When you were a JW, which would you have prefered living on earth or heaven

by JH 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  JH

  When you were a JW and believed that either you could live in heaven or on earth eternally, which did you prefer and why?

  Although we were told that heaven was a better place to live, that we would see God, and that we would live eternally and never die, I prefered living on earth, never see God, and not 100% sure of living eternally, cause we would still be mortals forever, even though we could live eternally on earth.

  Most JW's I know said that they would have prefered living on earth eternally in perfect health than living in heaven.

  Ask the Catholics the same question, I think most of them would rather be in heaven.... Wonder why?
• 

  rebel8

  I have to say I think they have a point that many people would "choose" Earth (as if the choice would really be ours to make). The JWs teach that most humans have a natural desire to continue their life on Earth provided it would be under perfect conditions. The Catholic retort to that is that humans only think that because they have never experienced life in Heaven and can't even imagine what it would be like. If there is life after death, we'll eventually find out who's right.
• 

  MsMcDucket

  I couldn't imagine living in heaven, hell, or a paradise earth. That's what gave me doubts about my spirituality. I just couldn't imagine living in a place where you were "happy" all the time, nor could I imagine living in a "place" where you suffered horribly all the time. So, I guess that's why I did believe that hell was just the grave, and that the dead know nothing. I was a spiritually weak one. I just couldn't believe a lot of stuff. They kept telling me that I didn't have faith in Jehovah.

  Bah humbug! Now, I know better.
• 

  fullofdoubtnow

  I joined the jws because I believed that I could live forever on a paradise earth. I never had any concept of going to heaven, so living on earth wasn't so much a choice, it was the only option I had.
• 

  JH

  I prefered Earth to Heaven, cause there are so many things I didn't even experience yet at 45. If I had the choice to live in heaven, I'd say, "I'm not ready yet, there are too many things I didn't experiece yet, maybe in 500 years....
• 

  Van Gogh

  Yep, single most attractive thing about jdubs. It probably also kept me in there way too long.
  
  Never could figure why anyone, including the Brooklyn boys, were ever willing to give us the best deal.
  
  In fact, I gathered that this mysterious incomprehensible yearning must consequently be proof of the supernatural "channel".
  
  I once asked a relatively young post-1935 CO about this. He actually confirmed that he could not really be bothered about earthly life that much anymore (funnily, I have found this lack of zest for life not to be uncommon in many a jdub, especially those of the "elders-with-a-cleaning-career class").
  
  On the other hand, a relatively young post-1935-late-calling-sister I was very good friends with, once told me how she'd fought against the whole anointing thing for years until she'd resigned to it. It scared me shitless.
  
  Also, many exdubs seem to have suddenly taken up the heavenly calling after leaving the realms of the "spiritual earthly paradise".
  
  I really can't get my mind around any of it...
  
  If tickets for earth are/were still available, can I please still make reservations...?
  
  Didn't Jesus say to this sinner guy crucified next to him he'd be with him in paradise? Why would Jesus then be in heaven and this other guy supposedly down here..?
• 

  serendipity

  I'm still a JW, and I definitely prefer the earth - I'm way too sensual to want to give that up. The only things appealing about heavenly life would be the privilege to be in the presence of God, the awesome transportation method and interesting travel destinations.
• 

  Seeker4

  Earth, definitely. The concept of heaven has no appeal to me at all. And I agree, that it was perhaps the most appealing aspect of JW doctrine, living forever on earth. It certainly was the biggest draw for me.

  S4
• 

  ozziepost

  I have to say I think they have a point that many people would "choose" Earth (as if the choice would really be ours to make). The JWs teach that most humans have a natural desire to continue their life on Earth provided it would be under perfect conditions. The Catholic retort to that is that humans only think that because they have never experienced life in Heaven and can't even imagine what it would be like.

  I think rebel's hit the "nail on the head" so to speak. There is nothing in scripture (and therefore in christian teaching) that speaks of there being a choice. In fact, there's nothing in scripture, despite what the dubs say with their convoluted arguments, that says there's even two hopes. All the scriptures teach is that those 'in the Lord' will be 'with the Lord' and 'will see his face'. In other words, christians, all christians - not just a limited number of 144,000, are in union with Christ as the NWT puts it. So for a christian, the hope is that they will be "with the Lord" wherever and whatever that may be.

  When I was a dub (for many decades) I only imagined living on earth because that was all that was explained to me. Also, I take Ray Franz's point that for us we accepted a "spiritual materialism" and that's how we presented the gospel to people 'on the doors'. We would open a brochure or tract to a picture of some imagined parklike existence with people smiling, kids playing with wild animals, a nice house in the background and offer that to people as being the christian hope. No where was there existence with God. The fact is, it wasn't the Bible hope at all. We were misrepresenting what it means to be a christian - yet ironically claiming to be the "true christians".

  Since becoming a 'real christian' (my term) I can see that it wasn't for me to choose but rather it's God's choice and we are either led or not.

  Another aspect to this is that the dubs never explain heaven in terms other than it's a place (remember Pleiedes?), What they need to acknowledge is that the creator god also made time and space and so isn't bound by either. What the Bible presents of heaven is that it's with God. Being some kind of paradise in the sky isn't there in the Bible.
• 

  zagor

  Why can't we have the best of both world? Live on earth and travel thrrough the universe?

  In any case I cannot imagine anything but earthly conditions (one would wonder why, lol)
  At the moment I don't think I have any hope beyond this life, but if there is another one we shell see.
  One thing that always intrigued me thought was the way Jesus replied to those inquiring about resurrection
  when they asked about woman who had something like 5 husbands, so in resurrection whose wife was she going to be.
  Jesus' reply was that they obviously didn't understand scripture and that in resurrection there will be no marrying but
  everyone will be "like angels in heavens” That alone doesn't sound to me like anything earthly.