stevep@cadence.com (Steve Peterson) (03/19/91)
Greetings!
Quite often, discussions on the net between JW's and others get into all sorts
details about the proper understanding of this or that Scripture, the proper
translation from the original language into English, etc. I thought that I
would post this overview of Jehovah's Witnesses to give more of a global
perspective and perhaps answer some questions about what we believe on
a variety of issues and questions.
You'll notice in this post, that for the most part, our views are simply stated
without the Scriptures to support them. This is simply to keep the article to a
more managable length. If anyone should want to begin discussions on any
of these topics, I would be glad to do my best in providing Scriptural
references to help you understand our view. Also, I welcome private email.
With love,
Steve Peterson
stevep@cadence.com
Definition: Jehovah's Witnesses
-------------------------------
The worldwide Christian society of people who actively bear witness regarding
Jehovah God and his purposes affecting mankind. They base their beliefs
solely on the Bible.
What beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses set them apart as different from other
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religions?
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(1) BIBLE:
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the entire Bible is the
inspired Word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on
human tradition, they hold to the Bible as the standard for all
their beliefs.
(2) GOD:
They worship Jehovah as the only true God and freely speak to
others about him and his loving purposes toward mankind. Anyone
who publicly witnesses about Jehovah is usually identified as
belonging to the one group "Jehovah's Witnesses".
(3) JESUS CHRIST:
They believe, not that Jesus Christ is part of a Trinity, but
that, as the Bible says, he is the Son of God, the first of God's
creations; that he had a prehuman existence and that his life was
transferred from heaven to the womb of a virgin, Mary; that his
perfect human life laid down in sacrifice makes possible
salvation to eternal life for those who exercise faith; that
Christ is actively ruling as King, with God'given authority over
all the earth since 1914.
(4) God's Kingdom:
They believe that God's Kingdom is the only hope for mankind;
that it is a real government; that it will soon destroy the
present wicked system of things, including all human governments,
and that it will produce a new system in which righteousness will
prevail.
(5) Heavenly Life:
They believe that 144,000 spirit anointed Christians will share
with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom, ruling as kings with him.
They do not believe that heaven is the reward for everyone who is
"good".
(6) The Earth:
They believe that God's original purpose for the earth will be
fulfilled; that the earth will be completely populated by
worshipers of Jehovah and that these will be able to enjoy
eternal life in human perfection; that even the dead will be
raised to an opportunity to share in these blessings.
(7) Death:
They believe that the dead are conscience of absolutely nothing;
that they are experiencing neither pain nor pleasure in some
spirit realm; that they do not exist except in God's memory, so
hope for their future life lies in a resurrection from the dead.
(8) Last Days:
They believe that we are living now, since 1914, in the last days
of this wicked system of things; that some who saw the events of
1914 will also see the complete destruction of the present wicked
world; that lovers of righteousness will survive into a cleansed
earth.
(9) Separate from the world:
They earnestly endeavor to be no part of the world, as Jesus
said would be true of his followers. They show genuine
Christian love their neighbors, but they do not share in the
politics or the wars of any nation. They provided for the
material needs of their families but shun the world's avid
pursuit of material things and personal fame and its excessive
indulgence in pleasure.
(10) Apply Bible counsel:
The believe that it is important to apply the counsel of God's
Word in everyday life now - at home, in school, in business, in
thier congregation. Regardless of a person's past way of life,
he may become one of Jehovah's Witnesses if he abandons practices
condemned by God's Word and applies its godly counsel. But if
anyone thereafter makes a practice of adultery, fornication,
homosexuality, drug abuse, drunkenness, lying, or stealing, he
will be disfellowshipped from the organization.
The above list briefly states some outstanding beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses
but by no means all the points on which their beliefs are different from those
of other groups......
Are Jehovah's Witnesses an American religion?
---------------------------------------------
They are advocates of God's Kingdom, not of the political, economic, or
social system of any nation of this old world.
It is true that JW's had their modern day start in the United States. The
location of their world headquarters there has helped to make it possible to
print and ship Bible literature to most parts of the world. But the
Witnesses do not favor one nation over another; they are found in almost
every nation, and they have offices in many parts of the earth to supervise
their activity in those areas.
Consider: Jesus as a Jew was born in Palestine, but Christianity is not a
Palestiniah religion, is it? The place of Jesus' human birth is not the most
important factor to consider. What Jesus taught originated with his Father,
Jehovah God, who deal impartially with people of all nations. (John 14:10;
Acts 10:34,35)
How is the work of Jehovah's Witnesses financed?
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By voluntary [donations], as was true with the early Christians. (2Cor
8:12; 9:7) No collections are ever taken at their meetings; they never
solicit money from the public......
[The Bible literature that they offer when going from door to door, is free
of charge to those who want to read it. If the householder would like to
make any voluntary donation to the worldwide work of JW's, the Witnesses
will gladly accept it, but donating is *not* a prerequiste to receiving our
literature. It really is free of charge to those who want to read it.]
Witnesses are not paid to go from house to house or to offer Bible literature
on the streets. Love for God and for neighbor motivates them to talk about
God's loving provisions for mankind.
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a legal religious
corporation that is used by Jehovah's Witnesses, was incorporated in 1884 in
accordance with the Nonprofit Corporation Law of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Thus, by law it cannot be, and it is not, a
profit-making enterprise, nor do individuals make a profit through this
Society. The Society's charter states: "It [the Society] does not
contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidentally or otherwise, to its
members, directors or officers."
Are JW's a sect or a cult?
--------------------------
Some define a sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established
religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human
leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. JW's are
not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and
from many religious backgrounds. They do don't look to any human, but rather
to Jesus Christ, as their leader.
A cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion
according to prescribed ritual. Many cults follow a living human leader, and
often their adherents live in groups apart from the rest of society. The
standard for what is orthodox, however, should be God's Word, and JW's
strictly adhere to the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual
devotion. They neither follow a human nor isolate themselves from the rest of
society. They live and work in the midst of others persons.
How old is the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses?
-----------------------------------------------
According to the Bible, the line of witnesses of Jehovah reaches back to
faithful Abel. Hebrews 11:4-12:1 says: "By faith Abel offered God a
sacrifice of greater worth than Cain... By faith Noah, after being given
divine warning of things not yet beheld, showed godly fear... By faith
Abraham, when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined
to receive as an inheritance... By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be
called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, choosing to be ill-treated with
the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin... So,
then, because we have so great a cloud of *witnesses* surrounding us, let us
also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us."
With reference to Jesus Christ, the Bible states: "These are the things that
the Amen says, *the faithful and true witness*, the beginning of the creation
by God." Of whom was he a witness? He himself said that he made his Fathers
name manifest. He was the foremost witness of Jehovah. (Rev 3:14; John
17:6)
Interestingly, some of the Jews asked whether the activity of Jesus Christ
represented "a new teaching." (Mark 1:27) Later, some Greeks thought the
apostle Paul was introducing a "new teaching." (Acts 17:19, 20) It was new
to the ears of those who were hearing it, but the important thing was that
it was the truth, in full harmony with God's Word.
The modern-day history of Jehovah's Witnesses began with the forming of a
group for Bible study in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in the eartly
1870's. At first they were known only as Bible Students, but in 1931 they
adopted the Scriptural name Jehovah's Witnesses. (Isa 43:10-12) Their
beliefs and practices are not new but are a restoration of first-century
Christianity.
Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their religion is the only right one?
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The Bible does not agree with the modern view that there are many acceptable
ways to worship God. Ephesians 4:5 says there is "one Lord, one faith."
Jesus stated: "Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life,
and few are the ones finding it... Not everyone saying to me, "Lord, Lord,'
will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my
Father who is in the heavens will." (Matt 7:13,14,21; see also 1 Cor. 1:10)
Repeatedly the Scriptures refer to the body of true Christian teachings as
"the truth," and Christianity is spoken of as "the way of the truth." (1 Tim.
3:15; 2 John 1; 2 Pet. 2:2) Because Jehovah's Witnesses base all their
beliefs, their standards for conduct, and organizational procedures on the
Bible, their faith in the Bible itself as God's Word gives them the
conviction that what they have is indeed the truth. So their position is not
egotistical but demonstrates their confidence that the Bible is the right
standard against which to measure one's religion. They are not self-centered
but are eager to share their beliefs with others.
Do not other religions also follow the Bible?
---------------------------------------------
Many use it to some extent. But do they really teach and practice what it
contains? Consider: (1) From most of their Bible translations they have
removed the name of the true God thousands of times. (2) The Trinity
doctrine, their concept of God himself, is borrowed from pagan sources and
was developed in its present form centuries after Bible writing was
completed. (3) Their belief in immortality of the human soul as the basis
for continued life is not taken from the Bible; it has roots in ancient
Babylon. (4) The theme of Jesus' preaching was the Kingdom of God, and he
sent his disciples out to talk personally to others about it; but the
churches today seldom mention that Kingdom and their members are not doing
the work of preaching "this good news of the kingdom." (Matt. 24:14) (5)
Jesus said that his true followers could be readily identified by their self
sacrificing love for one another. Is that true of the religions of
Christendom when the nations go to war? (6) The Bible says that Christ's
disciples would be no part of the world, and it warns that whoever wants to
be a friend of the world makes himslef an enemy of God; but the churches of
Christendom and their members are deeply involved in the political affairs of
the nations (Jas 4:4) In view of such a record, can it honestly be said that
they really adhere to the Bible?
How do Jehovah's Witnesses arrive at their explanation of the Bible?
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A key factor is that the Witnesses really believe that the Bible is God's
Word and that what it contains is there for our instruction. (2 Tim. 3:16,
17; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11) So they do not resort to philosophical
arguments to evade its clear statements of truth or to justify the way of
life of people who have abandoned its moral standards.
In pointing out the meaning of symbolic language in the Bible, they let the
Bible provide its own explanation, instead of giving their theories as to its
significance. (1 Cor 2:13) Indications as to the meaning of symbolic terms
are usually found in other parts of the bible. (As an example, see Rev 21:1;
then, regarding the meaning of "sea," read Isaiah 57:20. To identify "the
Lamb" referred to in Rev. 14:1, see John 1:29 and 1 Peter 1:19.)
As for fulfillment of prophecy, they apply what Jesus said about being alert
to events that correspond to what was foretold. (Luke 21:29-31; compare 2
Peter 1:16-19) Conscientiously they point out those events and draw
attention to what the Bible indicates they mean.
Jesus said that he would have on earth a "faithful and discreet slave" (his
anointed followers viewed as a group), through this agency he would provide
spiritual food to those making up the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47)
Jehovah's Witnesses recognize that arrangement. As was true of first-century
Christians, they looked to the governing gody of that "slave" class to resolve
difficult questions - not on the basis of human wisdom, but by drawing on
their knowledge of God's Word and his dealings with his servants, and with
the help of God's spirit, for which they earnestly pray. (Acts 15:1-29;
16:4,5)
Why have there been changes over the years in the teachings of Jehovah's
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Witnesses?
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The Bible shows that Jehovah enables his servants to understand his purpose
in a progressive manner. (Prov. 4:18; John 16:12) Thus, the prophets who
were divinely inspired to write portions of the Bible did not understand the
meaning of everything that they wrote. (Dan. 12:8,9; 1 Pet 1:10-12) The
apostles of Jesus Christ realized that there was much they did not understand
in their time. (Acts 1:6,7; 1Cor 13:9-12) The Bible shows that there would
be a great increase in knowledge of the truth during "the time of the end."
(Dan 12:4) Increased knowldge often requires adjustments in one's thinking.
Jehovah's Witnesses are willing humbly to make such adjustments.
Why do Jehovah's Witnesses preach from house to house?
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Jesus foretold for our day this work: "This good news of the kingdom will be
preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and
then the end will come." He also instructed his followers: "Go... and make
disciples of people of all the nations." (Matt. 24:14; 28:19)
When Jesus sent out his early disciples, he directed them to go to the homes
of the people. (Matt 10:7, 11-13) The apostle Paul said regarding his
ministry: "I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were
profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house." (Acts
20:20,21; see also Acts 5:42)
The message that the Witnesses proclaim involves the lives of people; they
want to be careful to miss no one (Zeph. 2:2,3) Their calls are motivated by
love - first for God, also for their neighbor.
A conference of religious leaders in Spain noted this: "Perhaps [the
churches] are excessively neglectful about that which precisely constitutes
the greatest preoccupation of the Witnesses - the home visit, which comes
within the apostolic methodology of the primitive church. While the churches,
on not a few occasions, limit themselves to constructing their temples,
ringing their bells to attract the people and to preaching inside their
places of worship, [the Witnesses] follow the apostolic tactic of going from
house to house and of taking advantage of every occasion to witness." El
Catolicismo, Bogota, Colombia, Sept. 14, 1975, p. 14.
But why do the Witnesses call repeatedly even at homes of people who do not
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share their faith?
------------------
They do not force their message on others. But they know that people move to
new residences and that the circumstances of people change. Today a person
may be too busy to listen; another time he may gladly take the time. One
member of a household may not be interested, but others may be. People
themselves change; serious problems in life may stimulate an awareness of
spiritual need. - See also Isa. 6:8, 11, 12.
Why are Jehovah's Witnesses persecuted and spoken against?
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Jesus said: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it
hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is
its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out
of the world, on this account the world hates you." (John 15:18, 19; see also
1 Peter 4:3,4.) The Bible shows that the whole world lies under Satan's
control; he is the principal instigator of the persecution. (1 John 5:19;
Rev. 12:17)
Jesus also told his disciples: "You will be objects of hatred by all people
on account of my name." (Mark 13:13) The word "name" here means what Jesus
officially is, the Messianic King. Persecution comes because Jehovah's
Witnesses put his commands ahead of those of any earthly ruler.
Source: Reasoning from the Scriptures - Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society page
199-207