter with God. Everyone.
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  2+2=5

  And for the record, every person will definitely have a face to face encounter with God. Everyone.
  

  Thanks for the heads up, I will take record of this.
  

  Sorry I've already dismissed it as complete bullshit.
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  Divergent

  Perry:

  I have started to get used to waking by faith and not by sight.

  So Perry...how does it feel like walking around in circles? ;)
  
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  Simon

  Must walk into a lot of lampposts too ...

  This is really one of those simply idiotic things that "the faithful" come out with - as though they are saying something profound when really it's just stupid.

  Belief and faith usually to me denote a complete absence of ideas and personal opinions - you have handed your brain to someone else for it to be filled. There is no original thought or reasoning to warrant the labels.
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  Simon

  There are far too many con-artists wishing to exploit us for God

  So many and so common that humanity has invented a term for it: religion.
  
  
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  StarTrekAngel

  I agree with the OP. Unfortunately, even this truth has been exploited. Faith has been redefined and so happens to align with opinion. The faith I read about in the bible is not blind. Those who claim to live by faith and not by sight, should reconsider putting that biblical reference in full context before they do hit a lamp post. Please realize that I am not arguing belief. If you choose to believe in Santa, that is ok. I am just saying that the entire religious body of the world has realized that promoting this idea of "faith" is the most efficient tool that they have and redefining it by guilt tripping people into accepting things without proof is the holy grail of manipulation.

  If you are a believer, please read your bible entirely, slowly and consciously. I bet you will realize that not one character in the bible ever expressed blind faith without the burden of proof. There was always a reference for them to have a starting point. Weak or strong, but there was something more than guilt driven blind faith imposed by a third party who claim to have the truth. Those few examples where someone did follow blindly have ended badly.
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  OnTheWayOut

  By the way, God speaks to anyone who can listen to a recording of the bible or read it for themselves. And for the record, every person will definitely have a face to face encounter with God. Everyone.

  Perry posts a wondereful example to demonstrate how true the opening post is. He lists his emotional opinions and goes on to the above quote.

  Most of us have read the Bible and were misled by some sincere deluded "true-believer" among Jehovah's Witnesses and already know that there are many different sincere (and con artist) takes on the Bible.

  Thanks for being the "Devil's Advocate," Perry.