Originally posted - Tuesday, April 25, 2006
I found this at http://www.carm.org/witnesses.htm. This is not the official page for J.W.'s. I didn't want to give that out because I don't know who might read this and where they are in their "faith." The reason I mention that it isn't from the "official" is two-fold. 1) That means it may not be "exactly" framed the way they would. Although, I went to their site and it seems to be an excellent summary. 2) However, there was one discrepancy between what "carm.org" said and what the official site said involving Jesus. Carm.org says that J.W.'s believe the angel Michael incarnated as Jesus. The official site didn't mention Michael but just called the Son the "prehuman Jesus." Okay, here you go. Now you will know what they believe when you hear that knock at the door. By the way, can you explain to me why # 11 matters? What difference does it matter if it was 2 pieces of wood (cross) or 1 piece? Also, when you read about the 144,000, they believe others (than the 144,000) will have "eternal life." The 144,000 have a higher version with better bodies, though.
What do the Jehovah's Witnesses Teach?
There is one God in one person, Make Sure of All Things, p 188.
There is no Trinity, Let God be True, p. 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p.386.
The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp.406-407.
The Holy Spirit is God's impersonal active force, The Watchtower, June 1, 1952,p. 24.
Jehovah's first creation was his 'only-begotten Son'. . . was used by Jehovah increating all other things", Aid to Bible Understanding, pp. 390-391.
Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man, The Watchtower, May 15,1963, p. 307; The New World, 284.
Jesus was only a perfect man, not God in flesh, Reasoning from the Scriptures,1985, pp. 306.
Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body, Awake! July 22, 1973, p. 4.
Jesus was raised "not a human creature, but a spirit." Let God be True, p. 276.
Jesus was born again, The Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1954, p. 682.
Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985,pp. 89-90.
Jesus began his invisible rule over the earth in 1914, The Truth Shall Make You Free,p. 300.
Jesus' ransom sacrifice did not include Adam, Let God be True, p. 119.
Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God, The Watchtower, April 1,1972, p. 197.
They claim to be the only channel of God's truth, The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981, p. 19.
Only their church members will be saved, The Watchtower, Feb, 15, 1979, p. 30.
Good works are necessary for salvation, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp. 150, 152.
The soul ceases to exist after death, Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67.
There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, p. 79, 80.
Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witness go to heaven, Reasoning from the Scriptures,1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121.
Only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witness are born again. Reasoning from theScriptures, 1985, p. 76.; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681.
Only the 144,000 may take communion,
Blood transfusions are a sin, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72-73.
The Cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used, Reasoning from theScriptures, 1985, pp. 90-92.
Salvation is by faith and what you do, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp.150,152.
It is possible to lose your salvation, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp.358-359.
The universe is billions of years old, Your will Be Done on Earth, p. 43.
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'spreparation, Let God be True, p. 168.
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 armedforces.
Satan was entrusted with the obligation and charged with the duty of overseeing the creation of the earth, Children, p 55
I realize a Jehovah's Witness member may come across this. If so, please leave a comment on what isn't true. I simply don't know and had to turn to another source which I could not verify. I give you that ability.
A heads up on the Jehovah Witnesses
ReplyDeleteThe core dogma of the Watchtower organization is that Jesus had his second coming 'invisibly' in the year 1914.Their entire doctrinal superstructure is built on this falsehood.
There is good and valid reasons why there is such an outrage against the Watchtower for misleading millions of followers.Many have invested everything in the 'imminent' apocalyptic promises of the Jehovah's Witnesses and have died broken and beaten.
In the main, these points are correct, though I could tweak around the edges of some. Jehovah's Witnesses are outside the mainstream, as you know, and any "outside the mainstream" idea can look outrageous if offered without explanation. "Jesus was only a perfect man," for example, is not how I would phrase it, and it is not how the source (yes, I checked) phrases it.
ReplyDeleteSome of these sources are extremely old, and I'm not really sure why, since they contain teachings that could be verified with publications from the last 5 years, if the author so chose or had access. The fact that he does not makes me suspect that his motive is to string things together in a fashion disparaging to Jehovah's Witnesses. Also, since the dates of the more current publications are given, but not the older ones, that makes me suspect that the author is trying to hide that they are so old. Children, for example, was published in the late 1920's or early 30's. Studies in the Scriptures is even older.
The last point from the book Children (70-80 years old) I have never heard. I have been a Witness 35 years. I suspect even when published it was only mentioned in passing and the web author cites it for its "shock value." I have no idea where it comes from, if accurate. I suspect it is. Perhaps reasoning on such passages as Ezek 28:13 and Isa 14:12, which many faiths have applied to Satan and which appear to show he once had great authority. (before his rebellion, consequently before he became Satan)
The one about the 7000 year creative days is also out of date. As stated, however, for the most part the statements are correct, though supporting information is not included.
You are correct, too, that cross or stake doesn't especially matter. Certainly the benefits from Jesus' death are the same either way. We have never presented it as a fundamental teaching. It is only a relative detail. It becomes big only because it is so strikingly different than the common notion, but we have never overstressed it.
Your first commenter, quite obviously, is not a Witness, though I believe he once was. I know something of him, as he is extremely prolific. Christianity, to us, is a very whole-souled faith. Should one decide to leave the faith for any reason, they may find they are a bit out of sync with general society. Most of our people who leave simply adjust and move on in life. Some of them return. And there are some who devote themselves to "exposing" whatever it was about Jehovah's Witnesses that caused them trouble. Perhaps I would feel the same way in his shoes. I actually tried to email him once but got back only an automated response, and never tried again.
The 1914 teaching is not so unsound as he maintains. For example (from my own blog)
http://carriertom.typepad.com/sheep_and_goats/2006/09/what_makes_a_gr.html
The best source, however is the current Watchtower publication What Does the Bible Really Teach?. JWs will usually have it on them when in their ministry, and they'll make it available to you.
I said "Christianity is to us..."
ReplyDeleteI should have said "our understanding of..." or "Jehovah's Witnesses."
To us, it is the same, you understand. But not necessarily to you, Danny, or your readers, and I respect that.
I appreciate the feedback Tom. I suspect you're right that the author (or the source I used "carm.org") intended to present the subject non-objectively but purposefully in a negative light. Academically that is a "no-no," but I suppose for his context, this was acceptable.
ReplyDelete