Should Faith/Religion Have Such a High Value In Our Society?

[lambsy_uk]

I'm not here to trample all over people's faith/beliefs but to ask if/why such beliefs should hold such high value in our society?

So where am I comming from? Well we can freely question almost anything in our society/lives; morals, political beliefs, actions and reactions, motivations, interactions, foreign policy, education, welfare, how we raise our children, law and order and so on..........

However we are positively discouraged from questioning people's faith/beliefs/religion! We are also actively encouraged to accommodate and allow for people's religious beliefs, and this is the bit that really irks me! Why is it that if something is done in the name of a religious belief/practice then we are expected to accept it with little fuss where if any other excuse were used we'd be up in arms?

We endure arguments of whether animal rights should take precedence over religion, whether saving the life of a child should take precedence over their parent's beliefs, should freedom of expression take precedence over religious sensitivities?

For me you may as well base stuff on the football team you support;

"I can't comply with the company dress code because I'm a United fan and therefore I must be allowed to wear a United shirt at work."

As far as I'm concerned this is no more ridiculous than anything done/not done in the name of religious beliefs!

So why do religious beliefs hold such high status and is it right that they do?

[tommy.irene]

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@bankhaunter wrote:

It doesn't matter what a person's personal beliefs ot how whacky they may be as long as they keep those beliefs to themselves and don't try to mess up the lives of others.

A classic example was the attempted stopping of a Sunday ferry service between Lewis and Stornaway on the grounds of it being the Sabbath.

And of course they don't try to teach children ignorance and how to have a closed mind.

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https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080912035049AA2fgaH

[Anonymous]

If a thousand years are but a day to God, why does it take him/her/it so long to sort out the issues Satan has created?

God created us with the ability to choose, but when Adam and Eve did make a choice it was Satan's fault?

God is love and I take it that Satan (its opposite) is hate. Opposites can't be present at the same time. Where there is love there can't be hate. Where there is darkness there can't be light, where there is joy there can't be misery, etc...

So how can God be a punishing God and a loving God at the same time? It has to be one or the other in my opinion, unless his/her/its love isn't unconditional.

If God created us all the same, with a brain to think, with emotions etc... where does that fit in with selecting only JW as his favourites?

Should we not be treated equally if we were created equally?

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@tommy.irene wrote:

That purpose has never changed but it was interrupted by Satan who chose to become an opposer of God and mislead Adam and Eve you know the rest from there. Sin entered into the world and all the bad that comes with it. As God's purpose has never changed he lovingly set in place a plan and promise to restore righteousness and reverse the death penalty that sin brought. God is still in the process of doing that, he has lovingly kept to his promise and never left mankind, he is working every minute to bring that restoration about, but there are so many issues that Satan opened that need to be answered (it takes time not as we know it but as God does) God knows our sufferings he knows the wickedness that is going on and he is working to rid the world of it. We just have to be patient and trust him to do it. He has promised us he will.

Rev. 21 3-4 Hew will wipe out every tear from their eyes and death will be no more.

When God fulfills his promises, he will be able to erase every bit of pain and suffering that anyone has suffered and restore happiness and peace.

Jehovah God, does love mankind he has never stopped but he can see the situation from above, the whole world and his working to restore it back has to be benefiting the world as a whole.

I hope you can understand what I am trying to say.

I am sorry to waffle on but I am answering you in the only way I know how and to the best of my ability.

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He,s talking a long time to change things..A lot of people have died waiting for things to happen..

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Tommy,

You missed the point,  the content of my post does explain reasons. xxxxx

[tommy.irene]

Im glad that i have freedom from the churches and God people... as i said before read this.. 

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080912035049AA2fgaH

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@cee-dee wrote:

Speaking of missed content, you missed #467.

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I did read that one CD   xx  thank you xx

[tommy.irene]

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@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

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Tommy,

You missed the point,  the content of my post does explain reasons. xxxxx

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I have a very happy life here and someday i will die.....Told Irene to burn me and throw my ashes into the sea........ Im not told what to do by church people and their God... people everywere in the World are fighting over who,s God is better..

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@Anonymous wrote:

If a thousand years are but a day to God, why does it take him/her/it so long to sort out the issues Satan has created?

God created us with the ability to choose, but when Adam and Eve did make a choice it was Satan's fault?

God is love and I take it that Satan (its opposite) is hate. Opposites can't be present at the same time. Where there is love there can't be hate. Where there is darkness there can't be light, where there is joy there can't be misery, etc...

So how can God be a punishing God and a loving God at the same time? It has to be one or the other in my opinion, unless his/her/its love isn't unconditional.

If God created us all the same, with a brain to think, with emotions etc... where does that fit in with selecting only JW as his favourites?

Should we not be treated equally if we were created equally?

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Hi Harry  xx

God is dealing with Satan, in Gods few days, the issues involved need addressing so that does take a little time for it to be accomplised so it is still on going.

Adam and Eve wer punished with death because they made the wrong choice, to disobey. We have to take into account the myriads of spirit creatures looking on in the heavens, they need to see that God was just towards all.

At the moment we are in the midst of Gods restoration so there is Good and bad, but it won't always be like that.

The loving God is getting rid of the evil to restore conditions of righteousness for the Good of everyone who wants it that way and is willing to accept Gods authority.

Anyone is able to become obedient to God and have a good relationship with him to benefit themsleves, by doing that and doing his will anyone then becomes a witness of Jehovah.

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@tommy.irene wrote:

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@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

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Tommy,

You missed the point,  the content of my post does explain reasons. xxxxx

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I have a very happy life here and someday i will die.....Told Irene to burn me and throw my ashes into the sea........ Im not told what to do by church people and their God... people everywere in the World are fighting over who,s God is better..

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Then I respect your choice Tommy, xxxx

I am very pleased and happy that you are happy  xx

My Mum has to go scatter my Dad's ashes next week.   xxx

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@saasher2012 wrote:
Then I can only conclude from that, that this God enjoys the suffering he sees & he hasn't the power that he says he has.
Satan if indeed he exists is running rings round him!

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Well, I don't, I know different by what he tells me in his word (I believe the bible to be his word) I conclude that he is very patient and long suffering himself and very jus,t that is why he is having to wait before destroying Satan.

Jehovah has his purpose and will accomplish it. How he does so is his choice because he can see the best way forward to benefit all not just a chosen few. The choices we make are our own. Satan will be locked away for a thousand years (our known years) so everyone past and present who survives the great tribulation or is ressurrected can freely without Satan 's infuence choose for God or against God. We will all be responsible then for the choices we make, no blame should be laid and Jehovah's feet.

I don't mean this next comment in any way to be disrespctful but, Anyone then who is too haughty, lacks the humility needed to accept God as the almighty and his Soverienty has only themselves to blame as they have time and time again been given the same chance as anyone else. How you come to your conclusions saasher is up to you xxxxx

[margaret*e]

Busty, could you explain to me why JWs don't accept/donate blood please?.

[Anonymous]

Hi Busty,

To me it souinds pretty mean to give someone freedom of choice, a brain, emotions etc...and then punish them for making a choice, because you don't like their choice...calling it the wrong choice. It's like giving a child a toy and then punish it for playing with it.

Would you do that to your own children? If we did we would be accused of abuse. But it's ok for God and we have to accept his authority. No wonder a lot of his "children" rebel and don't obey. It's double standards don't you think?

[saasher2012]

Not haughty! Just can't understand why a faith that in human years is in its infancy considers itself superior to any other& also has the arrogance to also think they are the chosen ones excluding all others,also that all the people who live good useful lives & harm no one are considered unworthy to this God of yours. Rather selective don't you think?
At least the Christian God promises all sins will be forgiven & all will enter the Kingdom of heaven!.
Soooooo! I ask again as do other posters , not out of haughtiness , but genuine interest & no rancour, why is JW the only true faith , why like all these cults do they originate in America, also returning to the Watchtower link if women are of value to your faith why are they not allowed to hold high office in your meetings? They certainly seem worthy enough to carry the word in pairs door to door at weekends?

[electric*mayhem*band]

Waiting for a response from BS to Margs, Harry, and Saasher...* meanwhile goes back to reading 'Alice in Wonderland' *

'There are Fairies at the bottom of my garden'. (Anon).

[bankhaunter]

In that regard then Bank you are clearly being influenced,  blinded and controlled by Satan. He is the cause of you not willing to accept that you have a chance to be included in the paradise and everlasting life that God has promised.

Two things.

Firstly Satan doesn't exist, he is just an invention to explain God's apparent failure to those who believe there is a God.

Secondly, have you ever thought of what the word 'everlasting' actually means and that there is nothing which can be imagined that would not pall after a few lifetimes let alone eternity.

What you are expecting/hoping for would be nothing better than torture of the mind, there are things worse than death, everlasting boredom would certainly be one of them.

If paradise is all you know it cannot be paradise.

Satan does know he has a very short time left,

If you are banking on things you have been told about Armageddon then forget it, like the Bible and various cults etc., JWs are noted for failed predictions.

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php

I do consider the fictional character of God as portrayed in the Bible, as a moral monster, it's not hard to do it would be hard to find any non believers who have a lower moral standard.

[astrologica]

Hello Busty. Regarding Bank's reason for becoming an Atheist, I would say that I became an Atheist for mostly the same reasons. So if Banks is being blinded, influenced and controlled by Satan, then I must be too. I don't feel the least bit blinded or controlled. In fact, after 30 years plus of studying various religions , trying to find one that makes any sense, I now feel totally at peace with myself as an Atheist. One thing I have noted....in one post you say Satan will be destroyed...in another you say that he will be locked up for a thousand (human) years. Locking him up will not destroy him will it? Just an observation!
Reading your posts, and having exchanged posts with you in the past, it seems to me that there must be some payback for you for your absolute faith, apart from the Eternal life etc, etc. I think I mentioned before, that I have a friend who was a JW, who has now left the church. She is happier than she has ever been. She had to end her marriage to achieve this happiness as she was controlled by the Church and her devout JW husband. She said to me that she feels that most of her female ex-friends (they do not want to know her now) are in a sort of insular bubble, completely enclosed and enfolded by the JW Church. This gives them some sort of comfort and feeling of safety, but it completely closes them off from all sorts of experiences. She is so happy these days...she says it is as if she has escaped a prison and found her wings. She says that none of her friends would have the courage to leave because they would be cast adrift.
I would like to ask if you have any close friends who are not JW's? Do you join in any activities socially with people who are not JW's?
I hope you won't think these are impertinent questions!

[**forum-decorum**]

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@marg*e wrote:

Busty, could you explain to me why JWs don't accept/donate blood please?.

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Marge,

I could but it will take me quite a while, so please forgive me but this link will explain it in a far better way than I ever could.

If you would take the time to read and follow  the other related links to any questions you may have you will be answered very well.

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovahs-witnesses-why-no-blood-transfusions/

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@**forum-decorum** wrote:

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@marg*e wrote:

Busty, could you explain to me why JWs don't accept/donate blood please?.

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Marge,

I could but it will take me quite a while, so please forgive me but this link will explain it in a far better way than I ever could.

If you would take the time to read and follow  the other related links to any questions you may have you will be answered very well.

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovahs-witnesses-why-no-blood-transfusions/

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I am sorry, that's the second time I have posted with the wrong ID this week.

[**bustysinclaire**]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi Busty,

To me it souinds pretty mean to give someone freedom of choice, a brain, emotions etc...and then punish them for making a choice, because you don't like their choice...calling it the wrong choice. It's like giving a child a toy and then punish it for playing with it.

Would you do that to your own children? If we did we would be accused of abuse. But it's ok for God and we have to accept his authority. No wonder a lot of his "children" rebel and don't obey. It's double standards don't you think?

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Harry,

I don't see it that way, but everyone will see it how they see it with how their heart condition is I suppose. As I try to understand and accept God, I will see it how I am taught it to be. (if that makes sense lol)

Adam and Eve had everything in life that they could possibly want, they had a perfect life abundance of food and a paradise to live in. They did not need to take the fruit of one tree. It was one requirement that is all just one. The angels in the heavens were being shown that even the perfect humans on earth needed Jehovah and was required to be obedient. Being obedient was the way to show their appreciation and acceptance of Jehovahs Authority.

I don't see it as double standards, I accept Jehovah as life giver and Soverign. so I try to be obedient knowing I am not perfect like they were.

[evoman3957]

Ok........for this exercise, you need to completely empty your Mind; pretend you are either a Boy or Girl. You've just been born to a Family ( somewhere in the World........it's not important ) that live in a reasonably isolated place ( all your neighbours are dotted over a wide area, on their own smallholdings ). You and Your Family live off the Land and you have NO religion, as you and all your neighbours never new one existed. All of a sudden, all your neighbours gather from miles around and start erecting a massive structure at a particular spot. This structure costs all the money to build, that you and your neighbours have earned over the last ten years. You also have to stop earning and spend every day of your life involved in building this structure. You quite rightly approach the Person, who instigated all this, to ask what exactly you are all doing and what the building is. "A church" says He......"A Church" says you........."What's a Church"........"A House to God" says He.........."Whose God says you"........."there's nobody living around these parts called God and anyway, why are we all building Him a House 10 times the size of anybody else's around here"........."He is the creator"says He..........."Creator of what" says you........"Creator of everything......including You" says He......."My Mother and Father created Me" says You......"Yes but He created the very first Human Being" says He.........."How the Hell do you know THAT" says you......."I just do" says He........"So where is this God" says you......"All around" says He......" how can anybody be all around" says you "Stop being stupid, I just want to meet this God, that we are all giving all our money and lives to build this House for, that's not an unreasonable request now is it " says you............"You can't meet Him" says He........"Why" says you......."because you can't see Him" says He......"what do you mean I can't see Him" says You "Is He here or not".........."He's not here like a person" says He "He's everywhere, including within you" says He. By this time, as you can imaging, our completely open minded and sane questioner, is beginning to think several people around Him; are a Sandwich short of a Picnic, but tries another line of questioning. "So when we've built this Church, what are we going to do with it " says you........."We'll all gather in it and say prayers and sing songs to this God, that you cant see, can't hear, can't feel, doesn't help, doesn't listen, but that I've told you exists" says He............"WAKE UP YOU IDIOT, DO YOU KNOW HOW RIDICULOUS YOU SOUND" says You.

[bankhaunter]

So if Banks is being blinded, influenced and controlled by Satan, then I must be too.

It's a little debating trick being used, turning a lack of belief into a rejection. a way of shifting the burden of proof and implies you really do believe but deliberately choose not to and thus slides away from possibly having to offer evidence.

You cannot reject a non existent being but you can have a lack of belief.