most people desire "to enjoy life" so it is tempting to to read the jehova witnesses newsletter in which they start with the claim: god wants you "to enjoy life on earth"
this is very far from the "jehova" in the name of their group. jehova is the character who forbade numerous limitations and struck with specifically SUFFERING numerous times in the bible jehova has shown that suffering is what he provides.
i asked their representative what are the most important issues?
quote: "to live in the body forever-
in a happy world
and be a pacifist with no violence." end quote.
one of the most obvious problems is that the desire to be a pacifist with zero violence which is imaginable in the situation AFTER world peace- and harsher punishments to parole violators--
is not appropriate in the real situation we face today. the world is not yet a "happy" world. this is the bitter reality.
i chose to respond to the issue of "body" saying bodies die after 70-80 years- i was hinting at paraphrasing psalms which jw would not deny.
he countered that is not gods plan and for him the most important issue is for gods plan to live in the body forever.
wow.
if he is "based on the bible" and believes in jesus- as he later admitted to me- if so the most important thing in the bible is very different.
just because the second chapter hints at long life does not mean it is "first" in genesis nor most important...
for a christian- and because jw claims jesus is special- jesus is the most important because jesus causes PEACE with god.
in contrast to pacifist- trying "peace" with those who want to spread their control over others- to clarify the characteristic that defines a leader as "the bad guy" is the aspect or characteristic of trying to CONTROL others. what is important is peace- with someone else- god- the character with the roles of father and son and holy spirit.
admittedly putting jesus on page one is less "attractive" but if truth and honesty would be important, then start with gods plan for peace- with god.
in fact the idea of "enjoying life on earth" conflicts what jesus himself says- the opposite of what this jw guy told me. in general jesus says not to chase pleasures and not gather "things of this world" ideas echoed several times by paul-
and specifically the "goal of god" after all is accomplished-
jesus was asked about a widow and said when the dead are revived to life- in the "final age" they will be like angels- that is not "enjoying life on earth" not in general and not the physical pleasures of sex even within marriage.
if they were honest they would try to offer "peace with god" which is what the bible offers- admittedly something atheists "do not feel they lack".
for someone who is a bible-toter a book with so many wars- to base pacifism NOW on that book is so ridiculous i would laugh... if i were not bothered by the lie relative to the gospels.
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