Why a paradise earth is so appealing to JWs?

by Lady Lee 57 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Scully

  Why a paradise earth is so appealing to JWs?

  Because Living Forever in Paradise™ is the only thing the WTS is selling.
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  Stealth453

  Because Living Forever in Paradise™ is the only thing the WTS is selling.

  Good point Scully.
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  Lady Lee

  Wow some great thoughts.

  The safety of a rule-driven world makes perfect sense to me. JWs live for rules. Witnesses do nothing without checking the ever-changing rule book as provided by the WTS.

  The materialism is another great point. Denied materials things in this life they are left with fantasies of the material things of a paradise.
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  poppers

  Waiting for "paradise" is the ultimate egoic strategy for continuing its own existence. No ego wants to discover that it isn't even real to begin with. To avoid this discovery and maintain its illusory nature it creates this idea of some future paradise that keeps hope, and therefore itself, alive. "Perfection" ain't what it's thought to be - even if everything were "perfect" ego will find something to grouse about. That's its nature.
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  Pahpa

  Lady Lee

  "Sleep" is likened to death in the scriptures. Jesus used the analogy. (Mt. 9:24 John 11:11) And Paul used it at 1 Co. 15:51.
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  jgnat

  The pretty pictures are appealing.

  http://www.unc.edu/~elliott/icon.html

  I'm going to make another prediction here. The WTS is going to sell the restored EARTH more and more, as our society fears over earth's destruction through environmental neglect grows (i.e. global warming). For instance, the Feb 15/07 cover is a verdant scene of mountains and waterfalls. An eagle soars overhead. No humans or angels.
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  anewme

  I could always see there were going to be a few problems in paradise. I became keenly aware of this one Saturday as we were going from door to door and the sister I was working with announced that after the big A "this was the house she would be coming after to live in". It occurred to me that quite a few witnesses would be scrambling for that home. Would there have to be a lottery for the available homes? Would some have to live in tents while others lived in still standing 5 bedroom homes? Would the elders (princes) be given first opportunity to live where they desire? Or would we be assigned to territories where "they" (whoever is in charge) decides we should live? Who would get the desirable California coastal properties? Who would be assigned to Saudi Arabia? Iraq? The Islands?
  
  How would we keep in contact with each other? By phone? Computer? How would the new world keep unified?
  Would we still be forced to attend weekly meetings or daily meetings for awhile? No doubt every aspect of our lives would be regulated! What we wear, eat, all our activities! The whole world would be like Bethel!
  Up at 5am, dress, eat at 6am, report for work duties by 7am and so on.
  Perhaps we would be assigned to shovel the millions of tons of debris left over from the destruction of the world. It might take years and years of back breaking effort just to clean the roads and make way for the new order projects. Many workhouses would have to be set up and many survivors would be forced to spend their time in paradise making clothes, repairing equipment, cooking, gardening, processing, cleaning, when they were led to believe they would be exploring the earth and petting lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! Maybe some will think "Uh oh, I never envisioned this forced labor camp in paradise."
  
  But lets not worry about it, right folks? Lets just let Jehovah and the elders and anointed worry about all that and our future. I sure cant! If we just "keep our eyes on the prize" and keep going out on the weekends and reporting our time and dutifully shun our relatives, we will survive the Big A and get to the other side. Im sure we will be taken care of like good little sheep! I mean, look at how they take care of all our needs now? Surely this loving care will continue right into paradise and forever!
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  Amber Rose

  I have tried to make the same arguments as Lady Lee, no grocery stores, no clothing stores, no cars, no Home Depot. Everything will be destroyed, power plants, sewer systems, farms, communication systems. Nobody wanted to think about the work, just their dream homes with emerald floors (an elders wife told me that's what she would have in the paradise). The answer I always got was, no, see everything will be perfect. We'll have perfect cars that don't pollute and perfect electricity. And we will be perfect so we will automaticly know how to make perfect food and Jeovah will make us magical clothing like he did for Adam and Eve.
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  truthseeker

  My take on this is that the Bible is purposely simplistic regarding Paradise - It had to be, there was little technology at the time.

  If you notice, each WT potrayal of paradise look like Yosemite Park - no technological advancement whatsoever.

  Think of the resurrected ones like Michael Faraday, Isaac Newton, Einstein and other inventors and engineers. James Watt for example invented the steam engine - think he'll be happy getting around on a donkey?

  This is the problem with WT Paradise - there is no room for human growth, industry, manufacturing using natural resources.

  WT can't paint a futuristic picture because that would be speculating, so they stick with the enormous baskets of fruit and tame lions.

  I would be bored in that kind of Paradise - soon get fed up playing with lions eating fruit. Anyone for a double cheese burger?

  There was a classic Star Trek episode, "Who Mourns For Adonais?" about the Greek God Apollo who controlled the entire population of Pollux IV. He purposely kept the population in a technologically primitive state, not allowing for progress. Kirk tells him, "We no longer need you. We've grown up." Now that's not saying that God shouldn't rule mankind, it would be better if he poured out a blessing "until there was no more want" but the WT system of worship would be restrictive and controlling.

  WT would have us believe we would all be looking after sheep and building wooden houses. They would have us go back 6,000 years as if somehow things were better then - but they weren't.
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  agapa37

  I think the fear of death is a key factor for many people. Do you think fear is one reason why JWS belive in a paradise earth and the appeal of it? If so, you couldn't be futher from the truth. Gods original purpose for the earth was to be a paradise in which his creation (us) to live on forever. That has not changed, God promised it and will fulfil it says the Bible.

  We don't know what happens when we die. You may not, however for those who read Gods word do know. The Bible plainly tells us what happens to us when we die.

  If we are honest we don't really see death as similar to sleeping. We dream when we sleep. It just isn't the same. I have seen a person when they died. I have held her hand. It isn't the same. So inspite of the WT propaganda that death is like a long sleep deep down I know it is different. HMMM.. Jesus likened it to sleep didn't he?

  Because of our fear of death people will do things they normally would never consider. We hang on. We fight that battle. When I went to see my father just before he died he fought for every last breath he could take. Why do you think people want to live and not die? Actually the answer gives the appeal to a paradise earth even more credence. The bible says God put ETERNITY into our hearts. We were creatd to live forever on the earth Jehovah prepared for us.

  That fear of the unknown is removed by the paradise fantasy. Again it is not a fantasy, unless you consider Gods word a book of fantasy.

  JWs will talk about what a paradise earth would be like and what kind of homes they would live in. I've heard some tell me which house they want to live in as they went from door to door. My vision of the "new world" meant no electricity, no cars, no roads. None of the conveniences that most JWs take for grated today. No stores to buy our food. No clothing stores. No material because few people would have any clue how to make the material to make the clothes. And even if you found material you will have to sew it by hand because there is no electricity for the sewing machine. Personally I couldn't see that.I'm a little too practical. Maybe that is why you are not a JW no more, you just couldn't see. That may be your thoughts on the paradise but it is not the thoughts of JWS.

  It is fine to have your own thoughts on things but don't try to say that your thoughts and reasons why you believesomething is the reason why others do. The reason why the paradise is so appealing to Jws is nothing like you have explained. It is a promise from God (not fear), but a desire and hope that He put into our hearts, nothing more. what you should of said is this is the reason why I (you) was drawn to the paradise, not the JWS.