Interesting Article on Bart Erhman's Blog about Papias beliefs about a Paradise Earth!

by skepticSam 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  skepticSam

  I doubt the early WT thought Papias had much to say when the subject came to the transformation of the Earth in to a Paradise. There's some strange things he claims he heard by close associates with JC, Bart Erhman has up on his paid blog more information about this topic. The basics are that Papias claimed Jesus said "The Earth will sprout so much food" that those gigantic cluster of grapes brought in by Joshua and Caleb are nothing compared to what's in store for followers of JC. Papias claimed the early followers of Jesus taught we all would live on Earth with new bodies to enjoy all good things it has to offer.

  Eusebius doubted Jesus said this and thought those words might be a forgery, maybe the JWs are on to something? Bart also mentions he got a tour of St. Catherines and felt pieces of the Codex Siniatucus in his own hands, check out his blog if you have any time. I post and leave the rest up for you to decide, it's all interesting stuff!

  http://kingdomuprising.com/promised-land-on-steroids-papias/
  
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  Crazyguy

  The idea of a paradise came from the Egyptians, they thought after they died and went threw the underworld going through some triles and tribulations that after thier last test having thier heart weighed if they past the test they would live forever. This place was called the field of reeds. If they did not past the test and thier heart was unpure they would be eaten by a beast and die a second death forever gone.
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  cappytan

  The idea of a paradise came from the Egyptians, they thought after they died and went threw the underworld going through some triles and tribulations that after thier last test having thier heart weighed if they past the test they would live forever. This place was called the field of reeds. If they did not past the test and thier heart was unpure they would be eaten by a beast and die a second death forever gone.

  I can see the Watchtower taking this factoid and twisting it to "prove" that it was well known among the nations that a Paradise Earth was God's original purpose for mankind.