Are many of lifes questions from influence? (page 2)

gumby

I'll try and remember that one talesin...thanks.

Wanna know what I think? I thinks me spent too much damn time reading Watchtowers and Awakes!....instead of National Geographic. I'm sure those books are full of stories of tribes who worship something with no influence and have a belief system.

One thing for sure, if our overly concerns about lifes questions have been a result of biased beliefs from our surroundings......it becomes tattooed on your brain. How can you forget about cultural induced thoughts, once they are there in your head?

Gumby

A Paduan

Paduan my friend.....your mind is like a garden alright cuz your in the "Garden thread"....not here. I think you want my other "famous thread" about the tree of good and naughty. It's over here.

No mistake, right thread.

My opinion on the question of influence, and in particular that relating to the statement - "...even primitive tribes who have never seen people before, set up gods and worshipped them because of a need to worship."

My opinion is yes, it is influenced - in a manner I would call 'eating food that is good and evil' - produces confusion / dark mind - the staple food of the wts.

As indicated "...even primitive tribes who have never seen people before, set up gods and worshipped them (truth) because of a need to worship (truth tm subjective) ."

"be careful about how you hear this, because if you already think you hear something, you'll be hearing more of it"

talesin

I do like this question, heheh.

It took a while, but I was able to completely remove the tatoo. I think the final surgery took place when I studied Philosophy. Only took first year at one of the local uni's, but examining issues from the perspective of total logic did it (yeah, call me "Spock", my friends do!).

We had a really interesting textbook called "Twenty Questions" (circa 1993/94), which looked at a variety of issues, ranging from "Is It Really Art?" to "Is There A God?" to "Is Abortion Wrong?". There were essays from folks like Plato, Kant, Sojourner Truth, Russel, Descartes, French,,, from early times up to the present day. By that time, I had read a lot about religion, talked to a lot of folks about their belief systems. I was ready to come to the realization that I needed no "belief system". That I could accept life for what it is, in the here and now.

Still learning of course (I will always be a 'sponge' for knowledge), but I'm much more content now. I no longer question where we came from or where we are going. Just dealing with the here and now is challenging enough! And my relationships with others have been much enhanced by this attitude, as it also helped me to let go of the judgemental attitude that was leftover from JW.

talesin

gumby

Intresting talesin....I've heard some where, a change will do ya good!

I suppose a study as you mentioned would be good for anybody.....especially an ex-dub.(preferably a dub if you can get one to do it)

Every person on the planet is influenced by their surroundings. I'll bet a dollar to a krispy Cream, that there are entire cultures who do not worry about the "same things" we worry about. If they do worry....they may worry in a different manner. They might worry they will turn into a shitfly instead of a flower when they die. Instead of worrying if they will live again, they just worry about becoming the shitfly.( bad analogy I know....but it's me)

A Paduan,

My opinion is yes, it is influenced - in a manner I would call 'eating food that is good and evil' - produces confusion / dark mind - the staple food of the wts.

The Watchtower isn't the only one who produces these questions with waning answers. You were never a dub and you too wonder these things.

Gumby

Obviously Secret

Woo I love these open ended questions, time to get the juices running.

Well I'ma milk an old cow on this one but I truly feel that the only human instincts in general are Loyalty, and Power. If a person was by himself he wouldn't ask questions about God and stuff cause he never heard of anything like that before. I just learned that people eat kangaroos sometime, I would have never questioned that because I never heard of somebody even doing that lol. People would let their minds wonder maybe they will fall on these questions and make a religion of themselves because they need some kind of loyalty. And they would go crazy without a few things to control so they'll find themselves a good monkey friend. Like cast away he made a volleyball his friend, Loyalty and Power, that's all it boils down to. This could because we have certain sexual needs or whatever but seriously Loyalty and Power are human needs. It will all trickle down to different things such as beliefs or a mate or all that stuff later on.

I doubt they will ask themselves those questions, especially if they don't even have a language to think in, their thoughts would be confused until they created their own beliefs on how to think and do different things. So ya really we don't know but I just feel it will end up being something that he can call a friend and/or something he can control.

LittleToe

Just seen this thread.

I suspect that many of our questions are down to influence, but then again just look at the favourite question of kids - "Whyyyyyy?"

As humans we have an inate desire to know why things happen, and what makes them work.
If we have no satisfying answers we tend to lay out "placeholders" for concepts, which end up being built up into entire philosophies.
It may cause some wrong conclusions, along the way, but it certainly allows for abstract thought.

For thousands of years many of those concepts were thrown into that big old melting pot called "God".
Well, slowly but surely the answers are arriving, but for all that the pot isn't getting any smaller (perhaps the reverse).

In all honesty, I think it was stated well earlier, as "truth".
Will we ever stop seeking that?

gumby

For thousands of years many of those concepts were thrown into that big old melting pot called "God".
Well, slowly but surely the answers are arriving, but for all that the pot isn't getting any smaller (perhaps the reverse).

I'm not sure if the pot has shrunk or grown. The age of enlightenment has changed things a bit.......but does it keep up with those searching for a quicker truth?

Gumby

Vivamus

Well, at least there was this first person who invented a god, and others listened... Assuming now there are no gods, cuz otherwise there was this first person who talked to god. .....

I don't think the Watchtowers idea is a right one, its not an inborn desire to worship god, but i do think people have this need to know. A car crashes into mine, and my first thought is *damnit, why did this had to happen*, accidents, death, lightning ... why did it hapen and where is it comming from, can we prevent it, who/what is controlling it. When there are no scientific anwers to find, ppl turn to the mystic and to gods .... i firmly believe religion was created to make sense of a life ruled by chaos.

Gumby, interesting question .. as always

-

Blue Bubblegum Girl

gumby

Hey Viv.....your alive! Nice to see hear from you again. Mum say's your pretty busy these days.It will get better.

People invent gods is for sure. What gets me is the devotion they can give to something they KNOW they created or isn't real. At least with Christianity.......there was supposed to be a REAL man named Jesus......not a made-up idol like the greeks did. People at least believed jesus really existed in the flesh.( well....some did anyway)

Gumby

Vivamus

Hey Gumby, yeah, life is hectic for me, but not this easy Saturday afternoon

Well, ppl can make themselves believe in something they created themselves. Like .... a person lights a candle to remember a lost child, and that person sais to themsleves "i will keep this candle light forever to remember". Before you know it, the candle has to burn or it will be a major catastrophe (sp) the candle is protected and gets a holy status.... Your own mind can be you worst enemy at times.

I don't think it's an active thought men had "lets create the gods" .. more a concept, an idea, that spinned outta control and got to live a life of its own.

_

Blue Bubblegum girl

Are many of lifes questions from influence?

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