You Won't Find A Spiritual Paradise Here

minimus

I remember so many Witnesses looking at a congregation with the view of finding their spiritual paradise. They figured that if it wasn't in this congregation, it HAD to be in the next one. Funny thing is, those people never found it! And guess what? You won't find it here either. But you can at least get more of the "truth" here, than at any Kingdom Hall. Nothing's perfect but this will help us in our journey, at least.

proplog2

I think this is a VIRTUAL paradise

minimus

keep dreaming

rocketman

The "spirtual paradise" concept (is there any proof of it biblically?) left me wondering where the "paradise" was. If the congregation was paradise, or some sample of it, it sure didn't seem like it.

minimus

I think the "spiritual paradise came into existence from a book study book in the early 70's. It made everybody feel cool about being a Witness, and smug too.

bebu

(Laughing at proplog2)

Introspection

It seems to me this just goes to show how people tend to reply on a nice environment for their happiness. If you look at the idea that "the kingdom of God is within you" then that gives it a totally different meaning.

cruzanheart

No, this is not a paradise -- this forum is REAL LIFE, with all of its imperfections, squabbles, stressors, friends, enemies, love, hate, sarcasm, humor, and just Stuff, which is why I like to come here. We rally 'round each other when we need it. We degenerate into petty arguments and differences of opinion on occasion. Why? BECAUSE WE CAN! Here we have the freedom to be ourselves and let it all hang out (yes, I'm old enough to remember when that expression was coined). We need to exercise tact with one another because we are a lot of different personalities, but we don't always do that. That's something we can work on, but hopefully without becoming so politically correct that we never have anything interesting to say. There will always be arguments, threads getting locked, and hurt feelings, because that's real life. I don't think it gives a "bad witness" to any JW who comes on here -- on the contrary, it gives people like Sword of Jah the chance to say what HE wants to say, and the Devil take the hindmost.

So, with all of our good and bad points, quirks and foibles, on this rather muggy Monday in Dallas, may I say that I love you all!

Hugs,

Nina

blondie

The first time on record (WT-CD) that the phrase "spiritual paradise" was in 1958 by Knorr at the Divine Will Assembly.

*** w58 10/1 590 Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses ***

Thursday afternoon the conventioners waited with intense interest to hear Brother Knorr speak on "Maintaining Our Spiritual Paradise." Knorr told the vast audience of 145,488 persons that when the holy spirit was poured out on Christ’s disciples at Pentecost, making them spiritual sons of God, "a spiritual paradise had then been established." But this paradise did not continue after the death of the apostles. Knorr pointed out that after their death "Satan the Devil brought about the loss of the Christians’ spiritual paradise."

It was from 1919 onward that spiritual paradise was restored, when Jehovah’s witnesses were freed from Babylonish captivity and began bringing forth the fruits of the spirit. They must maintain this spiritual paradise.

Blondie

You Won't Find A Spiritual Paradise Here

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