Non-JW's Will Also Live in Paradise

[Thinking]

2 hours ago, Anna said:

Emma, this article does not really address the issue I raised. This is more for people who know what they are supposed to do, but are looking for loopholes to God's arrangement for salvation. This is not the issue here.

The article states that: "We are aware that many hypothetical or “What if . . .” cases can be raised, cases that seem to involve extenuating circumstances. What point, though, is there in speculating on these? Jesus’ illustration of the “sheep” and “goats” makes it plain that a time will come when the division between the “sheep” and the “goats” will be clear and final".

But that's not the issue here either. We are not asking about Jesus judging who is a sheep and who is a goat, but whether the criterion for being one or the other is baptism (washing their robes in the blood of the lamb). In other words, we know that not everyone who is baptised will be judged as a sheep, so is it possible that someone, or should I say millions, might be judged as sheep despite not being baptised and not knowing Jesus, for the simple reason because they never got the chance?

It's not even a case of speculating about many hypothetical "what ifs", or extenuating circumstances, but it is literally a case of billions simply not getting the opportunity.

If we are going to be realistic, then we know that there are going to be billions of people who won't get a choice before Armageddon comes.

I sort of like Russell’s thoughts on it...not sure if it’s wrong or not...but he explained exactly as to the point you have made...that many won’t ever here the preaching work...for what ever reason this Is ...they will not experience the second and final death at Armageddon....but just the first death...thus pay the price of sin....they will then be resurrected back IN to a new world and be given an opportunity to learn what they never did in the old world...they may or may not listen to it...then they will pay the price of the second death.

Many will definitely experience the second death at Armageddon because of their willful ignorance,,,(the false prophet and the beast) ...maybye more...??????

Rutherford changed that understanding,,,as he did with the Joel and the locust...we have reverted back to a number of teachings or understanding of Russell.....this may be one of them...hopefully 

[Anna]

12 hours ago, Thinking said:

21 hours ago, Emma Rose said:

Indicating humility.

More like playing the politician...

I would be inclined to agree with Thinking..

Br. Jackson was in a rather precarious position. He had to be very careful and diplomatic in order not to make us appear presumptuous and haughty. As a result, there has been some confusion on the part of some Witnesses wondering what he meant, because they had always been led to believe that the GB is the only chanel God is using.
So what did Br. Jackson mean?

(that is a rhetorical question, as it's off topic here)

[Anna]

56 minutes ago, Thinking said:

..this may be one of them...hopefully

We will just have to wait and see 😃

One thing is sure, whatever Jehovah does, we can trust will be just and loving.

[Emma Rose]

The fundamental difference between many here is the ability to anthropomorphise Jehovah God.  Jehovah has written what he will do and He will choose the manner in which He carries it out, best left for Him to decide.  Jehovah is never wrong but humans have the tendency to become overly concerned about matters that, not only do they not have the answers to, but also undermine their own faith and for whatever reason, that becomes a stone on a slippery pathway to self-justification and the ruination of their faith.

Let Jehovah carry out His will, He knows better than we do what He is doing.

[TrueTomHarley]

7 hours ago, Anna said:

We will just have to wait and see

I think most have some sense that not everything dovetails, and they dismiss it with: “Is not the judge of the entire earth going to do what is right?’

If the circuit of Israel will not be covered before the end comes, plainly some will not be covered as thoroughly as we would like. Maybe there is a thought that God will prove a “soft touch” at the very end, observing, like he did to Jonah, that “ought I not feel sorry for these dumb animals, who don’t know their right from their left?” Maybe persons like you speak of will go down in the End crossfire and promptly rise in the resurrection.

Why doesn’t the org say this? They’re not authorized. ‘One faith, one Lord, one baptism’ is the line they must stick to. Besides, start speculating on how God will cover all bases anyway, and how can it not be a disincentive to preach, as Christians are supposed to be doing?

 

[Emma Rose]

Time will tell but there seems to be 3 tiers active here.  

[Anna]

3 hours ago, Emma Rose said:

Jehovah has written what he will do and He will choose the manner in which He carries it out, best left for Him to decide.

I think everybody (at least those commenting recently) including myself agree with that.

3 hours ago, Emma Rose said:

anthropomorphise Jehovah God

I don't think anyone is trying to do that. (Although Jehovah did create us in his image 😃 but that's another topic).

 

3 hours ago, Emma Rose said:

Jehovah is never wrong but humans have the tendency to become overly concerned about matters that, not only do they not have the answers to, but also undermine their own faith and for whatever reason, that becomes a stone on a slippery pathway to self-justification and the ruination of their faith.

The discussion got started mainly because of this scripture you cited, Rev 7:14, as an answer to whether there would be others, besides Jehovah's Witnesses who will survive Armageddon. So the discussion centered around that (besides a few off topic remarks). I think most of us are not interested in self justification, and these discussions do not undermine our faith, as ultimately we recognize this:

3 hours ago, Emma Rose said:

Let Jehovah carry out His will, He knows better than we do what He is doing.

But you know, discussion forums are here for that reason; discussion 😄

One thing experience of being in the Truth for over 35 years has taught me, is that we (Jehovah's Witnesses including the GB) do not have ALL the answers, and sometimes it is good to admit we just don't know some things 🙂

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

Oh wow. I don't know how long I've been away but so much 'rubbish' is being talked here i can see I haven't missed anything sensible. 

Surely if you are going to have such a topic as "Non-JW's Will Also Live in Paradise", you need to talk about what reasons JWs have to think only JWs will survive. You need to talk about the 'teaching' that "You have to be a baptised JW to survive Armageddon". 

You need to talk about Luke 17 v 1&2 Stumbling blocks. such as the GB exalting themselves above all others, and the Child Sexual Abuse problem in the Org earthwide. 

You have to talk about those people, including me, that left the CCJW because WE do have a Christian Bible trained conscience, and we saw the wickedness and immorality inside the CCJW and knew it was not the  place to be. 

Emma Rose says she knows nothing of these things, but others such as Anna and JWI do know of many problems inside the Org and can therefore have a balanced viewpoint.

What I'm saying is, its not just the ones that haven't been reached with God's word. It is the ones that have been used as Collateral Damage Earthwide and deliberately kicked aside by the GB and the Elders and then deliberately shunned by ALL JWs.  

How much guilt will be on 'your heads' what Armageddon arrives ?