by Jayson 13 Replies latest jw friends
When a person makes the choice to believe that they have the only "truth" about the unknowable they dismiss all religions and faiths save one. They are 99% athiest. For those who decided to leave such a program which way have you gone? 100% dismissive or have you begun a different path? Are you happier?
[Please share]
I'm sorry, Jayson, but, um, what was the question?
Is the religion one has chosen 1% of the world's religions?
Are you saying that the truth is that God is unknowable, and so 99% of people who reach that conclusion are atheists?
And that some of those atheists remain atheist with certainty while others come back to some sort of belief system and you are curious as to what that is?
Please clarify?
outnfree
Are you happier?
Yup 99%
Could you rephrase the question?
Loris
Sure,
People who have the "One true religion" (whatever it is) are really one step [religion] away from being an athiest. Where are you now? Did you give up and jump into athiesm and/or did you turn back consider really taking a look at other cultures, relgions, and lifestyles. What makes you happy?
Religion and theism are unrelated. Your question is flawed. Sorry!
I am MUCH happier since I quit unpaid religious literature distribution and redundant sales meeting attendance for the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation.
It is not a yes or no question, or a I do or do not do this answer.
I believe that there are different levels of ones spirituality. Some need organized religion with others in a structured environment. Some transcend this need where they still identify with an organized religion, but only meet occasionally, not reaching out, just mixing with the flock when needed. Others, at the highest level, know their path and do not need a structured regimen each day or week, however, they intermix with others regarding spiritual matters when and where they want, with whoever they want....
Dr Peck’s Further Along the Road Less Traveled, goes into detail about these stages, and I agree.
People who have the "One true religion" (whatever it is) are really one step [religion] away from being an athiest. Where are you now? Did you give up and jump into athiesm and/or did you turn back consider really taking a look at other cultures, relgions, and lifestyles. What makes you happy?
I think the WT and other cults want you to become atheistic - or at least irreligious - if you leave them. The last thing they want is for someone to point out that what they teach really isn't supported by the Bible, which they claim as their basis of faith. That's one of the reasons why they hammer so hard on how evil other religions are. They don't want their followers thinking there might be anywhere else to go.
As I've said several times in this forum, I became a JW because I believed in the Bible, and I left because I believed in the Bible. Having a relationship with Jesus and seeing his blessings in my life makes me happy.
I became a JW because I believed in the Bible, and I left because I believed in the Bible.
That is so cool. Thank you.
Jayson, this is a good question for me because it's where I came from.
I did kinda go a bit atheist at first, I got into Eric Hoffer but to me he says more about religion as an organisation than being an atheist.
I was thinking of visiting different churches and faiths [just sitting in] to get a picture of what other religions are like compared to the one I was brought up in. I think this would help me get a more balanced outlook on it all.
I still believe in God but far from the one JW’s try to propagate, maybe I believe in another God. My main belief is following your instincts cos they tell you when something’s good for you and when it isn’t. (I mean, my instincts got me out of the borg). At the end of the day we all pay for our mistakes in some way or other even if it’s just the way we feel about ourselves. We all make mistakes and learn from them, if we have any sense, not get tortured for making them by God or by religion.
Are you happier?
Yep!
