Minimus - Are you asking whether we believe in the god of Christian theism or in any nebulous notion of a 'supernatural' entity?
The difference is vast even though believers often pretend otherwise.
Posts by cofty
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49How Many People Here Still Believe In “God”?
by minimus inbecause of this site i realized that there were many people who were active jehovah’s witnesses really didn’t believe in god at all.
i’m curious how many people believe in god?
i’m not interested in debating why you shouldn’t have a belief in a god or should.
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49
How Many People Here Still Believe In “God”?
by minimus inbecause of this site i realized that there were many people who were active jehovah’s witnesses really didn’t believe in god at all.
i’m curious how many people believe in god?
i’m not interested in debating why you shouldn’t have a belief in a god or should.
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cofty
What do you mean by 'god' Phoebe?
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49
How Many People Here Still Believe In “God”?
by minimus inbecause of this site i realized that there were many people who were active jehovah’s witnesses really didn’t believe in god at all.
i’m curious how many people believe in god?
i’m not interested in debating why you shouldn’t have a belief in a god or should.
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cofty
Define 'god'.
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23
And now for something you might be able to hear without repulsion
by TerryWalstrom ini won't give a long preamble other than to say this.
listen and see how you respond.
and now i'm passing it along to get your feedback.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28i3lwxw5xs.
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cofty
Terry I disagree. I thought Cathy Newman came across as unintelligent and disingenuous. There was nothing clever about her tactics.
I suspect it will harm her reputation as a serious journalist.
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340
Calling Cofty and others regarding evolution
by dubstepped inso i have started down the path of trying to understand evolution, and to get the linear lies that the jws planted in my head out of it.
i bought an audiobook called "evolution: what the fossils say and why it matters" by donald prothero.
i heard it recommended on an atheist podcast that i listened to.
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cofty
If anybody is wondering whether those who reject evolution might have something interesting to say they would be very disappointed by your contribution Old Navy.
Dozens of posts and not even one single attempt to present any evidence. When I was a creationist I knew nothing about science but at least I knew how to ask difficult questions.
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cofty
are you licking an icecream
It's a cigar
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cofty
Hey fellow Scot great to hear from you. I hope you and yours are doing well?
Happy Burns Night.
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20
Don't Try to Choose Your Beliefs
by cofty inbeliefs are not things to be chosen like new clothes; authentic beliefs happen to us without our conscious attention.. i have often seen comments from ex-jws to the effect that they are now unsure about what they 'ought' to believe.
others express offense when their chosen beliefs are challenged and well-meaning bystanders protest that everybody is entitled to believe whatever they wish.
this misunderstanding of what it means to believe something is unhelpful.. it's natural to want to quickly replace our old beliefs when our worldview has collapsed around us.
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cofty
keep it clean until you research thoroughly and then you can start building up a reliable knowledge bank - sparrowdown
This is the key thing. When you begin to research information on a controversial topic it's too easy to side with the first thing you read. Like a jurist keeping an open mind until you have a clear grasp of both sides is not easy.
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20
Don't Try to Choose Your Beliefs
by cofty inbeliefs are not things to be chosen like new clothes; authentic beliefs happen to us without our conscious attention.. i have often seen comments from ex-jws to the effect that they are now unsure about what they 'ought' to believe.
others express offense when their chosen beliefs are challenged and well-meaning bystanders protest that everybody is entitled to believe whatever they wish.
this misunderstanding of what it means to believe something is unhelpful.. it's natural to want to quickly replace our old beliefs when our worldview has collapsed around us.
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cofty
ha! Great minds think alike Nic. or is something about fools never differ? I forget.
Interesting that quite a few posters didn't get your point 11 years ago. To me - and you - it seems blindingly obvious. Choosing your beliefs is self-deception.
Sir82 - I agree it is a huge challenge especially for those of us raised in an environment of intellectual dependence.
Scary21 - Thanks.
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20
Don't Try to Choose Your Beliefs
by cofty inbeliefs are not things to be chosen like new clothes; authentic beliefs happen to us without our conscious attention.. i have often seen comments from ex-jws to the effect that they are now unsure about what they 'ought' to believe.
others express offense when their chosen beliefs are challenged and well-meaning bystanders protest that everybody is entitled to believe whatever they wish.
this misunderstanding of what it means to believe something is unhelpful.. it's natural to want to quickly replace our old beliefs when our worldview has collapsed around us.
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cofty
Beliefs are not things to be chosen like new clothes; authentic beliefs happen to us without our conscious attention.
I have often seen comments from ex-JWs to the effect that they are now unsure about what they 'ought' to believe. Others express offense when their chosen beliefs are challenged and well-meaning bystanders protest that everybody is entitled to believe whatever they wish. This misunderstanding of what it means to believe something is unhelpful.
It's natural to want to quickly replace our old beliefs when our worldview has collapsed around us. In reality it's a process that will take many years. Making conscious decisions about what we think we would like to believe is a sure way to restrict our growth and recovery from the cult.
Is the god of the bible worthy of worship? Is the bible inspired? Does prayer have any value? Why suffering? Is there life beyond physical death? Did life evolve by an unguided process, and if so does that rob life of meaning? What about moral questions regarding relationships, marriage, sex, abortion, child-rearing, politics, war, animal welfare, human rights and equality?
The only sensible thing to do is to keep acquiring knowledge by every means possible. Read great books. Listen to lectures and debates. Engage in honest debate to try our our current ideas see if they hold up to scrutiny. Seek out the very best presentation of positions that you don't feel attracted to, but don't waste too much time on every bizarre idea. Resist ideological tribes at all costs. Somebody from whom you learn useful things about science might be a total dullard in matters of ethics or politics. There are no gurus any more, don't replace one 'faithful slave' with another.
Be brave enough to begin from a position of uncertainty about big questions. Keep learning, questioning and challenging everything. With time and much effort our beliefs take care of themselves.