Alright, before I go on, I want to say that all of this is based on what I know (or, as a matter of fact, how little I know) about Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It’s my understanding that they believe that only a certain amount of souls are going to get their ticket to heaven (I think it’s 144,000).
If this is correct, why do they witness to people?
I mean, I would think that you’d want as little competition for those seats as possible. If anything, I’d think you’d be actively preaching against Christ, in order to get people not to believe.
It doesn’t make sense…So I’m guessing that my assumptions are wrong. Anyone want to fill me in?
WAG: Part of being a “really good” Jehovah’s Witness, to them, is how many people they preach to/convert. Think of it as being like a pyramid scheme - if they don’t get high up on the “pyramid”, they get nothing!
The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that 144,000 especially faithful Christians will be taken up to Heaven to be “associate rulers” with Jesus Christ. However, everyone else who is saved will live forever on a divinely ruled paradise on Earth. Those who are not saved will be completely destroyed by the fires of Hell.
Well … that’s an interesting concept, Ferret Herder … but no. (Still, it is entertaining to think of a religion as an exciting, low-risk investment opportunity.)
The 144,000 are a ruling class, so to speak. The remainder of humankind will live happily and eternally on Earth.
That’s the “long story short” version, BTW. There’s more to it than that.
FYI: In case you don’t check out the links listed by MEBuckner, please note that JWs believe that the “fires of hell,” as he (she?) put it, are not literal fires. That is, “hell” is the common grave–no suffering involved.
Just a little tidbit to add since skeptic_ev was right, except about Hell, which Jean Grey pointed out.
JW’s believe that the “chosen” 144,000 are born knowing they will go to Heaven. Someone once told me, “It’s like knowing the difference between being a girl or a boy. As soon as you’re self-aware, you know.” So you’re average, everyday JW does not, in fact, expect to truly know and rule beside God, no matter how devout they are. Another interesting fact, the only holiday that JW’s observe is Memorial. It’s their version of Easter, to be brief. At Memorial communion is passed to everyone, and only the chosen are allowed to partake. So, basically, everyone touches the glass and plate, but no one eats. I think about 8,000 witnesses world-wide partook last Memorial.
/My ex-fiancee was disfellowship JW (left the church). He’s how I know all this.
I got brought up for 14 years as a JW. 5 or 6 “meetings” a week and witnessing door to door on the weekend. So if anyone has questions - I know all about it
As soon as I was old enough to make my own mind up - then I backed right off, for several reasons.
About the blood transfusions etc though - you are allowed nothing with blood whatsoever - that includes bone marrow and organ transplants.
