Posts by humbled

6

God's problem: Randomness

by rawe in

i would like some input on this idea.

i have seen folks speak about god's problem in regards to suffering.

that subject does raise some serious obstacles between the views of god most people have and the real world.

humbled

So how do we know that this randomness is random--just because we don't have a theology that encompasses what is going on around us? I guess we are still the center of the universe, huh?

I try to live now without the theology of the past because I cannot trust it.

I see all the random pain and suffering. I live with it. It seems more to the point than ever before that the only thing that lets us transcend chaos is the will to extend kindness, love, in suffering.

Jesus taught this. He said this is the new command and the singular mark of one who hears and follows Jesus, it is the only thing that can stand in front of the chaos--not the worthless dogma of religious teaching.

Who does know God?

If th am wondering, if the nature of the universe is this orderly chaos--and we exist in it--well, I've got to deal with it without infusing any intentional, needless suffering into it. Love the creation and love one another.

152

7 graphs that prove America is overrated

by Simon in

before the usual suspects start reaching for the pich-forks and forming a mob, i invite you to actually read and consider this, not just leap to conclusions.. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130607/7-graphs-america-overrated-nsa-prism-privacy.

why do i care?

it seems the people being screwed the most are also the most visciferous defenders of the status quo which sees them being severely disadvantaged.. maternity leave?

humbled

talesin,

You hit it right on the head--"..gross interference in other countries business.." . Look at what it has been doing at Ft. Benning, Georgia at its School of the Americas(renamed Western Hemisphere for Security cooperation-or WHINSEC)

The graduates of this program of study have committed crimes that are DOCUMENTED. Google it please. It is a horror show.

Years ago I wouldn't have believed it, but if you think about it, the U.S. has been putting more and more iron in its fist and been dealing from the bottom of the deck.

I am an American. But if you are born in a family or religion that espouses certain virtues but doesn't back it up with action--you are in for disillusion.

It is painful to know that there was--and still are--military/CIA covert operations that violate all the principles that ordinary flag-waving U.S. citizens think we stand for.Sometimes its more than dirty work. Its criminal.

Gotta face it.

43

New Job

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

well i have been up and down this year with this current company i work for.

from the time they employed me they have paid me late, without explanation.

i have been miserable coming in here.

humbled

LouBelle, congrats! what's the news ?

20

Falling asleep praying...did you?

by punkofnice in

i remember there being 'admonition(tm)' from the platform about how disrespectful it is to sky twat jar hoover if we nod off when speaking to our imaginary despot god.. i was always nodding off when praying.

i noticed in the end it didn't matter if i prayed or not the results were always equally disappointing snooze or not!.

humbled

I read yesterday that the new Pope Francis said he falls asleep when he prays before he hits the sack-

-I fell asleep in the middle of my prayer last night --happens to me a lot.

I used to fall asleep during meetings--but the worst were assemblies. Who didn't have trouble with that--especially in the afternoon after lunch. Snoorrrrrre....................

544

FINALLY! Can you prove God exists? If you can I won't ask again!

by punkofnice in

i have seen debates and shizzle about god or not god etc etc.. i was even confronted by an aggressive and trheatening muslim in the street, who was angry that i wanted proof that god existed.

he ranted on a load of old b0110cks about 'hell' and stuff.

finally he yelled at me: 'do you want god to write your name in the sky?

humbled

There is no way to prove to others the existence of god. If I experience something that I am certain is the action of god, that story doesn't "prove" god to anyone else.If that is how faith is transmitted then small wonder there are so many religions--MAY THE FIRSTEST AND BESTEST STORYTELLER WIN!

If there is god, then it makes no sense that we should believe by proxy.

A huge problem for me was that i was born into a world that expected me to believe the stories I was told without question. (cradle Catholic) I left my church for some years but down the line I had a series of phenomena and a sinular event that convinced me that there was a being-a god --something --out there.

Being Catholic I "translated" or "interpreted" what I experienced through the lense of my upbringing and culture. And I returned for a while to Catholicism.

The problem is that other people, in other lands, cultures and religious traditions tell of encounters with God and their experience as they tell it sounds like my own. Except when they tell their story, they interpret their experience using their own religious/cultural language.

So, to keep my prejudice with my church, I either have to say that a Hindu, a Muslim, a Boot-strap Arkansas Baptist didn't--COULDN'T-- experience God's mercy. But thre is a problem with this, if I am honest.

Here it is: If the evidence for MYSELF, my personal proof of God's existence, is the acknowledgement through my senses that a supernatural experience has occurred--how do I dismiss what I hear expressed by another person? Just because they don't believe in transubstatiation, call god by another name, never heard of jesus--how can I deny that my experience and their own are materially the same?

I have to wonder if God might extend the same mercy to them even without us sharing the same religion.

Uh-oh.

If such is the case that god could be that promiscuous, maybe I should divorce Him.

But I can't. Because when I think about it, I have to wonder if all the priests, preachers,mullahs and so on have been wrong --not in telling stories--but in expecting us to believe things that are second-hand allthe time. Thet system is a set up for abuse--as we well know who sat in rows waiting for the latest God-story from the FDS.

We all can tell our story if we like--and I think it is perhaps important to do that. But an "official story" is a real danger. That's my opinion.

If God is there, he is there.

53

For Those who believe the Bible is truly the word of God

by sosoconfused in

what exactly is the reason?.

i am not an athiest or agnostic... i definately believe in god.

however i would honestly like to hear others explain to me why they believe the bible is truly the word of god.. .

humbled

Well, soso.

Is the bible the only writing that is inspired by God? There were other writings around.

The Catholic church claims that their churchmen were in line from Peter to make the selection.

Problem.

But I believe there is God and I believe that the wonderful teaching of Jesus reflects God. And the fact that other teachers from other faith traditions have similar teachings only makes me happy. God draws us everywhere in the same direction.

How to use the bible yourself if you don't have religious rulers to define doctrine and theology? You will have to as Jesus how that works. I cannot see how he delegated a hieracrchy, a governing body.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A good read for me the other day is the story of Franz Jagerstatter. A man whose reliance on what he understood of Jesus was not backed by his church. The Nazis didn't like him either.

Way to make the truth your own. google search him. It helped me.

38

Wolf, sheep - or sheepdog?

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

on sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs - by ltc (ret) dave grossman, author of "on killing.

honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age.

it does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost.

humbled

Nathan, do you think I posted a pat answer to your presentation in praise of warriors?

Hardly. Defending ourselves from aggressors is ever a problem. But governments are the ones that make war--they have the information and deseminate it to the public--we have to believe what they say, don't we? It can happen that a nation becomes unmeasured in its response to fear of injury--Look at North Korea.

You know, what troubles many soldiers returning from some of these wars is the pointlessness of them. The lack of a credible threat. And what THEY did to ensure their survival in crazy circumstances.

When a government uses young men and uses them poorly--even badly--not to protect the people back home I do not think that is good. And I wonder if you think it is.

War ruins lives so often for no good cause. No good cause.

I have come to believe that when we see rising conflicts there are better things to do than throw young men into harms way like so much toilet paper. Just calling them heroes doesn't fix them up.

Yeah, I love men and women who would protect others--I hate to see them used so miserably and hear them admit some of the atrocities that so often come to pass when their war "gets out of control".

And I do not trust government to look to the common folk's best interest.

I am not passive. But I hate the way people know how to make war but don't think how to make peace.

38

Wolf, sheep - or sheepdog?

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

on sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs - by ltc (ret) dave grossman, author of "on killing.

honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age.

it does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost.

humbled

Watch the documentary "First Kill" by Michael Herr on youtube.

My father was in three wars: WWII, Korea, Vietnam. I was raised around "sheepdogs". But the poor pups that signed up for the military didn't fight in the style of wars Augustine of Hippo (@300 C.E.) imagined. Wars are not what we imagine.

It is not enough to say "I'll be a sheepdog" or "I'll be a sheep" There must be more than guns and more than passive pacifism--both result in dead bodies and dead hearts.

Listen to what soldiers tell of war. Especially these wars of recent times.

Maeve

82

My Mom has decided to turn me in... I am not afraid (Letter Inside)

by sosoconfused in

the only reason i am posting this is because i know many of you are going or will be going through something similar and wonder if it is worth it.

i personally feel that it is worth it regardless of what i lose.

my wife is backing me and i have my children.

humbled

She left no thing unsaid. She is eloquent.

But the Watchtower is not God's channel of truth.

I pray for you and your family to be steadfast and find the joy in your freedom.

12

Are jw's actually Sons of the Devil - because they preach hate ?

by *lost* in

on an old thread (10 yrs) i found an interesting comment by aguest.. satan was hurled down from heaven to go and wage war with the remaining ones of her 'seed'.. he doesn't know who is a 'seed' unless and until such a one exposes oneself.. so 'his' war is against all of mankind and his tactic is to use mankind against one another.. .

we are supposed to have tender affection and brotherly love for one another,.

no matter what race, religion, sex, status etc.. the account of the good samaritan taught us that.. .

humbled

"a house divided cannot stand" -- Jesus

The JW house only seems to stand because it is held together with hate and fear--not love of God, not love of Man.

Self-serving behavior can only result in hate-talk. They only look for allegiance to the FDS.