Posts by poppers

9

Religious-ethical hypothesis: Lets say...

by Hellrider in

...lets say god exists!

(this is only a hypothesis, you don`t have to believe that he/she/it exists).

then comes judgement day.

poppers

OK, let's say god does exist. But instead of some sort of personal god as is usually depicted, and who would act from this "personal" perspective, god is something beyond the personal image humans have created in their minds. In other words, if what is "god" is an impersonal "non-entity" - would there then be "anyone" to wreak "vengeance" upon humanity? Would there by "anyone" to "condemn" some while "saving" others? Why is there this persistence in clinging to ideas of a personal god, which would inherently contain limitation? Surely "god" would be beyond any and all limitation, would he not?

All ideas of "god" are just that, ideas. If there is such a thing as "god", what that word points to would be beyond the mind and all of the fabrications that mind would create concerning the nature of "god". Such a god would be unlimited and unbound by time or space, and therefore, he would exist in everything, including every human. Being inside each manifestation of creation, he would be available here and now. All that would be "required" to realize "god" would be the cessation of conceptualizing about him and remain present with what is in the here and now. Then ideas of being saved or condemned become meaningless.

79

Why have you rejected all forms of faith?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

it seems that when a person leaves jw's, there's just no telling where he'll end up spiritually.

christian, jew, pagan, jamesthomasism -- i dare say every faith is represented among us.. but there are those that reject faith altogether.

they are often accused of letting the watchtower steal god from them, or throwing the baby out with the bath.. are you one those that rejected faith altogether after your exit?

poppers

This is a very interesting question, but it makes a fundamental assumption that nearly always goes unnoticed: That there is a "you" who can accept or reject anything. We nearly always assume that "I and you" exist as separate and distinct entities, so much so that it seems ludicrous to even question their existence. But when searched for, where is the "I" to be found? If there is no "I" can there be a "you"? What's left when "I and you" are not to be found? Look directly and see.

I challenge anyone to actually look and see if there even is such a thing as "I" outside of an idea only. Can you be an idea? What is it that sees ideas of "I" and "you"? When that is found then see if there is anything real which can accept or reject anything.

10

Is it normal for a high school senior girl not to want a boyfriend?

by lv4fer in

jw
friends

my daughter is 17 and she has had a few boyfriends in the past short term.

my family keeps asking her why she doesn't have a boyfriend.

i don't have a problem with that.

poppers

It sounds like she is pretty level-headed to me.

7

Poem

by lola28 in

jw
friends

there is a time and a place

a time and a place

poppers

"Now is my time

My season."
There is a deep truth in these two lines. "NOW" is your time, and it's always now. Right now, sit and relax, and simply BE without reverting to any ideas about anything. This is the greatest discovery to be made, the kindest thing you can do for yourself, and the key to unwrapping the mystery of what you really are.
My best to you,
poppers

5

Guess who called today?

by Narkissos in

jw
friends

a nice jw couple.

elder and his wife in their 40s.. i was gone on errands to a nearby market.

my wife saw them from upstairs looking for the ringbell (there is none).

poppers

"God must have an organisation"

Don't you just love it? God "must" have and organization. There's nothing like putting limitations on that which is unlimited. Sadly, this is all too typical of humans in general, and religions in particular.

31

Greetings

by Severus in

just a brief introduction to get me started.

i am still one of jehovah's witnesses although delicately extricating myself from this complicated situation.

i have family to be concerned about, and this still binds me to the religion like a fragile cobweb.. i wonder that the jw paranoia of harry potter was what initially piqued my interest?

poppers

Welcome Severus. Already from your first post it is clear that you have a way with words that all here at JWD will enjoy, and no doubt, benefit from.

17

Assembly, the aftermath

by Sam the Man in

jw
friends

a few of you may remember my post concerning the assembly day, and how i wanted to get out of it in some way.

this post catalogues the events after that day a day which has changed my life.

i managed to get out of going to the assembly, using an excuse about my stomach, and the complications which follow.

poppers

Sorry to hear about the situation you are in. Keep posting here to vent and probe for answers. There are lots of people here who are in your corner.

35

So that's it

by ballistic in

jw
friends

so that's it... you decided to tell your lover about all this.

was it a good move?.

why, is it really that important anyway?.

poppers

Welcome AuldSoul. I like your avatar, and thoughts of it being "sissified" never entered my mind.

27

Life Sucks!!!!

by Tez in

aaaaaagggghhhhh!!!

thats how i feel at the mo!!!

why is it that no matter how hard you try life still sh**s on you!!!!!

poppers

"Is there a God who actually cares how I behave or feel??? and if there is then what do I owe him? can I ever live up to what he wants of me???"

At least you are asking questions. To blindly accept others' assertions of the existence of god will only keep you trapped in assertion, speculation, and belief. It takes courage to actually investigate these matters for yourself. So, congratulations on that count.

Perhaps even more fundamental to your peace of mind is to question the existence of the "me" you take yourself to be. We each have ideas of who this "me" is, but when an honest inquiry is made to one's individual existence an interesting thing happens - no "me" can be found. All that will be found are ideas of who you THINK you are (which is often called ego), which is just a phantom without real substance. However, without resorting to mind/thought at all, there is a sense of existence; no mind is needed to "KNOW" that you are. This "knowingness" of existence is fundamental to everything else, for this "knowingness" is what you actually are. Everything that arises is illuminated by this knowingness, for without it nothing could possibly be known, seen, heard, touched, and so on. Another name for this knowingness is awareness, and AWARENESS is what you really are.

Once you can realize this directly, then ideas about placating/pleasing some sort of "god" become meaningless because it becomes obvious that all such ideas are functions of the mind, and mind is just another arising within awareness/You. Then all of the "tension" which is created by the mind and believed in by the ego dissolves. What's left is simple, pure, open awareness/You, the nature of which is peace.

To accept this as true is not enough, because then it just becomes just another belief. What's necessary is to actually and sincerely look for yourself and SEE the truth of this. Nothing will actually change when this is seen, but everything will be different.

poppers

36

hi new to this

by cranwood in

jw
friends

hello this is my first time on this web site.i am an inactive jw.

married to a jw.didnt believe in there teachings for many years.. looked and read at your site for along time.

its one of the best.iam not very good at typing or spelling.and cyber communication.. hard to have a marriage when one believes and the other one doesnt.we were both raised jws .but i changed and she didnt.. common story.too years to learn to think for myself.

poppers

Welcome cranwood. You are among friends. Don't worry about spelling, grammar - we'll figure it out. What's important is that you have a safe place here to express yourself.