Since the Memorial is a little more than two weeks away, I thought I would raise this question, particularly for those of us who have left the organization. Do you have what the WTS calls the "earthly hope"? I know many ex-JWs have renounced religion altogether and don't believe in any of these things. Others are still "religious" but have rejected any and all WTS teachings. And still others have embraced the belief that they will eventually go to heaven as that is the destiny of all Christians.
I personally have no hopes of going to heaven. I believed I would as a boy growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, but when I became a Witness I embraced the teaching of everlasting life on Earth as being God's original purpose for humanity. Now I have left the WTS and will not attend the Memorial this year. There are many reasons for me to boycott the celebration, but one of them is my own personal belief. I do not have, nor have I entertained, the hope of heavenly life. And since that is the case, why participate in or "observe" a ceremony that has nothing to do with my own beliefs or prospects? That has not changed since leaving Jehovah's Witnesses. I still believe that everlasting life in a physical body on a physical Earth will be my portion should God choose to reward me with eternal life. I am wondering if anybody else feels the same way.
Quendi