THis is a topic I struggle with at times. My JW experience has completely turned me off organised religion in all it's shapes and forms. My own philosophy is to try and live a decent life and do the right thing by my fellow man. I don't have any significant spiritual void and don't hanker after religious fulfillment. I don't see me participating in any religious activities in the future, or ever again.
The strange thing is tho - I would like to think that there is a God. However, when I analyse this I realise that it is purely for selfish reasons - i.e. for protection and problem solving - for example, 'please God if you help me to solve problem A/B/C whatever' then I will do X/Y/Z. So my only communication would be for my own agenda which is not what religion is supposed to be about.
FF
Did the WTS make an atheist out of you?
by JH 44 Replies latest jw friends
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Freedom Fighter
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SAHS
I?m not completely an atheist. (I guess I would be an agnostic.) I believe that there must be some kind of intelligent force that is responsible for the engineering of such a complex variety of living organisms. However, I think that, like so many other things, ?God? is most likely quite different than people have understood him (or her, or it, or whatever) to be.
Most people are conditioned to believe that you can?t have the Bible without God, and vice versa. I believe that the Bible does exist. I have my own copy, which I can hold in my hands. It is real paper, ink, binding, etc. But is its representation of God based on reality, or is it yet another product of human creativity. As you all know, there are many other ?holy books,? each, of course, claiming authenticity?and exclusivity. Also, there are many religious doctrines and philosophical ideas throughout the earth, many of which, of course, conflicting with other such doctrines and ideas. Now, it is obvious that many religious systems of belief must, by pure logic and observation, be false (i.e., made up, fantasy, bogus, BS!). So, is it possible that all known religious beliefs are in that category, at least up to this time?
My point is that there seems to be some intelligent ?cause? of our world as we know it. However, people seem to have a tendency to ?make him up? according to their own ingenuity?kind of like composing a sort of ?cosmic Mr. Potato Head.? For example, the ancient Greeks formulated a vast and intricate collection of mythological ?deities,? and wrote a literary script for their roles in a sort of ?theological soap opera.? Other civilizations, such as the ancient Babylonians, Hindus, Aztecs, etc., did likewise. It could be that we sill don?t, and possibly never will, know the true nature of this ?cause,? or force, which we call ?God.?
Incidentally, the being I serve and care about more than anything beyond our atmosphere is my friend?s dog. She is my walking partner, as well as a loyal friend and companion. I give her offerings of raisin bran muffins and filtered water, and worship her by lavish affection. So, at least for me, there is a ?God??I just arrange the letters backwards!
?SAHS (of the nature-loving philosopher class)
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undercover
heck no. i believe in God. Electric Ladyland was definitely His best album.
God didn't write Electric Ladyland. Hendrix did. Clapton was God.
I'm not sure if I'm atheist or agnostic. I do know that if there is a god, he does not operate through any religion. I do not believe that the bible is from god. I don't believe most of the "stories" of the bible. A talking snake. A worldwide flood. The sun stood still. Fairy tales. I don't buy the entire story of Jesus. He may have existed but he was probably just some non-violent revolutionary with a vision and then later, other revolutionaries made a religion out of him.
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Love, Me
I never stopped believing in God - just went through stages of who I thought He was. It all came full circle back to Christ for me. This is the Lord I have been given and I accept Him. I still have some enormous prejudices against Christians in general - even though I am one. I should say the current Christian movement today. The far right Jerry Falwell crowd scares me as much as the Watchtower does.
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Kenneson
I BELIEVE
I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining.
I believe in love even when I'm alone.
I believe in God even when He is silent.
These words were found scrawled on a cellar wall where Jews had hidden in World War II in Cologne, Germany.
(They pretty much convey my sentiments.)