Posts by JamesThomas

9

another "real" god to deal with...

by freemindfade in

_morpheus...our gods thor and zeus have competition it looks like.

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Why God is an untenable concept

by Half banana in

around three thousand two hundred years ago a tiny tribe of desert pastoralists were called israelites for the first time.

by assuming this name it acknowledged, as was the custom, the name of a god el..

el was a chief sort of god and he had a fabled number of seventy sons including yahweh.

JamesThomas

My point is this: how could it be that a local tribal cult idol becomes the almighty creator god of the universe?

How can we have even the tiniest sense of the immense, mind-boggling complexity and beauty of life and universe, and yet unquestionably attribute it all to a diminutive and primitive tribal deity?

The disconnect there is so great as to make one weep.

16

Better Bible Translation?

by Sofia Lose in

which bible translation is the best, according to biblical scholars, anybody knows?

please chime in.. i plan on getting it and doing comparison with the new world translation.

sl.

No Bible translation, no words on a page, are better or can come near the exquisite lessons of reality and truth that moments silently alone in nature can teach and share. But use your short time here as you see fit.

130

Atheist Miracles

by Perry in

jw
friends

i reworded a variation of a common critique of atheists to my own liking.

no, i do not hate atheists, i love them!

they keep me from getting bored.

JamesThomas

That's for each one to answer. I think therefore I am. Am I a bag of liquid and solids- yes. But who I am is tied to those abstract thoughts.

Originally you mentioned how Perry was constructing his identity around his rigid beliefs (abstract thoughts), and that you, on the other hand, are somehow too progressively open and adaptable to be fooled by such.

Then you tell me: ... "I think therefore I am. Am I a bag of liquid and solids- yes. But who I am is tied to those abstract thoughts"

So what is the fucking difference between you two???

You both identify with thoughts, and seem to have no clue or awareness of anything more or other.

Yet, there is that in you which must, and does, silently observe all thoughts, beliefs, emotions and occurrences; which is far closer and more intimate than all of them. Do you see???

You see thoughts and feelings, just like a leaf in your hand or any other phenomena. Can you see that?

I'm just asking: Can you see that you see? And if you can see all thoughts, feelings and other phenomena, then what are you? You are not the leaf or the thoughts or the emotions that you see; so what are you?

You are not what the mind says or believes. You are nothing that can be observed. Who are you; really?

I'm just asking.

Note: I mean no personal offense. Just feel that the questions are super important and can be life changing.

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

JamesThomas

This is an obvious Troll.
No member of Jehovah's Witnesses is ever, under any circumstance, given the personal freedom to address a group of ex-JW's or apostates.
He knows that. He also knows the Watchtower is a corporation.
This is all a farce.

Jehovah is a farce.

Yet many here embrace the idea.

What to say that may gently entice them to see otherwise?

That said, a troll can be seen as someone not to respond to -- or as an opportunity to say something to all the rest who are conscious enough to read and are open to change.

130

Atheist Miracles

by Perry in

jw
friends

i reworded a variation of a common critique of atheists to my own liking.

no, i do not hate atheists, i love them!

they keep me from getting bored.

JamesThomas

It is much easier for Perry to believe he understands who he is and that he has a purpose, to feel stable because his core belief system is stable. For liberals and progressives this is not really possible because our core beliefs are less rigid and more willing to adapt as new information and understanding presents itself. Which means that we are reshaping our understanding of who we are and how we relate to society, even if in small ways.
The protective walls around Perry's core beliefs are tall and rigid. They are his identity. He believes that salvation is dependent upon being correct on issues of faith. When confronted on a particular belief, he is not only confronted on an idea held to rigidly but he is feeling an attack on the very core of who he understands himself to be. Our questioning him causes him to be jolted about his beliefs just as questioning a Jehovah's Witness does. (I know, I know- I had to go there. Because, Perry, you may have left the dangerous mind-control cult but your thinking process is the same as it ever was.)

OTWO, this was well said IMHO.

Would you not agree that like Perry, all of us are continuously weaving concepts and beliefs into our identity right this moment?

Can we clearly see how we allow our minds to create a seemingly “real” identity out of abstract thoughts, concepts, beliefs and occurrences? And if so, what sees this? What must remain outside the story to see the story? What are we really?

Just asking.

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

JamesThomas

Dear Jeramy,

Welcome, and as you can see coming here is going to expose you to all kinds of thought provoking opinions and ideas. Hopefully some will motivate you to look ever deeper into your beliefs; or hopefully help take you outside of all beliefs and abstract concepts entirely.

I applaud you for seeing through the JW sect and way of viewing “reality”. Yet, this is a superficial awakening -- as you still unquestionably champion the belief that a primitive anthropomorphic deity, introduced by ancient desert tribesmen is the mastermind and origin behind all the wondrous mind-boggling expression of life and universe. Can you not sense or imagine something infinitely greater? I'm certain most children can and do. There is a far deeper depth of being in the eyes of your family dog than anything you can ever read from your Bible....if you have eyes to see. If you have eyes to see...

41

How Do You Feel About All The Time You Wasted Being. A Jehovah's Witness?

by minimus in

jw
friends

all that i can say is....what a shame!

JamesThomas

I'm pretty much on board with freemindfade, on this one.

If you live in the past, you're depressed. If you live in the future your anxious. If you live in the present you can be happy.

In my world, most of our problems and angst can be traced to the mind habitually dwelling on the past (and extending it into the future which is just dwelling in more past), while at the same time being numb and blind to the present-moment that is generally void of problems. If you think about embracing someone while hugging your friend or lover, you miss all the wondrous real aliveness of the moment with your beloved. Same with all life.

It really helps to realize that you can stand back and watch the mind and all its commentary and story telling, and see clearly that none of it is you, because you are silently watching it (clearly see this and know this and you have just stepped outside the box that most humanity suffers in).

The mind can only express via learned past circumstance and knowledge gained. As far as the ever fresh and new reality of this moment it is speechless and pretty much useless -- unless you need to fall back on how to drive a car or bake a cake. 90+% of thought is needless and often painful (natures way of saying: "shut the fuck up -- be still")

Silent-presence is vast and beautiful, an extension of ones being, but it has to be appreciated and soaked in -- to know that.

40

What is the truth?

by hardtobeme in

jw
friends

that is what my professor of philosophy asked us last night at class.. he said that pontius pilate asked jesus that question and that it was a hard one that jesus couldn't answer.. what do you think about this question?

what is the truth?

does the gb has any truth?

JamesThomas

Can truth be defined from a fanciful position; or understood viewed through a lens of delusion?

Perhaps the foundational-truth – that many seem to be seeking in various degrees – can only be known via the light of our own true identity.; or in other words: by seeing clearly from and as we truly and genuinely are, rather than through what we merely think, assume or believe ourselves to be.

Stop for a moment, can it be seen that everything ever thought, believed, felt, and experienced as our entire existence is an ever-changing movement unfolding before a silent, unmoving presence that is closer and more intimately “self” than any cognizant thought, emotion or occurrence? What/who are we really?

Just asking.

113

Are you religious or are you spiritual? Wake up to what?

by Deltawave in

there is a huge difference between been religious and been spiritual.

been religious is about been superior to others in the sight of god.

however, been spiritual is about self awareness, inner peace and unity with the natural world.

JamesThomas

...belief takes a holiday from reality

Well said.

The question remains: what beliefs, religious or otherwise, presently blinds us to what is genuine?

Radically and thoroughly subtract all beliefs and abstract mental concepts and stories about self and other -- and what remains? What is real?