The Watchtowers “Hell”
By Pedward
I truly believe that one of the things that “tickles the ears” of non-believers is when they hear from a Jehovah’s Witness that there is no Hell. Let’s face it, it makes us feel good. It brings relief to a persons mind. In other words, as the Bible puts it, “It tickles the ear” or it’s something that you want to hear. But is it true? Can we actually live our life without any regard for anything or anyone? Can we murder or rape or steal or have sex with anyone no matter how young or the sex? All this is without the prospect of some punishment as long as we are not caught?
So in other words, as long as a person is not caught and goes on for many years and then dies, he just fades away. He ceases to exist. Wow, I want everyone to think about that because that is what the Watchtower teaches. This is great for the person who wants to live it up. Hey, I only have one chance in life, let me do what I want and see how long I can go. Yes, the Watchtower says that the punishment is the fact that they “never wake up” they just return to the dust.
Do you know that Jesus spoke more about Hell than he did any other subject? Why? Because he wanted to make sure everyone got it and understood. One of the problems that the Watchtower faces is their doctrine on the soul. You see, they don’t believe you have a soul, so how can you be in hell?
Let’s look at what Jesus said. Luke 12:4-5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath the power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
So how is it that if someone’s body ceases to exist, they should fear anything? You are gone, you don’t feel or see or know anything according to the Watchtower. They have depicted it as nothing unpleasant after death, you just cease to exist. So let me ask you, why would someone need to fear anything after he was dead as Jesus said?
In Moses time, people who rejected the law, “died without mercy” and Hebrews added, “How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot…? It’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.” Now, does the scenario of “non existence” fit this description?
Luke 16: 19 gives us a clear picture of what Hell is like. It tells the story of a rich man named Lazarus who died and went to Hell. Look it up in your Bible and read it. It gives a clear picture of what it is like. Of course the Watchtower says that its nothing but symbolic images of Abraham and Jewish leaders and followers of Jesus.
That just doesn’t even make sense people. If you go with the principals of all the other parables, you will see that he doesn’t change his way to convey his message. Jesus always relates to real things in the world at the time to get his message across. People really did dig in the fields, sons really did leave home and squander their money, employers really did hire people to work in the vineyard.
So even if there were some “symbolic meaning” that may be in there, this story would also be based on fact.
Another thing to notice is that when Jesus told actual stories he used personal names, in parables he would say “a certain man” .
Another tactic of the Watchtower is to paint our God as some sadistic god by asking you to picture little babies or children trapped in hell undergoing excruciating pain and then ask you, “How could God do such a thing?”. What do you think everyone says? Of course, they agree, but that is not the true God. That is a God they made up to make you think that God would never send anyone into Hell. Its an idol of their making.
Read the book of Matthew and you will have plenty of verses on hell
I am raised in a catholic families… they always had taught things about hell and which, I do believe and, I also believe in heaven I know one day, i will go heaven… Because, we came in this world borrowed to live here and live our lives with materials things and once we die we are living in spiritually and with christ
I have been really confused lately. So when a JW came to me and started stating all of these “facts” I was partially in awe because I knew so little. Then I started doing research. I asked people close to me questions. Then I asked people who had an outside perspective questions. I didn’t even know everything that JW’s believe. I only knew what they told me. Which was virtually nothing except about Jesus being less than God. At first my study of the Bible was just to see if what they were saying was right. But it has turned into something far greater than that. I don’t study to prove anyone wrong or right. Just to get a better understanding of God. From my readings, there is no way that I can deny there is a hell. Even without being taught about it, a person can just read the Bible for themselves and know that hell does exist. It even states it many times. In Revelations 20:10 it says “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Then later in 20:15 it says “If anyone’s name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” If that doesn’t clearly explain it, then those who don’t see aren’t ready to see the truth yet.
Ladybug, amazing how the questions they ask or things they say make you start to dig in the Bible. Great job!
Of course, it also says hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. How the hell can hell be thrown into hell?
Hi Max, what scripture are you referring to, maybe I can help you understand.
Very interesting!
Thanks for sharing.
Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, ESV) Here Jesus clearly portrays the realities of both the physical AND spiritual realms of human existence.
Note the context here. He is exhorting His diciples, whom He is “sending out among wolves” to preach the Gospel, not to fear anyone that might end their physical life here on earth. With the ending of earthly life as the context, His subsequent portrayal of the punishment of both body and soul in Hell clearly refers to the grim “afterlife” that awaits those who reject the message of the Gospel.
At first when a friend of mine (Jehova Witness) told me that hell does not exists of course I wanted to believe it, they believe that hell is here on earth, but now I come to think of this, sure there is a whole lot of wicked evil people, but then again there is a lot of good. I am the tipe of person who awaits for an opportunity of being able to help someone in need, why? because all of my life sure I was done wrong but then there was always someone willing to give a hug or uplift my spirit by saying things like “you’ll be fine, God squeeses but does not choke”, which led me to believe that I could always get through all the tests in life. So how can God make hell on earth when good people are still in it?
Note that the bible also say’s that our lord and saviour Jesus went to hell and took the keys to the gates of hell from Satan. So I wonder how no, why do JW’s continue to contradict the word of God. They do not believe in the trinity (father,son,holy spirit). I’m glad that GOD released me and that I looked it up for myself. You just have to read the bible for yourself, and if you have any questions do not ask a Witness because they will tell you anything. Knowledge is power and they can not stand the real truth. Praise the LORD!!!!!!
Great points Cynthia and Shonte.
Hell just means the common grave, otherwise known in Hebrew as Sheol.
What is the point of God having a resurrection at some later date, where good and bad people will get a second chance, if they are presently in hell being tormented. Knowing you stand no chance of ever coming back under Gods judgement means you stay in Hell forever.
Which means you remain as dust, or ash depending on the type of funeral you had.
I thought all the old hell preachers had died out, but obviously some still spout their lies. This site is a joke with its arguments, like the mind control page. AS this covers just about every religion and even some business’es and government departments who employ certain forms of control.
IF you believe in Hell as a place of torment, what is the resurrection for ?
Hell or Sheol [Hebrew] just means common grave nothing more nothing less.
The point of Jesus ministry was to show how he could resurrect the dead, and to show what would happen on a much larger scale in the future, putting all arguments about Hell, being some eternal place of torment where it belongs.
In false doctrine used by those who do not understand Gods word the bible.
John, you can call it by any name you like, but the point is, it is very real. I cannot believe anyone can say they have read the Gospels and seen this subject spoken of over and over again by Jesus and say there is no hell. Read Luke 16 and you will see only one of many examples that Jesus warns about hell. Oh you will return after the resurrection also to stand before God during the great white thrown judgment, read Revelations. Philippians 2:10 tells us the every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the father. Explain how every knee will bow if they are dust and not alive and resurrected to give account.
I also know that you will find hell being taught in almost every Christian church there is, so I’m not sure where get your information from, actually I do, the Watchtower. Prove that what is being said here is a lie based on the Word of God itself. If you would dig and read and do the research on your own, you will find that you are being misled by a corrupt sinful organization. I’m sorry you feel it’s a joke, because we take it very seriously. I hope you look for answers on your own some day and the Lord opens your eyes.
If you think the point of Jesus ministry was to show how to resurrect the dead, I feel very sorry for you because you have missed the point. The Bible is very clear, “Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lostâ€. So who is the savior? Jesus! His death was why he came my friend. He laid his life down for you and your sins, not to show people how he could resurrect people. Spend some time in the Word of God and not in the Watchtower and He WILL reveal himself to you.
I also find it interesting that although you think this site is a joke, you have return to the same article on different days. Does Hell bother you? It should. Be well my friend and we hope you find what you are looking for.
Hello again, No one is denying hell does not exist just the interpretation of what you think it is, and yes i did study with JW back in 1975, but not since so i have had plenty of time to study alternatives,to their views and yours.
I also fully understand what Jesus ministry was all about, but you have brushed away his resurrections as of no importance in his ministry. We all know he came to die for our sins, but do not brush aside what he was trying to teach you by rasising the dead. Did Lazarus come back mad screaming of being tormented in hell ? Answer No
People today are more inclined to follow JW thinking even if they are not religious. IT is time people stopped mixing symbolic description of hell and everlasting cutting off, with the real message of hope in a resurrection, if you do not get that point Jesus wasted his time, as you prefer the writings you have read to mean what they say in a literal sense. Anyone who reads his bible know much is symbolic, but now we have to decide who has translated these
symbolic passages correctly, you, or the J witnesses ???
John, once again, your studying with the Jehovah’s Witnesses shines through. We have NOT brushed away his resurrection as of no importance! That is the very essence of how we were saved! Without the resurrection, we would have nothing, so you have totally missed the point or refuse to see.
First of all, where in the Bible does it say in John 11:1-16 that Lazarus went to hell? It doesn’t, so don’t misguide those who don’t know that into thinking he went there, came back and had nothing bad to say! (We are not talking about the Lazarus in Luke 16:19. They are two different people) In contrast, look at Luke 16:19 and how that Lazarus felt. There is nothing symbolic about either of those people, but one has been pointed out to be in hades a place of torment.
Now, you can call it sheol, grave, Hades, Hell or whatever you want, but it’s a place of fire and torment and Jesus spoke about it more than any other topic, so people need to pay attention. The message of hope you speak about comes from believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. The Watchtower, on the other hand, teaches that he was NOT resurrected but that God disposed of his body, so who “brushes away†the resurrection as of no importance? Correct, the Watchtower! If you don’t believe that, look in our library and read their teachings. They said it, not me or the Bible.
Even his eternal power and deity.
Being a little on the older side of things having a few aces and pains that tend to come with age I can wake at the oddest hours, one, two or three in the morning not being uncommon. I will walk out side some mornings and gaze upwards at the heavens, during our Queensland winter the temp is quite mild and the sky that time year so clear. I find myself spending what seems like hours staring in wonderment at the endless expanse of stars in the milky way, a thick wave of pale white stretching from horizon to horizon made up of countless trillions of stars, the countless seemingly closer stars of all sizes with their differing shades of brilliance.
I wounder some of those mornings as my neck seems to stiffen in an unnatural upward position if I will have to call for help just how any one person let alone the a large number of people such as our JW friends could possibly fall for the lie that the sovereign almighty God that created each one of these stars in this majestic panorama I am now painfully beholding placing each one in its exact position could possible ever need a human organisation as bright as we humans are just watching the evening news. Such a faulty organization to boot that it can not quite work out when this panorama will be changed to one of greater magnificence giving dates that change with the seasons, such an insecure organisation that it requires a doctrine of fear to control its many members who suffer a poor IQ problem, an organisation that requires a doctrine of mind control that would make Hitler envious to ensure none wonder from their mixed bag undecidable and changeable statements and conditions of just what this awesome God has given us in His word to the point they thought He needed help to get it right by twisting it. An organisation that decided what Jesus the Son of God, God Himself manifest in the flesh did for us on that splinter laden old cross opening the way to spending an unimaginable perfect eternal eternity with Him as an obvious mistaken lie put out by an apostate church who are to be shunned at all cost least the light of Jesus should fall on one of their other presious money making sheep.
Oh I will need a little help, my neck seems a little frozen, anyone know a good chiropractor? But the help our JW friends is far greater that any I may need at the moment.
Bob Haughey.
2Peter. 2:1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (Hell)
to deny the word of God is to make God a liar, jehovahs witnesses are lost and deceived we must share the true gospel and save these innocent victims.