Week 5 - Understanding Jehovah Witnesses

The watchtower Bible and tract society

Located in Brooklyn, New York – Better known as: Jehovah Witnesses and well known for their door-to-

door sales and evangelism.

- Largest publisher in the Free world, in one recent year it printed over 44 million books and over 550

million magazines

- Over 14 million copies of the watchtower magazine are published every two weeks in 108 languages of

the world.

- 12 million copies of the Awake magazines in 62 languages every two weeks.

- They have mapped out the United States so everyone (not “black listed”) gets a door-to-door visit

twice a year

- One year 3.6 million members (Jehovah

Witnesses) spent over 835 million hours

doing door-to-door witnessing

Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witnesses

Ex-communication is very present in the Jehovah Witness

cult

If you leave the church, you’re family members and friends and any other Jehovah Witness are forbidden

to speak to you!

“A disfellowhipped person is cut off from the congregation, and the congregation has nothing to do

with him. Those in the congregation will not extend the hand of fellowship to this one, nor will they so much as

say "hello" or "good-bye" to him...(The congregation members) will not converse with such a one or show him

recognition in any way. If the disfellowshipped person attempts to talk to others in the congregation, they

should walk away from him. In this way he will feel the full power of his sin...The disfellowshipped person who

wants to do what is right should inform any approaching him that he is disfellowshipped and they should not be

conversing with him…

What should a Jehovah Witness do?

What if a person who is cut off from God's congregation unexpectedly visits dedicated (Witness) relatives? What should the (Jehovah's Witness) Christian do then? If this

is the first occurrence of such a visit, the dedicated Christian can, if his conscience permits, carry on family courtesies on that particular occasion. However, if his

conscience does not permit, he is under no obligation to do so. If courtesies are extended though, the Christian

should make it clear that this will not be made a regular practice ...The excommunicated relative should be made to realize that his visits are not now welcomed as they were previously when he was walking correctly with

Jehovah.” Ibid (July 15, 1963 – pg. 443-44)

"Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred

Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book," (Watchtower, July 1, 1973, p. 402).

"Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may

believe that they can interpret the Bible," (Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587).

What does the watchtower say about themselves?

"We should eat and digest and assimilate what is set before us, without shying away from parts of the food

because it may not suit the fancy of our mental taste . . . We should meekly go along with the Lord's

theocratic organization and wait for further clarification, rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to us and proceed to quibble and

mouth our criticisms and opinions as though they were worth more than the slave's provision of

spiritual food. Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord's visible organization and not be so foolish as to

put against Jehovah's channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings,"

(Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1952, p. 79-80).

"It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of communication to his people on the earth, and he has

clearly shown that the magazine called The Watchtower is used for that purpose," (1939 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, p. 85).

"From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah's people those, who, like the original

Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude...They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible

exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such 'Bible reading,' they have reverted

right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago . . "

(Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981).

Charles T. Russell – Founder and Godfather of Jehovah Witnesses

Raised as a protestant in Pennsylvania

Russell Didn’t like the idea of Hell and eternal judgment, or

the Trinity

Charles T. Russell decided to start publishing his theological

opinions in writings called “Studies in scriptures”

How’d it all get started?

Later on in 1879 he started published the Watchtower magazine

Charles T. Russell died in 1916

In 1884 he incorporated the organization “Watchtower Bible and tract society”

Joseph F. Rutherford – The second head of the Jehovah Witnesses

Joseph Rutherford took over in 1917

Rutherford is responsible for growing the organization into the giant it is today

Rutherford introduced the name “Jehovah Witnesses”

Rutherford died in 1942

Nathan Knorr became the head of the JW in 1942

Under Knorr’ leadership, the Jehovah witnesses started their mass missions

New world translation of the Bible was also published when

Knorr was in leadership

Five “Greek Scholars” translated the Hebrew and Greek texts into

the New World Translation

Knorr died in 1977

Jehovah Witnesses believe that God’s theocratic kingdom on earth is the watchtower Bible

and tract society

This is why Jehovah witnesses will not…

- Salute the flag of their country - Recite the pledge of allegiance

- Serve in the armed forces

They do not celebrate Christmas…

They do not celebrate Easter…

Five important facts to remember about Jehovah Witnesses and the watchtower organization

1 - They have accepted the organization as the prophet of God.

2 - They have accepted the Organization as God’s sole channel for his truth.

3 - They believe that to reject the organization is to reject God.

4 - They believe that only the organization

can interpret the Bible; as individuals they are

unable to do so

5 - They believe that the watchtower magazine contains God’s truth, directed by Him, through the

organization.

We must keep those facts in mind when dealing with them

Contradictions with Christianity

- That Jesus is a created being – a creature.

- That Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel

- That Jesus was not resurrected bodily, - but as a spirit being

- That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914

- That Jesus was only a man on earth

- The Holy Spirit is a force and not a person of God

That hell is simply the grave

That heaven’s doors are open to only 144,000 people

That the majority of Witnesses must remain on Earth

That salvation is found only through the Organization

That salvation can be maintained only by energetic works for the Organization until the end, when one

may then merit eternal life on a paradise earth.

That Satan is the author of the doctrine of the trinity

That Jesus cannot be given worship, but only honor as Jehovah’s first creation

- The trinity

- The deity of Christ

- The Bodily resurrection of Christ

- The person of God the Holy Spirit

- The Lord’s supper for all believers (Not just the 144,00)

- The promise of heaven to all believers

- The visible return of Christ

- The necessity of the new birth for all believers

- The eternal security for the believers

- The conscious eternal punishment of the lost

Denial of essential doctrines

Specific translated errors… (there are thousands of them)

Here are a few examples…

1 Timothy 4:10 - Greek words "panton anthropon" ("of all men") mistranslated as "of all sorts of men".

- See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Hebrews 12:9 - Greek word "pneumaton" ("spirits") paraphrased as "spiritual life". - See Kingdom

Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Errors in the NWT version of the Bible…

James 1:12 - Greek word "epeggeilato" (he promised) mistranslated as "Jehovah promised" - See Kingdom

Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

James 3:9 - Greek word "kai" ("and") mistranslated as "even". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and

Emphatic Diaglott

Hebrews 12:23 - Greek word "pneumasi" ("to spirits") paraphrased as "spiritual lives". - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Revelation 5:10 - Greek word "epi" ("on") mistranslated as "over" - See Kingdom Interlinear

Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Revelation 19:10 - Greek phrase "he gar marturia Iesou estin to pneuma tes propheteias" ("for the

testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy") mistranslated as "for the bearing witness to Jesus is

what inspires prophesying." - See Kingdom Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Revelation 19:10 - Greek word "Iesou" ("of Jesus," or "Jesus'") mistranslated as "to Jesus." - See Kingdom

Interlinear Translation, and Emphatic Diaglott

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a

prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be

afraid of him.

Presidents and prophecies

Charles T. Russell calculated and prophesied when the Lord would return to earth…

- He calculated that Christ would visibly return - to the earth in 1874

- Next he changed his calculations and prophesied - the year 1914

This however did not bother Russell, he redefined the second coming as a spiritual coming

Russell Prophecies

Rutherford “Attempted” to prophesy just as Russell did…

Rutherford predicted Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, would return to earth visibly between 1925-1929 to

assist in promoting God’s kingdom.

Needless to say they didn’t… And Rutherford moved into the house himself until he died in 1942, having

been proved to be a false prophet

Knorr also decided to prophesy…

Knorr prophesied that Armageddon (end of the world) would occur in 1975… It… didn’t.

"We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious

organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with Gods Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the

truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination. It should be the sincere desire of every

one of us to learn what Gods will is for us, and then to do it." John 8:32 (The Truth That Leads To Eternal

Life, 1968, p. 13)

The watchtower asks us to examine their sources

We read the following in the section on the Ante-Nicene fathers in the Watchtower brochure, “Should

You Believe In The Trinity?"

“Justin Martyr, who died about 165 C.E., called the prehuman Jesus a created angel who is "other than

the God who made all things." He said that Jesus was inferior to God and "never did anything except what

the Creator . . . willed him to do and say."

It is important to note at the start that the Watchtower provides no documentation for these

quotes. If you want to know from what work of Justin Martyr these come, you must search personally.

In my search, the closest I have come to finding the first part of this quote is in the Dialogue with Trypho

the Jew. In Chapter 56 of that work we read the following from Justin:

“Then I replied, "I shall attempt to persuade you, since you have understood the Scriptures, [of the truth] of what I say, that there is, and that there is said to be,

another God and Lord subject to the Maker of all things; who is also called an Angel, because He announces to men whatsoever the Maker of all

things--above whom there is no other God--wishes to announce to them."

What does he mean by Angel though in this description? What else does he say?

And I continued: "It is again written by Moses, my brethren, that He who is called God and appeared to the patriarchs is called both Angel and Lord, in order

that from this you may understand Him to be minister to the Father of all things, as you have already admitted, and may remain firm, persuaded by

additional arguments."

He continues on…

"Moreover, I consider it necessary to repeat to you the words which narrate how He who is both Angel and God and Lord, and who appeared as a man to Abraham, and who wrestled in human form with

Jacob, was seen by him when he fled from his brother Esau."

"Have you perceived, sirs, that this very God whom Moses speaks of as an Angel that talked to him in the flame of fire, declares to Moses that He is the God of

Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob?"

The watchtower misrepresents the early church

Memory VerseDeuteronomy 18:22: “when a prophet

speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the

thing which the LORD has not spoken”