Are JWs still selling eternal life or have they switched to resurrection. Are they still claiming that you will live forever? Now that they dropped "this generation" why not just stick to you will be resurrected. I guess eternal life sells better. Have they not noticed that JWs are still dieing of old age.
eternal life vs resurrection
by tank 14 Replies latest jw friends
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Awakened07
Just like some people use a swear word for every other word they say, my parents say "Oh, we're REALLY close now!!" for every other word they say (OK - maybe a mild exaggeration...). So I'm sure THEY believe they won't die.
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theMartian
We are showing them what the scriptures say; that there will be a Resurrection Day. Why? You still think 'souls' are screaming in Eternal Hellfire, or floating on clouds playin' harps?
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journey-on
My sister has been a life long JW fanatic. We were raised in it, and she has NEVER doubted, weakened, nor swayed from their teachings one iota. For all these decades, she and her elder husband preach out of one side of their mouths "certain destruction" in our lifetime and eternal life for those who survive Armageddon and pass the final test at the end of the 1000 reign of Christ. Yet, they live like anybody else. They invest, save $$, have retirement accounts, and even talk about "when their granddaughter grows up". I said something a few weeks ago in a rather heated conversation with her and she said "if Armageddon doesn't happen in my life time, if I remain faithful to my death, at least I'll have the hope of the resurrection." So, they still believe in eternal life. They're still relatively certain Armageddon will come soon, but they prepare for the possibility Jehovah will choose to postpone it. The resurrection is certain for those who endure to the end.
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blondie
What do you think is the difference between eternal life vs resurrection?
I miss your point.
Are you talking about how many were promised that they would never die and survive Armageddon into the "new system" without ever needing a resurrection?
Blondie
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choosing life
I think the teaching works best for young ones. As you grow older, you just feel the ravages of age upon you. They may hope to live forever without experiencing death, but I don't know if the older ones believe it deep down inside.
But there's a new generation coming up, new recruits all the time.
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garybuss
Witnesses I know never taught resurrection, they taught re-creation in a perfect replica body. There's quite a difference.
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Gregor
"Millions now Living Will Never Die".
Pretty catchy, huh? Most of the people who were around when this was the big slogan are now dead.
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mkr32208
Blondie- The difference is HUGE and on a LOT of levels. It's complex though because on the surface they SEEM about the same right?
First if you live forever it's YOU living forever. If your resurrected it's STILL you right? Is it though? Think about this. Witnesses don't believe in any sort of soul so there is no "transfer of consciousness" to a new body. So what makes that new body you?
Here's an example. Jehover knows every single thing you've ever said done thought etc right (this guy CLEARLY has privacy issues!) So if you died right this very second he could resurrect you in a new body 2 seconds later. Here's where it starts to get complicated though. If jehover can do that, could he resurrect you BEFORE you died? Could he create a new body and dump all that is YOU into it while you were still sitting there yelling for the paramedics? Remember there is no soul so all that is YOU is simply memories. I can create a picture disk of "memories" on my computer without destroying the original disk. Same principle right?!
So here's the stumper. Which one is you? If you suddenly recover from your heart attack and don't die but the resurrection has already happened which one is you? Aren't you still you and the other is a clone that THINKS it's you? You can't see out of it's eyes you can't feel its feelings or think it's thoughts and vice versa. If there is no soul to transfer then a "resurrection" is merely you dying (just like anyone else) and at some point in the future jehover creating a clone that THINKS it's you! YOU are still dead! The new disk is on the desk the old disk is in the trash, they are not the SAME disk!
The other point and one which I think will have a MUCH bigger impact on the religion (because it's so simple) is that for the carrot of the WBTS to work you have to believe that the "end" is coming in your lifetime. Here's why, if you die the wages of sin is death. If a faithful witnoid serves for 35 years as a special pioneer and then dies cold and lonely with her cats she gets the reward of a clone being made. If you live a life of excess and sin and die in a pile of hotties at a brothel in new orleans what is YOUR reward? You get a clone too!
The price of sin is death when you die your sins are forgiven and you get resurrected so if you manage to die before the big A your in! So what is the benefit in serving if the end will be after your natural lifespan? Nothing!
THAT is the difference as I see it!
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greendawn
True the new figurative generation concept makes the coming of the new world they believe in something that has beeen postponed for the indefinite future time it could be centuries away which means the JWs should be emphasising the future resurrection rather than escaping mortality altogether and never tasting death.
However the inclination for the desire never to die is very strong and the FDS continues to go on about the new system being near which will allow for the gratification of that desire. But objectively after 1995 there is no rational basis for that yet by keeping up the urgency due to a nearby end their interests are also well served.