What do you think you have to do to get to Heaven?

[superchunk]

tarheel91 said:

superchunk said:

tarheel91 said:
I believe one must be part of the 144,000. Everyone else has a hope to live on a paradise earth for eternity.

That is the one thing that has always made me .... very ... distanced from Jehovah's Witnesses. The idea that God will only give Paradise to an extremely small group of people. Sorry, but that is so much of the opposite of the idea of God and Heaven.

Plus, if you actually read that part of the bible it says 144,000 and many more. Whenever JW's come to my house this is what I show them in the Bible.

Your concept of our beliefs is a tad off. Paradise is on earth for us. Anyone and everyone has the potential to gain everlasting life in that paradise. I'm interested to see where you get the idea of many more going to heaven as well. As I understand it from my reading of the bible, there are two groups: the annointed, and the great crowd. Let's ignore all the scriptures that talk about the meek inheriting the earth or God's will being done on earth and look solely at that division. What's the point of dividing people into two groups if they're going to the same place? We believe the 144,000 serve as joint kings and priests with Christ (this is talked about throughout Revelation) who look after all those on that paradise earth.

Read what the passage actually says.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%207;&version=31;

1. (7:1-8)144,000 are already defined and they are all of Jewish decent.
2. (7:9)After they are described is specifically says there are tons more of people from every nation.