Paradise on Earth

onewithhim · Post by **onewithhim** » Fri Nov 18, 2016 12:25 am

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

brunumb · Post by **brunumb** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 3:37 am

[Replying to post 1188 by JehovahsWitness]

We don't believe in life after death. The life I am describing is a paradise on EARTH for the living not for the dead.

So, when people die, that's it? How does one make it to the JW paradise?

I'm wondering why you responded to my earlier question which was clearly directed to someone believing in an afterlife and enjoying it after being reunited with their family.

JehovahsWitness · Post by **JehovahsWitness** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:56 am

brunumb wrote: I'm wondering why you responded to my earlier question which was clearly directed to someone believing in an afterlife and enjoying it after being reunited with their family.

Because this thread is about life on a paradise earth and not about heaven. I do believe there are rules about derailing a thread.

You responded to onewithim, she is one of Jehovah's Witnesses she was talking about life on this planet EARTH
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 862#980862

You responded to MY post, I too was speaking about a paradise EARTH
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 310#981310

You asked ME (posted to me) about the logistics of aging, I again clarified I was talking about life on EARTH.
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 306#981306

Indeed I can find no post where you have responded in this thread to somebody talking about heaven or the afterlife. All the posts you respnded to (that I can find) were talking about life on EARTH.

Here is a picture of the earth in case it again slips your mind what I am refering to

Jehovah's Witness are refering to the EARTH when we speak about a paradise or when we refer to "a paradise EARTH"

brunumb · Post by **brunumb** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:39 am

[Replying to post 1190 by JehovahsWitness]

It doesn't really matter to me where this alleged paradise will be, but if it contains people who have lived and died it is appropriate to refer to the circumstances as an 'afterlife'. I see illustrations used to depict this paradise including people of different ages from children to adults. How does that work? Do they stay like that forever?

JehovahsWitness · Post by **JehovahsWitness** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:04 am

[Replying to post 1191 by brunumb]

PARADISE OR THE AFTERLIFE?

If you wish to employ terminology you hold dear, that is your concern, but it may cause some confusion as to what is being discussed when you enter into communication with others. Especially when speaking of the Christian hope.

For example if you ask "Will people have sex, eat food and play with animals in "the afterlife"? most people will think you are refering to spirits in heaven. So a Jehovah's witnesses is obliged to clarify that they are not speaking about spirits. They are not speaking about dead people and they are not speaking about life in heaven when they reply "Yes" Otherwise someone may argue, "its not plausibe, you think there are animals in the after life?!!! (because they are thinking of a spirit realm) but Jehovah's Witnesses are talking about THE EARTH (where people will continue to have sex, eat food and play with animals (not at the same time of course)).

In short many of the "objections" raised are because the person is actually thinking about something different. Thus the need either to use the correct terminology OR clarify the terminology you are using.

JW

brunumb · Post by **brunumb** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:28 am

All I am getting from this discussion is obfuscation and will now withdraw.

JehovahsWitness · Post by **JehovahsWitness** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:34 am

brunumb wrote: All I am getting from this discussion is obfuscation and will now withdraw.

Ok, well I for one have enjoyed the discussion, pop back for more anytime.

Have an excellent weekend.

JW

Avoice · Post by **Avoice** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:46 am

There are some pretty boring pictures of the afterlife. I see a daddy and mommy and child holding hands looking at the seashore. Nothing or no one else in the picture. How long will they hold hands until they are fed up with it? Then what?

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:37 am

Avoice wrote: There are some pretty boring pictures of the afterlife. I see a daddy and mommy and child holding hands looking at the seashore. Nothing or no one else in the picture. How long will they hold hands until they are fed up with it? Then what?

Here is an alternative pic to life.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/cont ... ormat=750w

Also, when they are done then they can go do something else.

Are you ever done with life now? Do you ever wake up going, 'I think I'll die today as I don't want to spend time with anyone anymore.' If so, please visit a doctor right away. (This is not a joke, I'm being very serious.)

onewithhim · Post by **onewithhim** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 12:58 pm

JehovahsWitness wrote: 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/

What an absolutely beautiful post!!

I too look forward to the renewed Earth and all the wonderful things we will be able to do. Imagine getting to know all of our ancestors, all the way back to Adam and also people distantly related to us! Just getting to know them all will take centuries, I'm sure!

onewithhim · Post by **onewithhim** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:25 pm

brunumb wrote: [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.

You are right. No one will age beyond a certain age, probably around 30. Aging is the result of mankind's fall from a perfect relationship with God. We were not meant to get old with all its infirmities. The Bible points to the time ahead:

"Let his flesh become fresher than in youth. Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor." (Job 33:25)

It seems like I have answered this before. I had said that we will recognize our resurrected loved ones, and we will be delighted to see them young again.