Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally? (page 2)

FayeDunaway

Contrary to what the witnesses think, most of mainstream Christianity believes that ultimately people will be living on earth, and Jesus with them...'the tent if God will be with them'. They don't speculate about the specifics of what this will mean, but they know they will not stay in heaven forever.

leaving_quietly

@FayeDunaway, that is my understanding, as well, after reading the Bible for myself. Try introducing THAT at the meetings, though! Ha!

daringhart13

To the OP......

My advice: Keep it simple. These people aren't taught to think. This is what I do:

"Please show me where the Son of God and our King, Jesus Christ spoke to anyone about living forever on a paradise earth"

Oddly, it doesn't dawn on JW's that Jesus NEVER TAUGHT IT ANYWHERE......... keep in mind they believe billions will be resurrected and/or survive the End to live on a paradise earth..........but Jesus mentions it NOWHERE????

NewYork44M

Why is a paradise earth used? Because it works! - it is the perfect carrot and stick game ever.

I have heard a variation of this conversation:

"Remember, if you don't work harder you won't be in the paradise and see your gran-mamma. What are we going to tell her when she is resurrected and asks for her favorite grandson..."

I_love_Jeff

Thus far I have come up with this info which is very crucial when it comes to the rules of exegesis.

"2. The Literal Principle. We assume that each word in a passage has a normal, literal meaning, unless there is good reason to view it as a figure of speech. The exegete does not go out of his way to spiritualize or allegorize. Words mean what words mean.

So, if the Bible mentions a “horse,” it means “a horse.” When the Bible speaks of the Promised Land, it means a literal land given to Israel and should not be interpreted as a reference to heaven.

4. The Synthesis Principle. The best interpreter of scripture is scripture itself. We must examine a passage in relation to its immediate context (the verses surrounding it), its wider context (the book it’s found in), and its complete context (the Bible as a whole). The Bible does not contradict itself. Any theological statement in one verse can and should be harmonized with theological statements in other parts of scripture. Good Bible interpretation relates any one passage to the total content of scripture."

With these two rules in mind, how do the scriptures explicitly show that there will be a literal Paradise Earth indefinitely?

Phizzy

And where does such a concept, a Paradise Earth, fit in the Good News/Gospel that Paul preached, and which he insisted in Galatians, under Inspiration according to JW's, should not be added to ?

Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally?