Married for all eternity ?

by exwhyzee 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  exwhyzee

  When you were a Witness, did you ever think about being married to the same person for all eternity? I mean really think it through? If so, what did you think about that? Did it seem like a reality to you or was it sort of too out there to really comprehend, much like paradise and living forever is or even the concept of God having always existed ?

  I remember a Sister in our congregation whose husband was unbelieving and the marriage was really bad. She often said that she felt that she should be scripturally free to leave him and remarry since she didn't even know the true God Jehovah when she was married in a church. Since the Witnesses believe that she was married by an institution run by Satan then her marriage should not be considered binding before Jehovah. She didn't want her husband to become a Witness either because that would mean she would end up married to him for all eternity. She even said if he ever did become a Witness, she hoped that one of them would die in the tribulation so as not to have to be married to eachother for all eternity. Apparently she had been thinking this whole matter through in some detail and it was a reality for her. A reality she dreaded.

  My wife and I were well matched from the start but I did sometimes wonder if after 3 million years it would still be good. I always figured I'd cross that bridge when I came to it and figure it out with my perfect mind. After 30 years of marriage and two kids, I can't imagine myself being married to someone else nor would I want to be. I question/doub't everything I ever learned from JW's about God and the Bible now and it doesn't really matter to me if there is a paradise or not anymore. I can understand people not wanting to die but still can't fathom living forever or even being married to the same person forever or how either of these could be a good thing.

  What are your thoughts?
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  blondie

  *** w06 10/15 p. 20 Weddings That Are Honorable in the Sight of God and Man ***

  Unless local law requires something else, these vows that honor God are used. For the groom: "I [name of groom] take you [name of bride] to be my wedded wife, to love and to cherish in accordance with the divine law as set forth in the Holy Scriptures for Christian husbands, for as long as we both shall live together on earth according to God’s marital arrangement." For the bride: "I [name of bride] take you [name of groom] to be my wedded husband, to love and to cherish and deeply respect, in accordance with the divine law as set forth in the Holy Scriptures for Christian wives, for as long as we both shall live together on earth according to God’s marital arrangement."

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  When this WTS approved wedding vow first came out in 1969 (just prior to 1975) many jws felt that meant that there would be no marriage among great tribulation survivors. So there was a big rush to get married pre-1975 in my area. Sometimes there were 5 marriages each weekend in the circuit. Some even thought that the marriage arrangement would end sometime during the 1,000 year reign even among people who were already married when the earth was "filled" with sufficient people. Others felt that marriage and/or procreation would end after the final test at the end of the 1,000 year reign since they would not be able to take the final test by Satan since he would have been destroyed.
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  exwhyzee

  Yes ,Blondie it was a strange time. Some JW's weren't getting married at all because the end was so near. Remember the "Triple A" club ? AAA Available After Armegeddon. Others that were married, held off having children because of the fears and hardships of going through the tribulation with little children. Some young people were getting married because they thought they might not live through the tribulation and ever get to experience marriage/sex. Other couples had kids so that if they didn't live through the tribulation they would still be able to sitll have a family in the new system even if they weren't still married after the resurrection . I'm sure some who weren't happily married thought that either by death in the tribulation or some new arrangement their current marriage might not be in effect in the new system.

  Here we are 36 years later. 36 years of not having a clue as to what the real truth about anyting is. All that worry and concern and missed opportunity for nothing.
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  Broken Promises

  I always thought it was quite romantic.
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  exwhyzee

  I suppose one could view thousands of individuals spending a good chunk of their lives and basing major life decisions around a cataclysmic event that never occured as romantic. Especially if it didn't happen to you. Others might view it as pathetic I suppose. But Either way it was all for nothing.
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  White Dove

  I, for one, would definitely need a break from the person, no matter how good s/he would be.
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  Morbidzbaby

  This concept frightened me when I was married. "You mean I gotta be married to this asshole forever??" "Oh, but MB, he'll be perfect!!" "GREAT! So I'll be married forever to a PERFECT ASSHOLE! Is that supposed to make me feel better??"

  It's times like this I'm so glad it was all a lie... kind of a "*phew* dodged THAT bullet!" moment.
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  Poztate

  My wife and I were well matched from the start but I did sometimes wonder if after 3 million years it would still be good

  Wife to hubby... You pervert... you had sex only 1.3 million years ago and now you want it again !!!!!!

  I will have to pray to Jehovah™ to help me through this trial... LOL