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JW looking clarity followup
#31
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 6:36 pm)nicanica123 Wrote: We don't believe in hell


So, on both threads you've opened, people have responded to your assertions in detail with facts and demonstrating the flawed logic of your beliefs, and the above is your only response?

Why are you posting here if you are not willing to support what you believe? 

Aren't you ignoring 1 Peter 3:15?

You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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#32
RE: JW looking clarity followup
Well of course most religions promise an afterlife. When the real life demonstrably and unfixably sucks, that's basically the only thing left to promise... Most importantly of course, noone can check if it's true.


But I'm confused, nicanica123 - are you saying that for JWs, there is no concept of an afterlife? I thought there was an afterlife for the chosen few...
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition

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#33
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 6:58 pm)Simon Moon Wrote:
(April 17, 2015 at 6:36 pm)nicanica123 Wrote: We don't believe in hell


So, on both threads you've opened, people have responded to your assertions in detail with facts and demonstrating the flawed logic of your beliefs, and the above is your only response?

Why are you posting here if you are not willing to support what you believe? 

Aren't you ignoring 1 Peter 3:15?
Yeah well that scripture does say in a mild and respectful way. I don't engage with anyone, on any topic, if its just a blowhard match. Glad that you have some respect for the scriptures though Wink

(April 17, 2015 at 7:04 pm)Alex K Wrote: Well of course most religions promise an afterlife. When the real life demonstrably and unfixably sucks, that's basically  the only thing left to promise..

But I'm confused, nicanica123 - are you saying that for JWs, there is no concept of an afterlife? I thought there was an afterlife for the chosen few...


The bible says that there are 144k that will rule in heaven as "kings and priests" No witness that I have every met has been shaken by this. Even people that talk about their idea of heaven basically talk about a place where they're with their family in a peaceful surrounding
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#34
RE: JW looking clarity followup
So the JWs do all hope to go to an afterlife
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition

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#35
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 7:08 pm)Alex K Wrote: So the JWs do all hope to go to an afterlife

No, that is just not correct. There are 8 million active witnesses in the world and about 10k may or may not be part of the 144k. Witnesses believe in a resurrection. That is a form of afterlife I know, but for 99% of us we believe that we cease to exist after we die
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#36
RE: JW looking clarity followup
I haven't read through this thread so apologies if I'm reiterating things that have already come up.

(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: 1. Why would this almighty god be subjected to what a human demands as proof?

It's not the god itself that I, for one, am asking to prove itself. Rather, it's whatever the believer's claiming about that god for which I'd like evidence. Expecting proof from a god we haven't even established yet is putting the cart before the horse - we haven't even agreed there is a cart.

(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: 2. Does gods creation not make him apparent?

No more than it does Allah, or Huracán, or Ceiling Cat. Again, you are presupposing the 'creation' as something attributed to the god you already believe exists, before you have even attempted to establish that god as a fact. It's palming the god card and easily spotted.

(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: 3. If god popped up one day to make himself readily known as existing, would all people serve him any way?

Well, that would go a long way to showing that this god is a genuine entity, wouldn't it? As far as people serving it:

a) that would depend on them and whatever predisposition they may already have to falling on their knees to worship a celestial dictator; and

b) is servitude a prerequisite to godly manifestation?

(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: 4. If gods purpose as I have been taught, is that one day the earth will be a paradise like state with no evil. Back to its original Eden conditions. Proving that Satan, Adam, and Eve were wrong to reject gods sovereignty and humans are not capable of ruling themselves... how would it serve his purpose if people worshipped him out of fear of him killing them rather than from their hearts?

Is this any different to people worshipping out of fear of punishment for not doing it?

(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: I know the last one will get a lot of flack Big Grin

Please - unless you intend Killing Me Softly with musical references from the seventies, the word you want is "flak".  Wink
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist.  This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair.  Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second.  That means there's a situation vacant.'
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#37
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 6:56 pm)nicanica123 Wrote: For starters, when I said that I'm not looking to debate, I was referring to people like Goon that doesn't even know what Jehovah's Witnesses believe. I have doubts in god and I'm putting my thoughts out there for discussion. I do find it interesting that most people here say they would not serve god of the bible even if he proved his existence. The only way that I can quickly describe why I believe god allows suffering today, is that its like if someone crappy gets voted president. Generally, you'll have to wait 4 years before anything can change. God did not create robots. He created beings with free will. They chose to not vote for him but in themselves. Satan promised Adam and Eve that they would not die. Almost every religion in the world says that you continue live even after you die. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that you are dead. Really, the bible teaches that. God consistently demanded that there be no images used in worship of him. He always forbade idols. Why wouldn't humans have an idol for their masses to worship, knowing how much easier that is as a human? Those are some thoughts that come up as to why its hard to just have a black or white feelings on this. I accept that I will never know everything. If god exists, there are always questions that I can have from just not knowing what happened thousands or millions of years ago. If god does not, then I'll never know why there is something rather than nothing among other things.
 And one last thing about JW's, I know they can be annoying but just try engaging with them once when they stop. Don't try to prove your point. Just let them express themselves and then express yourself


It is great that you are questioning your indoctrinated, faith based beliefs.

The following may help:

First you have to decide if you really care if your beliefs are true, or at least likely to be true, and to eliminate as many false beliefs as possible.

If you really care, you have to decide what it the best, most reliable method to figure this out. Is it best to base beliefs on demonstrable evidence and valid/sound logic? Or is faith the most reliable method?

It is the contention of the vast majority of atheists, that basing ones beliefs on evidence and sound/valid logic is the single most reliable path to truth. And in situations where those things may be lacking, the best answer then becomes "I don't know, lets find out", not "lets quote some ancient text, or make stuff up".

This method has lead to every single advancement in human history. 

You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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#38
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 6:56 pm)nicanica123 Wrote:  And one last thing about JW's, I know they can be annoying but just try engaging with them once when they stop. Don't try to prove your point. Just let them express themselves and then express yourself


I'm sorry; no.  I think it's utterly rude and presumptuous to go knocking on a stranger's door, and I refuse to encourage the behavior.
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#39
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 10:21 am)nicanica123 Wrote: My few thoughts on this are as follows, 1. Why would this almighty god be subjected to what a human demands as proof? 2. Does gods creation not make him apparent? 3. If god popped up one day to make himself readily known as existing, would all people serve him any way? 4. If gods purpose as I have been taught, is that one day the earth will be a paradise like state with no evil. Back to its original Eden conditions. Proving that Satan, Adam, and Eve were wrong to reject gods sovereignty and humans are not capable of ruling themselves... how would it serve his purpose if people worshipped him out of fear of him killing them rather than from their hearts?

Assuming you're not opposed to science, it kind of answers itself. The universe is about 13 billion years old, if I'm not mistaken. Earth is about 4,5 billion years old. Man, or creatures similar to man, walk the earth for about 3 million years tops. The dinosaurs, who came pretty late in earth's history, populated the earth for about 100 million years before vanishing. So do the math how significant we are as a species and why god (I assume the christian one) would suddenly crop up in the desert about 3000 years ago. Never seen before, never seen again.
[Image: Bumper+Sticker+-+Asheville+-+Praise+Dog3.JPG]
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#40
RE: JW looking clarity followup
(April 17, 2015 at 7:18 pm)rexbeccarox Wrote:
(April 17, 2015 at 6:56 pm)nicanica123 Wrote:  And one last thing about JW's, I know they can be annoying but just try engaging with them once when they stop. Don't try to prove your point. Just let them express themselves and then express yourself


I'm sorry; no.  I think it's utterly rude and presumptuous to go knocking on a stranger's door, and I refuse to encourage the behavior.

Thats fine because you have that right. But remember that they're not stuck in internet forums, they actually go out and engage with people. Too few of humans these days allow people to have beliefs that they don't agree with. Thats why people are becoming more polarized in their beliefs. You can see the proof in demographics, red districts become redder, blue become bluer. My point is, Discussing beliefs with people in a calm respectful way is upbuilding to humanity
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