by JW72 10 Replies latest jw friends
I wonder would christians (JW's included) still serve God if it were God's will for them to die in this world and not live forever?!?!?!!
I don't think so!!!!!!!
If u think like that, it makes u realise just how selfish it all is to believe that!!
They may say that they would but I DOUBT IT!!!!
Comments greatly accepted.
Chris
Interesting post Chris:
I can't imagine any reason to serve anything or anyone just because they said we should, if there wasn't some reason to. Why would we serve anyone or anything just because they said we should and because they said they deserved it for creating us.
That may sound selfish, but logic says: why should we?
If someone said to me, worship me because I deserve it and you will get nothing out of it in the end... you will just die...no afterlife....what would convince me that thing/deity/person deserved my reverence?
Yes I struggled with "do I serve God because I appreciate all he has done/given or just because he will reward worship with life". Call it selfish if you will, but it looks more like logical reasoning to me.
Had Enough
If there is a God, there must be life - and abundant life at that. If there were nothing but the struggle of life as we know it on this world and then nothing but the endless night of eternal oblivion then absolutely I would not be willing to worship such a God that would perpetrate such a cruel joke as this life would then be.
As it is, we worship a God the existence of whom cannot be proven, on the chance that He is as He has been represented: a loving father. And upon this gossamer hope depends for its very existence every religion, or at least every religion which includes a God.
But finally, as we have noted by observation of the animal kingdom, love - even altruism - is not a characteristic of non-human life. There is something in the human being that causes it to love, to display altruism, to regard the "other" more highly than the self. And this is the evidence, the only real evidence, that there is surely a God, a God who put the capacity for this other love in our makeup. In fact, that we have love among ourselves is the one acceptable evidence that God does indeed exist. Thus Jesus' commandment that we have this love among ourselves is really a commandment that we acknowledge the existance of God...a self fulfilling dynamic.
F
I guess my answer to you depends on what you mean by 'serving God'.
To JWs, 'serving God' is equated with serving the interests of the Watchtower Society.
To many Christians (and other theists), 'serving God' is equated with living a life of love and compassion for other people. If this is what you mean by 'serving God', then yes, I believe that people would continue to do this regardless of any potential reward. Many athiests and agnostics lead lives that mirror the teachings of Jesus more closely than Christians. I believe that, at the end of the day, we have to look at ourselves and feel that we've done some good in the world. Especially if we're gonna die & never come back, it would be a natural desire to want to leave this world knowing that we've done what we could to help someone...in my opinion.
It depends on your reasons for being nice. If it is to please God then would you do it for that reason (without e'lasting life) or would you do it just to be nice??
Chris
dub72,
: I wonder would christians (JW's included) still serve God if it were God's will for them to die in this world and not live forever?!?!?!!
: I don't think so!!!!!!!
My uncle who is the most honest, and generous man I have ever known, is also a devout Mormon. He has given away countless tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to help others. He gives away more money and more time to help people than anyone I've ever known. He never asks for anything in return, either. His church asks for ten percent, he gives twenty percent. He's just like that.
When I was visiting him and we were driving around in his car he said to me, "You know, if God came down to me and said, 'it doesn't matter how you live your life down here. I don't care. There will be no reward, nor no punishment after you die.', I wouldn't change a thing in my life from what I'm doing now."
I grew up with this uncle. He's only seven years older than me, and I know him very well, like a big brother, even. He meant every word of it.
He is the big exception, though. Most people (and especially JWs) "serve" God out of pure selfishness.
Farkel
JW72,
There are many groups within Judaism that do NOT beleive in a resurrection of any sort, yet still serve God. The same can be said to be true of the Sauducees in Jesus time. I do honestly think that a number of Christians (I'll even include some JW's in that term) would serve God without a hope of Resurrection. What would I personally do. I honestly don't know, but even Atheists can be altruistic, so why not Christians.
Yeru
YERUSALYIM
I like peanut butter, can you rollerskate?
It depends on your reasons for being nice. If it is to please God then would you do it for that reason (without e'lasting life) or would you do it just to be nice??
I believe in the theory that for every action, there is a reaction (paraphased).
I believe that when you treat people with kindness and "niceness", then it often is returned to you. It is part of human nature to return a smile with a smile. By being kind, it helps iron out the wrinkles in daily life, and makes living with other imperfect humans much more pleasant for all parties involved.
I realise now the point I was initially trying to make, excuse my slow brain.
The God of the bible requires certain sacrifices that are not included in being a 'nice' person.
I'm sure people can think of quite a few, praying, for example, preaching about him etc (also sexual sacrifices I think).
Now if you want to be nice but don't make those kind of sacrifices, would you still be saved?? Something like that..
Can someone please figure out what I'm trying to say, and explain it to me???
Please.....
Chris
Chris,
Can someone please figure out what I'm trying to say, and
explain it to me???
Please.....
funny. reminds me of me sometimes.
if this helps:
i was talking with a very religious woman, and the question came to
me to ask her, "what was the last thing God did for you PERSONALLY."
she said, "woke me up this morning," making me wonder how in the
world all us apostates and other heathens/pagans were able to arise
from sleep. after a silly, pointless, ten-minute dialog, her first answer
was the best i could get out of her.
i think few people would serve god without thinking there was a pay-off
in the end. JWs want paradise, fundies want Heaven, others want
Nirvana, etc., and these rewards keep people within moral and ethical
boundaries. it stands as one of the most useful things about religion. i
would be a lot more worried about the future if the word ever got out
that there is no god.
peace,
todd
______________________________________________________
"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say."
______-- Marshall McLuhan
