JWs consider God's Kingdom to be a Government

[JehovahsWitness]

Jehovah's Witnesses believe God's Kingdom for which many Christians have prayed throughout the ages to be a (heavenly) government (three words).

What, in three or four words if possible, do you believe it to be?

(Many Christians I have met have said its "A feeling" (in one's heart).

[polonius]

RESPONSE: A state and place.

What and where?

RESPONSE: If heaven exists, it is by definition a state.

definition of state:
The particular condition that someone or something is in at a specific time.


If it is to be populated by deceased who have been raised from the dead, it must be a physical place.

[McCulloch]

The Queen of England reigns over the territory of the united Kindom (the UK is a consitutional monarchy a type of royal government ie a government with a king or a queen at its head).... God's reign ... does what in practical terms?

It's a reign... if someone said to you "I don't understand, could you explain basically in real terms what you mean?" What would you say...?

Good question but a questionable example. The British monarch, in spite of her awesome list of titles, rules very little beyond her own household.

[polonius]

The Queen of England reigns over the territory of the united Kindom (the UK is a consitutional monarchy a type of royal government ie a government with a king or a queen at its head).... God's reign ... does what in practical terms?

It's a reign... if someone said to you "I don't understand, could you explain basically in real terms what you mean?" What would you say...?

Good question but a questionable example. The British monarch, in spite of her awesome list of titles, rules very little beyond her own household.

QUESTION: Is that like the JW's "Kingdom of God"?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 31 by polonius.advice]

I would agree that heaven is a "place" although no, imo physical. My question wasn't about heaven though, it was about the Kingdom.

JW

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 32 by McCulloch]

This is true. I used the British government as an illustration of what a government (with a king or a queen) is structurally.

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/book ... om-of-god/






My earlier post on the subject
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 788#835788

[Checkpoint]

The kingdom of God is the reign of God.

This takes place whenever a situation exists in which God's will is being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Would it be fair to say you believe that the Kingdom is the "regin of God" in the hearts of individual believers. ie. the desire (a desire is a feeling) to obey God in the hearts of individuals?

No, it is what I said it is, and what Jesus and Paul and John explained.

They did not say it was "a (spiritual) government" or that it was "in the hearts of individual believers" as you described a version of that:"A feeling" (in one's heart).

It's a reign okay... but in real terms what does that mean. The Queen of England reigns over the territory of the united Kindom (the UK is a consitutional monarchy a type of royal government ie a government with a king or a queen at its head).... God's reign ... does what in practical terms?

It's a reign... if someone said to you "I don't understand, could you explain basically in real terms what you mean?" What would you say...?

I would say, we need to check on how Jesus explained the kingdom or reign of God in his parables and other teaching, and how Paul and John wrote on them.

But firstly we should start where God does, with Genesis.

That would be my introduction to what might become longer than expected.

Three words cannot convey what the kingdom is and is not.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 36 by Checkpoint]

Okay, if you go and do that I'm okay if you need a whole sentence or even two. Just looking for what people think it is.

[McCulloch]

[Replying to post 32 by McCulloch]

[]

My earlier post on the subject
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 788#835788

God's kingdom is a govenement made up of Jesus and 144,000 co-rulers. This govenment will soon destroy all forms of human rulership and replace manmade governments with one world government. This world government, located in heaven and headed by Jesus himself, will elimnate all world problems such as hunger, war, injustice, pollution... and ensure that those that yearn for peace and security can live on this our planet earth under the conditions all righteous hearted people long for.

When you use the word soon, does it mean the same thing as at hand?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 38 by McCulloch]

Yes, when I say soon I mean the same thing as if I were to say "at hand". Immenent close.

1. SOON
in or after a short time.

synonyms: in a short time, shortly, presently, in the near future, before long, in a little while, in a minute, in a moment, in an instant, in a twinkling, in the twinkling of an eye, before you know it, any minute (now), any day (now), any time (now), by and by;

I have posted about when we will experience the benefits of kingdom rule here; I'll post the link in case you missed it
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 193#852193



[youtube][/youtube]

[polonius]

[Replying to post 38 by McCulloch]

Yes, when I say soon I mean the same thing as if I were to say "at hand". Immenent close.

1. SOON
in or after a short time.

synonyms: in a short time, shortly, presently, in the near future, before long, in a little while, in a minute, in a moment, in an instant, in a twinkling, in the twinkling of an eye, before you know it, any minute (now), any day (now), any time (now), by and by;

I have posted about when we will experience the benefits of kingdom rule here; I'll post the link in case you missed it
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 193#852193



[youtube][/youtube]

RESPONSE: I thought Jehovah Witnesses claim that Jesus returned in 1914. I would not claim that 1914 to 2017 is a "short" time, do you?

Just when will experience this " we will experience the benefits of kingdom rule " occur or is that just wishful thinking on the part of the JW's?