I've heard a lot about how bad humans are at governing themselves and how we need God to do it for us, but not much about specifics on what life would be like under God's rule. So let me concede for the moment that Jesus is coming back immanently. The wait is finally over, people are shocked (some anyway), but then they get used to life now that the planet is governed by God. We still have an economic system under God, but what exactly does that look like? I'm guessing a lot of farming. Is there a free market in goods? What about technological devices? Ipods? Are there factories on God's Earth? Are they run for profit? What about local councils to arbitrate disputes? Are there any disputes? Are people immediately judged by God? Are there prisons when someone steals, etc? Is there anything that we might call democratic governance, or does God take over for that?
God's Socio-Economic Plan Upon his Return
by Aequitus 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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SirNose586
Q: Is there a free market in goods?
A: Stuff just magically appears, like beachballs and patio furniture. No need for a "market."
Q: What about technological devices? Ipods?
A: Why wouldn't you want to have your whole day filled with numbing Kingdumb Melodies? Ipods come from Satan.
Q: Are there factories on God's Earth?
A: Certainly not.
Q: Are they run for profit?
A: Since there are no factories, there is no point in answering this question.
Q: What about local councils to arbitrate disputes? Are there any disputes?
A: All disputes are settled by the "princes." Since everyone is shiny and perfect, there are no cases to arbitrate.
Q: Are people immediately judged by God?
A: God judges people at the pace he feels is comfortable.
Q: Are there prisons when someone steals, etc?
A: The desire to steal will have been eradicated by now.
Q: Is there anything that we might call democratic governance, or does God take over for that?
A: The "princes" are the gods of the land.
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IsaacJS2
Well, based on my WT thinking from "the good old days," I always thought money would be abolished...if the return actually happened, of course. I'm a heretic, so I've no plans for that one. Total unbeliever and all that, you know. So no salvation for me. Or any of us according to the WTS. Yeah, that bites.
So--according to the WTS--the anointed would be magic sky fairies in Heaven who just lay around in judgment and watch us toil all day long. (Given their obsession with sex in the literature, I'm already feeling a little awkward about that one) Especially while we're showering. But here on Earth, we'll probably all be so giddy with happiness that we'll be skipping around, giggling incessantly with big round smiles shockwelded onto our faces. You know, like the Joker from the old Batman stories. He was nice, wasn't he? Yuh huh. So it might be hard to get anything done at first.
But soon, we'd all be about the community. Without money to worry about, we'd all be overanxious for the most menial and horrible of jobs. That is, in between getting pony rides from bears and lions and whatnot. So basically, we'd all be gigantic Smurfs. And I hated those little b*st*rds! Didn't you?? Yuck! Thankfully, we'd have more ladies around than they did. If only we retained any desire to do anything with that advantage, that would be something worthy looking looking forward to, right guys? ::Sigh:: Seeing as how sex is pretty much all about procreation, I guess our newly perfected state would reduce this thankless task to a real choir. Hard to believe, eh? But then again, I never thought I'd lose my fascination with action figures and Flinstone Vitamins as a kid. So I guess it's sort of like that. Right? It'll all be over when the Earth gets filled up, so no worries.
Hey, weren't the Smurfs basically Commies? Yeah, that's it. We'll be Socialists in a brave new system founded on preschool love and purely platonic handholding. And we'll spend a lot of time wandering through forests in multi-ethnic packs (according to the covers of about a zillion WT magazines) in between the time we spend talking to Dolphins, petting crickets, and playing Hopscotch with angels.
That really does sound like paradise, doesn't it? Or maybe I could just throw myself under a stampede of (overly friendly) Elephants to escape it all!!! I mean, holy crap! The sheer horrific boredom of the WT's New System...
Say, being perfect doesn't mean we'll all be like Wolverine from the X-Men, does it? Cause after just 6 months of singing the theme to the Smurfs 24/7 and watching nothing but Leave It To Beaver reruns...well, let's just say those Elephants might start looking like a good idea. I don't want to get trampeled only to wake up with a mild headache fifteen minutes later.
Yeah, it's a wonder why I don't wanna sign up, huh? Golden opportunity and I just whizzed it right down my leg. Crap. I really do suck.
I really hope the WTS isn't the true religion. But even if it is, I know I'm still on the side I want to be on! In that case, the meek can have this old Earth all to themselves.
I think that about covers what I wanted to say. Anyone else care to add a thought or two?
IsaacJ
PS--Was this off topic? Sorry if it was. No offense intended by anything I said.
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PrimateDave
Well, if you'd been keeping up with the Spirit Directed Organization and Its Inspired Writing Department, you would know that the Paradise of Jehovah's Witnesses will be the perfect expression of 1950's American Suburbia with an open immigration policy to allow Americans, both survivors and resurrected, to see the wonderful costumes of foreign Witnesses.
Meanwhile, of course, American Witnesses will be required to wear slacks and button up shirts for men or modest knee length dresses for women. Houses will still be of the typical wood frame construction, though one must wonder if additional construction will be all that necessary right after Armageddon. Tractors and other heavy machinery will no doubt be left alone during Armageddon. The heavenly armies will also spare gasoline stations and other fuel depots. In fact, one must suppose that most of the industrial infrastructure has to remain intact, because modern humans don't know how to survive without it.
Once the Theocratic Society is established, Kingdom Coins will be minted as the official currency. It will be an eternal return to the Gold Standard. No more crappy alloy coins will circulate, only gold and silver.
God already established the perfect Law when he gave the Law Covenant to the Israelites. Not long after the end of Armageddon, the rules and regulations found in "Watchtower Publications of the Last Days" will be canonized as a new addition to the Bible. This new book will not represent a replacement for the Perfect Law, but it will help to clarify the law on such points as masturbation, blood fractions, and meeting attendance.
If you have any problem with the New System of Things, you can still talk to your local Body of Elders. If it is something that they can't answer, they will try to contact the New Service Department at the World Headquarters. If by some strange circumstance, they can't handle your request, someone on the New Princely Governing Body will put it on their weekly agenda. If even they don't know what to do about it, they will get in touch with one of the 144,000. Of course, they might just send it back to your local BoE and tell you to "wait on Jehovah."
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IsaacJS2
BTW, as a side note, I submit the theory that the real Governing Body is a shadowy cabal of evil Smurfs who hate us and want us to be tiny and blue like them. Yes, I sense you pulling away from me now, but it had to be said. By changing to world to conform to their lifestyle, the Smurfs shall rule the world from their ivory colored mushroom houses..
Next week in my ongoing series, you'll never believe who's in charge of the the Christadelphians. (Hint: "You never will believe where those Keebler cookies come from...")
We'll also be looking at the Mormons. (Do they really go "snap, crack, and pop?")
It's okay. I don't know what the heck I'm talking about either.
IsaacJ