Hi,
I'm new to the forum, though I had been a lurker for quite some time now. I studied w/ the Witnesses for a number of years, to be specific, for 10 years (since I was a child) but never actually became one; though, I was counted as one in the yearbooks as a "publisher." So, as far as I got was as an unbaptized publisher. I do, however, have many family members whom are Witnesses and I have discussed w/ them some of the issues with this religion and their beliefs, but it goes in one ear and out the other.
Since I'm posting in the 'beliefs, doctrine & practices' section, I want to discuss "heaven" and its NOT being a place where anyone goes, even the 'anointed.'
Jesus very clearly and specifically said the following in Matthew 5:5:
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth."
I know Witnesses take this to be merely a place where the "other sheep" or "great crowd" will live eternally, but that's not what Jesus said. He gave no such qualifications.
Another thing is that Witnesses often say that only the 'anointed' need to be born again and thus they are the one's that inherit the kingdom, in heaven. That is surely an interesting belief, but equally unscriptural. Matthew 25:34: “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, YOU who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for YOU from the founding of the world. This text very clearly demonstrates and shows that the "sheep", supposedly the "great crowd" of Witnesses, will also "inherit the kingdom." It also demonstrates that the kingdom of God or as Matthew calls it, the kingdom of the heavens, will be on earth. According to Witnesses, this group of "sheep" aren't born again and yet they still inherit the kingdom! Though this kingdom is supposedly in heaven. According to Jesus, not so. Everything in the Bible points to a kingdom on earth and all Christians have an oppurtunity to reign w/ Christ on earth. The bible itself says as much: Revelation 5:10 "you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” I've also shown my Witness relatives that being 'anointed' has nothing to do w/ going to heaven as their Governing Body teaches. According to Paul being 'anointed' or 'sealed' has to do w/ something else: 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." To be 'anointed' in a Christian sense, is to "stand firm in Christ" and have "his Spirit in our hearts." Nothing to do with Going to heaven. The same Scripture keeps on saying: 2 Corinthians 1:23-24: "I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm." These same "anointed" DO NOT 'lord over one's faith.' Yet, the Witnesses Governing Body does just that repeatedly. Hope this has helped someone or at least been a good introduction to the forum