i am compiling my list.
you can add yours if you like to.. 1. the hypocrisy in religion.. 2. religion make good people bad and bad people worse and worse people worst.. 3. the false dates given in religion.. 4. religions use their fundamental books to suit their beliefs.. 5. wrong and distorted views about sexual life.
the list goes on.
Suppose:
Each country is making the claim our electricity is the true electricity (American electricity, British electricity, African electricity, …).
Each child in a family is making claim that his father is the true father.
Each religion is claiming its God is the true God.
i have seen this statement or similar ones popping up in the study edition of the wt lately.
whenever they talk about undeserved kindness or jesus ransom they add this little gem to get the point across.
this is sick, why do they feel the need to tear down people's self esteem?
Interestingly, God Himself does not think that we are weak, and in need of undeserved kindness. He simply commands: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16; Genesis 17:1; Deuteronomy 18:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1) Bible concludes asking us to "inherit" what we have earned: “He that overcomes shall inherit all things.”—Revelation 21:7
i am compiling my list.
you can add yours if you like to.. 1. the hypocrisy in religion.. 2. religion make good people bad and bad people worse and worse people worst.. 3. the false dates given in religion.. 4. religions use their fundamental books to suit their beliefs.. 5. wrong and distorted views about sexual life.
the list goes on.
Of course, best reason is that religion does not have influence on the lives of people. Hence whatever religion is supposed to do must be made part of the school curriculum, and all the religions must be disbanded.
thinking people have always sought a right reason for people to feel self-motivated to love each other (which is the goal of all religions).
in the process each religious leader presented some reasons which were not adequate because division appeared once the founder left the stage.. however, carl sagan (astronomer, astrophysicist, and science-fiction novelist ….etc) got it right when he wrote: “for small creatures, such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love” (contact, chapter 24 p. 430).
when an interviewer said this was the best of his quotes and asked him to put it in simple words, sagan said: “we exist in vastness of the universe, hence should have vast (great) mind of treating every one as residing/subsisting on the same (planet) home who breathe the same air (in contrast to going into smallness of contraction with each one seeking own interest).
tor1500,
You summed up matter very nicely:
"Religion has forgot the heart of the matter....Love God and Love one another." Ironically, they are all travelling in the opposite direction--they teach (by their action) us how to remain divided.
i am compiling my reasons.
you can add your reasons.. 1. there are injustices in religions.. 2. prayers to the deity people call god are not answered..
Interesting thing is that God is not interested in proving His existence. It seems He wants to enjoy the fun going on between both atheists and theists.
The former is scared of the question: Why the universe is fine-tuned, and
The latter is scared of the question: Why does injustice exist?
thinking people have always sought a right reason for people to feel self-motivated to love each other (which is the goal of all religions).
in the process each religious leader presented some reasons which were not adequate because division appeared once the founder left the stage.. however, carl sagan (astronomer, astrophysicist, and science-fiction novelist ….etc) got it right when he wrote: “for small creatures, such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love” (contact, chapter 24 p. 430).
when an interviewer said this was the best of his quotes and asked him to put it in simple words, sagan said: “we exist in vastness of the universe, hence should have vast (great) mind of treating every one as residing/subsisting on the same (planet) home who breathe the same air (in contrast to going into smallness of contraction with each one seeking own interest).
scratchme1010,
You see the contrast here. Religious founders were seeking reason whereas for Carl Sagan it was too openly available--something that requires no search, no organization ...etc. In other words, what religion claimed as their exclusive zone where the science cannot reach is actually reached and correctly discerned by a scientist.
thinking people have always sought a right reason for people to feel self-motivated to love each other (which is the goal of all religions).
in the process each religious leader presented some reasons which were not adequate because division appeared once the founder left the stage.. however, carl sagan (astronomer, astrophysicist, and science-fiction novelist ….etc) got it right when he wrote: “for small creatures, such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love” (contact, chapter 24 p. 430).
when an interviewer said this was the best of his quotes and asked him to put it in simple words, sagan said: “we exist in vastness of the universe, hence should have vast (great) mind of treating every one as residing/subsisting on the same (planet) home who breathe the same air (in contrast to going into smallness of contraction with each one seeking own interest).
Thinking people have always sought a right reason for people to feel self-motivated to love each other (which is the goal of all religions). In the process each religious leader presented some reasons which were not adequate because division appeared once the founder left the stage.
However, Carl Sagan (astronomer, astrophysicist, and science-fiction novelist ….etc) got it right when he wrote: “For small creatures, such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love” (Contact, Chapter 24 p. 430). When an interviewer said this was the best of his quotes and asked him to put it in simple words, Sagan said: “We exist in vastness of the universe, hence should have vast (great) mind of treating every one as residing/subsisting on the same (planet) home who breathe the same air (in contrast to going into smallness of contraction with each one seeking own interest). Where ever we look, we hear “be of vast/great mind, and there is no way we can escape this eternal command.”
i just watched this lovely lady's heartfelt message to the governing body.
i hope that the men she named and all lurkers who have some clout at bethel listen to this message and stop this cruel and divisive shunning policy that has ruined so many family's around the world.
this is just one voice of many many people who feel this way about your (governing body) destructive policy.
Very sad to hear her story.
Like Hitler who never realized he was
losing the battle (because he used to kill messenger that comes with unpleasant
news), this organization never realizes that they do not benefit in any way by
shunning. Those who have gone through shunning are only hardening their stand
not to return to the org.
we have been taught that the name jehovah means “he causes to become.” it is interpreted that he causes himself to become whatever needed to accomplish his will—as happened in the case israelites to whom he “caused himself to become” a savior leading them from slavery in egypt.. but there is a problem with this definition.
nobody would use the phrase “cause to become” with regard to himself.
one may say: “i helped him,” (but he won’t say: “i caused myself to become a helper to him.”) “causing myself to become a helper to another person” obviously implies helping nature comes with effort as though it is not in my nature.
Crazyguy, I agree with you. Israelites were equally fond of varieties as seen in their very names Isaiah, Ezekiel, Abijah, Jehobam ...
we have been taught that the name jehovah means “he causes to become.” it is interpreted that he causes himself to become whatever needed to accomplish his will—as happened in the case israelites to whom he “caused himself to become” a savior leading them from slavery in egypt.. but there is a problem with this definition.
nobody would use the phrase “cause to become” with regard to himself.
one may say: “i helped him,” (but he won’t say: “i caused myself to become a helper to him.”) “causing myself to become a helper to another person” obviously implies helping nature comes with effort as though it is not in my nature.
Interestingly, Bible writers themselves are confused.
1) Abraham says God's name is "eternal" (Gen 21:33)
2) Isaiah says His name is "holy" (57:15)
3) God Himself says His name is "I AM" (Ex 3:13, 14)
4) JWs say His name is "He causes to become"
5) Jesus simply says He has a name (He prayed: "let your name be sanctified"), yet did not say what the name is.
