Is it true what this person from Jehovah's witnesses told me?

Question

He told me that when you die you go into the ground and that's it. You don't sleep, don't think, don't do anything, because you exist no more and your spirit had died. You no longer exist. Then he said God will reserect those who followed him in life and their spirits will be living again and meet up with their bodies, which will come out of the ground and rule on a new earth. No heaven, no hell. He said Heaven was reserved for the 144,000 people and is already been filled. How in the world can this be correct? I was taught that when you die, if you loved and truly served God you would go to heaven! Not just die and become nothing...

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses certainly do *NOT* teach that there is no life after death. In fact, Witnesses believe the bible to teach that most dead humans will be resurrected to life in a restored paradise earth, with the hope of living forever under God and Christ.

So what does the bible teach about "the soul"?

A "soul" is a life, with no implication regarding some immortal otherwordly entity. Each deceased life is in Jehovah God's remembrance (with the potential for future resurrection), but the dead do not exist anywhere but memories until and unless the life is resurrected.

(Ezekiel 18:4) The soul that is sinning - it itself will die.

(Ecclesiastes 9:5) For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all

(Ecclesiastes 9:10) there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol ["hell"]

(Genesis 2:17) But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”

(Genesis 17:14) And an uncircumcised male who will not get the flesh of his foreskin circumcised, even that soul must be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

(Judges 16:30) And Samson proceeded to say: “Let my soul die with the Philistines.” Then he bent himself with power, and the house went falling upon the axis lords and upon all the people that were in it, so that the dead that he put to death in his own death came to be more than those he had put to death during his lifetime.

(Job 33:22) And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those inflicting death.

(Psalm 78:50) He did not hold back their soul from death itself; And their life he handed over even to the pestilence.

(Isaiah 53:12) he poured out his soul to the very death

(Acts 3:23) Indeed, any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.’

(Revelation 16:3) And the second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as of a dead man, and every living soul died, yes, the things in the sea.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19970515/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050501/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 2

That is a variation on the millennial reign doctrine, which some read into the bible because they want to believe that this earth will last forever but the bible says that it will pass away and a new heavens and a new earth will be created, wherein dwells righteousness. There won't be any sin there.

The 144,000 represent all those in Christ. The twelve names listed in the Revelation, chapter 7 are all attributable to all Christians. We are all represented in Judah, which means praise. We are all represented in Joseph which means fruitful, bountiful, as it says in Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. The names of the other tribes all signify an attribute of all Christians. When John turned after he had “heard” the number of them which were sealed from the twelve tribes he “saw” that a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.


Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about anything else. Also Paul said that when we die we are present with the Lord. Many, many more than 144,000 people have died in the Lord, and are now in heaven beholding his face.

Answer 3

No, this is not true. Some Jehovah witness do not believe in a after life or hell. Also, this person was incorrect in saying only 144,000 will make it into heaven. The 144,000 is in reference to 12,000 out of each tribe of Israel who will recieve a special reward from the Lord because they are virgins and lived an exceptional holy life. John, the author of revelations said he saw multitude coming out of the great tribulation who was without number. This great number was seen by John is heaven. Yes, if you love God and obey Him He has promised you the reward of living in His Presence for eternity. Read Revelations 19-21.

Answer 4

I know for a fact... this is not true! Yet, I can't fully explain in detail how the whole death, life after death, etc. goes so if I where you.. I would read the New Testament. I really encourage you or anyone else you know (all the people reading this question) to search everything out on your own. People who are literally lead by what others say all the time are considered dumber than those who say them b/c you have to have some sound proof for everything you hear now days.. that includes >>> search out anything anyone else is telling you. Unless they can back it up with scripture and/or some documentation... don't believe them.. unless of course they are smart, wise, and trusted individuals amongst your close circles.

Answer 5

You're right--if you love and serve God you will end up in heaven. There is some contention in Christian circles about whether that happens right away, but most believe it does happen right away. The Bible says "absent from the body, present with the Lord." The body will be resurrected when Jesus returns. More than 144000 will be in heaven. The JWs believe this because of a verse in the Bible that Christians believe they (JWs) have taken out of context. Jesus said he was the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by him, and all are invited (according to numerous passages in the Bible). Jesus died on the cross and was raised again in order to provide us a way to the Father. We just have to believe this and ask him to be the head of our lives and an ongoing partner in life.

Answer 6

Well here we go. They always say not to talk about religion, poltics or what ever. anyhow. this is how i believe. Your soul is part of you and it never dies. We know this from the bible and we're taught this. Now does it make sense that god created you to die and lay there in the dirt untill he comes? nope it doens't . you will (body) be turning to dust but your soul is waiting for the end of thew orld and then you will go with God. he didn't creat us to go without him. Yes, there is the devil and hell. read the bible. D o you remember the devil was cast out of heaven with his bad angels. There was maybe a hand full of them like i believe there will be afew of us not going but that is very small he didn't creat us to go the wrong way hes all loving and forgiving remember. How can we die and not go anywhere that religion and i have a hard time dealing. But the only way is by faith. you have to have faith I do. take care.

Answer 7

I personnally dont believe that.Our spirits dont die..not unless your sent to hell at judgement..that is called spiritual death.Its all in the bible.Johovahs are strange anyways.They I know one she told me they believed evil spirits came to earth and had sex with women and thats where evil people came from.I dont believe that.and if only 144,000 were going to heaven then we wouldnt have much of a chance..!!How many pople has ever existed in all are many many more than that!!That would mean we all going to heaven would be like winning the lottery and very unlikely.Dont listen to that! We all have a chance!

Answer 8

Isn't it amazing how many people there are on the planet that think they KNOW what God is thinking? God loves us all, and hopes that we figure that out before we kill each other off. Negative people can be found in every religion, stay clear of the negative ones and you will find that your life is much happier.

Answer 9

Here is what I think, no one really knows what happens to them when they die until they die!
Someone told me that when my mom died-they were not Jehovah- and I refuse to believe my mom isn't out there watching over my family.
Just live a good life, treat others kindly.....that is what really matters

Answer 10

Sorry, but this is going to be a little long winded.

Was Christ conscious while in the grave? I hope not as his body was destroyed in order to fulfill the covenant of the sacrificial lamb. In the Temple, the lamb had its throat slit to allow its soul to pour out on the ground, followed by the destruction of its flesh on the alter fire in the Holy of the Temple. Christ had to go through the same process.

When Christ died, all that he made him up was recorded in the Book of Life, likely where the info was stored about his pre-existence until it was downloaded into him at his baptizm.

Christ laid in the grave, unable to do anything, until his Father resurrected him, creating for him a new Spirit body, into which was downloaded all the info that was recorded in the Book of Life. This was the second example of the resurrection, that to a spirit being. The first was Lazarus, who came back as a human of flesh. Being dead four days, everything that was stored in his brain was gone, so it had to be returned to his mind when his body, which would have already begun to decompose, was remade into a healthy human.

In the second resurrection of Revelations, everyone gets raised, either to judgment or to life on post-Armageddon Earth. Those raised to judgment will be informed of their judgment and than cease to exist, even in the minds of those living. Those whose hearts show them to be worthy of a new life, will are raised from the grave, in that the base form that their bodies had returned to, which is dust and dirt, is re-created into perfect human bodies. At that point, genetically they will be much like Adam and Eve. Into those bodies will be downloaded all that they were.

From that point on, they will help in the rebuilding of the Earth back into a Paradise. Of interest, they are not to marry or be given in marriage, which brings the assumption that those living will be marrying and having children. The Bible doesn’t say what happens to those resurrected, either to life on Earth, to heaven, after the 1000 year reign of Christ is done. Perhaps they are sent off to other planets in the Universe.

Man was designed to live forever on Earth. A good example of this can be found in the human brain.

Studies, like that done by the University of Michigan, and features in the Discovery Channel program, The Amazing Life of the Human Brain, shows just how amazing the human brain is.

Every second while awake, we are absorbing 40MBs of data per second. That’s 144 gigabytes per hour and about 2 terabytes per day. That’s a lot of data even for the largest computer. When we sleep at night, and only at night or under nighttime conditions, all that data is sorted and stored through the creation of synaptic connectors and biochemical bounds. The brain has enough volume to allow for the creation of these storage connectors to last over 10,000 years.

God does not create anything for nothing. What purpose would there be to create a brain with this capability if not to be made use of as a living, breathing, human being? Further, our bodies never get older than 7 years of age. Every cell going through a complete replacement in this time period. Some faster, like skin cells, while other are slower, like the human brain and the heart.

So, did God create something of no use to use if we were not meant to live on Earth? And what goes to Heaven, since the soul dies with the body and the spirit of life is shared with all forms of life, none being greater than the other? Both points are found in all Bibles, and not just the NWT.

So, do you think God created something meant to live forever, but only to die and waste away forever?

Consider the difference in the beliefs. Jws believe that we are meant to fulfill God’s purpose on Earth. In doing so, you will see this old planet slowly turned back into a Paradise. After that, we likely will head out into the Universe to explore and terraform other planets for humans to live on. We may even be able to do this with just the power of our minds. So, do you want to live for millenniums just hanging out in some heavenly zone, where nothing changes, not marrying, having no children, or to be a part of something greater, doing God’s work to bring back what was originally meant to be.

Consider the words of Isaiah 11:

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper'snest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

New International Version

For this to be possible, won’t humans need to be living on Earth?