Beware: Religion

[GHoSToKeR]

When I was young I was forced to go to Joho meetings. I hated it from day 1, and bitched and complained and made up a real hatred for all they preached and did. I haven't had to go in years(I think around 12 I was finally able to talk my Mom into letting me just not go) and while my hatred is no longer there, I still like to talk about religion in general as I can't understand how people get so passionate about.

Was born and raised Jehovah's Witness...so glad I got outta there!!! Now I can live the good life

Me too. I've mentioned my family being Jehovahs Witnesses before, but I don't really tell people I used to go to the meetings myself up until I was roughly 12 (I, like Islander, had no choice)

I believe that being subjected to these meetings and the Jehovahs Witness way of thinking is what has made me so open-minded and yet at the same time has given me such a strong belief that there is no God. Growing up in that religion is tough for any child. You are alienated from your school-mates, you can't celebrate Christmas or Birthdays and consquently are a subject of ridicule. It's horrible. Because of those reasons, I found it VERY difficult to make friends when I made the choice to leave them.. Without being arrogant, I know i'm a nice guy and i'm easy to get along with because i'm pretty open-minded and accepting, but because I wasn't allowed to make friends with the people in my school I didn't learn the social skills that people learn as they grow up.. To this day I'm still shy and find it slightly more difficult to make friends and interact with people, but i'm trying my best to overcome it. I've succeeded for the most part, but as i'm still young i've got a way to go before I properly overcome it and lose the hatred I have for them.

Islander, because of growing up in a Jo-Ho family I like to talk about religion too. I grew up believing everything that I learnt from the Jo-Hos at the "Kingdom Hall", and never doubted it. When i decided to leave, and started to doubt it, I had two conflicting beliefs in my mind.. The first one was that Jo-Hos were right, but i knew i only believed it because i'd been learning that stuff since i was born, i was brain-washed.. the other beliefs were MY OWN, i just had trouble recognizing them until recently.. I think it's also because of this that i'm so opinionated, because it takes alot of guts to doubt what youve grown up learning as the truth, and because it tooks guts i was constantly thinking about it and therefore i've learnt to express my opinions well, to myself and to others.

When it comes to God, i've said what i think before.. i dont believe in "a god", as in the christian god.. i think that was dreamt up a long time ago and the idea has evolved through-out society over a long time, and people are now too afraid to doubt it, to live in a world without god. But, i do believe that the idea of god exists in the people that need him, that want to believe. and i also believe that the idea of god in the minds of these people can be helpful, but i just think people take it too far and confuse spirituality and faith with religion, and close their minds to other concepts..

the bible is something i have conflicting views about.. in my opinion, and i may be laughed at but i dont care lol, i think the bible was the words of a group of people who wanted to make a difference.. they wanted people to follow the example of "jesus" as a model person, and to be like him and treat eachother right.. sort of like a code of ethics that people should follow.. i dont believe its true, but that people were supposed to use the words in it to better themselves... but now, its been taken to far, and "the good book" is the be all and end all of everything... i mean, if people want to live by the bible than fine, its their choice, but if somebody interprets the bible differently to someone else, i dont think they should be perceived as wrong, but perceived equally as right.. i dont know if that makes sense, lol, but im high

peace