Paradise on Earth

[onewithhim]

When I learned that the Bible speaks of a restored Garden of Eden and the restoration of mankind to the perfection and endless life that Adam forfeited, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want to keep living on this beautiful earth, with our loved ones, and being able to do all the things we love to do---endlessly?

If God said to you today, "When do you want to die?" would you say "now!!"? I don't think very many people would say that.

We CAN live forever here on Earth. The Bible tells us that we can.

Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37:9-11,29

[JehovahsWitness]

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Moderator removed SPAM post.

Kindly do not make posts that contribute nothing to debate of the OP topic.

[JehovahsWitness]

Yes meek shall inherit the earth, but God created heaven and earth. Surely we are not going to have an empty heaven!

Heaven will never be "empty"... Heaven is where Jehovah God lives, with Jesus at his right side and where millions of angels live. So even without humans going there it won't be empty.

We believe there will be some that go to heaven, just not everybody.


JW

[marco]

I feel it is safe to say however, that no Jehovah's Witnesses believe eternal life on this our planet earth transformed into paradise like conditions will be " boring".

Obviously desiderata are not boring and so if JWs have decided there is to be an eternal planet Earth, they have an interest in selecting this idea of a nice afterlife. The continuous exploration of bits and pieces of God makes humanity rather murine in that man scurries after pieces of cheese God throws down. Thinking beings would eventually grow tired of this rather childish game. However, it sounds marginally better than the heaven I was informed of as a child where we all sang hymns of praise without getting sore throats. That would, after a thousand years, say, be very boring, especially if the Devil has all the best tunes. Even Bing Crosby in the choir would eventually bore the normal person.

Muhammad did a little better for his men, ensuring that they never flagged in their carnal attention to the specially created virgins waiting slavishly for them, hour after eternal hour. I suppose that for the sake of definition, the ladies would be constantly changed, but then Allah would be able to recycle miraculously. Hence the phrase often quoted at incidents in our modern cities.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 490 by onewithhim]

I couldn't agree more onewthim, I feel the same way as you. I do think that various covenants make sense in the light of this.

JW

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 500 by OnceConvinced]

OK, OC. I have answers to your thoughts, but I would find myself saying things I've already said many times. Let's just agree to disagree.

[William]

[Replying to post 497 by JehovahsWitness]

As has been pointed out on a number of occasions and ignored on as many, in order for these things to happen, the universe has to be transformed so that the expectation is deliverable.
As such, the transformation will effectively mean a new universe and this means everything including what is presently the planet earth, wont be this universe, but another one.

If by "transformed" you mean that there will be miraculous intervention from God for all this to be fully accomplished, then I would agree.

I did acknowledge the supernatural intervention of God in my closing remark.

In regard to the OP title, the "Paradise on Earth" won't be on the present planet called 'Earth'. but on some transformed version of it.

It has been argued that one would still be in this universe, which I assume you are getting at in relation to your 'supernatural intervention' comment?

However, whatever the case, this universe will not BE this universe anymore. That is what transformation signifies. Like a caterpillar is not a caterpillar once it transforms into a butterfly.

So in that, the transformation is as such, that for all intent and purpose your particular belief in going to that place after you depart this one, is no different in practice than the belief in heaven that other Christians believe they are going to.

The only difference being, that apparently Jehovah and his 'millions' of angels won't be in this new universe either, as heaven is more preferable than some outpost universe created to keep overly romantic, immortal humans with limited capacity to think clearly about their situation, entertained...forevermore.

In relation to the points the rest of my post brought up, which clearly showed great gaps of logic in the JWOs particular belief systems about that, they best not come knocking on my door spamming me about those, if they are unable/unwilling to question their own beliefs in the face of the logic of common sense, for they will be meet with rebuke on that count, because I for one disdain willfully ignorant dishonesty. no matter how dressed up it makes itself, for the sake of appearance.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 505 by onewithhim]

Sometimes that is the wisest thing. Everyone sees things differently, especially when it comes to biblical interpretation. Believing something is true doesn't mean we don't recognise those that see things differently which is their right. That's my personal view anyway.

Peace out,

JW

[Monta]

[Replying to post 492 by JehovahsWitness]

Many of this stuff may keep you going for millions of years, but we're talking about eternity here. There can't be an infinite number of things to learn. The universe cannot possibly be infinite. Everything that exists is finite. Somewhere along the line you are going to have done everything you wanted to do, learnt everything there is to learn, done it over and over and over and lost all fascination of it. Maybe we could go for billions of years. But try to grasp infinity. Sooner or later you will get to the point where you will have had enough of it. You'll be begging God for death.



If this is what God has created for us on this earth, imagine the other horrors we might come across. Perhaps even greater horrors than this.

Quite right. Our natural mind can not comprehend what an infinte universe might be like. That does not mean it can't be. Can universe be anything but infinite? falling off the edge of the universe would end yu up into nothing and what is that?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 503 by marco]

We don't believe these things refer to an "afterlife" which usually is a reference to the experiences of an invisible soul that escapes the body after death rather a restored or continued life on this our planet earth. You will notice all the things referred to in my original post (below) are things possible in this physical universe (with God's help of course).

QUESTION: Will paradise be "boring"?

Although it is not common, neither is it unheard of for people to object to the idea of eternal life in paradise as being "boring". Whether we find something "boring" or "interesting" is an entirely subjective thing, based mostly on our center of interests as well as our personal likes and preferences, so this post is not written to convince anyone that they should find something interesting that they cannot (for whatever reason). I feel it is safe to say however, that no Jehovah's Witnesses believe eternal life on this our planet earth transformed into paradise like conditions will be " boring".

Since "bordom" like "beauty" is very much in the eye of the beholder, this post will examine the reason's for our own sincere belief that paradise will not be boring. For us.


1. An unendingly interesting God



The primary reason Jehovah's Witnesses wish eternal life (whether that be for the small number - 144, 000 - in heaven or, as is the subject of this post for those that look forward to paradise on earth) is to have an eternity to discover new and facinating facets of the God they worship JEHOVAH. The bible says we have, even in His revealed word the bible only had glimpses of "the fringes" of his facinating mind and intelligence and an eternity will not be long enough to discovere all there is about his unlimited intelliegence and boundless love. The book of Revelation speaks about "new scrolls", understood to be new sources of divine revelation, by which we will have more to learn about God but an infinite God who is generours with His subjects will always have interesting information to share. Jehovah's Witnesss yearn for the time and opportinity to discover more about their facinating God.

NOTE: Jehovah's Witnesses also believe in the existence of intelligent spirit creatures (referred to as "angels" in the bible). We do not know the extent to which humans will be permitted to interact with such one, but there is nothing in the bible that interaction on some level with the millions (perhaps billions) of super intelligent beings will not one day be a facinating feature of life in paradise.

2. How big is the universe



Some wonder why, since humans inhabit a very small planet, revolving around a small star (the sun) in a tiny corner of a signle galaxy in a sea of galaxies, the physical universe is so vast. While we may speculate that this may well have been for His good pleasure, and the delight of the observing angelic creatures, it seems reasonable also to conclude that this physical universe represents a practically endless source of facinating discovery for those that find cosmoslogy, possible space travel and/or the workings of outer space "interesting". How many lifetimes would it take to discover everything that is "out there"? Far from boring if such discovery were your passion.

3. Human intelligence and Creativity



It has been suggested that the most complex thing in the physical universe is actually the human brain. While scientist speculate as to how much of it we actually use in one lifetime, there seems little doubt that the potential of humans to explore the limits of their own creativity is almost endless. Using, less than as some speculate, a small proportion of our brain power, humans accomplishments in the field of physics, mechanics, mathematics, invention, innovation, technology, the arts ... and much more has been impressive to say the least. Yet death has meant that our Einsteins, Newtons, Mozarts, have had their potential cut short and obliged others to build on what they left behind. What will mankind be able to achieve if they could live forever? Granted for something new by a Da Vinci, a Mozart (or a Stevie Wonder), hold no interest whatsoever for some, but in a world were there are potential "geniuses" (genei?) in every conceivable field, and one of those geniuses may well be ourselves, operating at "maximum capacity", how boring will this unending stream invention, innovation and creativity be?

4. Humans: God's Masterpiece



Yet it is not only what man can do that is facinating, it is man himself. Human beings at their best are an endless source of facination and emotional wonder. Even in our imperfect state, subject to express negative characteristics, there are still couples, married for 50 years, and having had a lifetime together want another (and another) because true love is not "boring". Good relationships, not just romantic ones, constantly evolve as the person does, changing in nature but remaining facinating and fulfilling. The prospect of getting to know everyone in our human family, learning about them and our connection to them, not to mention those that will come back in perfect health from the grave, is, for Jehovah's Witneesses one of our most cherished hopes. People find stories about other people, whether fictional or factual, endlessly facinating. In a perfect world, with unlimited time, the "book" of the human family is one many of us will wish to read. And it will be a book where new chapters and "revisions" will never cease.

4. Plant & Animal life: Endlessly facinating



For many people plants and animals are a source of joy and facination. It's not unusual to hear of biologists study a single species for many years and still not fully understand everything about it. Our beautiful planet is bursting with life and sadly for many of us, the closest we will get to deep sea diving, whale spotting or seeing "Gorillas in the mist" will be a tv documentary. For those that love or will learn to love nature, the study and enjoyment of all animal or plant life will indeed take an eternity. And even for those of us that will not be inclined to study nature in detail, the pleasure animals and plants give to humans will remain a source of joy and wonder.



NOTE: Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God ceases creating new life forms at the end of the 6th "day" or creative period. There is nothing in scripture that indicates it is impossible He will, after this present period of "rest", again create new and facinating species for humans to enjoy in the future.


CONCLUSION: Of course all of the above sections could be broken up into subheadings and written about at length. Each Jehovah's Witness has a topic they can wax lyrical about when it comes to hoped for pursuits in the paradise; it is in short, one of our favorite topics and the subject of many a dinner conversation. More seriously it is a basic biblical teaching we have been commissioned to publicize and draws many people to the positive bible message. Humans with measure of mental and physical health, tend not to get "bored" with good food, love and fellowship, sex, music etc because we were created to live , love, enjoy, learn, study, explore the physical universe. This message sounds deep in very being of those that will be in paradise to see and experience such things forever.

Jehovah's Witnesses render all praise and honor for the above to our Great loving and generous God JEHOVAH!



PARADISE: My earlier explanation
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 115#836115

Further reading
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/maga ... -paradise/


JW

[McCulloch]

Quite right. Our natural mind can not comprehend what an infinte universe might be like. That does not mean it can't be. Can universe be anything but infinite? falling off the edge of the universe would end yu up into nothing and what is that?

One can quite easily conceive of an unbounded but finite universe. A circle is a finite line with no end points. A sphere is a finite surface with no edge. The finite universe could be some kind of hyper-sphere with no outer edge.