whats so bad about believing people go to heaven?

by sowhatnow 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  sowhatnow

  It occurred to me today, that so often, my mother will make the comment that
  

  "those false religions teach that everyone is going to heaven when they die, oh sure,
  

  all you have to do is be a good person, and off you go to heaven. and that's a lie'

  [ lol, wow, its so bad being 'just a good person' ]
  

  then she tries to quote a scripture, like, the earth was not made for nothing ,

  and, it was made to be inhabited by righteous people forever. ect ect
  

  her biggest fear is that if her religion is not true, she has no chance to live on a paradise earth. well, granted, that is not a pleasant thought.
  

  But when I thought about it the idea, whats so bad about that belief of going to heaven, that JWs condemn it so?

  I mean wouldn't the average person prefer to believe everyone goes there, and not just 144000 'special' people?
  

  After all, that's where god is supposed to live, and since we are only human, we have no idea how good heaven can be., do we? how dare us say we want to live on earth forever, if paradise is in heaven and its a blessing to go there? lol.

  so 2 Corinthians 12 vs 2 says this..

  .I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

  and vs 4 says this
  

  'was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.'

  now most people will do anything not to die, so the idea of heaven must not be that great, lol
  

  so, what would you conclude....
  
• 

  David_Jay

  It is not the belief or heaven, per se. It is being "right" and finding something to mark others as "wrong."

  It's called "compartmentalization," and it is a behavior that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses encourage and reward. It helps create solidarity within the ranks by inducing an "us-against-them" attitude. Religious cults and political ideologies are best known for this trait.

  To illustrate, if tomorrow the Governing Body announces "you must now believe that all Jehovah's Witnesses go to heaven," your mother will likely instantly adopt this updated view as well. "Going to heaven" will no longer be talked about her or other JWs in the same light. Instead they will find another reason to "downplay" the beliefs and convictions of others.

  Several things are happening here: The first is the fundamental compartmentalization, i.e., marking things, people, religions, etc. as "good" or "evil" (with nothing in between). The second is self-delusion by means of repetition. In order to keep the "us-against-them" scenario fresh and inducing zeal, the subject gives themselves "lessons" by bringing up conversations about how "wrong" others are and going over the points on how right this makes the them. This is done almost as if they were teaching a class of new recruits, and it is not surprising to find that these "lessons" take place in meditative sessions which appear no different than talking to oneself.

  Once the compartmentalization and "lesson" are completed, the subject is reassured in their beliefs. They can then go on to something else. The scenario will repeat as needed, such as when something occurs that creative cognitive dissonance. Instead of responding to the evidence, the subject "digs in" further into their beliefs by repeating the process.

  "Going to heaven" has nothing to do with it, really. The idea, even to some who don't believe in a deity, sounds only reasonable. If there is a God, who wouldn't want to see that God face-to-face? We all want proof. Some who study religion claim that a central need of many to "touch" the spiritual side of ourselves or even "touch God" is quite well spelled-out in "heaven after death" doctrines.

  It follows that since it is quite a jump to deny what might be an innate desire for many, this particular "heaven" lesson gets repeated often by Jehovah's Witnesses to reassure themselves that they are not "missing out" in what most everyone sees as a common end to religious belief.

  I mean, what's the use of having a religion if at some point you don't get to see your god in one way or another?
• 

  Beth Sarim

  Nothing is wrong with it.
• 

  James Mixon

  "Inhabited by righteous people". Put a designer label on some clothes, and million of people

  will pay insane prices for them. It's all in the name. Group identities are no different. Embracing

  them makes you feel special. Out of all the possible forms of group identity, none are as strong as religion.

  JW's are at the top of the list, we will live forever but you folks will be toasted. We are special and we

  have special knowledge, heaven would suck for those who are not called. JW view of heaven is

  not that appealing.
• 

  Crazyguy

  There are plenty of Scripture where it's said belief in Jesus or proclaiming him is enough to get save and live forever it's a gift. But that's not enough for JWs either. As long as a belief doesn't hurt people or cause them to waste their lives away, I have no problem with it.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Q.: What's so bad about believing people go to heaven?

  A.: For openers, such a believe is incorrect and has no basis in observable reality. It is an extraordinary claim for which no extraordinary proof is offered. The fact is that there is no such thing as a "spirit realm" populated by any kind of gods, angels or demons. There is no soul and there is no heaven for a soul to go to. These things are the inventions of chimpanzee imagination seeking desperately for a meaning for their lives. On a universal scale, our lives are as meaningful to the universe as the life of a spider, axolotl or fossa.

  Secondly, such a belief encourages the believer to view this life as a "dress rehearsal" for something better that will come along as soon as they finish with this nasty trail of tears. Such a belief encourages people to tolerate evil because they figure that evil will be handled in the "world to come."

  It makes trusting simple souls the dupes of narcissistic liars and con men.

  It is the desperate refuge of ignorant shallow thinkers.

  THAT is what is so bad about believing people go to heaven.
• 

  sowhatnow

  natenate, I know that, my point was. how oddly 'offended' some JWs act when the idea is presented., like its some absolutely preposterous idea, even though there are plenty of scriptures to support that idea, as much as they do another idea.
  

  I find it funny, what the hell difference does it make as long as it makes someone happy.lol
  
• 

  quincemyles

  Every Christian will go to heaven.
  
• 

  DATA-DOG

  I believe that Hebrews 9:26,27 scares the shit out of JWs. Can't say that I blame them. None of us were going to get old.

  Hebrews 9:26,27 is the ONLY scripture that has been fullfilled in every single generation before us. Well, at least the first part. I'm not so sure about the "judging" stuff. I guess we will all find out soon enough.

  I have many questions for "God" if I ever see him/her/them/it.

  #1) WTF have you been doing?!!??

  DD
• 

  talesin

  It's called "compartmentalization," and it is a behavior that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses encourage and reward. It helps create solidarity within the ranks by inducing an "us-against-them" attitude. Religious cults and political ideologies are best known for this trait.