Posts by lriddle80

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

GOD says who he is:

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

He allowed the only innocent person who existed to be murdered in order to save guilty mankind!

Repent or you likewise will perish is the message!

In the movie The Impossible Fod saved and reunited a whole family of Christians. Just like in the flood. And probably a lot of stories of people praising God for saving them from the tsunami. Maybe he was judging those people! He's God, can't he do what is in his within his character?

The evidence of my testimony is a transformed life!

We could go back and forth all day and if you'd like to, let's go! I just have to cook dinner at 4 so I have about an hour to keep going and then we can carry this into the week, I have time!

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

The story that got me was the wheat and tares. The wheat were the real Christians and the tares looked just like wheat but there was no life in them and they were burned in the fire. I wanted to be wheat!

The 2nd thing was the forgiveness that Christ offered. I had hurt a lot of people and paid no regard for the sacrifice Jesus made. And he was offering me forgiveness when I didn't deserve it! I was determined to do better in life and make him proud of me!

Years go by and I am trying to earn my salvation by performance because I grew up as a JW.

About 5 years ago I had been invited to the memorial by my mom and I started thinking about whether Jesus was created or God and I felt like I was spinning in darkness! Then, it occurred to me that I didn't have to know anything but that Jesus would save me if I asked him! So I bowed my knee!

Then I confessed Jesus as God because I knew in my heart that was true and I had denied it for far too long!

I heard the old hymn Rock of Ages and it said Should my zeal no respite know, should my tears forever flow. These for sin could not atone, thou must save and thou alone! And I realized I had been trying to earn it and trying to emotionally manipulate God with my tears. Jesus was enough and nothing I could do would save me! It freed me!

I felt new and had a different boldness!

I believed that Jesus loved me and that love is what carries me! Not the fear of the wheat and tares. But the fear of God is what caused me to come to him initially. The love of God keeps me coming back for more! And since the Holy Spirit dwells in me, I am sealed in him until his return! He set me free and now I only know his love!

So, that's an answer.

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

I did defend my faith! I was at church so I didn't respond right away!

I was thinking about this debate and the tsunami some more. What about when God destroyed everyone (except Noah and his family) in the flood? What about when God had the Israelites destroy the Canaanites, Amorites, etc? What about when he destroyed all those Egyptians in the Red Sea? What about when God destroyed everyone in Sodom and Gomorrah? You knew about all those stories when you made a profession of faith and got born again. But this tsunami put it over the edge for some reason. Yes, God will destroy people as he sees fit. He made us, it's his prerogative. He didn't have to sacrifice himself to save mankind either. So, I don't know, this is the God that is. I see love, but I did fear him and that's why I am putting my faith in his son Jesus because the alternative is scary (to me!)

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

I was just teasing you, Cofty! 😊 I have no ill will towards you! I have enjoyed our conversations through the years!

In debates no one's minds are changed, so it was just for sport. You know that! But I would say keep wrestling with this tsunami issue! That may be the irritant that could lead to a beautiful pearl! Oh, by the way, have you seen the movie The Impossible about a family that went through that same Tsunami? It's worth a watch! It shows the hope in the darkness!

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

I did say it was heartbreaking! All death is! But, o death where is your sting!

God could be a third possibility that you haven't thought of!

Perfect justice Perfect Love

I still say it was more fun than me having an existential meltdown this morning! Over what you call "natural evil" in this world!

I guess my idea of fun is different from yours. 🤣 I like having meaningful conversations, which is ironic since atheists don't see meaning in anything!

🙃

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

Anyway, I had a really rough day earlier, so I'm grateful for the banter! God used you to lift my spirits Cofty! I love a fun back and forth!

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

The God of the bible is far more complex than you or I can imagine is what it tells me. His ways are not our ways.

But it shows how he made a way for us to be saved and forgiven through Jesus so I, for one, am not worried about a tsunami or hell. And he is "with us" in the suffering. I have evidence of that!

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

Ok, that's fair. God did it.

I think of Hebrews 10:30-31

For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

So, if you see how God killed all those people in Asia, that would scare me! I certainly don't want to fall into his hands! And I believe in hell, too, which many people don't find compatible with a loving God.

Yes, he is loving for sure and a bunch of other adjectives and scriptures, but be careful!

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

The question of a tsunami disproving God?

It doesn't. God didn't save their lives. It's heartbreaking. He didn't save Jesus's life either. I'm glad for that.

He doesn't promise to save our human lives. Jesus raised Lazarus...he still died later.

Those people in the tsunami would have still died later. He did something to protect us from eternal death.

137

I find it interesting that after the cult people still hold on to religion....

by BeaverEater in

jw
friends

im not an atheist, makes no mathematical sense, nor does the buy(more) bull(shit) god make any logical sense... maybe a deist on my best day, in the end you cannot get something from nothing, paradox if you ask me... but in reality i just dont care.

while in, and moving out of the cult, its like a roller coaster, emotionally, yet, for me, over time, i just take it one day at a time, and if appeasing some special deity is required, well i guess i failed.

lol.

lriddle80

I have heard the stories from people that were Muslims, Atheists, New Agers, Hindus, Buddhists, Jehovahs witness all tell a similar salvation story of how they came to faith in Jesus and how their lives were radically transformed.

You're right! A tower falling on people and murder are just events where people died. The message is clear.

Tsunamis, concentration camps, the senseless murders committed, the constant heartbreak we face everyday by people that supposedly love us, the Malaysian airplane that disappeared that we'll never know what happened, the political corruption, the word truth losing all meaning, technology not working, the constant barrage of anger, people committing suicide, families falling apart, the earth groaning, hurricanes, tornados, death of people we love, grief, loneliness, child trafficking, pedophiles, brick kiln slavery, slavery in general, rape, racism, are aliens real, is there a loch ness monster, I guess I could keep going.

These things don't disprove God, it just shows we need a savior because what other hope is there but God? Humans all over the world - atheists and believers of all religions -are trying to fight against all of this suffering! As an atheist I wonder why? If this is all meaningless leading to nothing? But do atheists put their hope in scientists or government to fix our suffering? That sounds silly because all people would have to unite in 1 mind and purpose to really fix anything and we know that isn't going to happen. The plane is going down! We need a parachute!