If Jehovah's Witnesses think only 144,000 people get to Heaven?

Question

why are they the most aggressive proselytizers?

If I thought the odds were that heavily stacked against me, the LAST thing I'd be doing is recruiting competition!

Answer 1

The preaching work is performed because Jesus commanded it, not because it benefits Jehovah's Witnesses personally or as a religion. As a side point,

Actually, Jehovah's Witnesses expect that many thousands of the 144,000 have never set foot in a Kingdom Hall or read 'The Watchtower'.

The fact is that the vast majority of Witnesses hope to enjoy life ON EARTH forever, rather than in heaven. Jehovah's Witnesses understand heaven to refer to the dwelling place of spirit creatures such as Jesus and the angels. They understand the Scriptures to teach that exactly 144,000 humans will join Christ Jesus as kings and priests to administer God's Kingdom (which will soon replace all earthly governments).
(Daniel 2:44) God of heaven will set up a kingdom... It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite
(Revelation 14:1) Lamb [Jesus] standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
(Revelation 20:6) they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him

The men and women who make up the 144,000 are selected by God from among two thousand years of Christians. Over whom will they rule? Over the vast majority of mankind, most of whom will have been raised from the dead after Armageddon.
(John 11:23,24) Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

Hell is NOT someplace/something mankind needs to fear; there is no suffering in the grave. Sometime after the resurrection, death and "hell" will themselves be destroyed.
(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"]
(Revelation 20:14) And death and Hades ["hell"] were hurled into the lake of fire


Almighty Jehovah God selects those few who have the heavenly calling. Each person "feels" his own hope and each person's hope remains unquestioned by his fellow Christians. Still the vast majority (literally more than 99.9%*) of Jehovah's Witnesses expect an EARTHLY hope, the same hope given to Adam and Eve.
(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill THE EARTH and subdue it [caps added]
(Genesis 2:17) You must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [so never eating from that tree means never dying]

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

Answer 2

Although they believe 144,000 go to Heaven, they also believe the rest will inherit a paradise Earth after Armageddon. They believe the 144,000 are mostly in Heaven already just awaiting the remaining few left. They are recruiting for the paradise Earth.

Answer 3

The rest of the good people are supposed to be living on Earth forever after wickedness has been wiped out. The 144,000 are the theocratic government that will bring mankind back into perfection. That is what the JW's teach anyway.

Answer 4

Yes this thought occurred to me too--I looked at their material and it does seem to say only 144,000 will be saved. My guess is that many people (those entitled to be saved) have already lived on this earth. My guess is that the odds are not stacked against you, there are no odds of salvation by this point.

So, I agree, why look for converts? Religion is silly isn't it?

Answer 5

There will be more than 144,000 in heaven, JW can not see those 144,000 is Jews warning the nation of Israel during The time of Israel 2 peophets in the first half of Daniels 70th week, How many will make it to heaven, I don't know, But think on this 8 made it through the flood, 3 made it out of Sodom, I am not putting number on anything, but it does make you stop & think.------------I want to state on record, these 144,000 will make it to heaven.

Answer 6

after Judgement Day,
144,000 people from Isreal (from the 12 tribes) will convert and preach the word of God. They will be called the 144,000 witnesses.
This has nothing to do with how many people will go to heaven. Bc God would have to be very evil to let such a small amount of people go to Heaven.

peAce,
KcT Kard's clique tick
♀ Christian for life ♀

Answer 7

Then they are wrong.
And Brendan, you do have a point for questioning the cult Jehovah's Witnesses.
On the other hand God has promised that anyone who would come to Him, through His son Jesus would be saved.
The number 144,000 has already been surpassed and that happened long before Joseph Smith "found" his "plates".
I think I read somewhere that it is thought the number applies in someway to the Jewish Nation.
But honestly, I have not read enough to be fully reliable on that point. I apologize that I cannot give you a better answer.

Answer 8

It's not so much that they are trying to recruit people for heaven; I believe that limit has already been reached, according to them. However, they also believe that the earth will not be completely destroyed; the saved will remain on Earth and live forever, because the wages of sin are death. Ergo, if you're not a Jehovah's Witness, you can't be saved. They want to save everyone.

Answer 9

I had serious talk one day with a friend and asked that question. He said he was not one of the 144,000. He would be going to hell. But he could not give me a real answer why he was still in that religion. I walked a way sad for him.

Answer 10

I think they already have more then 144,000 members...so I'm not sure what that's all about either. I've always heard that, but honestly I haven't done enough research to know what they truly believe.