Posts by THE GLADIATOR

778

IS GOD REAL? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

by still thinking in

jw
friends

this is an honest question on my part.

someone on this board asked me 'how do you know' a while ago and i really struggled with it.

in fact, it was a turning point for me.

This is an amazingly long thread that has once again come to no definite conclusion regarding the question it posses. Scientists openly admit that they have not come to a conclusion about the origins of the universe. Religious people are vague about what ‘God’ actually is, and their beliefs are subject to change.

We are so far away from understanding the meaning of life and its origins that we will never know in our life time, or the lifetime of many future generations - even if they overlap!

As humans we can only look down at the ground or up at the sky; unless we toil in a laboratory. With such a limited perspective, I am content to spend my short time here exploring and enjoying this beautiful planet. I don’t want to know how we got here, where we are going, or what ‘God ‘means. Heaven can wait…

100

Are you an athiest and why?

by LouBelle in

i'm interested in finding out people's reasons as to why they are athiest.. i have simply through life experience, my research into religions over the years come to that conclusion.

never thought i would come to a day that i did not believe in a god.

believing in a god is like believing in super man, it would be great if he existed but well it's just a fairy tale.

THE GLADIATOR

Thank you FlyingHighNow for you kind comments.

It is becauce I don't have all the answers that I walk a middle line. I alway enjoy your input.

100

Are you an athiest and why?

by LouBelle in

i'm interested in finding out people's reasons as to why they are athiest.. i have simply through life experience, my research into religions over the years come to that conclusion.

never thought i would come to a day that i did not believe in a god.

believing in a god is like believing in super man, it would be great if he existed but well it's just a fairy tale.

THE GLADIATOR

cofty "One difference is that some of us are content to patiently follow the only method that works - the scientific method. Others like to pretend they know stuff that they don't and call it "spiritual."

I understand the point you are making. It can be frustrating to see people coming to conclusions based on faith instead of research; perhaps building a spiritual world based on what they hope is responsible for our existence. It can seem like they are taking a short cut.

Motive is sometimes more important than the deed. Spiritual belief and scientific optimism may not be as far apart, or as opposed as they can seem. If we alter our level of magnification and look from a distance the patterns are remarkably similar.

Expectation, hope, the desire to know, can cause us to rush to conclusions that then need to be amended. Both religion and science do this, though I do agree that science is more measured. Spirituality may contain a greater measure of emotion, then again emotion is not without value.

42

Are You Ready for The Memorial?

by OnTheWayOut in

it's this week, folks.

i thought i might give you a new thread to vent on.

many on our forum still go to the memorial or have to answer to family about not going.

THE GLADIATOR

Armed and ready - I have obtained an ample supply of red wine in keeping with the importance of this occasion.

In fact - I have been rehearsing for some time. Cheers!

100

Are you an athiest and why?

by LouBelle in

i'm interested in finding out people's reasons as to why they are athiest.. i have simply through life experience, my research into religions over the years come to that conclusion.

never thought i would come to a day that i did not believe in a god.

believing in a god is like believing in super man, it would be great if he existed but well it's just a fairy tale.

THE GLADIATOR

LouBelle

Like many here I do not believe in a personal God. That is not to say I have ruled out the possibility of invisible cosmic forces that are aware of the universe and existence.

I don’t feel the need to wear a label, such as Atheist, because it causes division. To me, regardless what beliefs we presently hold, we are all people seeking the truth of our existence and the origins of the universe. None of us have all the answers.

If God exists and has a set of morals that he expects men and women to live by, then he needs to scribble some up to date laws on some more stone tablets or get up to speed and learn to use a computer and the web, for Christ's sake!

111

Calling all Atheists.

by mouthy in

jw
friends

i just had a message from my friend.. told me to tell you all.

he loves ya!!!!!

oh you dont know my friend??

THE GLADIATOR

I keep Jesus in a cage with my other gods. They are cared for and given bread and water every day, but this Jesus keeps turning the water into wine. What is it with him?

49

How would atheists respond to this?

by Knowsnothing in

http://www.everystudent.com/wires/godreal.html.

british philosopher, dr. antony flew, has been a leading spokesperson for atheism, actively involved in debate after debate.

however, scientific discoveries within the last 30 years brought him to a conclusion he could not avoid.

THE GLADIATOR

After many years on this board, watching and participating in discussion, one thing has become apparent. No-one has come to a definite conclusion as to what a Christian actually is. There are so many shades of colour and belief systems covered by the word Christian, that just believing in love and disregarding most of the bible is enough to qualify. Many Christians now accept evolution to the shock of many fundamental American Christians. By this standard I ask - what actually is an atheist?

There are those that are adamant there is no God and never could be. Others say they simply don’t have enough evidence to believe in God but are open minded about the possibility. In other words they don’t know and are still seeking truth. Then there are those who are still asking what God actually means. Even believers have no unified agreement on God's nature or abilities Unlike the Greeks and Romans with 300 gods, most western believers are only one God away from being atheists. It seems that no-one actually knows for sure.

Recent scientific discoveries concerning the nature of matter, energy and anti-matter make us realise that we have so much still to learn. Science like Christianity is always adjusting it outlook and evolving. Perhaps the ancient eastern wisdom that predates Christ, had it all summed up when it stated that God is in all of us, all of nature and is the universe. Perhaps God cannot be understood or explained with words. Perhaps one day we will realize that so called atheists and Christians are singing from the same hymn sheet but some were more in tune than others!

245

Is the Watchtower shy about repeating their new "generation" teaching?

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

as i recall in the 1980s talks and watchtower literature, magazines and books were always talking about the "generation" teaching and how it proved armageddon was going to come any day now.. but am i correct in thinking they have only actually mentioned the new "overlapping generations" teaching once or twice in the literature?

why are they so shy about talking about their great new interpretation?

it's almost enough to make you suspect they are a embarrassed about it.. mention it once or twice, don't dwell on it, hope everyone just accepts it, and don't bring it up again.

THE GLADIATOR

@djeggnog wrote: “ Jehovah's Witnesses do not defend obsolete interpretations since our understanding of the Scriptures is progressive, which means that what things we might understand a certain way today may change six months, even six weeks from now.”

In other words, the Governing Body, assisted by the ‘faithful & discreet slave,’ haven’t got a clue. They are just fallible men, stumbling in the dark and trying to guess where the door is. Their claim to be spirit appointed and led by spirit is humbug. Their claim to be Jehovah’s mouthpiece is pure fiction.

The Bible warns that if a blind man follows a blind man, they will both fall into the pit. That is what the Watchtower Society's has always been, from its earliest days; a pit, a stumbling block for people to trip over.

Admitting this shows humility, but supporting the Watchtower Society's deception is not a smart move.

18

Serena wants to marry a JW - does anyone want to be evenly yoked?

by dozy in

jw
friends

http://www.s2smagazine.com/stories/2012/03/serena-williams-wants-man-her-faith.

she says that she is "studying" to become a jw , so i guess that fits in with the report that her & venus are ubps , not baptised.. personally i prefer caroline woznaicki , but i don't doubt that there will be a quite a few jw guys that regard her as ace & might be tempted to play mixed doubles , court and have a love game with serena.

and with her 85 million usd wealth , i'm guessing that that part time janitor or window washing job might no longer be necessary..

THE GLADIATOR

Serena and Venus could probably tempt me into a game of mixed doubles.

Mind you, I’m not sure how many rounds I could survive, or who would come out on top!

245

Is the Watchtower shy about repeating their new "generation" teaching?

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

as i recall in the 1980s talks and watchtower literature, magazines and books were always talking about the "generation" teaching and how it proved armageddon was going to come any day now.. but am i correct in thinking they have only actually mentioned the new "overlapping generations" teaching once or twice in the literature?

why are they so shy about talking about their great new interpretation?

it's almost enough to make you suspect they are a embarrassed about it.. mention it once or twice, don't dwell on it, hope everyone just accepts it, and don't bring it up again.

THE GLADIATOR

I know this is a ridiculous notion, but as Jehovah's Witnesses are supposed to be Jehovah’s representatives, why doesn’t Jehovah help them to believe and dispense accurate information.

The Watchtower Society's along with Jehovah's Witnesses have done more to make a laughing stock of Jehovah than all Christendom’s churches put together. Who need enemies when you have sepeculators that can destroy your reputation for you?