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All religions use alterior motives to get people to "repent" or turn over a new leraf, or to try to induce some for of change. These alterior motives fall under two categories:

1) Inducements for a positive outcome. Examples can include: going to heaven, being reunited with friends and family, attaining a utopia on earth (as the JW's believe), attaining nirvana, spiritual enlightenment.

2) Inducements to avoid negative consequences such as: avoiding being tportured in hell forever, avoiding being reincarnated, avoiding being anaihilated.

Any reason whatsoever for repenting or changing our lives or wanting to be "born again" or attaining enlightenment is a wrong reason simply because it is a reason. People who "repent" for any reason at all end upo returning to their old ways. True inner change is not possible by an inducement. If it is to happen, it happens on its own. It has a mind of its own. In quantum physics if we observe the wave it reverts back into particles, even if we only think about it or just have it in our consciousness, and so it is with inner change: and reason (observing or just awareness of the wave) will revert the wave into particles. The wave can only be in form when we have no awareness of particles.

Regarding the term what some may refer to as: being born again, a change of heart, or as I like to call it: the point of realization. When we realize that we want to do what is right simply because we are happiest when we do it that way, we have arrived at the point of being aware that our heart has been changed.
The best "reason" is no reason. "Repentance" can never come about thru fear or of the use of the carrot and stick technique. This raises another issue of why the church and christianity or any religion exists in the first place? They all (no exceptions) use enducements. We can never have a change of heart thru enducements, but only thru gentle means. We cannot make ourselves "born again" but we can do our part and build chatracer and integrity in our lives. And we can walk in whatever light that we have, knowing that after we follow that light, we will be given more. At some point we may or may not realize that we have no motivation and that now we have reached the point of having been "born again" or as I like to call it "The point of realization" that we are siply doing what is right because we are happiest when we live this way.

One example of this is someone who has commited crimes, has been arrested, tried in court, and found guilty on all charges, and sentenced to 100 years in prison. (I need to point out here that there are many innocent people in prison, and just because someone is found guilty does not mean that they are truly guilty, but that is another subject. But for the sake of this illustration let us assume that he is genuinely guilty and there has been no miscarriage of justice.) After he is in prison he comes to his senses and realizes that he has gone astray, and that he has done wrong, and rightly is suffering the consequences of his actions. However this comes about (he himself is not even aware of what is happening within him) he just finds that he wants to do what is right and is happiest when he lives his life by divine principles. He knows that he will never leave prison. He is not trying to influence or manipulate the guards, not is he trying to soften up the parole board to letting him out early because one condition set by the just is that he cannot be parolled. He has no alterior motive in wanting to do what is right. He is just happiest living this way.

This is an extreme example, but it makes my point well. For others it may be that they become crippled or disfigured or paralyzed ibn an accident, or experience the death of spouse or children or parents, or undergo some ofther difficult situation or event or calamity. If we can bring ourselves to certain realizations so that calamity is not necessary to bring us to our senses, then we have gained something so precious! Our job is to work on our inner man and build up inner character and integrity. In this regard I highly recomment the book "Self Unfoldment by Disciplines of Realization." by Manly Hall. This is the best book that I have ever read in my life.