Not having a paradise earth in the future makes me sad - What about you?

by BonaFide 85 Replies latest jw friends

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  Quandry

  BonaFide,

  I too wanted it all to be true....I dreamed about running through a beautiful meadow, viewing waterfalls, and petting all the animals. I do not know what to believe now....some religions teach that the earth will one day be man's home, or they picture heaven as a place that is a beautiful garden.

  That, of course, is why my name is Quandry. I just am so dissilutioned....and saddened by the revealing of the history of the JWs. I believe, like Blondie, that I can make some usefulness of my life, and strive to do so. I am sad that we live such short lives, and then are gone, with no one to remember us after a few years..

  So no, you are not alone.
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  BonaFide

  Quandry, nice to feel I am not alone. Looking forward to forever made me feel that the bad things that happened now weren't that bad. Jehovah was going to fix EVERYTHING.

  But who knows? Maybe there is something great on the other side.

  BF
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  aligot ripounsous

  Copy of an old 2007 post on Lady Lee's thread, too lazy to type it again.

  To me, paradise earth is appealing because it's the only notion I can grasp, I haven't got the faintest idea of what life would be like in heavenly spheres. It is only too obvious that man is meant for the earth and the latter for man, how can we possibly lose sight of that ? Another evidence (sorry if we find the idea in the WT literature) is that man, elaborate as he is, deserves more than a mere 80 year passage on earth, otherwise what a waste of resources, it just doesn't make sense.

  Granted, notions of limited earth and eternal life don't tally and with our limited current abilities and short sighted outlook we find it difficult to imagine we could live forever without being bored, but hasn't jehovah assured us that he will satisfy the desire of every living being ? Christians, of whatever denomination they are, can't just shove aside this promise. By the way, wouldn't the bore problem be the same in heaven ? So I gather that the altenative is either paradise earth or nothing.

  I'm not sure that many JWs would consider living under a WTlike iron rule during eternity as real paradise, but Jah's promise is beyond WT promise and paradise must mean paradise. A sensible guy was saying once that the amount of knowledge between the most learnt man and the total ignorant is nought as compared with all that we don't know. Has anyone a proposal that will offer a better prospect than an absurd life ?
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  BonaFide

  I had a client who died at age 35, he got really sick, and the doctors told him he was going to die. He never went to church before that, he wanted to focus on FUN, not religion. But after he got sick, he came to the Hall a couple of times. But it wasn't for him. He went to another church where he accepted Christ, very emotional for him. But he was happy that he had accepted Christ.

  I thought that as a Witness, I already had that hope. So many people ignore their eternal future, and when they are dying, they latch onto something. Not criticizing them, but they just didn't want to think about it until they had to, seems like.

  And I thought we as Witnesses already had that hope. We didn't have to wait until we were dying to think about it, we had the hope of the paradise.

  Wow, was I wrong.

  BF
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  BonaFide

  Nice post, Aligot.

  BF
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  zombie dub

  no point fearing death, you wont know about it because you are... dead!

  was it horrible before you were born? of course not, you didn't exist. it will be the same when you die, nothing to be scared of!
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  bluecanary

  I know what you mean. I liked the thought of finding out answers to stuff, like what really went on with the dinosaurs, or seeing where science and technology could advance to over the millenia. I also liked the thought of people who experienced really hard lives being resurrected to be able to experience some joy for once. It sucks to lose that fantasy, even though you don't think it's a fantasy at the time.

  Now I focus on (1) enjoying my life NOW and (2) doing what I can to ensure that future generations will reap more joy from their lives. Another noble option is helping others enjoy their lives more now, though I confess I'm not so good at that one. As a witness you can't do any of these things. How hollow life is without them. Your life may be a lot shorter than eternity now, but you can make it so much more meaningful and joyful than it ever could be as a JW.
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  mindmelda

  I feel sad about that too. I've not been away from the JW stuff that I've quite gotten over that.

  But I have to say, I always wanted to partake at the Memorial, feeling that it was right, but I felt I'd be disbelieved.

  I really feel "born again" by holy spirit now. I want to be with Christ when I die.

  Yeah, I know, some people would say that's just replacing one religious fantasy with another, but hey...it's my fantasy. LOL

  I am focusing in the meantime on living a more healthy and realisitic life without waiting around for Paradise and tiger petting to have some joy in life.

  If only the economy would cooperate! I have no fun money right now! Dangit.
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  the research lady

  This subject has no doubt puzzled many people. The whole idea of the Watchtower's teaching that people will never die but will go right through Armageddon and live on a paradise earth is just another one of their countless lies. There are no scriptures to prove these thoughts. Nowhere in the Bible, including the New World Translation will you find the term "Paradise earth". Jesus himself never used these words,neverless ever taught this to His apostles or disciples. Read His words carefully as stated in John chapter 14. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Exercise faith in God, exercise faith also in Me. In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise I would have told You, because I am going my way to prepare a place for You. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for You, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am You also may be.Nowhere in His words will you see "paradise earth" or the thought that only 144,000 people are invited to be with Him. This is just another lie the Watchtower has been teaching. Ask yourself the question-where is His Father's house?God does really care for his children. REad His word without Watchtower literature and you will start to see what the Bible really promises. (All scriptures are taken from the NWT) I would suggest you get a REAL Bible, not one tainted with the occult such as the NWT and you will see the real truth. I only use it for research as the words are not the same as in other Bibles.
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  drew sagan

  Take what you have right now and enjoy it. You'll find out what's out there after you go soon enough