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]

Fair point, though, you can't demonstrate that anyone other than yourself will be perfectly content doing absolutely nothing for an eternity after having exhausted every possible intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest.

I can't answer for Tim but I can understand his reluctance to respond to this post because it is built on the false premise that ...

#1. Anyone will be doing absolutely nothing for an eternity

#2. It is possible to exhausted every intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest

At the very least, learning everything about an infinite God represents an eternity of "intellectual and emotional points of interest". And since there is no limit to what said creator can create in the physical realm, all bases including the physical would be covered.




RELATED POSTS

Will life in the coming paradise EARTH be "boring"?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 070#981070

What if individuals do not WANT to live on a paradise EARTH?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 000#860000

[JehovahsWitness]

continued from post #1169 by JehovahsWitness above


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!




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

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 1168 by bluegreenearth]
Its fine if you don't want to answer my questions. Your answer would have been my response, which of course is why I will see no answer. Yet here is the recap:

You said: "Fair point, though, you can't demonstrate that anyone other than yourself will be perfectly content doing absolutely nothing for an eternity after having exhausted every possible intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest."

I asked: "Have you tired of life?"

If you had answered it then you would have demonstrated that I'm not the only one that is not ready to die. Your own answer would squash your assertion out right. An assertion of which you still have no evidence that someone has or even can exhaust "every possible intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest." Seeing that you yourself have not exhausted these things...or have you and now have nothing to do and are ready to cash in your chips for eternal death? You say you want to avoid 'doing absolutely nothing of eternity' yet isn't that exactly what death is?

[bluegreenearth]

[Replying to post 1168 by bluegreenearth]
Its fine if you don't want to answer my questions. Your answer would have been my response, which of course is why I will see no answer. Yet here is the recap:

You said: "Fair point, though, you can't demonstrate that anyone other than yourself will be perfectly content doing absolutely nothing for an eternity after having exhausted every possible intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest."

I asked: "Have you tired of life?"

If you had answered it then you would have demonstrated that I'm not the only one that is not ready to die. Your own answer would squash your assertion out right. An assertion of which you still have no evidence that someone has or even can exhaust "every possible intellectual, emotional, and physical point of interest." Seeing that you yourself have not exhausted these things...or have you and now have nothing to do and are ready to cash in your chips for eternal death? You say you want to avoid 'doing absolutely nothing of eternity' yet isn't that exactly what death is?

The answer to your question is irrelevant because it refers to my current perspective as a mortal being rather than my potential perspective as an immortal being. So, my current satisfaction with existence does not support the claim that I could be eternally satisfied with existing. So, the justification offered in support of the claim regarding your ability to remain eternally satisfied with existing is the unverifiable assertion that God has an infinite capacity to provide for your eternal needs. In other words, you have no idea if this fantasy of yours is actually possible or not but are content to just presuppose it is true.

Furthermore, your somewhat rhetorical question about death presumes consciousness will survive death and exist in an eternal void of nothingness. The concept of non-existence after death would apply to consciousness as well and wouldn't involve anyone experiencing nothing or anything for an eternity.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 1172 by bluegreenearth]

Well, since you will not answer my question, it appears I have entered into a conversation not meant for me, thus I have nothing more to add, have a great day!

[bluegreenearth]

[Replying to post 1172 by bluegreenearth]

Well, since you will not answer my question, it appears I have entered into a conversation not meant for me, thus I have nothing more to add, have a great day!

The answer to your question is irrelevant because it refers to my current perspective as a mortal being rather than my potential perspective as an immortal being. So, my current satisfaction with existence does not support the claim that I could be eternally satisfied with existing.

The phrase in bold from my previous response answered your question.

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 1166 by onewithhim]

Why do you think they will ever be completed? I want to enjoy my family forever. I'll never get tired of doing things with them.

I can't even imagine the end of getting to know everybody who ever lived. I don't think that will ever be completed. The world will be just one big happy family, never to have to worry about anything again.

I notice that you didn't consider my previous questions on the logistics of all this and wonder why.

Since we are talking about eternal afterlife it would be reasonable to assume no one would ever age over such an incredible time. So what age will everyone be? The family you treasure now will be quite different in ten years or so, as will yourself. We all change incredibly from birth to old age, if we are lucky enough to reach the latter. All the famous people you want to get to know will have gone through a lifetime of change, so which snapshot will be preserved in the eternity for you to meet?

Here again is part of my original response to you. I hope you, or another poster, can enlighten me on just how the afterlife is supposed to work.

Have you considered the logistics of the afterlife in heaven? What will you and your family look like? Will everyone still have those features you recognise and treasure? What use will there be for your excretory system or your reproductive organs? What age will everyone be? Will your parents want to be older than you but at the same time younger than their parents? And on it goes.

[Tcg]

I can't even imagine the end of getting to know everybody who ever lived.

If Jesus was correct about the narrow path and how few will enter it, you won't have that opportunity. You'll only meet a very small slice of those who once lived. In any case, you'll end up talking to the same people telling the same stories over and over again.

"Remember the good old days?"

'How can I forget, that's all we have to talk about.'


Tcg

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1166 by onewithhim]

Have you considered the logistics of the afterlife in heaven?

I know this is as long thread but it might prove educational to look over what has been discussed or read some links to get up to speed as to what Jehovah's Witnesses believe. As a brief recap,

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in an "afterlife" (the only thing after life is death) and we are not talking about life in heaven. We are discussing in this thread everlasting life on this our planet earth in the same bodies we have now (restored to peak physical condition).

Regarding the above all the questions that you now have in mind have probably already been discussed in detail in this thread (I tried to list a summary back on page #103)

Go to other posts related to...

THE KINGDOM, THE MILLENIUM and ...THE EARTHLY PARSDISE

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 1177 by JehovahsWitness]

Heaven or Earth, your links don't really provide a satisfactory explanation at all. So many holes in the story.