Posts by stuffwotifink

212

Why Do You No Longer Believe in God?

by Tenacious in

i know this question has popped up from time to time but i really would like to know how you guys, those that no longer believe, came to that conclusion?

was it the wts and all its crap?

was it something you read?

stuffwotifink

We are all evidentialists

Nope. Lots of people are no such thing.

that doesn't convince me there is any value in epistemology.

I wasn't trying to convince you. Your opinion of epistemology doesn't effect me, one way or the other.

212

Why Do You No Longer Believe in God?

by Tenacious in

i know this question has popped up from time to time but i really would like to know how you guys, those that no longer believe, came to that conclusion?

was it the wts and all its crap?

was it something you read?

stuffwotifink

But epistemology isn't about evidence, after all pretty much all the evidence I have confirms that the world we live in is as it seems. The world responds in a logical and consistent fashion to the things I do and there is no advantage to assuming that I am in a matrix type environment being fooled (or a brain in a jar). Let's be honest if there were such evidence to be found I very much doubt it is going to be provided by an epistomologist, because I see no evidence that there is any predictive power or value in epistemology.

Evidentialism is an epistemological position.

212

Why Do You No Longer Believe in God?

by Tenacious in

i know this question has popped up from time to time but i really would like to know how you guys, those that no longer believe, came to that conclusion?

was it the wts and all its crap?

was it something you read?

stuffwotifink

We descended from non-human ancestors.

That's a well justified belief. I also believe that it's true.

If you insist on calling this a "belief" you need to invent a new word for the "beliefs" of religious people. Superstitions would do fine actually.

I also agree that "superstitions" would be a good word for the kind of religious beliefs you are refering to. [I guess that excuses me from shouldering the burden of inventing a new word.]

Tedious semantics.

No. Not at all.
Not unless you consider epistemology "Tedious semantics". An odd postition for someone who enjoys evidence so much, but hey, philosophy isn't everyone's bag.

212

Why Do You No Longer Believe in God?

by Tenacious in

i know this question has popped up from time to time but i really would like to know how you guys, those that no longer believe, came to that conclusion?

was it the wts and all its crap?

was it something you read?

stuffwotifink

Nobody "believes" in natural selection, it's just a fact.

All knowledge and facts are beliefs, the rub lies in the justification.
Epistemology, anyone?

I'll just pop this here.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology/

Anyway, I do not believe in the God of the bible - because of reading the bible. Any other Gods I ever "looked into", also struck me as false. Metaphor, at best.
Even if, when I looked at the world I thought I saw the Hand of some Maker, I'd have to invent my own idea of a "God" to fit what I thought I saw evidence of.

Even if there is a real God - the best any human can do is invent their own idea of one or believe in someone else's invention.
[Without the god revealing itself, ofc. But even if the god reveals itself to Man number 1 -- Man number 2 is going around telling people about his invented god -- and Man number 3 has no way to distinguish between the false and true gods he's being told about.]

Seems unreasonable, in light of all that, to believe in any God that doesn't tap me personally on the shoulder.
So I don't.

72

Have you heard the one about "Back to the Future" Predicting 911??

by EndofMysteries in

when somebody posted this on fb, i was anxious to see how ridiculous it would be, probably worse then the gb prophecies, etc.

after watching the clip, i honestly don't know what to believe.

at the very least it's very entertaining and interesting.

stuffwotifink

There is a disclaimer at the start of the video.
"The following is a work of mysticism and sophistry"

"Apophenia productions"...

56

If Jehovah's Witnesses were a cereal, what would they be?

by Zoos in

cult flakes?.

.

(welcome to the height of intellectual thread topics.

stuffwotifink

1 Cor 3 teaches us that Jdubz are a bowl of plain milk. Sour at that.

11

Do i still believe in GOD?

by smoky21 in

hi, everyonei not new new... i have been here before under a different user, i just forgot my log-in info after a long time...so i created a new one.i from time to time post something.

usually i just like reading post, cuz you guys are great.i consider myself a atheist.

i came to this conclusion a few years ago, but i think i have always been skeptical about god's existence.i dont ever remember having experiencing the holy spirit, or anything supernatural good or evil, so i cannot relate to people who have.i always thought i was good person (never steal, fornicated or hurt anyone), yet never felt blessed by god.

stuffwotifink

There is a difference between you wanting him to go to hell and you thinking he actually might.
It seems more like you are wishing for a moment that it was true - rather than thinking it actually is true.

56

If Jehovah's Witnesses were a cereal, what would they be?

by Zoos in

cult flakes?.

.

(welcome to the height of intellectual thread topics.

stuffwotifink

13

(Bible's) God will do whatever he wants

by Cota Samuel in

hello and excuse my not perfect knowledge of english.

when i've started studying the bible when i was 13 one of the first subjects i was teached was about genesis.

the first two humans were supposedly perfect which by bible's means it meant that they couldn't die nor get ill. this meant that at least humans couldn't get diseases.

stuffwotifink

in case THEY DARED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE THAN LISTEN TO HIM

Even better. He knows everything... So when He made Adam and Eve - and when He decided to use the tree as a test - He knew they would fail.
He didn't just make "the most disturbing, horrifying and disgusting diseases especially for his beloved creatures in case" they failed the test. He made those diseases knowing He would unleash them on humanity, for failing the test he knew they would fail before He even set it.

Yeah, the bible is fun, when it's not sickening.

The idea of an omniscient and self aware first cause, playing the blame game, is laughable.

20

TTATT is a process, and it’s going to take time. There are no Short-Cuts.

by John Aquila in

i talked to a close friend that served with me as an elder for a few years.

he allowed me about an hour to explain why 607 is not the correct date for the destruction of ancient jerusalem.

i showed him all the scriptures needed and i showed him the wt magazines that proved it.

stuffwotifink

Just as I was at my most "Tell everyone you know that they are wrong"ist, a woman I'd known my whole life (the mother of a close friend) started to take the bOrg seriously.
She'd been one of those "Lifelong study who never gets dunked" types, she'd come and go over the years, but never liked the meetings because of all the clique-ish behavior and pressures to conform to standards she couldn't find in her bible.
The kingdom hall was her only option, so far as she was aware, to avoid the trinity - and since some JWs she knew had convinced her this was "pagan"... She lingered on the outskirts of the herd.

Anyway, she was diagnosed with cancer and started to really "lean on jehovah" as a result. All her reservations about the legalism of the JWs were thrown out the window. I could see the fear in her eyes. [And that's obviously not just WT doctrine, most biblical theologies leave people open to this kind of fear "was I lukewarm, will I be found wanting?"]

She knew what my "new and improved" position was on the WT and asked me not to talk to her about it.

As she became more ill she would often try to speak to me about the bible and her hopes for the new system (I had preached at her for hours over the years, most times we spoke; we spoke about biblical stuff). I really stuggled with the conversation and avoided her a little, but when I couldn't dodge her... I lied. And she knew I was lying.
She needed the lie.

I would blabber on about all the scriptural nonesense that used to fill me with hope when I believed - and quote every last damned bit of empty scripture I could think of, to support the pretty pictures she wanted to paint of her resurrection.
My eisegesis was epic. CTR himself would have been impressed with my bullshit.

She died thinking that the very next thing she'd see would be Paradise. I did nothing to attempt to change that. I played right into what I believe to have been a false hope on her part, and solidified it as best I could for her: as True.

I'm a stinking hypocrite. I'll be buggered if I feel bad about it though. I would lie again if I was faced with the same situation. Those were some of the sweetest lies that ever passed my lips, I'd take none back.
Sometimes TTATT is flat out the worst thing that you can offer a JW, sad but true, imo.

I figured I'd add that. It is a minefield of a problem, who knows where it's best to tread?
Not I.