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One last thing. Isn't Heaven full for the JW's? Just another case of "You snooze, you lose". Ah, God in His infinite mercy.....aaahhh...well, ahhhh.....finite mercy......Hey, wait a minute. I thought God was all powerful and all He could create was a heaven with 144,000 seats. Heck, they have soccer stadiums with more seating than that. And there are tickets still for sale. Maybe Luther should have said "by faith alone and you must be an early Christian". Wait, he should of just said, "Too late. Let's party!!!".
When I was a JW I did not WANT to go to heaven. God had created the earth for humans. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, they would still be here, living in paradise, and that is what the JWs believe will be restored to earth, humans living forever, as Adam and Eve would have done.
The 144,000 are humans from all the nations who will form a government or administration of 'kings and priests' in heaven with Christ as king over all. This means they will look after the secular (kings) and spiritual (priests) welfare of mankind on earth.
So heaven was never intended for the majority of mankind.
This, I stress, is what I believed when I was a JW. I do not believe that now, nor that the Bible is the word of God, so dont come back at me with arguments for or against this information. I just wanted to correct and inform people about what the JWs believe, as it actually irritates me that people can come to the conclusion that they are wierd folk based on their half baked knowledge of them.
Like all Christian faiths, you can pick out enough in the Bible to make a case for your faith, and be utterly convinced and sincere in your belief that you have THE truth, like I was. I have just one thing left to say....'Let he who thinks he is standing, beware that he does not fall.'
In fact he wanted to remove James from the Bible too, but some folks talked him out of it. I guess this the wrong thread for that too.....How 'bout them JW's!
From what I understand he wanted to remove Revelation as well, but as you said, wrong thread....
Anywho...
JW's? The last one I encountered was at the Rutter's when I went to get coffee before work on Christmas Morning in 2007 (keep in mind, this was at like 05:00). I had a feeling who she was when she said, "Who else would be up at this time on Christmas Morning, but medical people! Here, I just wanted to give you this to make sure to remind you to read your Bible!" I smiled, took the pamphlet, thanked her, and wished her a Merry Christmas. I then put the pamphlet into the lock box where we put all of our charts to send to the billing department. *shrug* The girls in the office thought it was funny.
I don't really have to deal with them anymore as I work at night and sleep during the day...and since I sleep like the dead, I don't hear the doorbell. The few occasions I have run into them I just tell them that I'm Catholic and close the door. I have a friend, however, who in college kept a Bible on the shelf for just such occasions. He had highlighted every spot in the Bible where he thought "the Devil was more fun than God" (true story here). When they'd show up at his door, he'd invite them in, then pull out that Bible and they would make a quick retreat when he would start in with it. Now, he didn't believe any of the stuff he told them, it was his way of getting rid of them. We had learned in college that these people didn't like to leave us alone when we would respond with our own faith, so this kid took it to a new level and decided to "freak them out." It worked. BTW, this Gentleman is a devout Catholic and at least in college never missed a day of Mass.
From what I understand he wanted to remove Revelation as well, but as you said, wrong thread....
Anywho...
JW's? The last one I encountered was at the Rutter's when I went to get coffee before work on Christmas Morning in 2007 (keep in mind, this was at like 05:00). I had a feeling who she was when she said, "Who else would be up at this time on Christmas Morning, but medical people! Here, I just wanted to give you this to make sure to remind you to read your Bible!" I smiled, took the pamphlet, thanked her, and wished her a Merry Christmas. I then put the pamphlet into the lock box where we put all of our charts to send to the billing department. *shrug* The girls in the office thought it was funny.
I don't really have to deal with them anymore as I work at night and sleep during the day...and since I sleep like the dead, I don't hear the doorbell. The few occasions I have run into them I just tell them that I'm Catholic and close the door. I have a friend, however, who in college kept a Bible on the shelf for just such occasions. He had highlighted every spot in the Bible where he thought "the Devil was more fun than God" (true story here). When they'd show up at his door, he'd invite them in, then pull out that Bible and they would make a quick retreat when he would start in with it. Now, he didn't believe any of the stuff he told them, it was his way of getting rid of them. We had learned in college that these people didn't like to leave us alone when we would respond with our own faith, so this kid took it to a new level and decided to "freak them out." It worked. BTW, this Gentleman is a devout Catholic and at least in college never missed a day of Mass.
When I was a JW I did not WANT to go to heaven. God had created the earth for humans. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, they would still be here, living in paradise, and that is what the JWs believe will be restored to earth, humans living forever, as Adam and Eve would have done.
The 144,000 are humans from all the nations who will form a government or administration of 'kings and priests' in heaven with Christ as king over all. This means they will look after the secular (kings) and spiritual (priests) welfare of mankind on earth.
So heaven was never intended for the majority of mankind.
This, I stress, is what I believed when I was a JW. I do not believe that now, nor that the Bible is the word of God, so dont come back at me with arguments for or against this information. I just wanted to correct and inform people about what the JWs believe, as it actually irritates me that people can come to the conclusion that they are wierd folk based on their half baked knowledge of them.
Like all Christian faiths, you can pick out enough in the Bible to make a case for your faith, and be utterly convinced and sincere in your belief that you have THE truth, like I was. I have just one thing left to say....'Let he who thinks he is standing, beware that he does not fall.'
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I am glad that Jesus truly set you free from the Watch Tower ORganization.
If Jesus set me free he sure has a twisted sense of humor. Why did he allow me to believe sincerely that I had the truth for 40 years? He must have known I would be highly suspicious at least, of any faith after that. If it was Jesus/God who set me free, what was the purpose? To lead me to the truth. to show me it? My release from the JWs, my only experience with God and the Bible, has led me to agnosticism..... and the more I read and ask questions on forums like this, the less inclined I am to dive back into the murky waters of Christendom to search for God.
If Jesus set me free he sure has a twisted sense of humor. Why did he allow me to believe sincerely that I had the truth for 40 years? He must have known I would be highly suspicious at least, of any faith after that. If it was Jesus/God who set me free, what was the purpose? To lead me to the truth. to show me it? My release from the JWs, my only experience with God and the Bible, has led me to agnosticism..... and the more I read and ask questions on forums like this, the less inclined I am to dive back into the murky waters of Christendom to search for God.
How about diving into Christ himself and leave Christendom out of the picture? You certainly did not met the true Christ in the JW sect. And I apologize on behalf of myself and other Christians who have not portrayed the true Christ to you either.
You need works to assure yourself and others that you have genuine faith but there is NOTHING you can do to earn your way to heaven. Having genuine faith in Christ will grow you, you can do nothing but show good works because the Holy Spirit indwells you; you are a new creature. It's automatic.
Works will not get you or earn you salvation, it is a sign that you have faith.
Matthew Chapt 25, starting at verse 21:
The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
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