Many good thoughts in this discussion. The only true words that I came away with - and can still remember from being a JW are...
"Religion is a snare and a racket."
I just don't buy into the 'god is love' nonsense - especially when you consider that he didn't take on that personality until the New Testament. (In the Old Testament he was destroying whole nations and peoples - all in the name of his 'people'. *rolls eyes*)
As for the God aspect of it - I believe in something... and it is more oriented towards nature, and the cycles of life that are all around us.
Some of the best folks that I know don't even set foot in a church.
I believe it's wrong to hurt others, I certainly wouldn't consider that a shallow belief.
No, I wouldn't either. Is it even a "belief"? You are sensitive enough to realize that when you hurt others you hurt yourself. It's a fact, an undeniable actuality for you. What is real, is not a belief.
What I am trying to say Myst, is there is a deeper level than belief and faith, and that is where significance is found.
Beliefs are things you can write down and explain to others. You can do this because beliefs are constructs within the mind or intellectual level. There are deeper levels of innate wisdom within the truth of our existence. Here, perception is very much alive, extremely intimate and pretty much indescribable.
j
Gopher, You're, right of course! I was refering to my own experiance. Didn't mean to infer others fit the description.. I can only admit to my own self-centered approach to life, which pretty much turned around once I adopted a religion that forced me to think in terms of placing myself after the welfare of others. My experiance seems to be reinforced by many that follow the same path, however, I've met some pretty incredible agnostics and atheists that are more "christian" than the christians, if you know what I mean.
I find I am a deeply spiritual person but not at all religious. I have been to churches, and I have studied other spiritualities and have made my own path. Its very satisfying to me and I find that I have a much deeper connection than I ever did as a Witness.
