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@galveston75 saidWhat should humans "hope" for?
Tired of bad news.......
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/hope-bible-verses/
There are political solutions to a lot of things that might be described as "bad news" and religious faith and morality can have a bearing on these.
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@galveston75 saidOne can argue, as I would, that humanity is flourishing. We can look at the indicators for health, prosperity, human rights, access to justice, access to education, life expectancy, safety, peace and happiness, and there are signs that all are improving [or better than they have ever been].
Tired of bad news.......
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/hope-bible-verses/
It's interesting to see religious faith making someone pessimistic and defeatist [even more so if it's like a calculated element of an ideology]. I have encountered many believers whose faith has the opposite effect.
@pb1022 saidBelieve me, he's about as far away as one could be with the JW's showing any interest in his opinions. But.... ones worse then him have changed their opinions of us once that actually look thru all the published crap that's not true.
I don’t think the JWs will be hiring you to write their promotional material
@fmf saidYou don't pay attention to the news much do you?
One can argue, as I would, that humanity is flourishing. We can look at the indicators for health, prosperity, human rights, access to justice, access to education, life expectancy, safety, peace and happiness, and there are signs that all are improving [or better than they have ever been].
It's interesting to see religious faith making someone pessimistic and defeatist [even ...[text shortened]... ated element of an ideology]. I have encountered many believers whose faith has the opposite effect.
@galveston75 saidPerhaps I know more about the state of the world than you do? If watching "the news" ~ where, famously, "bad news sells" ~ is your primary vantage point, then maybe you are selling yourself short as a would-be commentator on the state of the world, humanity, and the issue of "hope".
You don't pay attention to the news much do you?
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@galveston75 saidA reconstruction of a conversation we had 4-5 years ago, from memory, not verbatim:
You don't pay attention to the news much do you?
galveston75: Look at the state of the world!
FMF: If we look at a whole raft of indicators, things look pretty good, as it happens.
galveston75: Have you not been watching the news?
FMF: Sure I have. But I have also been watching the indicators which show great improvements in the real lives of a bigger proportion of humans than ever before in history.
galveston75: You have your head in the sand.
FMF: How so?
galveston75: Did you not see that video clip on youtube of an old lady on a bus being bullied by teenagers?
FMF: No.
galveston75: It was awful. You don't know what's going on. What is the world coming to?
@fmf saidgalveston75: Did you not see that video clip on youtube of an old lady on a bus being bullied by teenagers?
galveston75: Look at the state of the world!
FMF: If we look at a whole raft of indicators, things look pretty good, as it happens.
galveston75: Have you not been watching the news?
FMF: Sure I have. But I have also been watching the indicators which show great improvements in the real lives of a bigger proportion of humans than ever before in history.
galveston75: You have y ...[text shortened]... ?
FMF: No.
galveston75: It was awful. You don't know what's going on. What is the world coming to?
FMF: No.
galveston75: It was awful. You didn't see that in the 1970s.
FMF: There was no youtube in the 1970s. There was no internet.
galveston75: I travelled on buses in the 1970s. I didn't see old ladies getting bullied by teenagers.
FMF: You saw the quality of life indicators in the 1970s. They are even better now, 50 years later. Health, education, food security, justice, rights.
galveston75: You don't pay attention to the news much do you?
@fmf saidReally FMF, if you need to tell that to a big man, you are wasting your time because you are speaking to an uneducated person, who listens to the ranting of the church leaders and who lacks any kind of knowledge of how life was in the last 1000 yrs.
galveston75: Did you not see that video clip on youtube of an old lady on a bus being bullied by teenagers?
FMF: No.
galveston75: It was awful. You didn't see that in the 1970s.
FMF: There was no youtube in the 1970s. There was no internet.
galveston75: I travelled on buses in the 1970s. I didn't see old ladies getting bullied by teenagers.
FMF: You saw the quality of life i ...[text shortened]... tion, food security, justice, rights.
galveston75: You don't pay attention to the news much do you?
By far, the best lifestyle is what we have now in these times, even with Covid.
@fmf saidIt would be interesting to hear an answer to this.
What should humans "hope" for?
Hope that there will be less suffering or injustice in the world?
Hope that God listens to prayers or intervenes in human affairs?
Hope that the "end times" come soon and "wickedness" vanquished?
Hope that one will have everlasting life?
@fmf saidHope more people will come to a saving knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ.
It would be interesting to hear an answer to this.
Hope that there will be less suffering or injustice in the world?
Hope that God listens to prayers or intervenes in human affairs?
Hope that the "end times" come soon and "wickedness" vanquished?
Hope that one will have everlasting life?
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@fmf saidThe greatest hope for the world, which will cure many of the worlds ills, is that people read, understand and do these things Jesus said to do.
It would be interesting to hear an answer to this.
Hope that there will be less suffering or injustice in the world?
Hope that God listens to prayers or intervenes in human affairs?
Hope that the "end times" come soon and "wickedness" vanquished?
Hope that one will have everlasting life?