This issue has a photo of the Earth on the cover, taken from space with the title question in bold type.
I am no itellectual, but you do not need to be in order to throw some very basic criticisms at the writer
The lead article opens with an "appeal to authority" argument, in that the poet John Milton believed that paradise would be regained , along with others in history such as Irenaeus of the 2 nd century
"What happened to the hope of a paradise earth"
Perhaps it went the same way as the belief in leeches to cure sickness, or that the Sun encircled the Earth
"Why not examine what the Bible says about the subject?"
Ok lets see.
Over the next three pages, the article "You Can Believe in a Paradise Earth"
We see that "Is it not wise to trust the Bible rather than theories of men?"
It is stated that Adam and Eve lost paradise for mankind, then a lengthy rebuttal that "Material things are not inherently evil" ? I have never heard that they were
The climax of the articles attempts to show the Bibles teaching . They have placed together a collection of scriptural verses , like a string of pearls , but they have no connecting thread , they are from totally different times and contexts
Matt 6.9 ? 10 .Jesus teaching from the Sermon on the Mount, the Lords prayer
Psalm 37,10-11, a song, credited to David many centuries earlier ,but are songs necessarily literal prophecies, or generalities in words of praise?
Acts 24.15 , Back to the first century, the Apostle Pauls words before Felix, In which he does not mention the Earth
Revelation 21.3-4, a book of signs and symbols , of which the meaning is ????
We go on with five separate verses from Isaiah , which are applied literally to a future Earth even though he was writing about restored Jerusalem after 5 th century bce
We conclude with Romans 8.21 , then "How wonderful it will be to live in the promised earthly paradise "Luke 23.43.Jesus words on impalement to the adjacent evildoer.
Promised? Yes but by whom? Is it really in the Bible? In order to say so, one has to take all the separate texts and fit them together . it now reminds me of that book which discovered hidden mathematical codes in the bible . if you look hard enough you can see anything ?
The promises are only from the WTBTS , not Gods word , I am sorry to say . Yet for so many years I , along with most of us believed passionately in all of this . We avowed we would die for it if called apon to do so. What a waste. .. I am getting angry now?..