As author of this book, I have never been involved with the Jehovah’s Witnesses in any way, so the things I am going to mention are not personal.
In fact, none of the people that I associate with on a daily basis are members of this group.
SO WHY WRITE A BOOK THAT DEALS WITH
THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES?
Because Christians and non-Christians should be warned about this dangerous cult that has wrecked the lives of so many.
It would be bad enough if these people built their Kingdom Halls on the side of the road and received the ones who voluntarily entered their doors to listen to their unscriptural teachings. BUT THEY DO NOT DO THAT!
They go into our neighborhoods every day, and seek to find someone who is not grounded in the scriptures, and they approach them as if they knew what the scriptures teach. They often do this by saying, “This word in the Greek or Hebrew means ‘this’ or ‘that’,” and they have never taken a course in either language in their entire life.
Not to warn people of this cult would be like seeing someone that is headed down a road, and you know the bridge down the road is washed out, and you do absolutely nothing to try and warn them of the danger they are facing.
Some will read this book as being “mean spirited,” and I am truly sorry that they feel this way. God, who knows my heart, knows it is being written because this dangerous cult is sending souls to hell by the millions. Shouldn’t someone try to do something? Yes, and I am trying to do something about it by showing that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a dangerous cult.
I have spent many weeks doing the research to write this book because my heart goes out to those who have been deceived, and are being deceived.
Those who are interested in knowing the truth of God’s Word must be warned that this is not just another Christian organization with a few minor differences.
The DIFFERENCES ARE MAJOR, and you will see that for yourself as you read about their PRACTICES and the UNSCRIPTURAL things they teach.
One of the things you will clearly see in this book is that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are not a Christian organization, but a cult.
That is not to say they are not good, hard working, honest people that believe in providing for their families and paying their bills, but according to what the scriptures teach, they are deceived and they are deceiving others.
Thanks for taking time to read this book, and I trust it will stir your soul for the Lord Jesus.
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes the most dangerous thing in our home can be a door bell.
Many have heard the door bell ring at their home, and they answered it and found a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses at their door wanting to be invited into their homes for a Bible study.
But they have not come to study the Bible, they have come for the specific purpose of taking the scriptures and twisting them to make you think what they think. THEY HAVE COME TO CONVERT!
Many, out of politeness, ignorance, curiosity or loneliness have allowed these people to enter their homes to talk to them about becoming a Jehovah’s Witness.
But before you ever consider becoming a Jehovah’s Witness, you need to ask yourself this; DO I REALLY WANT TO JOIN THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE, THAT I CAN NEVER AGAIN CELEBRATE:
• MOTHER’S DAY
• FATHER’S DAY
• GRANDPARENTS DAY
• BIRTHDAYS
• THANKSGIVING DAY
• NEW YEAR’S DAY
• CHRISTMAS DAY
• EASTER
• FLAG DAY
• INDEPENDENCE DAY
• VALENTINE’S DAY
Before anyone decides they would want to join this group, they need to consider why the major religious groups in this nation have always considered this group to be a dangerous cult.
WHAT IS A CULT?
Most Bible scholars would agree that a cult consist of four things:
1. A cult is a group or movement exhibiting excessive devotion to a person or idea, to advance the goals of its leaders.
2. Cults are generally understood to be religious groups with radical views and practices, that clash with what is accepted today as normal social behavior.
3. Many of these cultic groups actually isolate themselves in communes, or from the society in which they live.
4. Their devotion to a self-proclaimed human leader is likely to be unconditional and exclusive. Often these leaders boast of having been divinely chosen, or even of being themselves divine in nature.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses fit this broad definition of being a cult as much as any group on the face of the earth.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses can be proven to be a cult in two ways:
• BY DEFINITION (We will see that in Chapter one).
• BY SCRIPTURE (We will see that in Chapter two).
CHAPTER ONE
Before we can brand this group as a cult, we must ask ourselves - WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
• Jehovah’s Witnesses are also known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
• Their headquarters is located in Brooklyn, New York.
• They were officially founded in 1884 as the Zion's Watchtower and Tract Society.
• They officially adopted the name of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1931.
• The Society currently claims a worldwide membership of over nine million people, in 66,000 congregations, in 205 countries (about four million in the United States.)
• While many of the major denominations are on a decline, or only growing 3% to 5% a year, the Jehovah’s Witnesses take in approximately 200,000 new members each year.
HOW DO THEY ACHIEVE SUCH GOALS?
According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses statistics, it is done primarily through door to door visitation.
• They average one and a half million Bible studies in homes a year.
• The Jehovah’s Witnesses field over 500,000 full and part-time missionaries.
• They have instruction and training for all Jehovah’s Witnesses in five meetings a week, held primarily in "Kingdom Halls."
The Jehovah’s Witnesses draw on the 43rd chapter of Isaiah for their name. In Isaiah 43:10-11, Jehovah declares to his people, “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
The name Jehovah’s Witnesses is a good name for any religious group.
It is a good name because it implies that a particular group of people know the Lord, and they go around witnessing to others about what they know about Him.
But the Jehovah’s Witnesses:
• Do not know the JESUS OF THE BIBLE.
• Do not tell the truth about Him, as we will later find out in chapter two.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been accused of being a cult from their inception, because of the many CLAIMS that they make, but cannot support with the scriptures.
They actually claim to be the 144,000 witnesses of Revelation chapter 6, but according to the scriptures this is impossible.
THERE ARE SIX SCRIPTURAL REASONS
WHY THEIR CLAIM IS NOT CORRECT
(1) The first reason their claim is not true is because this is something that is yet to happen, it has not happened yet, so how can they be this group?
(2) They cannot be this group because the 144,000 the Bible speaks of are Jews from the twelve tribes of Israel. Look at Rev. 7:4 “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
(3) Also, the 144,000 have a mark in their forehead. Look at Rev. 14:1, we read, “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, HAVING HIS FATHER'S NAME WRITTEN IN THEIR FOREHEADS.”
The next time the Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on your door and tell you that they are part of the 144,000, ask them to show you the proof they are from the twelve tribes of Israel, and ask to see the “Father’s name written in their foreheads.”
(4) But also, look at verse 3, we read, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
The next time they come to your door, tell them you want to hear them sing the song that nobody but the 144, 000 could learn.
(5) But look at verse 4, we read, “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins….”
As you know, when Jehovah’s Witnesses go from door to door, they often take their children with them to train them to go from door to door, spreading their teachings. When they stand at your door with those children, ask them if they are virgins. If they are, whose children are these?
(6) These were men. Look at verse 4 again, we read, “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. THESE WERE REDEEMED FROM AMONG MEN, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”
The 144,000 Jewish Missionaries will be men. The Bible says, “…These were redeemed from among men…”
In summary, the Jehovah’s Witnesses can not be the 144,000 witnesses of Revelation 6, because the Bible teaches:
• This is yet to happen. So these today cannot be the 144,000 now.
• They were from the twelve tribes of Israel. They are Jews.
• They are all Virgins.
• They all have the name of the Father in their foreheads.
• They all have learned that new song.
• They are all men.
They can not meet one of these conditions that the scriptures teaches they should be able to meet. NOT ONE!
THEY ARE VERY DANGEROUS
FOR TWO REASONS
(1) They are one of the most aggressive religious groups on the face of the earth.
(2) Their doctrine is one of the most damnable doctrines being spread today.
Only the God of the Bible knows how many people are in Hell today because of their aggressiveness, and the damnable teachings that they have carried to people who did not know the truth.
While Bible-believing churches are asleep in spiritual “slumberland,” these folks are going from door to door, and converting people to believe in their damnable teachings.
The average church in America is not doing anything to expose this dangerous group. WHAT A SHAME!
HOW CAN WE KNOW IF
THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES ARE A CULT?
As previously stated you can know a group is a cult in two ways:
(1) DO THEY FIT THE DEFINITION OF BEING A CULT? Yes, the Jehovah’s Witnesses certainly do.
(2) DO THEIR TEACHINGS CORRESPOND WITH THE TEACHINGS OF GOD’S WORD? No! We will show in chapter two of this book that they have many teachings that do not correspond with the Word of God.
Let us look at this group to see how they fit the definition of being a cult. Remember a cult can be recognized as a cult because of four things.
A. Look at the first part of this definition of a cult - It is a Group or movement exhibiting excessive devotion to a person or idea.
Very few people would question the devotion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but their devotion is not the right kind of devotion.
For example, a Bible-preaching church preaches that salvation is by grace alone. That is, they realize the Bible teaches that there is not one thing a person can do to be saved. NOT ONE!
We are saved by His marvelous grace from a literal burning Hell.
Because of what the Lord has done for us, we are motivated out of a heart of love to serve him. THIS IS SCRIPTURAL.
Look at Ephesians 2:8-9, we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
The motive of service for those who are saved by grace, is LOVE for Christ, who died for their sins. This is what a Bible-preaching church teaches.
But that brings us to the place where we need to ask two questions:
(1) The question cannot help but be asked, “If born-again Christians serve Him out of love, then why is it so difficult to get people to serve the Lord?”
Only God knows the answer to that question. The sad conclusion that we hate to reach is this; it could be that they have never been truly saved.
It could be the religion they claim to have is the same kind of religion that the book of James tells about in 2:14-28, that is a worthless religion.
(2) Then we need to ask ourselves another question, “If true Christians are motivated by love, then why is it that Jehovah’s Witnesses put them to shame in their service?”
I already told you, it is commendable the way this religious group goes from door to door spreading their message. But again, their service is done for the wrong motive.
That is, they are taught that you MUST SERVE in order to be a part of God’s kingdom. No one should make such a serious charge against any religious organization unless they can prove this to be so.
Look at the proof showing that they believe that salvation is by works. It can be found in (Watchtower, 2/15/79, p 30). They state, “Salvation is by works, through membership in the organization.”
They work the way they do because they are afraid of what will happen to them if they do not do it!
But remember a cult, by definition is a Group or movement exhibiting excessive devotion to a person or idea.
Anyone who knows anything about this group, would not deny that these people display EXCESSIVE DEVOTION to the organization to which they belong.
They certainly fit this part of the definition of being a cult.
B. Look at the second part of this definition of a cult. Cults are generally understood to be religious groups with radical views and practices that clash with what is accepted today as normal social behavior.
They certainly have some radical PRACTICES and VIEWS.
For example, if you listen to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, everyone is wrong but them. EVERYONE!
While all the major religious groups may differ on some things, they agree on most things.
But the Jehovah’s Witnesses make the claim that:
• They are the only church
• They only are qualified to interpret scripture
• They only have the true teachings from God
What a ridiculous claim, THIS IS RADICAL!
You might have ten people together, and a dog walks up while they are standing there talking, and:
• Four of them say, “That is a bull dog.”
• Five of them say, “No, that is a German shepherd dog.”
They may differ on the kind of dog it might be, but at least they all agree it is a dog.
But suppose that tenth person in the group says, “No, you are all wrong, that is not a dog at all, that is a cat!”
This is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses do. They are of the persuasion that they are the only ones who are right, and no one else knows what they are talking about.
Remember a cult is a group that has by definition, “Radical views and practices”.
When we get to chapter two, we will see where they have some radical practices and views about the scriptures.
C. Look at the third part of this definition of a cult. Many of these cultic groups actually isolate themselves in communes or from society.
One of the first things that a cult knows they must do to keep their converts in place, is to isolate the members from others who have opposing views.
That includes isolating them from their neighbors, friends and family members as much as possible.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are often referred to as a SOCIETY for a reason, it is because they are a society within a society.
• They may live in our society, but they are a separate society within our society.
• Their leaders encourage them to stay within the society of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If we are going to make such a statement, fairness requires that it should be documented.
Look at some of their literature that reveals how they encourage their members to isolate themselves from non-Jehovah’s Witnesses.
They said in (Watchtower - 94 2/15, p 24) “We must also be on guard against extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school friend, a coworker, or a business associate. We may reason, ‘He respects the Witnesses, he leads a clean life, and we do talk about the truth occasionally.’ Yet, the experience of others proves that in time we may even find ourselves preferring such worldly company to that of a spiritual brother or sister.”
Anyone who can read this article cannot help but reach the conclusion that they are trying to discourage their members from associating with non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, because they fear they may start preferring the company of a non-Jehovah’s Witness over a Jehovah’s Witness.
Some of the Jehovah’s Witnesses do associate with non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, but it is rare. And most likely it is something the leaders of their society do not know about.
Also, look at their literature in, (km 6/89 1-2 Enjoying Theocratic Association), they state, “…Some in the congregation may be inclined to invite worldly acquaintances and unbelieving relatives who have no interest in the truth, to social gatherings, thinking that this will encourage them to accept the truth. However, is this wise and in harmony with the Scriptures? We have been counseled to be cautious in our dealings with men of the nations, unbelievers, and ordinary persons. (See the November 15, 1988, issue of The Watchtower, pages 15-16.) Why should we have unnecessary social contact with people who still pursue worldly ways and who have not become worshipers of Jehovah? (2 Cor. 6:14,15) Some who are negligent spiritually may seek out others who also hold on to worldly thinking and ways instead of seeking association with mature Christians who could help them become strong in the faith. They fail to appreciate that attendance at social gatherings with worldly, unprincipled people can weaken their faith and corrupt them.—Compare 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15.”
The Society (JW’s) encourages all Jehovah’s Witnesses to have very little association with non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, neighbors, ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses, coworkers, schoolmates and relatives.
Why? Because they want to isolate them from any opposing views that might cause them to leave the movement.
You see, the TRUTH is the biggest threat to a cult.
This is why they do everything they can to isolate their members from others who have the truth, or opposing view points.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been very successful in isolating their members from the general public.
But they now have a problem they do not know how to deal with. They do not know how to keep their members from mixing in with others within our society. The newest problem in this area is the INTERNET!
The Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses) is extremely negative regarding the Internet.
Why? Because it allows their members, in the privacy of their homes, to go on web sites that expose the Jehovah’s Witnesses false teachings.
This is why they encourage their members to stay away from the Internet.
For example, a letter was sent out to the Jehovah’s Witnesses by the Watchtower leaders on May 27th, 1999, cautioning the members not to be putting things on the Internet. But they close the letter with this footnote, “Let's wisely give our first fruits to Jehovah God. Once the Brothers and Sisters come online they will spend too much time on the Internet and not enough time in field service, personal studies of the watchtower literature, and meeting attendance.”
While we hear a great deal about the bad things the devil is using the Internet for, we seldom hear about how God is using it. Such as:
• Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the world are going to web sites like http://www.sermonsnet.com that provide resources like this book for them to see an opposing view. Many are downloading these resources, and in the privacy of their homes are coming to know the TRUTH, and leaving the movement!
• Through the Internet, many Jehovah’s Witnesses are able to talk with ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses, who share how God has led them from DECEPTION to the TRUTH!
• Many of them share some of the horror stories of how their lives were wrecked by this aggressive cult that held them in bondage for many years.
They are telling their tragic stories of joining this cult to anyone who will listen to them.
God is using the Internet to get into the homes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and many of them are discovering for the first time, that God can deliver them from this false teaching, and place eternal life within their hearts.
The fact that the Jehovah’s Witnesses isolate their members as much as possible, classifies them as a cult.
It they preach the Truth as they claim, why should they be afraid to let their people be exposed to opposing views?
Any time someone tries to isolate people from society, you can safely brand them as a cult.
D. Look at the fourth part of this definition of a cult. Often these leaders boast of having been divinely chosen, or even of being themselves divine in nature.
When someone gets into their car, and tells us to get into our car and follow them, we should not follow them if we are not convinced they are going the right way.
One thing that can be said of their leaders, they are CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT.
That is, as you study the history of the men who have led this movement, they have been wrong on the scriptures most of the time.
They contradict each other, and they contradict the Word of God.
They say something ONE DAY, and they might DENY IT THE NEXT DAY.
For example, they have contradicted themselves on ASTROLOGY, on numerous occasions.
• Three articles in the “Awake!” magazine, (1994 July 8) deride astrology and star worship.
What is missing in these articles is what the Watchtower Society used to teach, and what it once promoted.
For 62 years, 1891 to 1953, the Watchtower Society taught that God resided on the star Alcyone in the Pleiades constellation, and that from this star he governed the universe!
This belief was taught in 1891, in Volume 3, of Studies in the Scriptures, and was based on passages in the Bible.
• The Watchtower Society also taught that the Great Pyramid of Egypt provided additional proof of God's throne in the Pleiades! (The Golden Age 1924 September 10 pp. 793-794)
• The constellations of the Zodiac are presently considered by the Watchtower Society as being of pagan origin. (Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, (1988) p. 1240)
The same were regarded in 1914 as of Divine origin, with each of the 12 Zodiacal signs having numerous correspondences with the Bible.
If you ask them about the inconsistent positions they have taken, they might say that the organization is still learning.
If that is so, then how can they trust what they are taught now by the Watchtower?
Will what they are being taught now change also?
A true prophet of God won't err in prophesying, only a false prophet does. The Jehovah’s Witness organization, that claims to be a prophet of God, is really a false prophet.
Jesus warned us by saying, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect -- if that were possible." (Matt. 24:24).
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a cult. We know this because they FIT THE DEFINTION OF A CULT.
CHAPTER TWO
THE SCRIPTURES
CLASSIFY THEM AS A CULT
The Jehovah’s Witnesses will be the first to tell you that their teachings are different from the mainstream religions. But if they did not tell you that, once you start to compare what they believe to what the Bible teaches, you will soon see that they do not believe the Word of God.
For example, let’s look at two of the major doctrines of the Bible that they teach incorrectly. There are many more, but the reason we say these are the two major doctrines that they teach incorrectly is because if you do not teach and believe the TRUTH about these two doctrines, you cannot be saved.
A. THE DEITY OF CHRIST
What surprises many folks when they allow these people to enter their homes, is that they use the name of Jesus and they use the Bible a great deal.
This makes the folks in the homes think, “I have been misinformed about these folks because I have been told they do not believe the Bible or in Christ.”
But the fact is, the Jesus they believe in is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Just because someone uses the name Jesus, does not mean that they know the Jesus of the Bible.
For example, suppose I tell you I know a fellow by the name of Bill Brown. And you tell me that you know a fellow by the name of Bill Brown also. But suppose I tell you that the Bill Brown that I know:
• Is about six feet tall
• Has curly black hair
• Has an IQ of 150
And all the women in the world are crazy over him.
But as I describe Bill Brown to you, it does not fit the description of the Bill Brown that you know.
When the Jehovah’s Witnesses begin to talk about the Jesus they know, you will reach the conclusion that this is not the Jesus of the Bible, it is not the Jesus that the Bible describes.
For example, what would it be like to know the Jesus of the Bible?
Suppose we lived on the earth when he was living. And let us suppose we saw him for the first time in a physical body, what would we likely see?
• Perhaps a man that was around 5’ 10” tall
• Perhaps a man with black hair
• Perhaps a man with dark skin
• Perhaps a man that weighs 160 pounds
• Perhaps a man with dark eyes
All of these things we could see with the human eye.
But there is something we could not see. WHAT IS THAT?
Paul tells us in the book of Colossians.
Look at Colossians 2:9, we read, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
WHAT DOES THAT VERSE MEAN?
It simply means that as you and I looked at the physical body of Christ, we would see a person in whom ALL OF GOD DWELT.
Notice, the Bible says, “All the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
When we say we believe in the DEITY of Christ, we are saying we believe that Jesus was GOD IN THE FLESH.
This is what the book of Matthew tells us. Look at Matthew 1:23, where Christ is referred to as “Emmanuel,” which means GOD IS WITH US.
When Christ was here on earth, he was God in the flesh, walking among us.
But the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in Christ that way.
They say:
• Jesus is a god, but He is not the Almighty God
• Jesus is a lesser god, because he was once the archangel Michael, that God (Jehovah) created
• Jesus is not coequal with Jehovah in the Old Testament in power and glory
• Jesus of the New Testament is not the Jehovah of the Old Testament
But the Lord Jesus made it clear in the scripture that He is the Jehovah of Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, Jehovah was “everlasting to ever lasting.”
Look at Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
Notice, in the Old Testament, Jehovah is “Everlasting to everlasting” but in the New Testament, Christ is saying, “That’s me”, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8)
When we say that we believe in the Deity of Christ, we are saying we believe that Christ is God in the flesh.
This is the claim He made, as we will later see from the scriptures.
And if He makes such a claim and it is not true, HE IS A LIAR, and our FAITH IS IN VAIN.
However, the claim He made is an accurate claim. He is Emmanuel, GOD WITH US in human flesh.
The Bible tells us that if anyone like the Jehovah’s Witnesses tell us something different, we are not to believe them.
Look at 1 John 2: 22, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
We are going to see in their own writings, that the Jehovah’s Witnesses state that the Jesus of the Bible is not ALMIGHTY GOD.
According to their Bible, The New World Translation, Christ is "A god" but not "THE God."
But the Bible makes it clear that while Jehovah and Christ have two distinct personalities, they are both the same one God, equal in POWER and GLORY.
That is, the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the JESUS of the New Testament.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not know the Jesus of the Bible. But the Lord wants us to know who He is.
Remember, the Lord asked the disciples, in Matthew 16:13, “…Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?”
They said in verse 14, some think you are John the Baptist, Elias, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
The fact is, those who did not know who Christ was then, are like the Jehovah’s Witnesses who now do not know the Christ of the Bible. They gave the wrong answer.
But the Lord said to the disciples, in verse 15, “Whom say ye that I am?” And Peter gave the correct answer, he said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And the Lord stated they gave the CORRECT ANSWER, and they were to proclaim this truth that He is the Son of God. And he said that on this proclamation that Christ is the Son of God, God would build his church.
If a church proclaims this, this is a true church, but if a church does not proclaim the message that He is Emmanuel, GOD WITH US, it is a false church and the truth is not in them.
The Bible is full of scriptures that recognize the deity of Christ.
1. GOD DECLARED HIS DEITY
The Jehovah’s Witnesses say that He is not almighty God. In (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p 306) which states, “He was just a man, however -- not God in the flesh.”
But God’s Word disagrees with them about Who Christ is.
Look at Hebrews 1:1-12, we read, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; And in his superiority to all the holy angels Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail."
Look at the word “Lord” in verse 10. This is the Greek word kurios, (Pronounced as (koo'-ree-os) which means supreme in authority, (as a respectful title):--God, Lord, master.
The things that the Bible tells us about Christ in Hebrews chapter one, describe things only God can do, SO WE MUST CONFESS THAT IF CHRIST:
• Is a Creator
• Is the forgiver of sins
• Is immutable
• Is worshipped by the angels
He must be Emmanuel, GOD WITH US!
But before we leave this passage in Hebrews, notice, the writer of Hebrews starts this passage off by saying in verse 1, God in “…divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers.”
Notice, he said that God spoke through the prophets “In time past”. This is past tense.
That is, there is no need today for prophets. God moved on the prophets of old and inspired them to give us a Bible that is COMPLETE.
Look at one of the last things that the Book of Revelation states, in Rev. 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
You need to watch out for any group of people who claim that God is still speaking through the prophets, and giving them new revelations that ADD to the Word of God or TAKE AWAY from the Word of God.
DO THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CLAIM TO
BE THE PROPHETS OF GOD?
Yes, they claim to be the prophets of God!
Look at what they said in The Watchtower, 4/1/72, p. 197. "So does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet?...This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian Witnesses..."
Our revelation of Who Christ is today comes directly from the scriptures.
If anyone claims to be a prophet, or claims to have the gift of prophecy, and does not teach what this Bible teaches, you brand them for what they are.
THEY MIGHT BE PROPHETS, BUT THEY ARE FALSE PROPHETS.
God’s Word teaches the DEITY OF CHRIST.
2. THOMAS DECLARED HIS DEITY
“Doubting Thomas,” after the resurrection, was no longer sure Christ was Who He said He was. But when Thomas touched Jesus' wounds after the resurrection, he exclaimed in John 20:28, "My Lord and my God"
The Jehovah’s Witnesses try to say that Thomas was referring to Christ when he said "My Lord" but was referring to God (Jehovah) when he said "My God."
Talk about twisting the scriptures, the fact is, Thomas referred to Christ as “MY LORD and MY GOD”.
And notice this, Christ did not correct him and say, “Thomas, your theology is all messed up!”
The reason the Lord did not correct him, was because Christ was HIS LORD and HIS GOD.
3. THE APOSTLE PAUL DECLARED HIS DEITY
Look at what Paul said about Christ in Colossians 1:15-17, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
If there were no other verses of scripture in the Bible that told us about Christ, these three verses would establish the deity of Christ.
But look at the words “First Born” in verse 15. Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to this passage to support their teaching that Christ was created by Jehovah.
However, if this verse was teaching that Jesus Christ is the first created being made by God, the word "first-created" would have been used of Christ, not the word "firstborn."
These are two different words in the Greek, with two different meanings.
• "First-created" is protoktistos.
• "Firstborn" is prototokos.
Colossians 1:15 does not use the protoktistos, "first-created."
Instead Colosians 1:15 use the word prototokos, which means the first in rank.
The teaching of Colossians 1:15 is that Christ is first in rank above all creation; He is the Heir of all things. He is prior to all creation and superior over it.
4. THE APOSTLE JOHN DECLARED HIS DEITY
Look at what John says about Christ in John 1:10-12, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
Notice, John declares that Christ is the divine Creator. He said, “…The world was made by him….” Only God can create a world like the world in which we live.
5. ISAIAH DECLARED HIS DEITY
Look at what Isaiah said about Christ in Isa. 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
And this One that Isaiah talks about, the Jesus of the Bible, will one day during the Millennial period have the government upon His shoulder.
And notice, while the Jehovah’s Witnesses say he is a god, but not the “Almighty God,” Isaiah refers to him as “…The Mighty God…”
6. CHRIST DECLARED HIS DEITY
Look at what the Lord Jesus said about His deity.
Look at John 10:30, we read, “I and my Father are one.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this verse, "I and my Father are one," means that Christ was one with God the Father in purpose and NOT in nature and essence.
However, if that was all that Christ was saying, why did the Jews want to stone Him?
John 10:33 explains that they wanted to stone Him because He claimed to be God!
Look at John 8:58-59, we read, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.”
WHY DID THEY PICK UP STONES TO STONE HIM? Because he claimed to be God in the flesh.
The Lord claimed deity, in that He said that before Abraham existed, He existed.
The fact is, if the Lord had said that He was not the Son of God at any given time in his earthly life, he would have been lying. He never denied that truth!
The Christ of the Bible was no man, He was the Son of God, and he taught that HE was equal in POWER and GLORY and worthy of Worship as much as God the Father is worthy of worship.
Look at Philippians 2:5-6 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
But also the Book of Philippians reveals that when He became flesh and dwelt among us mortals, He humbled himself and surrender some of His divine attributes temporarily, to pay the price for our sins.
That is, when He was nailed to the cross for our sins, He was not overpowered. He set aside His great power, and willingly laid His life down for us.
Look at Philippians 2:7-8, we read, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
But even though He humbled Himself and became flesh, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
Why? Because the Jesus of the Bible is part of the trinity, HE IS GOD IN THE FLESH!
7. DEMONS DECLARED HIS DEITY
Look at Luke 4:31-44, we read, “And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.”
The Devil does not want us to know who Christ is, but HE knows WHO HE IS.
Notice, the demons in verse 34, “Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.”
Who did they say He was? They said, he was the “Holy One of God.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses may try to appease people by agreeing with them that Jesus is a MIGHTY GOD, but they say he is not the Jehovah of the Old Testament who is the ALMIGHTY GOD.
But the Bible makes it clear that the Jesus of the New Testament is the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
The Bible clearly teaches that in Christ, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt.
And if anyone says something different, God’s Word says they are liars, in 1 John 2:22, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
As I look at what the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach about Christ, and what the Bible teaches about Christ, I believe they are lying.
The next thing we want to look at in the scriptures to show that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a cult is their teachings on-
B. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
George Carey said, "Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith. IT IS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH." (Archbishop of Canterbury, London Times, 1992-APR-19.)
The scripture shows that on the third day Jesus rose from the Grave, not as a Spirit, but as a physical person. He stayed with the Disciples for 40 days, then ascended into heaven.
Here is the scriptural proof for a bodily resurrection of Christ.
• Look at John 2:18-21, "Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? but HE SPAKE OF THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY."
Look at the Greek word for "body". This is the word "soma" (Pronounced as “So’-mah”) The Greek word "soma" is used in scripture to mean a literal body.
Is that significant?
Yes, because the Jehovah’s Witnesses says this is not the case.
• Look at (Awake, 7/22/73, p 4; Let God be True, p 276). Jesus was only 'spiritually' raised, not physically.
• For example, when it comes to the Bodily resurrection of Christ, in their book “Let God be True”, Page 92, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, they stated, "He was put to death a man, BUT WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD A SPIRIT BEING. The man Jesus Christ is dead, forever dead. So the King Christ Jesus was put to death a man, but was resurrected a invisible spirit creature."
This is clearly in contradiction with the scripture. The Bible shows that Christ died and was bodily raised on the third day, and was seen as he ascended into heaven.
When the Lord was resurrected, he was resurrected in a literal body.
Look at Luke 24:37-39, "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; FOR A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES, AS YE SEE ME HAVE."
The Lord Jesus, after His resurrection, very clearly tells these men that he is not a Spirit, but he has flesh and bone.
He also made that clear to Thomas.
Look at John 20:26-28 "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God."
He wanted doubting Thomas to know that HE WAS REAL, he was no ghost.
Thomas was so convinced that He was real, that Thomas said, “…My Lord and my God.”
The Scripture says that Christ was resurrected in a literal body.
While the scripture clearly teaches a literal resurrection of Christ, the Jehovah’s Witnesses clearly reject the teaching of the scripture.
Our hope as Christians resides in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The fact is, the Bible says in 1 Cor. 15:17, "If Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins"
That is what the scripture teaches.
But look how the Jehovah’s Witnesses explain that Christ was not raised in a literal body.
Argument #1
Their argument is found in 1 Cor. 15:50 which states, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
They fail to understand that “Flesh and blood” appears only five times in the New Testament.
• Matt. 16:17
• Gal. 1:16
• Heb. 2:14
• Eph. 6:12
• 1 Cor. 15:50
Under close examination, we can see that in each case the writer is speaking not of literal flesh and blood, but of natural man.
The Christian Church has always taught that natural man (man in his sinful nature) "cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." Natural man needs to be born again. (see John 3:3).
ARGUMENT #2
A further attempt made to discredit the bodily resurrection, (so strongly taught against by the Jehovah’s Witnesses,) is 1 Peter 3:18, which states, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”
Peter spoke of Christ being made alive in the spirit.
They claim that Jesus was raised from the dead as a spirit.
However, this text does not say that Christ was brought forth from the dead as a spirit - it simply informs us that Jesus was raised "in the Spirit" or "by the Spirit"
Now if you are going to believe the argument that Christ was brought forth from the dead as a spirit, you have a serious problem with Romans 8:11 which states, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
The problem is this; if we are to understand the term "in the Spirit" as being a spirit, (as the Watchtower Society wants us to believe) then we must also believe that all the Christians living in Rome were spirits, because according to the Apostle Paul, in Romans 8:9, all the Christians were, " not in the flesh, but in the Spirit."
Also, when we examine other references (Rev.1:10, Gal. 5:25, Eph. 6:18 and 1 Pet. 4:6) concerning "being in the Spirit," it can further be shown how futile the Watchtower's position is.
ARGUMENT #3
The Jehovah’s Witnesses also use the two accounts of Jesus not being recognized by those who knew Him as proof of being resurrected in a different form.
This position, however, comes from shallow Bible study, twisting Scriptures and using verses out of context.
This is evident from the fact that the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) did not recognize Him because He was in a different form than when He was crucified.
They completely ignore verse 16, speaking of the disciples, "Their eyes were holden that they should not know Him."
This can only mean that it was the same body, because Jesus had supernaturally veiled their eyes.
After their faith was tested (verses 25 and 26), He opened their eyes and they knew Him (verse 31). We can clearly see that the Scriptures tell us the disciples did not know Jesus because He did not will them to know Him.
In "The Time Is At Hand," (page 128) Witnesses tell us "he [Jesus] appeared to Mary as the gardener.”
Scripture is clear that it is Mary who is in error, thinking that Jesus is the gardener. John 20:15 emphasizes this point when it states, "She, supposing Him to be the gardener."
Once again, Sacred Scripture makes it clear that the Watchtower Society has misrepresented what God has set forth in His Word.
ARGUMENT #4
An extremely important text on the bodily resurrection of Jesus, (and one which many times is overlooked by Christians) is Colossians 2:9.
This is a very significant verse concerning the Deity of Jesus, but it is even more so in regard to His bodily resurrection.
We are told by the Apostle Paul, "For in Him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness for the Godhead bodily."
Paul used the Greek word KATOIKEI (dwelleth), which is present time. (Paul was writing some 25 years after the resurrection.)
He uses the word SOMATIKOS (bodily) that is - in a physical bodily form.
When we view this verse, we can now see that Paul announces that at the present time, the fullness of the Godhead is still, even in heaven, residing in Christ in a physical, bodily form.
To deny and misrepresent what the Bible teaches concerning Christ's resurrection, is an extremely serious matter, and will result in one being lost eternally.
Look at Romans 10:9. We read, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
If Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in their hearts that God has raised Jesus bodily from among the dead as the Bible teaches, how can those who embrace the Watchtower's doctrines ever hope of having eternal life?
Our concern is for Jehovah’s Witnesses to come to know the TRUE RESURRECTED LORD JESUS....
Also, look at their false teaching on-
C. ETERNAL HELL
In their book, “Let God Be True”, p.79-80, they state, “The doctrine of eternal torment (hell) is not valid”. (Let God be True, p.79, 80) Also, in (Let God Be True, p.59, 60, 67) they state, “The soul becomes extinct (nonexistent) after death.”
RESPONSE:
Scripture, in both the Old and New Testament, teaches that the wicked will be eternally tormented in Hell.
Some try to say that the word “Everlasting” or “Eternal” does not mean “Forever”. But those same people, when they speak of the eternal rewards, use this same Greek word to mean “Forever”. Fairness demands that the word be used consistently. For example, if there is an end to the rewards of the righteous, then we will concede there is an end to eternal punishment of the lost.
The Scriptures makes it clear that the punishment of the wicked is eternal, and describes it as enduring “for ever and ever.”
In Rev. 19:2-3, we read, “For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for EVER AND EVER.”
In Rev. 20:10, we read, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night FOR EVER AND EVER.”
In Rev. 14:11, we read, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for EVER AND EVER: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Those who oppose a literal, burning, everlasting hell, argue that “eternal” and “everlasting” means annihilation. They state that fire consumes.
That is not necessarily true. How about the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3:27, where we read, “And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.”
Hell is a real place for the devil and his angels.
Look at Matthew 25:41, we read, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”
It was not created for us mortals, but we are free moral agents, and God lets us choose where we want to spend eternity, in Heaven with Him or in Hell with Satan.
D. SALVATION
In (Watchtower, 2/15/79, p 30). “Salvation is by works, through membership in the organization.”
So what do the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe about salvation? Let the following quote from their own literature answer this:
“Do not conclude that there are different roads, or ways, that you can follow to gain life in God's new system. There is only one. There was just the one ark that survived the Flood, not a number of boats. And there will be only one organization—God's visible organization—that will survive the fast-approaching ‘great tribulation.’ It is simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. (Matthew 7:21-23; 24:21) You must be part of Jehovah's organization, doing God's will, in order to receive his blessing of everlasting life.” —Psalm 133:1-3. (You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, 1982, p. 255.)
They teach salvation is by WORKS, but the Bible clearly teaches that Salvation is by grace through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ.
RESPONSE:
Look at Ephesians 2:8-9, we read, “For BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.”
E. THE TRINITY
In (Let God be True, p 100, 101,) we read, “The doctrine of the ‘trinity’ is an invention of man.”
RESPONSE:
Although the word "trinity" is not used in the Bible, the concept of the three-in-one God is throughout the Old and New Testaments.
One of the main things Jehovah’s Witnesses seek to share is their disbelief in the Trinity. That is, they waste no time once they reach a home for Bible study in misrepresenting what the Bible teaches about the Trinity.
This is a direct attack on the deity of Christ. They know that to destroy the deity of Christ, they must destroy the teachings of the Trinity that shows Christ is God.
A good definition of the Trinity is, “The Trinity consists of three persons in one God, that is, there is "one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit".
They are all three equal in POWER and GLORY!
Let’s look at what the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach about the Trinity.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Christ is equal in POWER and GLORY with God the Father.
In their book “You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth”, p 39 (First published in 1982) they give us two examples of the Watchtower’s belief in the Trinity.
• They put forth the question, “How does the Bible show that God and Jesus are two separate persons who are not equal?”
• And the second example of THE WATCHTOWER TRINITY on page 39 is the caption under the picture of Jesus. It reads: Since Jesus prayed to God, asking that God's will, not his, be done, the two could not be the same person.
Let’s look at these two examples:
1. EXAMINING THE FIRST EXAMPLE IN DETAIL
How does the Bible show that God and Jesus are two separate persons who are not equal?
What is the correct Trinity teaching?
Bible believers understand that the Athanasian Creed teaches what the Bible teaches, that is: "The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods, but one God"
The Bible does not teach:
• The Father IS the Son or that the Father IS the Holy Spirit.
• It does NOT teach that the Son IS the Father or the Son IS the Holy Spirit.
• It does NOT teach that the Holy Spirit IS the Father or that the Holy Spirit IS the Son.
The Bible teaches this about the Trinity:
The three persons of the Trinity are separate and distinct, all equal in power, substance and eternity.
When they teach that the Bible reveals that God and Jesus are two separate persons, Bible believers agree. We disagree with them when they say that they are two gods, and when they say that they are not equal in power and glory.
Look at 1 Cor. 8:5-6, we read, “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
They are right in teaching that the Bible declares that Christ and the Father are separate individuals, but they are incorrect to state that Jesus was not equal in POWER and GLORY!
The Lord Jesus made the claim that He was equal with God the Father in Power and Glory.
Look at John 5:18, we read, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”
The Jews tried to kill Jesus for two reasons.
1) Jesus worked miracles on the Sabbath (verses 17-18)
2) Jesus called God HIS OWN FATHER, and the Jews RECOGNIZED and UNDERSTOOD that Jesus was making himself EQUAL with God.
The term "Son of God" does not express the idea that Jesus is inferior to the Father. In fact, the opposite is true.
This verse shows that Jesus claimed equality with his Father's nature. To the Jewish people, this was pure blasphemy.
Look at John 19:7, we read, “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
The Bible says that Jesus was sinless. Jesus, by calling himself the "Son of God", made himself out to be equal with God.
If Jesus WASN'T equal to the Father, then Jesus WOULD be guilty of
blasphemy, and could NOT have been a perfect ransom for our sins. The sin for blasphemy was stoning.
2. EXAMINING THE SECOND EXAMPLE IN DETAIL
The second example from THE WATCHTOWER TRINITY on page 39 is the caption under the picture of Jesus. It reads: “Since Jesus prayed to God, asking that God's will, not his, be done, the two could not be the same person.”
This is THE WATCHTOWER TRINITY.
Bible Believers (Trinitarians) do not believe that Jesus is the Father, nor do Christendom Trinitarians believe that the Father is Jesus.
When a Jehovah’s Witness asks a Trinitarian if Jesus is the Father, many say yes, and unknowingly, fall right into the Watchtower's trap of teaching THE WATCHTOWER TRINITY instead of CHRISTENDOM'S TRINITY.
Falsifying the Christendom Trinity has been a longtime Watchtower tradition.
There are many books and publications where the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society promote THE WATCHTOWER TRINITY.
This was a favorite subject of founder, Charles Taze Russell. He stated in –“The Finished Mystery” (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 7), 1917, page 11.
Which God gave unto Him.--"The declaration that 'the Son can do nothing of Himself,' if it were not backed up as it is by a score of other testimonies from the same interested and inspired Teacher, is a contradiction to the common thought of Trinitarians, that the Son is the Father."
Here, Charles says that the common thought of Trinitarians is that the Son is the Father. This is not true, but they continue to spread this falsehood.
As shown above, the belief that the Son is the Father is a MODALISTIC point of view and NOT shared by Trinitarians.
There is a term for the belief that the Father - IS the Son - IS the Holy Spirit. It is called "MODALISM" and it was condemned in the second century by Polycarp. Polycarp was a disciple, or a student, of the Apostle John.
In the 5th volume of “Studies in the Scriptures”, Charles writes: “Moreover, the very words ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ imply a difference, and contradict the thoughts of the Trinity and oneness of person...” (– The Atonement Between God and Man, 1906, page 60).
Here, Charles says that the distinction between the Father and Son contradict the Christendom Trinity.
WHAT IS THE TRUE TEACHING CONCERNING THE TRINITY?
The truth is that there are three persons in one God, that is, there is "one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit".
No contradiction of the Christendom Trinity is found in the belief that the Father is distinct from the Son. Indeed, the distinction between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit IS taught in the Trinity as well as in the baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19.
On page 76 of Volume 5, Charles writes: “How strange that any should attempt to misuse and pervert these our Lord's words, to make them support the unreasonable and unscriptural doctrine of a Trinity, -- three Gods in ONE PERSON.”
How strange, indeed -- that is, IF the Trinity was DEFINED as three Gods in ONE PERSON.
This teaching that the Trinity is three Gods in one person can be found spread throughout the Watchtower publications.
An example of this can be found in the April 1, 1970 edition of the Watchtower (page 210): Ask the student, "How many Jehovahs are there?" Let him answer. The answer is obvious that there is only one Jehovah. When he discerns this, you have caused him to register an important fact in his mind that he might otherwise have missed. Help him to appreciate further what this means to him. Reason with him, perhaps in this way: "If he is one Jehovah, then could he be three gods, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, as the Trinitarians teach?"....You have also exposed a basic false doctrine--the doctrine of the Trinity.
Again, this Watchtower publication is teaching THE WATCHTOWER
TRINITY. The Christendom Trinity does not teach belief in three Gods
(polytheism).
The Trinity teaches belief in one God (monotheism).
• THE FATHER ETERNAL
• THE SON ETERNAL
• THE HOLY GHOST ETERNAL
And yet they are not three “eternals”, but one Eternal.
So likewise:
• THE FATHER IS ALMIGHTY
• THE SON ALMIGHTY
• THE HOLY GHOST ALMIGHTY
And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
And Likewise.
• THE FATHER IS GOD
• THE SON IS GOD
• THE HOLY GHOST IS GOD
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So there is:
• ONE FATHER, NOT THREE FATHERS
• ONE SON, NOT THREE SONS
• ONE HOLY GHOST, NOT THREE HOLY GHOSTS
And in this Trinity, none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
For the right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.
F. THE HOLY SPIRIT
“The Holy Spirit is an inanimate force or power.” (Watchtower, 6/1/52, p 24; Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp 406, 407)
RESPONSE:
The Holy Spirit is a Person.
The Bible could be divided up into three categories, for example:
• The Old Testament could be called the age of the Father
• The Gospels could be called the age of the Son
• From Pentecost until the Second Coming of Christ now can be called the age of Holy Spirit
Since we live in the age of the Holy Spirit, the teachings of the Holy Spirit should be of great concern to us. But yet, ignorance prevails among God’s people when it comes to the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
To many, He is no more than a Spiritual “Fix.” When they need a “Spiritual lift” he gives them a “Fix” that will last them for several hours.
But the fact is, He is the third person of the holy Trinity. He is identified as a PERSON.
HE SPEAKS - Rev. 2:7 We read, “He that hath an ear, let him HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
HE MAKES INTERCESSION - Romans 8:26 We read, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but THE SPIRIT ITSELF MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
HE CAN BE GRIEVED - Eph. 4:30 We read, “And GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
HE CAN BE LIED TO - Acts 5:3 We read, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to LIE TO THE HOLY GHOST, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”
The Bible teaches the deity of the Holy Spirit. This can be seen from the Scriptures in five ways, such as:
(1) DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
• In Acts 5:4 the Holy Spirit is called God. We read, “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? THOU HAST NOT LIED UNTO MEN, BUT UNTO GOD.”
• In 2 Cor. 3-18 He is called Lord. We read, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
(2) DIVINE ATTRIBUTES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
In Heb 9:14, He is eternal. We read, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through THE ETERNAL SPIRIT offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
In Psa 139:7-10, He is Omnipresent. We read, “WHITHER SHALL I GO FROM THY SPIRIT? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
In 1 Cor. 2:10-11, He is Omniscient. We read, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
(3) DIVINE WORKS ARE ASCRIBED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
• Creation in Gen. 1:2, Psa. 104:30, and Job 33:4
• Regeneration in John 3:5-8
• Resurrection in Romans 8:11
(4) DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
In 1 Cor. 12:4-6, we read, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”
(5) SOME PASSAGES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT REFER TO GOD, AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THEY TO REFER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
• Compare Isa. 6:8-10 with Acts 28:25:27
• Compare Exodus 16:7 with Hebrews 3:7-9
The Jehovah’s Witnesses ignore most of the teachings on the Holy Spirit, because they do not know how they can fit Him in to their twisted views of the Scriptures.
G. BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Many Jehovah’s Witnesses die each year because of their teaching about blood transfusions.
One such case is that of a young Phoenix woman who died, "...48 hours after refusing a blood transfusion that could have saved her life" (Arizona Republic, 9 March 1968).
This is not simply one isolated case, but rather is becoming an epidemic. A few years ago, Leslie Kane reported, "There are 550,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in the U.S., and they are forbidden by their religion to receive human blood. A number of them died after refusing transfusions" (The Star, 12 Feb. 1980).
Since its beginning, the Watchtower Society has issued several policies regarding certain established medical treatments.
In the 1930's, the Watchtower Society began attacking the issue of smallpox vaccinations.
In the May 1, 1929 issue of the magazine, “The Golden Age”, the Watchtower stated, "Thinking people would rather have smallpox than vaccination, because the latter sows seeds of syphilis, cancers, eczema, erysipelas, scrofula, consumption, even leprosy and many other loathsome affections. Hence the practice of vaccinations is a crime, an outrage, and a delusion" (p. 502).
Several years later, Witnesses were told that vaccinations were against God's law. This was based on their interpretation of Genesis 9:4, "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat."
As one can imagine, this policy caused quite a problem for Witnesses who needed vaccinations to enter school, or to enter the country. In order to circumvent this problem, the Witnesses would simply have a Jehovah’s Witness doctor give them a certificate without ever having the vaccinations. In some cases, doctors would even simulate vaccinations on children by the use of acid (Witnesses of Jehovah, p.178).
However, in 1952, the Watchtower reversed its policy by stating that, "The matter of vaccinations is one for the individual that has to face it to decide for himself" (The Watchtower, Dec. 15, 1952, p.764).
For the next several years, all was fairly quiet on the medical front for Witnesses until 1967. In that year, Witnesses were told that organ transplants were a form of cannibalism!
In the November 15, 1967 Watchtower, Witnesses were told that those who submit to organ transplants were "...living off the flesh of another human. That is cannibalism... Jehovah God did not grant permission for humans to try to perpetrate their lives by cannibalistically taking into their bodies human flesh, whether chewed, or in the form of whole organs, or body parts taken from others" (pp. 702-704).
Nevertheless, this policy, too, was reversed. In the March 25, 1980 issue of the Watchtower, they stated, "It may be argued, too, that organ transplants are different from cannibalism since the 'donor' is not killed to supply food..., there is no Biblical command pointedly forbidding the taking in of other human tissue" (p.31).
The article concluded by stating that it was a matter of individual conscience. Once again, "God" had changed his mind, but at what price?
How many Witnesses lives were destroyed between 1967 and 1980 because of a ruling by an autocratic body of men?
Presently, the same tragedy is happening all over again as Witnesses are constantly being admonished to refuse blood transfusions.
• Will the Governing Body once again reverse the policy?
• Will "God" once again change his mind?
Probably, but only after hundreds, if not thousands, of Witnesses lose their lives.
WHAT IS THEIR ARGUMENT CONCERNING BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS?
Their argument is that blood is sacred.
Blood as used in the Bible is a symbol; it is not sacred in, and of, itself. The things symbolized, life and redemption, specifically the life and redeeming blood of Christ, are what are sacred. Does the refusal of a transfusion by a Jehovah’s Witness, perhaps resulting in death, uphold the sacredness God required for blood as a symbol? Or, does it do violence to the sacred reality of the symbol, life and redemption?
The fact is, blood transfusion is the opposite of what they state. For example, because blood is symbolic of life and redemption, would not the acceptance of a blood transfusion honor the sacred reality, life and redemption? Would not the giving of blood in a transfusion to save a physical life be parallel to Christ giving his blood on Calvary for our eternal life?
Their reason for not accepting a transfusion, is that it is the same thing as eating blood, and the Bible speaks against the eating of blood or meat that has not been bled. But, is that what the Bible says, and can it be extended to the transfusing of blood?
RESPONSE:
When it is pointed out to a Witness that the Bible says nothing against blood transfusions, they will frequently respond by saying, "Of course, such a procedure was unknown in Biblical times. But, the Bible does say to 'abstain from blood' and how can you 'abstain' while taking a transfusion?" Could the answer be that we are also to "abstain from meat offered to idols"
(Acts 15:29) which Paul said was a matter of conscience and regard for a weaker brother (1 Cor.8)?
The reason God placed a restriction on blood in the first place was because as Leviticus 17:11 says, "...for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."
God was sanctifying, setting apart for a holy purpose, the symbol of life and man's redemption, so that man would have the highest respect for it.
Many pagan religions profaned blood by the way they used it. For instance it has been the view of many in occultic religions in both ancient and modern times, that if you would eat animal, or even human flesh while it was still living, you would receive in yourself the strength, or life force of the thing being eaten. This was the reason why God placed such a restriction on Noah and Israel.
In the Old Testament sacrifices we see animal blood being shed for the sins of the people. These sacrifices typified the shedding of the blood of Jesus on Calvary. So the sanctification of blood as a sacred symbol was ultimately because of the sacredness of the blood of Jesus. However, the purpose of the shedding of blood, whether in type in the Old Testament, or in the reality of Christ in the New Testament, was because the purpose of God was to give life. Hence, the value of life itself is preeminent over its symbol, blood.
Isn't it interesting that the Church, which God purchased with His own blood, (Acts 20:28) is told to eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood symbolically in the Lord's Supper (John 6:53-58)?
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have some RADICAL VIEWS when it comes to MEDICAL VIEW POINTS.
But also they have some RADICAL VIEWS when it comes to-
H. PATRIOTISM
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are not patriotic people. They refuse to go to war and defend the freedom of their country. But they have not always been this way.
• We read in The Watchtower, Aug. 1, 1898, pg. 231, "Notice that there is no command in the Scriptures against military service"
• Again in The Watchtower, April 15, 1903, pg. 120, they said, "There could be nothing against our conscience in going in the army. Wherever we would go we could take the Lord with us, the Captain of our salvation, and wherever we would go we could find opportunities to serve him and his cause"
Was it wrong to kill in war?
• Not according to AWAKE, Sep. 8, 1975 pgs. 27-28 and July 22, pg. 7. Jehovah's Witnesses were told that force, EVEN DEADLY FORCE, was allowed to protect one's self or another!
But today, the Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to bear arms in defense of their country. What was once right has now become wrong.
RESPONSE:
The Old Testament is filled with Scriptures where God commanded Israel to go to war. If it was wrong then, it is wrong now. If God commanded them to do something that was wrong, He commanded them to sin, and we know He does not do that.
Look at Deut. 20:13-18, we read, “And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.”
Look at 1 Samuel 15:3-15, we read, “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
God was very upset with Saul because He would not utterly destroy these wicked Amalekites.
The Old Testament is filled with God’s commands to go to war against their enemies.
In The New Testament we find that one of the these days, Christ Himself is going to make war.
Look at Rev. 19:11, we read, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”
The Jehovah Witnesses views on war are like their other warped views on the Scriptures.
They also have some false views on-
I. DEATH
Those who know what the Bible teaches, know that once a person dies they go to one of two places; HEAVEN or HELL.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe this. Instead, they believe that when we die, WE CEASE TO EXIST.
In the 1929 book "Life," the statement is made "The dead are not alive in any sense; they are dead, and know not anything." This is the unscriptural view that they take as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Since its inception, (in Creation, p.271) they state their view of death and of those who have died is, "... that the dead are actually dead, unconscious, in the tomb, and know not anything until God's due time to awaken them"
That is, all who have died throughout history are still in their graves awaiting the resurrection. No one who has died over the centuries of time is conscious. This view leads the Witnesses to the inevitable conclusion that the soul of man is not immortal.
In their book, (“Let God Be True”, p.69; 1953 ed.) the Jehovah’s Witnesses state, "The result of such a thorough search will be that you cannot find a single text in which either of those original words for 'soul' is connected or associated with such words as 'immortal, everlasting, eternal, or deathless.' There is not one Bible text that states the human soul is immortal."
RESPONSE:
Paul's desire can be found in 2 Cor. 5:8, in which he says "...to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,"
If Paul did not expect to be with the Lord, he would have not been so eager to "be absent from the body."
The apostle Paul also spoke of life after death when he said, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better," (Phil. 1:23).
It would be of no advantage to "depart," if one simply expected to become unconscious!
But not only did the apostle Paul speak about what takes place after death, John also spoke of it in the Book of Revelation.
John said, "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: 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." (Rev. 6:9-10)
It is obvious from this scriptural passage, that those who were crying to the Lord had once lived on earth, and are now conscious, and at the same time in the presence of the Lord.
Regardless of the fact that the Bible does not use the words, "The soul is immortal," or say that one is "Conscious immediately after death," the Bible plainly teaches this to be true.
They also have some false views on-
J. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
They have embarrassed themselves with their many contradictions about the Second Coming of Christ.
Look at some of the weird beliefs they have taught about the Second Coming of Christ, and how they have tried to cover their mistakes.
• “...the Bridegroom came in the Autumn of 1874, and he appeared to the eyes of faith - seen by the light of the lamp - the Word.”
(Zion’s Watchtower Reprints October/November 1881 p. 289)
• “Our Lord’s presence as Bridegroom and Reaper was recognized during the first three and a half years, from A.D. 1874 to A.D. 1878. Since that time it has been emphatically manifest that the time had come in A.D. 1878 when kingly judgment should begin at the house of God.” (Studies in the Scriptures Vol. II 1889 p. 239)
• “…he [Jesus] would in reality assume the kingly office, power, etc.; viz., in the spring of 1878, three and a half years after his second advent at the beginning of the harvest period, in the fall of 1874.” (Studies in the Scriptures Volume III 1891 p. 234)
• “Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it: and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D.” (Studies in Scriptures Vol. IV 1897 p. 621)
• “Pastor Russell...believed and taught that we are living in the time of the second presence of our Lord, and that his presence dates from 1874...” (WT December 1, 1916 p. 5998)
• “Fall 1874 A.D. Second Advent of the Lord” (The Finished Mystery 1917 p. 60)
• “The Scriptures show that the second presence (of the Lord) was due in 1874... This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874...” (WT March 1, 1923 p. 67)
• “Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt that in the mind of a truly consecrated child of God that the Lord Jesus Christ is present and has been since 1874.” (WT January 1, 1924 p. 5)
• “The second coming of the Lord therefore began in 1874...”
(Creation 1927 pp. 289, 291, 297, 298, 318)
• “The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D.” (Prophecy 1929 p. 65)
• “From 1874 onward is the time of the Lord’s second presence, as above stated… This circumstantial evidence fulfilling prophecy is what constitutes the physical facts, and is proof corroborative of the Lord’s presence since 1874… His presence beginning in 1874, he has carried on his harvest work from 1874 forward…” (Our Lord’s Return 1929 pp. 27, 33, 37)
• In 1930 Christ’s return and “presence” was switched from 1874 to 1914.
Conclusion:
The Jehovah’s Witnesses want to come into your home and talk to you about what they believe. Perhaps you should ask them these questions when they arrive.
• QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE'S AUTHORITY
1. Would you be allowed to study the Bible alone, without any Watchtower literature or study aids? [Many would initially reply "yes" to this question]. Would you be willing to let it be known around the congregation and to the elders that you were doing this?
2. Did you know that in the Spring of 1980 many Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Bethel headquarters were disfellowshiped for reading the Bible alone?
3. If you were to have only read the Bible, with no Watchtower study aids, do you think that you would have come to the conclusion that heaven closed its doors in 1935, or that Jesus is really the Archangel Michael?
• QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUTH
1. Did you know that if the founder of the Watchtower Society, Charles Taze Russel, was alive today, he would be condemned as an apostate because his views differ so much from modern day Jehovah’s Witnesses?
They generally respond by saying something about "light getting brighter" etc. (See next question)
2. If the light gets brighter as time goes on, does this mean that the truth you have today, and preach on the doorsteps, may be the error of tomorrow? It is true that God will reveal more light about a truth with the passage of time, but how can yesterday's 'truth' now be today's error?
For example in the past, Jehovah's Witnesses taught that Christ's invisible return was 1874 and that 1914 would bring about Armageddon. Today, that view is seen as wrong.
• Today it is taught that 1914 was the date of Christ's invisible return.
• In the past, the Watchtower taught that vaccines and organ transplants were wrong. Now these are accepted as being O.K.
Do you really think that this was just light getting brighter, or the teaching of error, especially in the case of the latter where many people lost their lives?"
• QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
1. The Jehovah’s Witnesses came into being in the late 19th century. Were there any others in existence before that time who believed just as the modern day Watchtower Society believes today?
• QUESTIONS ABOUT CRITICISM
1. Did you know that groups like the Moonies (Unification Church) are extremely abusive towards anyone who would question their organization? Ex-members who write about, and speak out against the Moonies are called names like "evil" and "of the Devil," etc., even though they are expressing legitimate concerns about the group. What is the Watchtower’s view on ex-members who have legitimate questions and objections about the Watchtower? Would you be allowed to hear the complaints of these people?
• QUESTIONS ABOUT CRITICAL LITERATURE
1. Imagine that you, as a Jehovah’s Witness, wanted to convince a Roman Catholic of the errors found in the Catholic Church. But suppose that Roman Catholic would refuse to look at your literature or hear your arguments. How would you ever convince them that Roman Catholicism is wrong? If I were to give you literature which shows the error of the Watchtower Society, but you refuse to take it, how will you ever know about the errors of the Watchtower Society?
2. Where does it say in the Bible that we are not allowed to read critical literature? In fact the opposite is true. We are told to examine all things and to hold fast to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21).
3. Did you know that Christians in Bible colleges and seminaries spend many hours examining the literature of atheists, and philosophers, and responding to their criticisms? Why doesn't the Watchtower Society encourage its members to do the same? If you have "The Truth", as you call it, why should you fear such an examination?
