Is This Life All There Is?

Jehovahs Witnesses of a certain vintage will recognise the title of this post.  It is also the title of a well known publication by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

It's a good question and one I'm sure we have all pondered in the past.

Witnesses of course do not believe that this life is all that is on offer.  They believe that in the near future God will step in to mans affairs, rid the world of all wickedness (basically anyone who isn't a Witness) and create a paradise earth where nobody will grow old, get sick or die.

A man in his forties who recently gave up being a JW complained that the only thing he missed was that hope for the future.  I asked him if he believed it and he answered 'of course not but at least it was a hope'.

His comment got me thinking; why would someone miss a hope that they didn't even believe?

In the UK we have a 'savings scheme' called premium bonds.  The way it works is that you buy bonds in bundles of £100 each and you are automatically entered into a monthly prize draw.  Your money is safe, you can't lose it and while ever you keep it in bonds you have a chance each month of a prize. This draw pays out winnings from £25 up to £1 million every month - tax free.  Over 17 million Britons hold premium bonds, hoping that brown envelope post marked Glasgow will drop on their doormat.  The problem is these investors are so blinded by the hope of 'winning' they are losing out on hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds per year.

The average return over a year for an investor in premium bonds is less than 2.5%.  If they invested their money in many of the UK's building society ISA's their money would still be safe, it would still be tax free but instead of getting all excited when they open an envelope to find they've won £25, £50 or £100 the building society will automatically credit their account with anything up to 5% - guaranteed.  It might not be exciting but it's far more financially savvy.

Jehovahs Witnesses are the same - in fact the organisation uses the phrase - keep your eyes on the prize!  They deny themselves education and careers, they devote so much of their lives to bible study, meetings, assembles, field ministry, they deny themselves the fun family occasions of birthdays, Christmas - all in hope that they will receive the prize of life where they can have a great time with their family and friends, build nice houses, get a great education.

And while they are dreaming of the prize, the real prize - life - is passing them by.  I've watched many of them grow old and die having devoted their whole lives to the organisation.  I've seen talented people deny themselves financial security for themselves and their family because they were conned into believing there was something more.

The organisation paints the world as a dark, unpleasant place.  Just look at the depiction's of the world illustrated in their magazines and books. You will find sleazy looking men with slicked back hair and wild eyes alongside trashy drunk women.  Everything is designed to make the world appear greedy, murderous, without any morals and unpleasant.

Of course there are some greedy, violent, immoral and unpleasant people around.  There have also been JW's exposed as paedophiles, thieves, adulterers and violent but that fact doesn't then follow that all Jehovahs Witnesses, or even a large proportion are similarly vile.

These people both inside and outside JW's are the exception, not the rule.  Most people outside JW's are decent, hardworking and generous.  Some are even exceptional in their work to help their fellow man.  This planet is already beautiful, it already offers a wide range of wonderful experiences.

The original question was; Is this life all there is?  My answer is make the very most of it because it may well be the only one you ever get.