Posts by venus

Here is an excerpt from The Atlantic by Lane Wallace, which shows why people cling to irrational beliefs even after proofs existing to the contrary:

“Why do people cling to an opinion even after they are presented with contradictory evidence?” said Lane Wallace. “The easy answer, of course, is simply that people are irrational.” But the way in which they are irrational is telling. In a new study, social science researchers have found that people employ “motivated reasoning to fend off any evidence that their strongly held beliefs are wrong. Many people feel that they are their opinions, and hate to lose arguments; as Vince Lombardi once said, “Every time you lose, you die a little.” So when confronted with new, troubling information, ideologues selectively interpret the facts or use “contorted logic” to make conflicting evidence just go away. In the study, even when presented with “compelling, factual data” from a trusted source, many subjects “still found ways to dismiss it. ” In fact, researchers found that exposing people to contradictory information actually “intensified” their existing beliefs, making them more rigid and entrenched. Needless to say, the findings do not offer much hope of “changing anyone else’s mind with facts or rational discussion.”

13

Reasons to break free from religion

by googleTTATT in

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.

venus

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.

22

What We Truly Deserve Is...Death, Really WT?

by JW_Rogue in

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?

venus

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

13

Reasons to break free from religion

by googleTTATT in

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.

venus

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.

5

A scientist did better than all religious founders and teachers

by venus in

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).

venus

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.

7

Reasons why there is no god

by googleTTATT in

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..

venus

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?

5

A scientist did better than all religious founders and teachers

by venus in

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).

venus

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.

5

A scientist did better than all religious founders and teachers

by venus in

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).

venus

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.”

19

A woman's Heartfelt message to the Governing Body

by UnshackleTheChains in

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.

venus

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.