Is there really such a thing as that of “SOUL SLEEP” subsequent to death?

This is a very popular doctrine promoted by the misguided Jehovah Witness (JW), and well as others, who suggest that when people die they enter into a state of unconscious soul sleep until their awakening at the  “Resurrection” at the coming of the Lord.

This is completely FALSE because Apostle Paul declared that he desired to depart this life and to be with Christ.  Therefore, unless Christ our EXAMPLE is sitting at the right hand of the Father asleep then the only other option for the JW to get out of such a nonsensical conundrum claim would require their figurative Scriptural manipulation to have Phil. 1:23 and 2 Cor. 5:6-8, to say something completely both unscriptural and non-literal.  Paul did not say he wanted to depart and be with a sleeping Christ - but rather He who is alive for evermore.

Philippians 1:23 (KJV)
²³ For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Apostle Paul makes this same declaration once again in 2 Cor. 5:6-8 regarding his desire to depart from the body and to be present with the Lord.  However, you cannot do that if you have been given the JW soul sleep medication.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (KJV)
⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Furthermore, Apostle Paul reveals in 2^nd Cor. 12:2 that a man can actually separate from his body and go to the 3^rd Heaven – God’s Throne Heaven.

2 Corinthians 12:2 (KJV)
² I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Moreover, Matt. 22:32 clearly reveals that Jesus declared that God was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the God of the LIVING and not the God of the DEAD.

Matthew 22:32 (KJV)
³² I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Meanwhile, Jesus declared in Lk. 23:43 that when He was crucified that the repentant thief on the Cross would be with Him in Paradise that very day in which He died.

Luke 23:43 (KJV)
⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Moreover, Lazarus spoke the lost "rich man" in Paradise (aka Abraham's Bosom) subsequent to his death.  Lk. 16:19-31

Luke 16:22 (KJV)
²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Additionally, when Jesus raised Jairus' only daughter from the dead in Lk, 8:55 - it declares that her spirit came/returned AGAIN.  Where had her spirit been that it returned from?

Luke 8:55 (KJV)
⁵⁵ And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

Likewise, in the Book of Revelation 6:9-11 and 20:4 clearly reveal SOULS in Heaven who will die during the Great Tribulation for their testimony of Jesus.  If they were in JW’s suggested soul sleep then what are their SOULS doing in Heaven under the alter of God crying out for justice?

Revelation 6:9-11 (KJV)
⁹ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
¹¹ And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Revelation 20:4 (KJV)
⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

In addition, Revelation reveals that it is the fellowservant prophets (our brethren) in Heaven who will pour out God’s last seven plague vials upon the earth and the kingdom of the Beast during the Great Tribulation.  However, if they are going to be in soul sleep then God will have to find someone else to do His bidding.

Revelation 15:6 (KJV)
⁶ And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

Revelation 21:9 (KJV)
⁹ And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

Revelation 22:9 (KJV)
⁹ Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

As can clearly be seen the notion of SOUL SLEEP is absolute nonsense and the only way to disprove all of the above clear Passages that prove otherwise is to perform figurative and deliberate Scriptural gymnastics that resolve to conclusions of discredited theological laughter.