Theos-Talk Archives (April 2007 Message tt00010)

Hi Daniel,
The Jehovah's Witnesses teachings on life after death are basically 
that there is no soul of any kind that survives death except for an 
elect 144,000 who will rule in heaven with Christ during the 1000 
years after Armageddon.

Even then its not that they actually have a soul but the belief is 
that after these 144,000 die or when Christ returns they will change 
into spiritual beings.

As for the rest of us ie. those not of the elite 144,000  we will 
either be destroyed by Yahwey at Armageddon or if good live forever 
in a perfect physical  body on Earth and never die.

The interpretations on Nephesh and Psyche they have are very over 
simplified when compared to the esoteric philosophy and more 
scholarly interpretations.

They do speak of Nephesh as being the "life force" which is shared by 
animals and humans however this is completely impersonal they  use 
the analogy of electricity but it no distinct qualities and there are 
no subtleties of description or philosophical analysis with the 
Jehovah's Witnesses its just a dead letter dogmatic  interpretation 
that fits their theology.

I suppose you could make some very broad and loose comparisons with 
the Jehovah's Witnesses dogmas but the differences are vast both in 
terms of process and content.

Ultimately to them you are a body and brain with some kind of vague 
reference to a sort of spirit electricity that runs through it while 
you are alive , when you die there is nothing left of your 
individuality at all, you are just dust and that's it.

There is no divine spark at all in their teachings.

Regards

Perry


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "danielhcaldwell" 
<danielhcaldwell@...> wrote:
>
> Jehovah Witnesses & Mahatma KH/HPB
> on Body/Soul/Spirit & Life after Death
> 
> Some 37 years ago when I discovered the
> Mahatma Letters & HPB's writings, I noticed
> some interesting SIMILARITIES between the
> teachings in the letters of Master K.H. and
> HPB's ISIS UNVEILED and the teachings of
> the Jehovah Witnesses and the Seventh-Day
> Adventist on soul and spirit, life after death, etc.
> 
> At that time I also was studying a book titled:
> 
> The four major cults:
> Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-Day
> Adventism.
> by Anthony A Hoekema
> 1963
> English Book xiv, 447 p. 24 cm.
> Grand Rapids, Eerdmans
> 
> I also remember taking a copy of the Jehovah
> Witnessses' IS THERE LIFE
> AFTER DEATH? and underlining the similarities
> with those in the Mahatma Letters.
> 
> I believe the small book IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?
> is the correct title. The printing I usually
> used or saw was bound in green.
> 
> I'm wondering if any of the Theos-Talk readers
> (maybe Perry???) has also seen and pondered
> on these similarities. [Yes, I know there
> are differences, too!]
> 
> In Isis Unveiled, the Mahatma Letters,
> and The Secret Doctrine, what terms are
> used that would be equivalent to the
> FOLLOWING terms as found in the Old and New
> Testaments?
> 
> neshamah, nephesh, ruach
> 
> sheol
> 
> soma, psyche, pneuma
> 
> hades, gehenna
> 
> demons, devils
> 
> Also what theosophical ideas
> illuminate the following questions
> discussed by Christians??
> 
> Are human beings conscious after
> death and/or tormented in hell?
> 
> Is there a Resurrection of the dead?
> 
> What is the second death?
> 
> What does the "The Return of Christ" mean?
> 
> I include here my butterfly illustrations I
> posted once on Theos-Talk:
> 
> As a Butterfly in Its Chrysalis
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/mon/monwwdie.htm
> 
> Once Awakened from Their Post-mortem Torpor . . . .
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/mon/revivingf.htm
> 
> Some useful background reading that might be
> helpful is below:
> 
> DEATH, SOUL AND HELL
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_death_soul_hell_menu.htm
> 
> THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_biblical_view_human_nature_1.htm
> 
> THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF DEATH
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_biblical_view_of_death_2.htm
> 
> Two Basic Views of Human Nature and Destiny
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_two_views_human_nature.htm
> 
> The Doctrine of the Immortal Soul
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_doctrine_of_immortal_soul.htm
> 
> Origins of the Word 'Hell'
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_origins_of_the_word_hell.htm
> 
> HADES
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_hades.htm
> 
> THE GRAVE
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_the_grave.htm
> 
> Do YOU Have an IMMORTAL SOUL?
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_immortal_soul.htm
> 
> THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF HELL
> http://www.heavendwellers.com/origen_and_history_of_hell.htm
> 
> 
> See also:
> 
> Neshamah
> http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Hebrew/heb.cgi?number=05397
> 
> Ruach
> http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Hebrew/heb.cgi?number=07307
> 
> Nephesh
> http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Hebrew/heb.cgi?number=05315
> 
> Pneuma
> http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=4151
> 
> 
> Daniel
> http://blavatskystudycenter.org
>