Are you searching?

When I expressed my doubts about my beliefs to my parents the other day, my mom said that 'no matter what people do, they are always searching for something. If it's not this religion, which one will you go to?'. She gave the example that practically since time began, people have been clinging to hope in some form or another, namely religion. That people worship something, religion or otherwise. What she was getting at was that even if I left the organisation, I would feel empty and feel the need to 'search' something out. 

How do you feel about this? 

i feel the advances in scientific understanding
will eventually erode the foundations of religion

primitive cultures developed highly imaginative
concepts of supernatural dieties to try to cope
with events precipitated by natural phenomenon
as well as the mundane realities of "hey, he quit breathing"!

the legacy? "my god is better than your god" conflict
that has pock-marked the species development for
millenia...

it isnt easy for me to accept what i am realizing
as i have never "not believed" in a god... it is hard
to realize that ultimately we all have to hitch up
our big boy/ big girl panties and just deal with
the reality that THIS IS IT!

getting there, one new understanding at a time

and man is it motivation to get things done NOW!!

I don't think that if you'll leave you feel empty, you may still have questions that you want answering - and that if for you to find.

That is the witness way of reasoning - where will you go or what will you do if you don't have the org & jah.  Life doesn't begin and end with them.  Their puny org has only been around for a hundred odd years, life went along pretty well before they appeared.

Some people are happy knowing that they will turn to dust and therefore live life for today.  Live in the now and take in as much life as you can!

Thankyou for your replies :) I hope I can come to some sort of realisation and contentment as time goes by......just got to get over some family hurdles first :)

First, they have not proven that God exists.  Then, if He exists, they have not demonstrated that He is even worth worshiping.

I have seen too many incidents in the Bible of God setting up a situation where someone was being herded into an adverse judgment that could not have been avoided.  Cain, for instance--since when did Cain owe God a lamb (especially since Cain did not have any lambs to offer)?  And, I thought that people were supposed to be vegetarians during that period--what gave Abel the right to keep sheep for eating back then?  Yet, Cain was set up in this way for an adverse judgment.

Another problem that God created was Saul.  Jehovah kept him waiting, and the nation was threatened.  At which point Saul had to offer the sacrifice--or else the Bible would have bashed Saul for not doing something.  God intentionally waited until 5 minutes after Saul made his necessary move.  I believe this is a situation where Saul could not have possibly came out in good standing with God--a set up.

There are also too many cases of God destroying people with no good reason.  Just walk in and demand that everyone give up their culture and take up your rules--what if someone were to do this in Brooklyn and then bash the Washtowel Babble and Crap Slaveholdery for not adopting a culture that they did not want?  Killing everyone because they do not believe as you do--as God ordered?  Destroying everything of value--as God ordered?  And, expecting people to believe that all this is because God loves them, under penalty of getting stoned to death?

From what I see, God wants everything anyone does to be what He tells us to do.  Make the species with the capacity to think, and then ban them from using this capacity.  Capriciously and arbitrarily depriving individuals of things necessary for life--or to make life worth living--and then exploit them for your own purposes (and allow other religions to exploit them, expecting them to remain without the necessary things, and then blaming that person for being scammed).  To me, if Jehovah is going to abuse me like this, and expect me to do His will (and hold me responsible if the leaders f*** up), there is no chance for me to ever get in favorable standings.  So, why even bother trying--I would rather dog my "duty" to make God happy and worship the Devil instead.

May you have peace!

One of the responders attempted to quote John 6:68, but seems to have really missed the point, I think, which point may be just what YOU need:

"Therefore, JAHESHUA (sorry, I don't use the name "Jesus" because it's not accurate, which I can explain if you wish...) said to the twelve:  'YOU do not want to go also, do you?'  Simon Peter answered him:  'Lord, WHOM shall we go away to?  YOU have sayings of everlasting life...'"

Did you notice that Peter did not say "WHERE are we to go away to" but, rather, WHOM?  Dear one, THIS is the "truth" that religion consistenly FAILS to tell you about... and why ones feel "empty"... EVEN when they are a PART of a religion.  There IS no "where"... there is ONLY a WHOM, Christ.

People go from religion to religion... searching... and coming up empty... sometimes even after wasting many years... because... HE IS NOT THERE!  God, and so, by connection, Christ... does NOT dwell in handmade temples.  There IS NO "visible representation."  There IS NO church, so far as such is an institutional organization, large OR small.

God wells... in HIS PEOPLE.  WE... are the "temple" of God... the place where He dwells... IN SPIRIT.  In is IN US that He comes... He and His Son... and make their "abode" (their "home," "place of rest," "dwelling place"...)  1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:9, 10; John 14:23

Religion... including, primarily, the WTBTS...  doesn't TELL you this, however, because THEY DON'T KNOW IT.  They don't know it... because their neither KNOW God... or the One whom He sent forth, Christ.  It is this KNOWING... not "taking in knowledge of" but actually KNOWING both God and Christ... that means everlasting life. 

Religions, however, and I am speaking of those that claim to be "christian," while they acknowlege that Christ rose from the dead... STILL CONSIDER HIM DEAD... at least as far as his ability... and DESIRE... to communicate with us.  They acknowledge that DEMONS can speak to, guide, lead, compel, and influence us... but the One to whom ALL AUTHORITY... in heaven AND on earth... cannot and does not!  ANd that even if he did, WE CAN'T HEAR HIM!!  How can that BE??!!  Hebrews 12:25; John 10:27

The Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... DOES speak to us, dear one.  Through His Son.  That One is the WORD of God... and he is ALIVE!  John 1:14; Hebrews 1:2; 4:12; Revelation 19:13

So, DO NOT BE MISLED:  there is NO religion that will satisfy your "craving"... for TRUTH.  There is only ONE... The TRUTH... JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, the Holy One of Israel, and Son and Christ of the MOST Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, JAH of Armies.  Psalm 68:4

May you be granted ears to hear... if you truly wish it!

A slave of Christ,

SA

AGuest, are you a witness?

wantstoleave

Your experience of parental influence being brought to bear is a common, and natural one, from anyone that cares about you.  Yet, in your dilemma, it is bound up in the cultish world of one of the world'smost mind-control religions.

Take heart - thinking people always have, and will continue to, search for knowledge and enlightenment.  Some simply quit JWs and align themselves with another religion.  Some discover that they are totally non-religious (like me) and adopt a strong humanitarian viewpoint, or just abandon any belief system at all. The common thread seems to be searching deeper to try and answer the many philosophical arguments that have gone on for millenia.

You have to do what's right for you.  You have to live with the consequences of your own, personal decision.

Perhaps, this challenge is extremely daunting and one that you don't yet feel ready to tackle?  There is help out there, from countless sources, dependent on your conclusion to life's big challenges.

Take your time, think deeply, analyse everything in detail, and formulate your own ideas.  Discuss them freely with people whose judgement you respect.  Then, and only then, decide when you're ready and mentally prepared for the inevitable consequences of living your own life free from fear and oppression from people trapped in any religious, dogmatic cult.

Good luck on your future journey.  Thousands have moved on and are living contented, happy and truly meaningful moral lives without needing any religious crutches to lean upon.  Many posters here can testify to that!

lifelong humanist

What she was getting at was that even if I left the organisation, I would feel empty and feel the need to 'search' something out.

With leaving, at least you'd have the reedom to search.

Most everyone is searching.  Some for God, but not too many.  Some are searching for happiness and some are searching for understanding.  Some gave up the search and settled for what someone else tells them.  There are also those that don't know and don't care to search for whatever reason, but even they want to numb themselves for another day to fill their emptiness.  There are all kinds of people on the planet.

If it's not this religion, which one will you go to?

Why does it have to be any religion?  Maybe your path won't take you to someone else's answers.  Personally, I think that spirituality is about the journey and not the destination.  No matter who or what, we can't be sure until we "meet our maker" or do not meet him.  I don't think we ever do, but that's not stopping me from trying to learn about what others believe and what I believe.  I will never know all the answers, but I can look.  I enjoy the answers that science gives me, and I know they will learn more and fill in gaps.  I also enjoy eastern thought on life's big questions because most eastern thought leaves room for everyone else to be right- in other words, all paths are about the path and we can admit we don't know what lies beyond the path.

You don't have to worship something.  You can if you want to.  Enjoy the journey.   

Hi WTL,

I agree, people are searching for real fulfilment, peace, security, answers, love etc.

I think you can only really find these things in the Creator. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Of course, we think we know best

From the looks of the state of mankind, I'd say we are wrong.

Yes, I believe you will feel empty, in the confines of the walls of the WT or outside it. I was empty for 20 years, I know very well that feeling. I felt totally lost, overwhelmed, insignificant and had no peace, no real joy, love or purpose in life.

I am not that way at all now, quite the opposite.

Some think you can find all these things without God but I disagree. I tried a lot of things in 20 years, "sex, drugs and rock and roll".

Whatever you try, nothing satisfies like the Creator Colossians 1:15-20

All the best,

Stephen

In my experience I find your mother's declaration untrue.  Finding yourself, appreciating every day of life and life around you is most gratifying. Allow yourself the freedom to just be...

I accept that I do not know the answers and I do not need to know the answers.  I am content with that.  As I am a person, your mother's statement that no matter what people do they are always searching for something does not seem to be true.

Jackie

I think of it this way.  If you find that you are married to someone who abuses you, lies to you, do you stay until you find another mate?

No you can leave and still have a good life; and you might find something else.  But why stay with the bad?

*That* is an excellent point.

Jackie

May you have peace!  My apologies for the delay in responding - I took a break to spend some time with my husband and puppies.  Went to see "Capitalism" today.  VERY interesting… go see it, if you've a "mind" to.

are you a witness?

As in "Jehovah's Witness"?  Heavens, no, dear one -  the scribes and Pharisees "expelled" me from their "synagogue" some years ago.  We had several (and I mean many) JC meetings, during which they said that although what I was sharing with them... and the WTBTS (via letters, which were usually responded to)... WAS "in the Bible," it was "not yet in the WT" and so I needed to, well, shut up. 

[NOTE:  I did mention, and they agreed, that it was curious that a good deal of what I was sharing with the WTBTS was showing up later in the WT, literally, including my scripture correlation charts.  Apparently, the WTBTS' response to that was some weak commentary to the effect that "no one individual anointed" was getting stuff from the Spirit.  I never made such an assertion, however, as I do not believe I am/was the only one.  I think the elders in my Hall thought/asked about it , however, after reading all of the letters I had written.  Hey, they asked to see them...].

Anyway, I tried to move on but they kept wanting to meet and ask me more questions... and then tell me not to share the stuff with anyone else.  I told them, well, okay, but if anyone else ASKED... an since there really is NO confidentiality others did ask... I would have to tell them the truth.  Well, they considered this "going beyond the things written." Indeed, when I asked, "The things written where?" one [brother] responded..."The things written in the Watchtower!"

After the 14th meeting they wanted to meet again, but I had shared all the Spirit had given me up to that time; there really was nothing else.  And I told them that and said given that, I couldn't any reason to meet anymore.  They said, Well, okay, thank you!"  Then the PO called me the next day to say that they would be announcing my disfellowshipping.   When I asked "On what basis?" he told me that one of the brothers was "uncomfortable" with what I shared. When I said, "Surely you're not calling me an apostate?" he responded, "Oh, no, nothing like that.  We're doing it because you won't meet with us again and so it's on the basis of disobedience.  Brother So-and-So believes you've refused to meet with us and so are being disobedient."

Hmmmmm... I attend 14 meetings voluntarily, willingly, happily, and without protest, and share every thing I know... openly, honestly, and forthrightly... but because I had nothing else to share... and so couldn't see the POINT in a 15th meeting... they said, "Get out."  Well, okay,then...

The PO did say I could appeal the decision and almost begged me to do so.  He said, "Jehovah's going to judge us for this".  I told him that I agreed.  I also told him that I would indeed, appeal... but not to men.

So, nope, not a JW no 'mo, dear WTL...

I bid you peace!

A slave of Christ,

SA