Posts by azor

posted

45
Do JW beliefs deserve respect?
by azor in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
what say you?

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azor

Cofty asked to define respect. Giordano gave the dictionaries definition. Another definition is "the condition of being esteemed or honored." I agree with most posters here that these beliefs do not deserve respect. However to often it seems that beliefs are tied in with the person that holds the belief.
If we truly respected the beliefs that jws hold i contend that we would still be in the cult. I'm trying to highlight the distinction between a belief and a person. Hoping this thread might help. Beliefs are not people. Nice is different than kind. Not respecting something does not equate to disrespecting it. Lack of belief in something or someone is not another type of belief. It is a lack of belief.
29
Do flat earth beliefs deserve respect?
by azor in
1. jw
2. friends
what say you.

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azor

What say you.
4
Wildfires in the Paradise. Will there be any?
by James Mixon in
1. watchtower
2. bible
the wildfires in san gabriel today is in my back yard.

we are next to be evacuated if the .

wind shift.
azor

My mom lives near there. Are you ok?
45
Do JW beliefs deserve respect?
by azor in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
what say you?

.
azor

Rational1 you are right you don't have to subject yourself to it. But what about the children?
45
Do JW beliefs deserve respect?
by azor in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
what say you?

.
azor

What say you?
2
Happy Father's Day
by azor in
1. jw
2. friends
just wanted to say happy father's day to all the father's and grandfather's here.

the reason i left was for my young children and i know i'm not the only one here.

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azor

My boy would love that.
2
Happy Father's Day
by azor in
1. jw
2. friends
just wanted to say happy father's day to all the father's and grandfather's here.

the reason i left was for my young children and i know i'm not the only one here.

.
azor

Just wanted to say happy Father's day to all the father's and grandfather's here. The reason I left was for my young children and I know I'm not the only one here.
240
Introduction - Any Believers?
by Believer in
1. jw
2. experiences
i’ve been reading it for a few of years off and on, but have been a little too ... maybe ... timid to join.

i left the watchtower organization almost 20 years ago but never abandoned my faith and belief in god.

i knew the gb/organization didn’t represent god, so when i lost my faith in them, i managed to keep my faith in an all wise benevolent creator.
azor

An example of the merits of ridiculing strongly entrenched belief systems. Google "How Superman defeated the KKK." When this ridicule took place the KKK numbered in the tens of thousands in the U.S. with numerous members in high political offices including the presidential cabinet. Once there ridiculous beliefs were exposed for all to see it began to fall apart.
Faith and belief are not virtues. They are not sacred cows. They deserve derision, public mockery, and humiliation. What happened this last weekend is due to a belief system.
It's high time that our culture and civilization for its own survival deride the strongly entrenched beliefs of all. We can have a discussion and respect each other as human beings but beliefs are another thing entirely.
240
Introduction - Any Believers?
by Believer in
1. jw
2. experiences
i’ve been reading it for a few of years off and on, but have been a little too ... maybe ... timid to join.

i left the watchtower organization almost 20 years ago but never abandoned my faith and belief in god.

i knew the gb/organization didn’t represent god, so when i lost my faith in them, i managed to keep my faith in an all wise benevolent creator.
azor

Believer in your response you stated that you don't have a problem with critiques and that you believe they can be made with mutual respect and not ridicule.
Unfortunately criticizing god or gods to many is ridicule of the worst kind "blasphemy". In Shanghai today people are in jail for the high crime of being critical of others beliefs.
People not beliefs merit respect. I forget who said the following, I think it was Hitch - "I respect you to much as a human being too respect your beliefs. "
I say let the ridicule fly. If ones beliefs rest on solid ground they have nothing to worry about. It's amazing to me the sensitivity that often accompanies theism. It reminds me all to well of jwism. Another example of how I came to my lack of belief in search of truth.
I'm an atheist in the sense that I'm an athorist. We shouldn't even need to have a name for it. It is the opposite of belief, or lack thereof.
240
Introduction - Any Believers?
by Believer in
1. jw
2. experiences
i’ve been reading it for a few of years off and on, but have been a little too ... maybe ... timid to join.

i left the watchtower organization almost 20 years ago but never abandoned my faith and belief in god.

i knew the gb/organization didn’t represent god, so when i lost my faith in them, i managed to keep my faith in an all wise benevolent creator.
azor

Hi believer. Welcome. I want to believe but the best I can say like most other atheists is I don't know. Just because I don't believe doesn't mean we can't get along.
What I appreciate about this site is the candor that is freely expressed. Some may find such openness uncooth. I see it as a breath of fresh air. Coming from the excessively micro managed jw life.
I've always valued truth above all else and know that is why I'm now an ex jw. I believe that truth can stand up to any criticism and that is what led me to where I am now.
I hope that you and other believers like yourself will see that the critiques of your beliefs that are sure to come are not personal attacks but an on going discussion of truth seeking.