The
Origins of Jehovah's Witnesses
The Jehovah's Witnesses trace their origins back to the late 19th century. Charles Taze Russell founded the Bible Student movement in Pennsylvania, publishing a magazine called The Watchtower. His followers became known as Russellites.
After Russell's death, Joseph Rutherford took over leadership and renamed the group Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931. Rutherford shifted beliefs away from Russell's teachings, causing many to leave the faith. Under Rutherford, the Witnesses adopted some controversial stances, like prohibiting blood transfusions and celebrating holidays.
The Governing Body now leads the Witnesses. They believe their Brooklyn headquarters is God's channel of communication. The Governing Body's interpretations of the Bible are meant to provide "spiritual food" for Witnesses.
Witnesses believe Jesus is the Son of God, but that he is inferior to Jehovah. They think only 144,000 anointed Christians will go to heaven, while other Witnesses will enjoy paradise on Earth. Witnesses reject the Trinity, hellfire, and the immortality of the soul.
Witnesses follow strict rules against violence, secular governments, and "worldly" pursuits like higher education or career advancement. They devote much time to door-to-door evangelism, distributing literature like The Watchtower and Awake! magazines.
While
some consider Witnesses "non-Christian" due to unorthodox beliefs,
Witnesses see themselves as true Christians following the Bible's teachings.
Their faith is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with nearly 9 million
members worldwide as of 2021.
Core Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses
As Jehovah's Witnesses, you believe some pretty unique things. Let's examine the core beliefs that set you apart from mainstream Christianity:
You believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, but you follow your own New World Translation. Most Christians believe established translations like the NIV or ESV are more accurate.
You don't believe in the Trinity - that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three persons in one God. Instead, you believe Jesus is the Son of God, a separate being from God the Father.
You believe that when people die, their soul ceases to exist. Most Christians believe in some form of eternal life with God after death, either in heaven or hell.
You believe Jesus died on a stake, not a cross. You think crosses are a pagan symbol, while most Christians view the cross as a sacred symbol of Jesus's sacrifice.
You believe Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and established God's kingdom on earth. Most Christians believe Jesus will return visibly at some point in the future.
You go door-to-door to share your beliefs and recruit new members. Most Christian groups focus on voluntary conversion through personal relationships and evangelism.
You don't celebrate birthdays, Christmas or other holidays because you consider them pagan. Most Christians view these celebrations as a way to honor God and bring families together.
As you can see, while you share some beliefs with Christians, several of your core beliefs differ significantly. But in the end, you're all trying to honor God in the way you think is right.
How Jehovah's Witnesses Differ From Mainstream Christianity
Jehovah's Witnesses differ from mainstream Christianity in some key ways. Their beliefs contradict several core Christian doctrines found in the Bible.
Nature of Jesus
Jehovah's
Witnesses believe Jesus is the Son of God, but not God himself. They see Jesus
as a created being with a beginning, not as the eternal, uncreated Son of God
as taught in the Bible (John 1:1). They believe Jesus is inferior to God the
Father.
Nature of the Holy Spirit
Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Holy Spirit is God's active force, not a person. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has a mind (Romans 8:27), speaks (Acts 13:2), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30)—showing He is a divine person, not just an impersonal force.
Heaven and Hell
Jehovah's Witnesses believe only 144,000 people, called the "anointed class," will go to heaven. The vast majority of Jehovah's Witnesses, called the "other sheep," will live forever in an earthly paradise. The Bible says all believers will be with Christ in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23).
Salvation
Jehovah's Witnesses believe salvation is earned through good works and obedience. The Bible teaches salvation is a free gift of God received by faith alone, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jehovah's Witnesses must meet certain requirements to earn everlasting life, but the Bible says eternal life is a gift from God through faith in Christ (Romans 6:23).
In
summary, Jehovah's Witnesses hold some beliefs that differ from historic
Christianity and contradict clear teachings in the Bible. While they use some
Christian terms and read the Bible, their theology differs in key areas like
the nature of God, Jesus, salvation, and the afterlife.
Questioning the New World Translation and Watchtower Bible
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is the Bible translation used by Jehovah's Witnesses. It has been criticized by some scholars for inaccurately translating key biblical passages to match Jehovah's Witness theology.
Mistranslating "Jehovah"
The NWT translates the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) as "Jehovah" over 6,000 times, even though most scholars agree "Yahweh" is the correct pronunciation. The name "Jehovah" was created in the Middle Ages and popularized in some Bible translations, but is not considered accurate.
Adding "Jehovah" to the New Testament
The NWT adds the name "Jehovah" to the New Testament 237 times, even though there are no manuscripts that contain the Tetragrammaton. The New Testament originally used the Greek words "Kyrios" (Lord) and "Theos" (God) in place of the Tetragrammaton.
Mistranslating John 1:1
The NWT translates John 1:1 as "the Word was a god," to support the belief that Jesus is a lesser god. However, Greek scholars argue the correct translation is "the Word was God." The absence of an indefinite article ("a") in the Greek indicates the Word (Jesus) shares the same essence as God.
Other examples
Other examples of inaccurate translations in the NWT include:
Translating "proskuneo" as "obeisance" instead of "worship" when referring to Jesus to avoid calling him God.
Adding "other" in Colossians 1:16-17 to imply Jesus was created.
Mistranslating "monogenes theos" in John 1:18 as "godlike one" instead of "only begotten God."
While Jehovah's Witnesses promote the NWT as the most accurate Bible translation, biblical scholars argue it contains mistranslations and additions to support Witness theology, rather than accurately conveying the meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. For these reasons, the NWT is considered by most biblical scholars to be an unreliable and inaccurate translation of the Bible.
Why Jehovah's Witnesses Are Considered a Cult by Some
Some
consider Jehovah's Witnesses to be a cult rather than a branch of Christianity
due to certain beliefs and practices. Here are a few of the reasons why:
Strict Control
The Governing Body exerts strict control over Witnesses' lives, including dress, entertainment, and social interactions. Members are told to avoid independent thinking and forbidden from questioning the Governing Body's teachings.
Isolation
Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged from socializing with "worldly" people outside the organization. They are taught that only Witnesses will be saved at Armageddon, so most friendships and relationships are within the group. This isolation and "us vs. them" mentality is characteristic of cults.
Discouraged from Higher Education
Witnesses are advised against pursuing higher education or career advancement since "the end is near." Young people are encouraged to devote their lives to serving the organization instead. This limits members' opportunities and makes them dependent on the group.
Shunning
Jehovah's Witnesses practice shunning, or disfellowshipping, of members who commit what they consider serious sins. Shunning means cutting off all unnecessary contact with the disfellowshipped person, even close family members. This coercive practice is meant to force conformity and obedience.
While Jehovah's Witnesses share some beliefs with Christians, certain practices and controls over members' lives have led some to classify the group as a cult. Of course, Witnesses themselves view their organization as the only true form of Christianity. In the end, whether they should be considered Christians comes down to one's definition of what constitutes true Christian belief and practice.
Contradicting Context of the Bible
Core Beliefs Contradict the Bible
Jehovah’s Witnesses hold some beliefs that clearly contradict what the Bible teaches. For example, they deny the deity of Jesus Christ, rejecting the belief in the Trinity - that God exists as three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God.
Verses like John 1:1 state that “the Word was God,” and John 1:14 says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Colossians 2:9 also says “in [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that Jesus was Michael the archangel, but the Bible never identifies Jesus as an angel. Jesus is worshiped in the Bible, but angels are not to be worshiped.
Afterlife Beliefs Differ
Jehovah’s Witnesses also believe that only 144,000 people, called the “anointed class,” will go to heaven. The vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses, called the “other sheep,” will simply live forever on a paradise Earth. However, the Bible teaches that all believers will be with Christ in heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:8 says that believers will “be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” And 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says that all believers will “meet the Lord in the air.”
Failed Prophecies
Additionally, the organization has made multiple false prophecies about the end of the world. For example, founder Charles Taze Russell predicted the end of the world in 1914, and the organization predicted it would happen in 1925 and 1975. The Bible warns against false prophets and clearly states that any prophecy that fails to come to pass is not from God.
In
summary, while Jehovah’s Witnesses follow some Christian beliefs and the Bible,
some of their core beliefs clearly contradict Scripture. For these reasons,
most Christians do not consider Jehovah’s Witnesses to be Christians in the
orthodox sense.
Conclusion
So
there you have it. After examining the origins, beliefs, and theology of
Jehovah's Witnesses, it's clear they differ from mainstream Christianity in
some very significant ways. While they do follow some Christian teachings and
revere Jesus as the Son of God, their rejection of the Trinity and belief that
Jesus is a created being put them at odds with historical Christian doctrine.
Their prohibition of blood transfusions and celebration of holidays also set
them apart. Whether you view them as Christians or not is up to you, but
there's no denying Jehovah's Witnesses march to the beat of their own drum. If
nothing else, you have to admire their dedication to spreading their message
and living according to their faith.
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