Do they exclude Catholics and other Christians in whom they feel will go to Heaven?
2007-08-10 05:21:55 · 21 answers · asked by Tiffany R 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It is the "official" view of both groups.
What they say in public could be something else.
All religious cults teach that only those within the group will be saved.
It is interesting that this is the official teaching of the Catholic church also.
Faith in God, to these groups, just isn't enough.
.
2007-08-10 05:28:00 · answer #1 · answered by Hogie 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Really, every church out there believes that their particular method is the only way you can get to Heaven (or whatever it is their faith calls the hereafter).
Mormons believe that when you die, you go to what's called the Spirit World, which is divided into Paradise (for those who were righteous in mortality) or Spirit Prison (for those who were either unrighteous or who did not have the chance to hear the Gospel while in mortality (in the New Testament book of 1 Peter 3:19-20, when it talks about how Christ "went and preached unto the spirits in prison" during the period between His crucifixion and resurection, that's where He went). Then, on Judgement Day, you are judged and assigned to one of three kingdoms: the Celestial Kingdom (where God lives), the Terestrial Kingdom, or the Telestial Kingdom, with a few people (like Cain) sent to Outer Darkness, where Satan and his minions are.
Normally, those who were members of the true Church throughout the various dispensations are the ones who get to go to the Celestial Kingdom, but those who would have accepted and lived the Gospel but did not have the chance to do so while in mortality are also generally allowed in as well.
2007-08-11 11:17:51 · answer #2 · answered by Rynok 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contrary to oft-expressed opinion, we already have bona fide Mormon and JW answers to these questions, and I would like to agree that they have correctly answered the questions. And, no, I'm neither a Mormon nor a JW!
Mormons have three levels of 'salvation', as one of them detailed, and so their idea of Heaven is more complex than the Asker's (or most other people's). They are cheerfully indifferent to what level is attained by others, just as long as they can be good Mormons and get up the ranks as high as possible. Everybody will be 'saved' in a sense even if they don't make it into actual Heaven. Make your own conclusions about that.
JWs have already said that only 144,000 humans will ever get to Heaven. Their number commenced after Jesus died, with the first apostles/disciples and today they count some 8,500 of them alive and all of the latter are JWs. They've also said that 'a thin red line' of faithful Christians through the centuries were Jehovah's witnesses, whom they claim as their own. Make your own conclusions about that.
What a good job entrance into Heaven is entirely in the hands of God!
2007-08-11 07:45:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Like Dane, i'm Mormon, so am somewhat biased, yet I too am happy which you have been dealt with with admire. i understand assorted the Mormons on listed here are pay attention for the laughs that we get from all the rumors that flit around. for that reason, they generally will answer your questions somewhat and in a well mannered way. I even have not had any adventure with JW questions or solutions, considering that I have not have been given any understanding of their religions, so i do no longer oftentimes seem at those forms of questions or solutions. no longer that i do in contrast to them, purely that i do no longer prefer to respond to a query approximately them, then have it is incorrect. I advise, i'm uninterested in all the lies that decide on the flow around approximately us, so i do no longer desire others to adventure it.
2016-10-02 01:16:52 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven to rule as kings and priests with Christ. Revelation 14:1-4. The rest of obedient mankind are part of the 'Great Crowd' of people who will inherit the earth. There is no set number of these ones. Revelation 7:9.
2007-08-10 05:31:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Let me answer it this way, Tiffany. We are all blessed according to our faith in Jesus Christ, and according to the laws and commandments that we keep. The purpose of life is to develop faith and obedience to God's will. Those who are most faithful and most obedient are rewarded the most. It doesn't matter whether they are Mormons, JWs, Catholics, or other Christians to start with. What matters is how much faith they develop, and how faithfully they keep the commandments.
Religious denominations differ in what they teach that leads you to have faith, and they differ in what the commandments are. It is not possible to develop faith fully and keep all of the commandments and choose your own religion. You must come to the true faith and follow the true prophets of God. Everyone, no matter what church they are "born into" will have a fair chance to follow the pure religion of Jesus Christ.
2007-08-13 08:28:56 · answer #6 · answered by Doctor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that many or most of those resurrected to heaven will have never read a Watchtower or attended a Kingdom Hall.
Regarding the resurrection of humans to heaven, Jehovah's Witnesses 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) after Armageddon.
(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
(Luke 12:32) Have no fear, LITTLE FLOCK [with a heavenly hope], because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom [rulership alongside the Christ] [caps added]
(John 10:16) And I [Jesus] have OTHER SHEEP, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring [to be subjects of the kingdom] [caps added]
Over whom will they rule? Over those "other sheep", 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.”
(Acts 24:15) There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.
Until that resurrection, there is no suffering in "hell", or 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 from among godfearing worshippers, including many who were never Jehovah's Witnesses. Today, each true worshipper "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]
Interestingly, the Scriptures are full of references to this earthly hope.
(Psalms 37:11) 'the meek will possess the earth'
(Proverbs 2:21) 'upright will reside in the earth'
(Isaiah 45:18) 'God formed the earth to be inhabited'
(Matthew 5:5) 'the mild will inherit the earth'
(Revelation 21:3) The tent of God is with mankind
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
2007-08-12 09:49:06 · answer #7 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
JW's do not believe they are going to heaven.
They hope to be a part of the fulfillment of Psalm 37:29.
Are they an exclusive club?
No.
However, did Noah think anyone outside the ark would survive the flood?
2007-08-10 05:26:50 · answer #8 · answered by Uncle Thesis 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) believe in more than just heaven and hell. After death, a person's spirit goes to paradise or prison (heaven and hell) to await the resurrection. Everyone will be resurrected because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and stand before the judgment bar of God. All will receive a degree of glory according to their acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and their works in the flesh. Those who have received essential ordinances and done their best to follow the commandments of God will receive the highest degrees of glory. I hope this helps. Check out www.mormon.org for more information.
2007-08-10 05:53:20 · answer #9 · answered by Dave F 3 · 7⤊ 1⤋
I'm a Mormon.
Pretty much everyone will go to heaven, it just depends if its the Telestial Kingdom, the Terestrial Kingdom, or the Celestial Kingdom. And then there's those very few who do not go to heaven, but go to heck.
2007-08-10 05:26:00 · answer #10 · answered by Nijg 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋