Jehovah's Witnesses
Background
Charles Taze Russell, the founder of Jehovah's Witnesses, was born on February 16, 1852. He began this new movement because he could not accept the Christian teachings of unbelievers spending eternity in hell, the Holy Spirit, and Christ being God.
Russell took over a newspaper and named it "The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom" in which his new teachings were published. Russell told people that the Bible could not be understood without his teaching. Now, "Jehovah's Witnesses" are led by a Mr. Henschel.
Jehovah's Witnesses Doctrines
These are taken from the CARM website from Jehovah's Witnesses Doctrines Page.
1. There is one God in one person, Make Sure of All Things, p 188.
2. There is no Trinity, Let God be True, p. 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p.386.
3. The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp.406-407.
4. The Holy Spirit is God's impersonal active force, The Watchtower, June 1, 1952,p. 24.
5. Jehovah's first creation was his 'only-begotten Son'. . . was used by Jehovah in creating all other things", Aid to Bible Understanding, pp. 390-391.
6. Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man, The Watchtower, May 15, 1963, p. 307; The New World, 284.
7. Jesus was only a perfect man, not God in flesh, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 306.
8. Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body, Awake! July 22, 1973, p. 4.
9. Jesus was raised "not a human creature, but a spirit." Let God be True, p. 276.
10. Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 89-90.
11. Jesus returned to earth, invisibly, in 1914, The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 300.
12. Jesus' ransom sacrifice did not include Adam, Let God be True, p. 119.
13. Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God, The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197.
14. They claim to be the only channel of God's truth, The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981, p. 19.
15. Only their church members will be saved, The Watchtower, Feb, 15, 1979, p. 30.
16. Good works are necessary for salvation, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp. 150, 152.
17. The soul ceases to exist after death, Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67.
18. There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, p. 79, 80.
19. Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witness go to heaven, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121.
20. Only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witness are born again. Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 76.; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681.
21. Only the 144,000 may take communion,
22. Blood transfusions are a sin, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72-73.
23. The Cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 90-92.
24. Salvation is by faith and what you do, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp. 150,152.
25. It is possible to lose your salvation, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 358-359.
26. The universe is billions of years old, Your will Be Done on Earth, p. 43.
27. Each of the 6 creative days of God in Genesis 1, was 7000 years long. Therefore, Man was created toward the end of 42,000 years of earth's preparation, Let God be True, p. 168.
28. They also refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the "Star Spangled Banner," or celebrate Christmas or birthdays. They are not allowed to serve in the armed forces.
29. Satan was entrusted with the obligation and charged with the duty of overseeing the creation of the earth, Children, p 55
New World Translation
Let's compare the translators of the NASB version of the Bible to the translators of the Jehovah's Witnesses Bible (the NWT):
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION TRANSLATORS
Dr. Peter Ahn - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Warren Allen - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Gleason Archer - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Herman Austel - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Kenneth Lee Barker - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Fred Bush - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. David L. Cooper - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Richard W. Cramer - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Edward R. Dalglish - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Charles Lee Feinberg - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Harvey Finley - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Paul Gray - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Edward F. Harrison - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. John Hartley - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. F. B Huey, Jr. - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Charles Isbell - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. David W. Kerr - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. William L. Lane - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Timothy Lin - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Oscar Lowry - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Elmer Martens - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Henry R. Moeller - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Reuben A. Olson - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. J. Barton Payne - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Walter Penner - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. John Rea - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. W.L. Reed - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Robert N. Schaper - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Moisés Silva - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Ralph L. Smith - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Merrill C. Tenney - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Robert L. Thomas - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. George Townsend - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Bruce Waltke - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Lowell C. Wendt - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. William C. Williams - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Herbert M. Wolf - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Kenneth Wuest - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Fred Young - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Timothy L. Deahl - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Paul Enns - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Buist M. Fanning - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Thomas Finley - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Osvaldo Garcia - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Kenneth Hanna - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. W. Hall Harris - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Harold Hoehner - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. J. Carl Laney - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. David K. Lowery - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Ted Martin - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. H. Bruce Stokes - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Duane Wetzler - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Dale Wheeler - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Don Wilkins - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. C.S. Lovett - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Robert Sloan - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Donald Verleur - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. James White - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. George Blankenbaker - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Frank G. Carver - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
Dr. Robert Saucy - earned doctorate in Biblical languages
NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TRANSLATORS
Nathan H. Knorr: No training in biblical languages.
Milton G. Henschel: No training in biblical languages.
Karl Klein: No training in biblical languages
Albert D. Schroeder: College dropout. No training in biblical languages.
George D. Gangas: No training in biblical languages.
Frederick W. Franz: completed a two-hour survey course in Biblical Greek in junior year.
Interesting Quotes
-"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible and there has never been a book written yet that is perfect that has been written by any human hand." The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
-"How will we put these four things into effect? First, study: We may think of study as hard work, as involving heavy research. But in Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society. But you do not study enough? Take this suggestion: Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths and a fresh view." Watchtower 1967 June 1 p.338 Move Ahead with Jehovah's Organization
-"The whole tendency of the League of Nations is to turn the people away from God and from Christ, and it is therefore a desolating thing, the product of Satan, and an abomination in the sight of God." So in 1919 "the disgusting thing" appeared. In time, the League gave way to the United Nations. Jehovah's Witnesses have long exposed these human peace organizations as disgusting in God's sight." Watchtower 1999 May 1 p.15 "Let the Reader Use Discernment"
-"What was "the disgusting thing that causes desolation" in the first century, and what is it today? (Matt. 24:15) [gt chap. 111] In 66 C.E., it was the Roman armies that surrounded Jerusalem; today it is the United Nations." Kingdom Ministry August 1994 pp.5-6 Theocratic Ministry School Review
-"Man cannot by airplane or rockets or other means get above the air envelope which is about our earthly globe..." The Truth Shall Make You Free, p 285, 1943 edition
-"As a result of the publication of wholesome truth on the subject, there are fewer people now purchasing aluminum cooking utensils than heretofore. There is also a pronounced drop in the cancer death rate. Much aluminum used: many cancers. Less aluminum used: fewer cancers." The Golden Age 1930 p.650
-"[Aluminum cooking utensils are] a curse to humanity and their manufacture and use should be forbidden by law." The Golden Age 1932 October 26 p.35
-"In former times thousands of youths died for putting God first. They are still doing it, only today the drama is played out in hospitals and courtrooms, with blood transfusions the issue." Awake! 1994 May 22 p.2
-"The ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced." The Time Is at Hand (SS-2), 1907 ed., p. 101
-"This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today." Revelation, It's Grand Climax at Hand p.125 ch.20 A Multitudinous Great Crowd
-"It comes as no surprise that one Johannes Greber, a former Catholic clergyman, has become a spiritualist and has published the book entitled "Communication with the Spirit World, Its laws and Its Purpose." (1932, Macoy Publishing Company, New York) In its Foreword he makes the typical misstatement: "The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible; for its principal contents hinge upon the messages of the beyond to those existing in the present." Watchtower 1955 October 1 p.603 Part 3: What Do the Scriptures Say About "Survival After Death"?
-"The literature published by the Watch Tower Society is published in the name of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Regardless of who may write certain articles, they are checked carefully by members of the governing body before they are published; so they are properly viewed as coming from the Society." Watchtower 1959 October 1 p.607 Questions from Readers
Conclusion
The Jehovah's Witnesses organization is not a Christian organization. They believe that Jesus is not really God but is Michael the Archangel. And the belief that hell is not eternal is also not biblical. Many times the Watchtower Publishing Society has proved to be a "false prophet" in predicting things that never came to pass. Although Jehovah's Witnesses may call themselves Christians, their doctrine proves otherwise.
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Written 3/9/03
