Everlasting Life vs. Immortality

by Elsewhere 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  Elsewhere

  One of the Watchtower Societies teachings that is vastly different from Christianity is that only the 144,000 will be "immortal" while all other Jehovahs Witnesses will have "Everlasting Life".

  What is the difference you ask? According to the Watchtower Society Immortal means that one cannot die... it is impossible to die and one will continue living for all eternity. Everlasting Life, on the other had, means that Jehover is keeping you alive so long as you are loyal and obedient to him. Simply put, everyone but the 144,000 most certainly CAN die and will never reach the point of Immortality.

  What does this mean? If Jehover's creation is intended to last forever, as is implied by the Immortal 144,000 who cannot die or be destroyed, it means that it is just a matter of time before one of the others with Everlasting Life slips up and pisses off Jehover resulting in his/her death.

  Now, expand this out over an eternity... just how long do you think a person with Everlasting Life can go without pissing off Jehover? 1000 Years? 1,000,000 Years? 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Years?

  My point is that it is just a matter of time before each and every individual with Everlasting Life screws up and is killed by Jehover. It would be absurd to believe otherwise because that would mean that these people are, by definition, Immortal.

  The promise of "eternal life in paradise" is a FARSE... a LIE. Even if what they say about living on earth in paradise is true, it is just a matter of time before each and every person slips up and is killed by Jehover resulting in everyone, other than the 144,000, being killed by Jehover.
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  undercover

  One of the Watchtower Societies teachings that is vastly different from Christianity is that only the 144,000 will be "immortal" while all other Jehovahs Witnesses will have "Everlasting Life".

  What is the difference you ask? According to the Watchtower Society Immortal means that one cannot die... it is impossible.

  If the 144,000 are immortal, then how does that explain the explanation that the remnant numbers never go down because some of the 144,000 were unfaithful and had to be replaced?
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  Swan

  Another distinction that was taught to mee was that immortal ones do not depend on any sustenance or material for life. They do not need food, water, vitamins, minerals, or air to live. Everlasting life means that you are still dependent on these things. Theoretically, people could still drown, or starve, or die of thirst in the New World.

  Tammy
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  Elsewhere

  If the 144,000 are immortal, then how does that explain the explanation that the remnant numbers never go down because some of the 144,000 were unfaithful and had to be replaced?

  Good point!

  Maybe the 144,000 are NOT as immortal as the Watchtower Society would like us to believe! Perhaps they do not become immortal until *after* they die.

  Isn't it fun to debate fairy tales!
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  undercover

  Well, it would have to be an already dead 144,000 member to become unfaithful for it to impact the remnant numbers, right?

  If there are 10 people left and 2 of em sin and are replaced, it still stays at 10. But if the number should be rapidly dwindling and it isn't and they say, well some have become unfaithful and had to be replaced, thus slowing down the decease rate, that means that it would have to have been an already dead and risen one who became unfaithful. edit: How else can the number go UP some years? Does that make sense? Am I missing something?
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  blondie

  Can God destroy the immortal?

  ***

  w56 4/1 p. 219 Questions from Readers ***

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  An answer in the November 15, 1955, Watchtower said Jehovah could, if he wished, destroy even an immortal creature. The booklet What Do the Scriptures Say About "Survival After Death"? says that if the demons had originally been created immortal they could not be destroyed from the universe. Which is correct?—J. L., United States.

  The statement in the booklet about survival after death refers to immortality according to its basic meaning of deathlessness, indestructibleness. The other statement about God’s ability to destroy even an immortal creature rested upon the view that he is absolutely almighty without any limitation upon his own power by even himself. So this latter statement presented what seems in accord with this view. However, it enters into the realm of speculation, because it is in fact based on a speculative question.

  Hence we are letting the statement in the booklet stand, in accord with the meaning of absolute immortality as conveyed in the Holy Scriptures. A fuller discussion on this may be expected in time in the columns of The Watchtower.

  (I can't find that they ever addressed this but I'm still looking)

  Blondie
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  Elsewhere

  he is absolutely almighty without any limitation upon his own power by even himself.

  Sadly those who make such claims do not seem to be able to see the paradox in such a statement.

  It is impossible for something or someone to be without any limitation because inevitably a paradox will form. The classic paradox for this situation is: Can god create a rock so heavy that not even he can lift it?

  Regardless of how the question is answered, a limitation is identified.
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  Leolaia

  Check out my thread on death in the "paradise earth"...the Society (mis)interprets a verse in Isaiah clearly about growing old and dying in the "new system" as a prophecy that God will kill those who rebel against him even after the "new system" has been restored:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/85470/1.ashx
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  peacefulpete

  Can god make a rock so big he can't move it? yadda yadda