by Gringa 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
No, suicide is not allowed, but with the JW mindset, and knowing that Jah knows your true heart, but you just can't seem to get ;your life "together", and keep doing
the nasty, not going to meetings, knowing that you aren't doing enough.... Why not just oft yourself, and you have a fighting chance for the New Order. Trust in Jehovah!!!!!!! He will do you right!!
For years the WTS taught that from 1914 to Armageddon is/was a judgment period. The flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, were considered judgment periods too and people who died during that time would not be resurrected. The WTS also taught that the sheep and the goats were begin separated during this time. A few years ago, the WTS started teaching that the separation did not take place until shortly after the great tribulation started when Jesus came with his angels. That meant that people before then who weren't jws would be resurrected since they were not living during a judgment period and had not been separated into the goat group. So really know, jws would be doing non-jws a favor if they killed them from door to door.
*** w95 10/15 p. 27 par. 21 What Future for the Sheep and the Goats? ***What, though, does this fresh understanding of the parable of the sheep and the goats mean to us? Well, people are already taking sides. Some are on ‘the broad road leading off into destruction,’ while others try to stay on ‘the cramped road leading off into life.’ (Matthew 7:13, 14) But the time when Jesus will pronounce final judgment on the sheep and the goats depicted in the parable is yet ahead.
Blondie
It is hardly relevant what JWs believe. Considering the number of times the teaching has changed, they clearly have no idea.
They hedge their bets these days, claiming that it is up to Jehovah to judge, particularly in regards to disfellowshipped people and those that commit suicide. However, apostates do not get a resurrection.
Watchtower 1982 April 1 p.27 “Similarly, unrepentant apostates go, at death, not to Sheol, or Hades, but to Gehenna. (Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Peter 2:1) The same is true of dedicated Christians who persist in willful sin or those who “shrink back.” … They will, therefore, not be resurrected.”
OK HL, gotcha! That makes sense. I can understand how a JW could come to that conclusion. They are already feeling such guilt by their brotheran, they feel they do not have a chance so better to try and off themselves now and possibly have another chance in the New World. Really sick, isn't it?
Sorry guys, I am still stuck on this one. So, what are they teaching about Paradise earth? Is it really paradise or is it going to be one eternal life test of faith? God, it makes FOREVER really seem like a long, long time.......
Watchtower 1982 April 1 p.27 “Similarly, unrepentant apostates go, at death, not to Sheol, or Hades, but to Gehenna. (Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Peter 2:1) The same is true of dedicated Christians who persist in willful sin or those who “shrink back.” … They will, therefore, not be resurrected.”
No shrinking back Guys!!!!!! Now get out there, and sell some magazines, and dig deep, into those shallow pockets of yours!!!!!!
OK, thanks, you all were posting while I made my last post.
So, my mom is just living with her head in the sand trying to believe that my brother was not an apostate, just wandering off of the path. Little did she know, he was a full blown apostate, like me. I thought she knew. Maybe not, but I find it hard to believe she didn't. I think she is in denial.
And since Saddam was never a JW, that is why he will come back....oh, and Hitler, too! let's not forget Jeffery Dahmer. Got it, but my brother won't. OK< yes, I can see the fairness and love in JEhovah now. LOL
So, this makes a little more sense to me now, even though I think it is still fricking weird.
The doctrine is that earthly people never receive immortality, as the heavenly class do, but just everlasting life. This means that if a person sins at any time in the future that can be destroyed. However, the general feeling is that after the 1000 years and final test most of the bad eggs will have been weeded out, so death will be uncommon after the end of the 1000 years.
I am not sure that should be a logical conclusion. The Bible describes 1/3 of "perfect" angels sinning and following Satan, so being freed from Adamic sin is no guarantee that a person will not sin in the future.
Actually, jws have explained that God can destroy immortals but that the difference is that immortals do not need to breathe air, drink water, or eat food to maintain their life.
*** w56 4/1 p. 219 Questions From Readers ***An answer in the November 15, 1955, Watchtower said Jehovah could, if he wished, destroy even an immortal creature. The booklet WhatDotheScripturesSayAbout"SurvivalAfterDeath"? 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 TheWatchtower.
*** w84 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Still, the Bible does not provide much detail about the quality of life termed immortality. We do know that mortal humans—even perfect humans having the prospect of endless life on earth—must eat and drink to maintain life, or they die and their bodies experience corruption. (Genesis 2:9, 15, 16) No doubt immortality involves a quality of life that does not need to be sustained like that. Thus it could be said that all who become immortal are not subject to death or that ‘death is master over them no more.’ That would harmonize, too, with their receiving incorruptibility, indicating that their spirit body or organism is inherently beyond decay, ruin or corruption. (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 20:6.) In these ways a difference might be seen between immortality and everlasting human life.
Yes, witnesses have believed as long as I can recall (50 years baptized) that all, good or bad, if they die before Armageddon will be resurrected. This has always bothered me, but when 911 occurred, and we were sent out by the gb to "comfort" our neighbors with this hope, I thought this can't be right. All these people could have been downright evil in their private lives, yet they deserve a resurrection. My dad, in his 80's never got baptized for whatever reason, but claims he believes this is the right religion,and is a good person. But if he lives until Arm., he will be destroyed, whereas if he dies before it comes, he will live! How crazy is that??? This is what started me really facing all my questions that I have kept pushed down for so long.
It has basically been the position of the WTBTS since the late 1920s that there is no hope of salvation apart from the organization.
Although they the WTBTS occasionally prints statements which appear a bit more conciliatory and reasonable, that is still the WTBS's position as understood by the rank-and-file. I once had an knew an elder who'd just lost a non believing natural brother who wasn't a JW in death. His brother hadn't lived a JW approved lifestyle and had rejected this elder's attempts to convert him during his life, so the elder was spinning himself into a profound depression because he saw no hope of ever seeing his brother again, forever.
So I quoted him Paul's words at Acts 24:15
And I have this hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.
That lifted the man out of his depression because, though he was an elder and an ex-Bethelite, he had never realized the Bible said that. It was an epiphany for him which the organization probably never wanted him, or any other JW, to have. This happened some years before my fading, which tells you just hopw independent my thinking already was at the time.
I hope that helps.
Forscher
