Witnessing in the Neighborhood
Jehovah's Witnesses
Summer 2003 Articles
Week 1
Jehovah’s Witness’ Beliefs
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witness’ Beliefs:
Jehovah’s Witnesses in a Nutshell
by Matt Slick | Apr 20, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Much can be said about the details of Jehovah’s Witness doctrines and practices, but it can be helpful to have a concise summary of the most important points. So here is Jehovah’s Witnesses in a nutshell.
According to Jehovah’s Witness’ theology, God is a single person, not a Trinity, who does not know all things and is not everywhere. He first created Michael the Archangel through whom He created all “other things,” including the universe, the earth, Adam and Eve, etc. This creative work took God 42,000 years. At one point, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society taught that God ruled the universe from somewhere in the Pleiades star system. They have since modified this to say that the “Pleiades can no longer be considered the center of the universe and it would be unwise for us to try to fix God’s throne as being at a particular spot in the universe.”1 Such changes and even contradictions are frequent in the Watchtower organization. When a doctrine changes, they tell their followers that the light of truth is getting brighter.
After Adam sinned, the paradise which God had created for them was ruined. So, God instituted a system of redemption which was revealed in the Bible and would ultimately lead to the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. But, in the meantime, God needed to have a visible, theocratic organization on earth to accurately represent Him. Throughout history, this true organization had a remnant of faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc.); but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that Charles Taze Russell formally began what is now known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which is run out of Brooklyn, New York. This organization claims to be the only true channel of God’s truth on earth today and that it alone can properly interpret God’s word since it is the angel directed prophet of God on earth.
When it came time for the savior to be born, Michael the Archangel became a human in the form of Jesus. Jesus grew and kept all the laws of God and never sinned. Finally, when Jesus died, it was not on a cross but on a torture stake where he bore the sins of mankind–but this did not include Adam’s sins. Jesus rose from the dead as a spirit, not physically (his body was dissolved and taken by God); and during his visitations to people on earth, he manifested a temporary physical body for them to see and touch. Thus began the true Christian church of Jehovah’s followers.
Throughout history, there have been faithful Jehovah’s witnesses who have managed to keep The Truth in spite of the “demonic” doctrine of Trinitarianism that has permeated the Christian church in “Christendom.” Christendom is filled with pastors who are antichrists in churches run by Satan and who support the earthly governments which are all of the devil. In other words, all of Christianity is false; and only the Jehovah’s Witness “theocratic” organization led by several men in Brooklyn, New York, is true.
In the late 1800s, a young man of 18 years by the name of Charles Taze Russell organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his ideas on doctrine, so he co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour. By 1884, Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and founded Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). Russell served as the teacher and guide for the organization which taught that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and is now reigning in heaven. When Jesus finally returns physically to earth, which will happen at the time of the Battle of Armageddon, He will set up His earthly 1000-year kingdom.
During this 1000-year period, people will be resurrected and have a second chance to receive eternal salvation by following the principles of Jehovah’s Organization on earth known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. After the millennium, those who reject God and His organization will be annihilated; that is, they will cease to exist. The rest of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who has faithfully followed God’s organization on earth will be saved from eternal annihilation and reside forever on Paradise earth. Heaven, however, is a place for a special group of 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses–the only ones who are “born again” and who alone are allowed to take communion in their annual communion service. These are the ones who have “immortal life”; all other Witnesses have “everlasting life.” Those with immortal life do not have resurrected bodies. They have “spirit bodies.” Those on Paradise Earth have everlasting life and consist of resurrected bodies that must be maintained through eating, rest, etc.
When you study with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, you agree to attend five meetings a week where you are taught from Watchtower literature. You cannot be baptized until you have studied their material for at least six months and have answered numerous questions before a panel of elders. Men are not supposed to have long hair or wear beards, and women are to dress in modest apparel. They refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” celebrate birthdays or Christmas, won’t take blood transfusions; and they can’t join the armed forces. A schedule of door-to-door canvassing is required where you distribute the Watchtower literature, acquire donations, and forward all monies to the headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
If you ever leave the Jehovah’s Witness organization, you are considered an apostate and are to be shunned.
Reference
1↑
Watchtower, 11/15/53, p. 703.
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ History
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
The Jehovah’s Witnesses were begun by Charles Taze Russell in 1872. He was born on February 16, 1852, the son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell. He had great difficulty in dealing with the doctrine of eternal hellfire, and in his studies came to deny not only eternal punishment but also the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. When Russell was 18, he organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his aberrant ideas on doctrine. He co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour; and by 1884 Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and founded Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). The first edition of The Watchtower magazine was only 6,000 copies each month. Today the Witnesses’ publishing complex in Brooklyn, New York, churns out 100,000 books and 800,000 copies of its two magazines – daily!
Russell claimed that the Bible could be only understood according to his interpretations–a dangerous arrangement since he controlled what was written in the Watchtower magazine. This kind of assertion is typical among leaders of cult religions.
After the death of Russell on Oct. 31, 1916, a Missouri lawyer named Joseph Franklin Rutherford took over the presidency of the Watch Tower Society which was known then as the International Bible Students Association. In 1931 he changed the name of the organization to “The Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
After Rutherford’s death, Nathan Knorr took over. After Knorr, Frederick William Franz became president.
The Society was led by Mr. Henschel who died in 2003. The group has over 4 million members worldwide. The Watchtower Society statistics indicate that 740 house calls are required to recruit each of the nearly 200,000 new members who join every year.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have several ‘book studies’ each week. The members are not required to attend, but there is a level of expectation that gently urges converts to participate. It is during these ‘book studies’ that the Jehovah’s Witness is constantly exposed to counter Christian teachings. The average Jehovah’s Witness with his constant Watchtower indoctrination could easily pummel the average Christian when it comes to defending his beliefs.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses vehemently portray the doctrine of the Trinity as pagan in origin and that Christendom, as a whole, has bought the lie of the devil. Along with denying the Trinity is an equally strong denial of the deity of Christ, the deity of the Holy Spirit, the belief in hell, and eternal conscious punishment in hell.
Is the Jehovah’s Witness religion Christian?
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
The Jehovah’s Witness (aka Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) religion is not Christian.” Like all non-Christian cults, it distorts the essential doctrines of Christianity. It denies the deity of Christ, His physical resurrection, and salvation by grace. These make it non-Christian. In addition, to support its erring doctrines, the Watchtower organization (which is the author and teacher of all official Jehovah’s Witness’ theology) has altered the Bible to make it agree with its changing and non-Christian teachings.
Typical with cults that use the Bible to support their position is a host of interpretive errors:
Additionally, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ organization requires of its member’s regular weekly attendance at their “Bible Study” meetings where they are repeatedly indoctrinated with anti-Christian teachings. This is done by reading the Watchtower magazine, following along with what it says, reading the questions it asks, and reciting the answers it gives. In other words, the Watchtower Organization carefully trains its members to let the Organization do their thinking for them. For confirmation of this, please read Does the Watchtower organization control the JW’s thinking?
The Witnesses are told they will be persecuted when they go door-to-door teaching their doctrines. They are further told that this is simply the enemy fighting against God’s organization because they are in “the truth.” So, when someone disagrees with them, they are conditioned to reflect on what the Watchtower has told them. They then feel confirmed in being in God’s true organization on earth (like all cults claim). They are strongly encouraged to have friends and acquaintances that are only JW’s, thereby keeping outside examination to a minimum. They are told to shun those who leave their group, for in this way there is no way to see why someone has left and no way to find out that they are in error from those who have found the truth in Christ. They are conditioned to shy away from any real biblically knowledgeable person. An example of this is frequently found on the Internet. I was once banned from a Jehovah’s Witness chat room after I not only answered their objections to the Trinity and deity of Christ but also challenged them in return. Subsequently, my name was passed around to all other Jehovah’s Witness rooms where I was banned from them as well. This is a frequent occurrence on the Internet where the Jehovah’s Witnesses are alive and well. It is obvious that a critical examination of their doctrines is not encouraged by the Watchtower Organization.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves to be Christians because they believe they are serving the true and living God. Like many cults, they think they are the only true church on earth. Yet, they deny the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the personhood of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ physical resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are discouraged from looking into Jehovah’s Witness history or old Watchtower literature which is replete with contradictions, altered doctrines, and false prophecies. Instead, they are indoctrinated repeatedly against basic Christian doctrines (Trinity, deity of Christ, etc.,) and into the notion that they alone are the true servants of God and that all others are either in “Christendom” or simply unbelievers.
Primarily, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ organization is a mind-control organization that uses its people to pass out literature and send in “donations” to the headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
“Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization and not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible.”(The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.)
Conclusion: Jehovah’s Witness doctrine is not Christian
The Watchtower organization of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a non-Christian organization that uses its people to promulgate false doctrines, collects “contributions” for distribution of a multitudinous amount of literature, and expands its grip into the lives of its members and their families. The Jehovah’s Witness organization is a non-Christian cult.
Week 2
If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, please read this first.
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, please understand that I am not against you as an individual. I am not an apostate from the Watchtower organization; and, of course, I was never baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness. However, when I was 17, I studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses for a couple of months but quit. Unfortunately, they used the Watchtower Magazine equally with and sometimes more than the Bible; and they couldn’t answer all my questions. All I wanted to study was the Bible since that is God’s word.
As a Jehovah’s Witness, you have been taught from the Bible and the Watchtower organization. You’ve attended numerous meetings and believe you are in God’s true organization. You also believe the Trinity is a demonic doctrine and that Christendom is an apostate group preaching a false gospel. Additionally, you are taught the Watchtower organization is the true channel of God’s revelation to His church on earth. You are taught that you are in “The Truth,” but believing it does not make it so. Perhaps you might respond by saying that your beliefs are in agreement with the Bible. After all, you study it deeply. I don’t deny that you study; but when you study, you study under the Watchtower’s guidance and allow it to shape your understanding and thinking concerning the Bible and its doctrines.
Please consider these quotes from the Watchtower Magazine that verify what I am saying:
In short, you are led by what the Watchtower says the Bible says; but if the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is from God, then . . .
Please don’t be offended by this; but when a group claims to be the prophet of God yet mistranslates the Bible, takes verses out of context, makes false prophecies, and misquotes authorities all to make its position valid, its credibility is lost. It cannot be from God.
But you will never know that unless you “examine ALL things.” Unfortunately, as a Jehovah’s Witness, you are only encouraged to study what the Organization tells you to study. That means you can’t really check up on its false prophecies on your own. Instead, you must trust what it tells you about its own false prophecies. In addition, you are instructed to not take any literature from “apostate Christendom.” This way, you will have far less opportunity to be challenged, something the Watchtower organization doesn’t want to happen.
The Watchtower Magazine teaches by asking the questions and giving the answers. Sometimes it even uses a Bible reference (often out of context) to back up what it says. It all looks good and sounds good from your perspective, but it is a false method of study. The Watchtower organization tells you what to think and what to do; if you say that isn’t true and that the Watchtower Organization is God’s organization on earth, then you are simply repeating what the Watchtower tells you.
The Bible alone is sufficient, but the Watchtower denies this:
“From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude . . . They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…“3
What are the apostate doctrines: Trinity? Hell? Jesus is God? Funny thing is that, according to the Watchtower, if you study the Bible by itself, you will come to believe these things! Could it be that apart from the selected questions, answers, scripture quotes, and direction of the Watchtower teaching that the Bible actually does teach these “apostate doctrines”? If you don’t check for yourself and only believe the Watchtower, you’ll never know.
Do you want to trust your eternal soul to the teachings of several men headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, who claim to be the directors of God’s organization on earth? Do you? Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
References
References
1↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1994, p. 8.
2↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.
3↑
The Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981, emphasis added.
Jehovah’s Witness are Really “Watchtowerites.”
by Matt Slick | Jul 11, 2011 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witnesses faithfully go door-to-door preaching the “Kingdom of God” that is taught them via the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They are usually quite polite and sincere in their efforts of communicating “Jehovah’s Good News.” As always, they carry with them several books and magazines, some of which are the New World Translation (their Bible, which has been altered in many places), the Awake Magazine, and, of course, the ubiquitous Watchtower Magazine.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses receive their direction from The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. This organization claims to be the channel of communication from God to his people, that it represents Jesus on earth, and that you cannot find Scriptural guidance outside of it as an organization. Consider the following quotes:
Of course, the Jehovah’s Witnesses will strongly disagree with this statement. They say that they read and study their Bibles and only use the Watchtower literature as a guide to understanding God’s word. But it is this very admission that condemns them because their doctrines are not found in the Bible. The proof is found, believe it or not, in the Watchtower’s own writings. Consider this quote from The Watchtower magazine, August 15, 1981, that says:
“From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude…They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…”4
Did you get that? If you read the Bible by itself, you will become a Trinitarian because that is exactly what the Watchtower is referring to here when it says “apostate doctrines.” In other words, if you read the Bible alone, you will not arrive at Watchtower doctrines. This is an amazing admission by the Watchtower organization. It is clear, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not get their teachings from the Bible, but from the Watchtower literature.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are Really WatchtoweritesThe average Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witness church) has “Book” studies several times a week. It is in these meetings that the Jehovah’s Witness gets new Watchtower publications, studies with the help of the Watchtower aids, and discusses doctrines in ‘Bible studies.” This is how they are indoctrinated. Whether or not a Jehovah’s Witness likes or dislikes what is being taught is not the issue. Rather, the Jehovah’s Witness is supposed to accept and believe what is taught via the Watchtower Literature and is discouraged from independent thinking. Another quote:
“We should eat and digest and assimilate what is set before us, without shying away from parts of the food because it may not suit the fancy of our mental taste…We should meekly go along with the Lord’s theocratic organization and wait for further clarification.'”5
This quote clearly shows that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is the Jehovah’s Witness’ teacher and those who follow its teachings are Watchtowerites. That is, they are students of the Watchtower which is why, basically, all Jehovah’s Witnesses all believe the very same thing. Of course, they will say that this is unity and not confusion as is found in Christendom’s denominations. But precise unity in beliefs among a people is a sign not of freedom, but of control.
Within Christianity’s denominations are the core beliefs that unite Christians all over the world. We are allowed differences of opinions on non-essential doctrines (Rom. 14:1-7). Not so with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are all taught the same doctrine from the same publications. They each give identical Watchtower responses to questions and challenges, and all present the identical claims of “The Kingdom of God,” “the Errors of the Trinity,” the “Coming Armageddon,” etc. Essentially, if you’ve spoken to one Jehovah’s Witness, you’ve spoken to them all.
If you want to learn what the average Jehovah’s Witness believes, you don’t read the Bible, you read the Watchtower Magazine. This is because the Watchtower is the source of their theological beliefs, not the Bible. If you want to quickly learn what the Watchtower teaches, spend an hour with any Jehovah’s Witness. The Jehovah’s Witness is, quite plainly, a Watchtowerite.
References
References
1↑ 1939 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, p. 85
2↑ The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 591.
3↑ The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981.
4↑ The Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981.
5↑ The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, pp. 79-80
Questions for Jehovah’s Witnesses
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
References
1↑
The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197.
2↑
Rutherford, J. F., “Salvation,” 1939, p. 311.
Response to “Has the Jehovah’s Witness’ god performed the greatest act of love?”
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
On the CARM discussion boards, a Jehovah’s Witness that goes by the name “jonniel” (for some reason he wants to remain anonymous) posted a response to the paper, “Has Jehovah performed the greatest act of love?”1 His response is not very good, and I’ll show you why; but before I do, I can’t help wondering if this Jehovah’s Witness is following the admonition of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, his governing theocratic organization.
John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this . . .The article the Jehovah’s Witness attempted to refute deals with the statement made by Jesus in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” The Jehovah’s Witness view of Jesus is that Jesus is not divine, but Jesus performed the greatest act of love by dying for others. This means that according to the JW view, Jesus did a greater work than God because it wasn’t God who laid his life down for his friends. Yet, in Trinitarian theology, God is the one who performs the greatest act of love because Jesus is divine. Therefore, God is not outdone by a created thing in Trinitarianism; but he is according to Jehovah’s Witness teaching. This is a simple argument. Nevertheless, Jehovah’s Witness has attempted to answer the paper.
“Now we can see where Matt Slick errs. He thinks that Jesus spoke of “the greatest” act of love one can do as if there was no other that can equal it. But Jesus did not say this! Jesus said there was no “greater” act of love that one could do for one’s “friends.” Not that there was not or could not be other acts of love that could be as great! Can you, our reader, not see this and see then how Matt Slick has misinterpreted Jesus’ words? In fact Matt Slick even misquotes Jesus it seems by his “Jesus said that this self sacrifice is the greatest act of love” compared to what Jesus actually said “There is no greater act of love than someone should surrender his soul (life) in behalf of his friends.” There is a difference in what Matt Slick thinks Jesus said and what Jesus actually said! The Greek word John used at John 15:13 is the comparative form of MEGAS, MEIZWN, meaning not “greatest,” which would require the superlative form MEGISTOS, but “greater.”5
Alright, this Jehovah’s Witness’ argument is based upon the difference between the words “greatest” and “greater.” He argues that if Jesus had said “greatest,” then there can be no act of love equal to that; but since Jesus said “greater, there can be other acts of love equal to what Jesus is stating. He then tries to illustrate it with an example:
“Say there are three runners Tom, Dick, and Harry, (this analogy with three has nothing to do with the Trinity by the way!) who have all run the 100m in 9.5 seconds. No other runners have but these three. Based on this fact one could say that “There is no greater 100m runner than Tom.” This would be correct, true. But it would not mean that Tom was the “greatest” 100m runner! Both Dick and Harry are equally as great as they too have run the 100m in 9.5 seconds.” 6
Jonniel compares Jesus’ comment about self-sacrifice on the cross having no greater love to a track meet where three people run with identical times. Okay, so how does this equate to Jesus saying that no greater act of love can be offered than laying down one’s own life for another? It doesn’t. Still, he tries to make an argument based on an analogy. The Jehovah’s Witness later says in the same discussion board post that
“Jesus is God’s Son and as the Father, God did as great an act of love by sending this own only begotten son down to die it does not have to then mean that God’s Son is God also for God to perform the greatest act of love!”[Ibid.]
I know, his sentence is difficult to follow; but, where does it say in scripture that the act of God sending his Son to die on the cross is as great as laying down one’s own life? I can’t find any such statement, and the JW hasn’t produced one–but it hasn’t stopped him from using his own human reasoning to interpret the Bible.
However, what we do have is the clear teaching of Christ in John 15:13 saying there is no greater act of love than self-sacrifice. In contrast to Jesus’ words, we have the opinion of the Jehovah’s Witness to counteract it–not very good and not very convincing–but let me put some flesh and blood to the JW’s argument with a short dialogue.
JW: According to Jesus’ words, I’m going to perform an act of love of which you can say there is none greater.
Tom: Really? How so?
JW: You know my son, Michael?
Tom: Yes.
JW: I’m going to sacrifice his life to save someone else.
Tom: [pause] Why don’t you sacrifice yourself instead of sending your son?
JW: Because I must send him since no greater act of love can be made than laying down my own life.
Tom: [pause and blank stare] Wait, Jesus said there was no greater act of love than to lay down your own life for others–not sending someone else in your place; but, you’re not doing that. So how is sacrificing Michael a fulfillment of Jesus’ words of laying down one’s own life? How is that an equal act of love?
JW: You’re missing the point. Sending my son to die is equal in love to dying myself.
Tom: You mean you’re really being loving and sacrificial by having someone else die instead of yourself?
JW: Yes, by sending my son, I am doing an act of love that is just as great as Jesus laying down his own life.
Tom: So, let me get this straight. You’re saying that sending someone else to die is just as good a loving act as dying yourself?
JW: No, sending my Son–not just anyone.
Tom: I see, so sending someone else, in this case, your son, to die for someone is just as great and loving an act as dying yourself?
JW: Exactly.
Tom: They are equivalent, right?
JW: Right.
Tom: Did the Watchtower tell you to think like this?
The dialogue illustrates essentially what the Jehovah’s Witness is saying, namely, that it is just as great an act of love for the Father to send the Son as it is for the Son to lay his own life down for others. What do you think? Are they equal? Is it just as great an act of love to send someone else to die instead of doing it yourself? Not as far as I can see.
Quantifying loveThere is a bit of a problem: subjectivity. How do you quantify which act of love is greater or equal than another? It would be difficult to do even though the Jehovah’s Witness attempted just that. Still, I would think that loving my cat is not as great an act of love as is dying to protect my wife. Some comparisons are easy. So, in this category, the best place we can go is Scripture where we see that Christ clearly states there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s own life–he didn’t say someone else’s life. Would it have made sense if the verse was rendered according to the Jehovah’s Witness argument: “Greater love has no one than this, that he send someone else to die for his friends, yea, even his own Son.” If just if, this is actually what Jesus said, then the Jehovah’s Witness would be able to appeal to Scripture for his position, but it isn’t; and so he appeals not to Scripture but to an opinion and a track-meet analogy to make his point. He isn’t convincing.
ConclusionIt is still true that according to the doctrine of the Trinity, where there is one God in three persons and each person shares the divine nature, that God (in Christ) has performed an act of love of which there is none greater. In Trinitarianism, we can say that God laid down his own life for his friends. God shed his own blood to forgive us–not someone else’s.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood,” (Acts 20:28).
Do you see what it says? It says that God purchased his people with his own blood – not the blood of someone else. So, who performed the greater act of love, God (in trinitarianism), or a created thing (as in JW theology)? To me it is obvious.
Thank you, God, for your greatest act of love.
UpdatesJan. 14, 2008. It is hardly worth dealing with this Jehovah’s Witness since he has been so rude and demanding in posts on the board and in emails. Nevertheless, he’s attempted to answer this paper–and did a bad job in the process. He only furthers his errors. One point that he’s been trying to make (taken from the discussion board) is that John 3:16 and 1 John 4:8-10 together somehow demonstrate that, according to his interpretation, “it is God the Father who performed the greatest act of love.”7 Of course, I’ve already addressed the equality issue above but let’s take a quick look at these two verses to see if they support his opinion.
Jan. 15, 2008. The Jehovah’s Witness just won’t stop. He continues to e-mail me with accusations of incompetence, of twisting Jesus’ words, etc. He said in an e-mail to me,
“Slick also continues with his twisting of Jesus’ words at John 15:13 where Slick has Jesus speaking of the “greatest” love when Jesus actually spoke of a love there is no “greater” among “friends,” amongst humans and which Jesus was saying his disciples should have for each other as he has for them!
Notice how he has emphasized the difference between greater and greatest but on the discussion board he said,
“However, 1 John 4:8-10 and John 3:16 shows us who performed the greatest act of love. God the Father. When one reads “God is love” the referent for “God” here is the Father, not the Son. If the Son loved us as much as the Father did then is it not strange that the Son is also not said to be “love”? This is then against the claim that in John 15:13 the love there is the “greatest.” It is not.”8
This is interesting. He complains about the difference between greatest and greater in my writing, but then on the boards, he commits the very error he accuses me of committing when he says that the Father is the one who performed the greatest act of love. So, I guess it’s okay for him to use the term “greatest” in referencing God the Father sending the Son but not me in referencing Jesus laying down his own life for others. Amazingly inconsistent, wouldn’t you agree?
Also, since he accuses me of Scripture twisting by saying Jesus performed a greatest act of love, not the greater, then why does he say the Father performed the greatest act of love when nowhere in the text does it say anything like that regarding the Father. The words of Christ are clear where Jesus says there was no greater act of love than to lay your own life for a friend? It seems the Jehovah’s Witness wants to have his cake and eat it too.
Obviously, this guy cannot think clearly, is inconsistent, and, to repeat what I said at the beginning of this article, is apparently contradicting what the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society say when he uses his own human reasoning to interpret the Bible:
References
1↑, 5↑
http://www.christiandiscussionforums.org/v/showthread.php?p=2262675#poststop.
2↑, 9↑
The Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1952, pp. 79-80.
3↑, 10↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.
4↑
The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981.
6↑
Ibid.
7↑
Ibid., I am assuming that the person on the discussion boards who goes by the name of gordenbell (from the U.K.) and the emailer beb (from the U.K.) are the same person since they have the same style, the same accusatory tone, and are both from the U.K.
8↑
Ibid.
Week 3
John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I.”
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.'” (John 14:28).
Jesus said that the Father was greater than He not because Jesus is not God but because Jesus was also a man, and as a man, He was in a lower position. He was “. . . made for a little while lower than the angels . . .” (Heb. 2:9). Also in Phil. 2:5-8, it says that Jesus “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men . . .”
Jesus has two natures. Jesus was not denying that He was God. He was merely acknowledging the fact that He was also a man. Jesus is both God and man. As a man, He was in a lesser position than the Father. He had added to Himself human nature (Col. 2:9). He became a man to die for people.
A comparison can be found in the marriage relationship. Biblically, a husband is greater in position and authority than his wife, but, he is no different in nature, and he is no better than she. They share the same nature–being human, and they work together by love.
So, Jesus was not denying that He was God. He was simply acknowledging that He was also a man, and as a man, He was subject to the laws of God so that He might redeem those who were under the law, namely, sinners (Gal. 4:4-5).
For further reading please see The two natures of Jesus.
Scriptures Quoted:
Does 1 Thessalonians 4:16 prove that Jesus is Michael the Archangel?
by Luke Wayne | Jan 17, 2017 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, whom they claim was God’s first creation and the highest of all the “spirit creatures,” or angelic beings. To argue for this teaching, they point to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, which says:
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
While it is not immediately apparent to most readers how this verse could mean that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, their argument from this passage goes something like this:
The voice of an archangel?
First, the most obvious reading is not necessarily that the “voice of an archangel” is Jesus’ own voice. It is merely one of several sounds said to accompany Jesus’ second coming. That a trumpet blowing and a voice crying out mark Jesus’ decent sounds more like the approach of a king who is being announced by a herald. The fact that Jesus is King is not in dispute. Even Jehovah’s Witnesses accept this. For a King to be coming with an archangel serving Him as His herald and for that King to be further announced by the blast of the “trumpet of God,” however, would seem to make Jesus someone much greater than Michael.
Meaning and metaphor
Secondly, even if we accept that the “voice of an archangel” is meant to describe Jesus’ own voice, that would be a weird way of saying that Jesus is an archangel. If I were describing a man coming to greet me, I would not say that he “called out to me with the voice of a human being.” That would be awkward and entirely unhelpful. I might say that “his voice was that of a lion,” and you would get that he was speaking loudly, powerfully, boldly, perhaps even angrily. I might say that “he spoke with the voice of a nightingale,” and you would grasp that his voice was pleasant and his greeting was sweet to the ear. In neither of these examples, however, would you think that I was saying that the man literally was a lion or a nightingale. Such statements are clearly metaphors. I would not bother saying that a lion has the voice of a lion because that is obvious and useless. I would not say that a nightingale has the voice of a nightingale because that doesn’t say anything. Even if Paul was saying that Jesus will personally shout “with the voice of an archangel,” such a statement could only be a metaphor. Plus, think about what happens if you apply the Jehovah’s Witness logic consistently in this verse. If Jesus must be an archangel because His voice is the voice of an archangel, then He also must be God because His trumpet blast is the trumpet blast of God. Obviously, no Jehovah’s Witness would accept this logic as applied to the latter point, so why should they think it valid in the former? There is simply no logical way to read this passage as actually calling Jesus an archangel.
Is Micheal the only archangel?
Thirdly, it is a big leap to get from “an archangel” to “Michael the Archangel.” Jehovah’s Witnesses try to bridge this gap by claiming that Michael is the only archangel. The case for this is rather weak, however. Many major English translations indeed render 1 Thessalonians 4:16 as reading “the voice of THE archangel” rather than “the voice of AN archangel.” In Greek, however, there is no article here, which is why even the Jehovah’s Witness’s “New World Translation” goes with “an archangel” here. Trustworthy translations like the ESV and NKJV also use “an archangel,” and others like the NASB put “the” in italics so that it is clear to the reader that the word is not in Greek. 1 Thessalonians itself gives us no reason to think that there is only one archangel. Jehovah’s Witnesses, therefore, turn elsewhere to try and prove this point, claiming:
“God’s word refers to Michael ‘the archangel.’ (Jude 9) This term means ‘chief angel.’ Notice that Michael is called the archangel. This suggests that there is only one such angel. In fact, the term ‘archangel’ occurs in the Bible only in the singular, never in the plural,” (What Does the Bible Really Teach, pg. 218).
This is rather horrific logic, and I honestly can’t believe they even published it. Let’s try applying this same argument to another biblical figure:
“God’s word refers to Alexander “the coppersmith.” (2 Timothy 4:14) Notice that Alexander is called the coppersmith. This suggests that there is only one such tradesman. In fact, the term ‘coppersmith’ occurs in the Bible only in the singular, never in the plural.”
You could write the same paragraph about “Simon the Zealot” (Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13) and a host of others, and the conclusion is just as laughable. So, too, with “Michael the Archangel.” The argument is absurd. Simon being designated “the zealot” obviously was not meant to deny the existence of other zealots. Calling Alexander “the coppersmith” does not negate the obvious fact that there were many other coppersmiths. Labeling Michael “the archangel” has nothing to do with the number of archangels that exist. Daniel 10:13 calls Michael “one of the chief princes,” clearly indicating that there are other angels of his rank. In the ancient world, people often had descriptors attached to their names. Thus, in addition to “Simon the Zealot,” we also see names like “Simon the Leper” (Matthew 26:6), “Simon the Tanner” (Acts 10:32), and “Simon, who was called Peter” (Matthew 4:18). This was a normal convention for referring to people by name, and Michael was no exception. There is no reason to think that Michael is the only archangel.
Is Jesus Michael the Archangel?
Fourthly and finally, since all of the premises of the Jehovah’s Witness’s argument are wrong, there is no basis for their conclusion. The reality is that Jesus is not a created being, not even the most exalted created being. Rather:
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being,” (John 1:3).
and:
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain, And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end,” (Hebrews 1:10-12).
No, Jesus is not Michael the Archangel. Jesus is Michael’s Lord and Maker. This is why an archangel will be Jesus’ herald and why the trumpet of God announces His coming. Jesus is the King of all creation because Jesus is the Creator. Jesus is Jehovah God.
Jesus is Abaddon and Apollyon the Destroyer
by Matt Slick | Dec 10, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jesus is Abaddon and Apollyon
Watchtower 12/1/1961, p. 717-720
“United Against Nations in the Valley of Decision”
“When Jesus was on earth as a man, he was a Hebrew, and now in his capacity as Jehovah’s royal Executioner he is called by the Hebrew name Abad’don, which means Destruction. (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; 12:23; 14:19) In the Greek in which the inspired Christian Scriptures were written his similar title is Apollyon, which means Destroyer,” (Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1961, p. 719).
Comment: Abaddon is the Hebrew for the ruling angel in hell. Apollyon is the Greek equivalent. Is it Jesus? No. The New Topical Textbook lists Abaddon and Apollyon as names of Satan. The Bible Knowledge Commentary does the same.
The Modern Plague
. . . continued . . .
page 718
How long are the remnant of the anointed Christian witnesses of Jehovah authorized to strike the religious clergy with this tormenting message? For the period of their life before God’s war of Armageddon, as symbolized by the five months assigned to the locusts. Since Jehovah’s anointed remnant are not authorized to act as his executioners of men who persecute them for preaching God’s message, the religious clergy are left alive to suffer the tormenting pain from God’s judgment message. Not that the clergy would not prefer to die rather than endure this judgment proclamation any longer; but as the apostle John says of them: “And in those days the men will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will desire to die but death keeps fleeing from them.” God’s execution of judgment, his infliction of death upon these hypocritical Christian clergy, is delayed till he begins his universal war of Armageddon.
What do these symbolic locusts look like? John says: “And the likenesses of the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle, and upon their heads were what seemed to be crowns like gold, and their faces were as men’s faces, but they had hair as women’s hair. And their teeth were as those of lions; and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running into battle. Also, they have tails and stings like scorpions; and in their tails is their authority to hurt the men five months.” From this description, we note that the remnant of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses were brought forth in 1919 for warfare, spiritual warfare from that year till the actual outbreak of the “war of the great day of God the Almighty,” commonly called Armageddon. (Rev. 16:14-16) Hence they looked like horses, which in Bible times were used for warfare. “The horse
page 719
is something prepared for the day of battle,” says Proverbs 21:31.
The symbolic locusts are royal warriors, as denoted by the goldlike crowns upon the locusts’ heads; for by being anointed with God’s spirit, they have been made “joint-heirs with Christ” and have been assigned a crown and throne in Christ’s kingdom of a thousand years. (Rom. 8:16, 17; Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 3:11, 21) During this time of spiritual warfare with Christendom, these symbolic locusts are mere humans gifted with intelligence, as denoted by their “men’s faces.” Like Hebrew warriors in the field who did not have barbershop facilities, they let their head of hair grow to the length of women’s hair so that they had a hairy mane and looked like lions for fierceness. (1 Chron. 12:8) Appropriately, then, “their teeth were as those of lions,” that could devour solid food, flesh, like the strong judgment message of God’s vengeance against Christendom. (Heb. 5:12; 1 Cor. 3:1, 2) Their hearts, the organs of love for God, and for his righteousness, hence hearts that know no fear but are courageous, are well protected as if by impenetrable breastplates of iron. So they never lose love and courage.
Like a huge swarm of winged locusts that are capable of flying for a thousand miles or more, they unitedly make a noise that sounds like a squadron of war chariots rattling along to the beat of many horses’ hoofs into the battle. It is a terrific sound. The symbolic locusts shout as from the house-tops and let God’s judgment message be heard over a vast distance in the territory that they cover. Fear of the enemy does not soften down their message to a mere whisper. Jehovah’s war declaration must be sounded loudly. He is responsible for the hurting of feelings that the message causes to the ones who are stung by it. For the brief time interval till Armageddon breaks out, “five months,” as it were, the symbolic locusts must use their scorpion-like tails, God’s Word, “the sword of the spirit,” and must strike men against whom God’s judgment is directed. It is not God’s time to spare feelings. His enemies have to be exposed and notified of coming judgment.–Eph. 6:17.
The symbolic locusts must follow their King, Jesus Christ. John says of them: “They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew, his name is Abad’don, but in Greek, he has the name Apollyon.” The resurrected heavenly Jesus Christ is the “angel of the abyss,” for he holds the “keys of death and of Ha’des.” In the finale of the universal war of Armageddon, he will bind and pitch Satan the Devil and his spirit demons into the abyss of deathlike inactivity. (Rev. 20:1-3) When Jesus was on earth as a man, he was a Hebrew, and now in his capacity as Jehovah’s royal Executioner he is called by the Hebrew name Abad’don, which means Destruction. (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; 12:23; 14:19) In the Greek in which the inspired Christian Scriptures were written his similar title is Apollyon, which means Destroyer. This name clearly shows that he comes to the throne at God’s right hand to rule first in the midst of his enemies and to destroy them in execution of Jehovah’s righteous judgment, Jehovah’s judicial decision against them.–Jas. 4:12.
The symbolic locusts who must proclaim the judgment message before the judgment is executed in the “low plain of the decision” have Jesus Christ as their King, but he is invisible. They have no
page 720
visible king any more than literal locusts have: “The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth all of them divided into groups.” For the reason that they move forward in groups or swarms, they are “instinctively wise,” although being among the “smallest” things on earth. (Prov. 30:24, 27) The symbolic locusts, the anointed witnesses of Jehovah, move forward united, grouped according to their local congregations. But this is not due to any locust instinct. It is due to the heavenly wisdom imparted by God’s spirit. Also, their following their heavenly King Jesus Christ as the Leader whom God had enthroned is what keeps them united in their attack upon the men not sealed. (Rev. 7:2-8; 9:4) Willingly, obediently, they subject themselves to his command; and this is what may also be pictured by the fact that the symbolic locusts “had hair as women’s hair,” since a woman’s long hair naturally is a sign of her subjection, a sign of having authority on her head.–I Cor. 11:10, 15; Ps. 110:3.
Week 1
Jehovah’s Witness’ Beliefs
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witness’ Beliefs:
- There is one God in one person, Make Sure of All Things, p. 188. (See False God)
- There is no Trinity, Let God be True, 2nd Ed., pp. 100-101; Should You Believe in the Trinity? p. 7; Watchtower, 2/1/1960, p. 94, Why Do You Believe in the Trinity? (See False Trinity)
- The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 406-407. (See False Holy Spirit)
- 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 in
creating 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, p. 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.
- “The man Adam is not included in those ransomed. Why not? Because he was a willful sinner, was justly sentenced to death, and died deservedly and God would not reverse his judgment and give Adam life.” Let God be True, p. 119, copyright 1946.
- “There was no hope for Adam or Eve because they willfully chose to disobey God. But what about their offspring, including us?” http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_05.htm
- 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, pp. 59, 60, 67.
- There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, pp. 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 Witnesses are born again. Reasoning from the
Scriptures, 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 the
Scriptures, 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’s
preparation, 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 armed
forces. - Satan was entrusted with the obligation and charged with the duty of
overseeing the creation of the earth, Children, p. 55.
Jehovah’s Witnesses in a Nutshell
by Matt Slick | Apr 20, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Much can be said about the details of Jehovah’s Witness doctrines and practices, but it can be helpful to have a concise summary of the most important points. So here is Jehovah’s Witnesses in a nutshell.
According to Jehovah’s Witness’ theology, God is a single person, not a Trinity, who does not know all things and is not everywhere. He first created Michael the Archangel through whom He created all “other things,” including the universe, the earth, Adam and Eve, etc. This creative work took God 42,000 years. At one point, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society taught that God ruled the universe from somewhere in the Pleiades star system. They have since modified this to say that the “Pleiades can no longer be considered the center of the universe and it would be unwise for us to try to fix God’s throne as being at a particular spot in the universe.”1 Such changes and even contradictions are frequent in the Watchtower organization. When a doctrine changes, they tell their followers that the light of truth is getting brighter.
After Adam sinned, the paradise which God had created for them was ruined. So, God instituted a system of redemption which was revealed in the Bible and would ultimately lead to the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. But, in the meantime, God needed to have a visible, theocratic organization on earth to accurately represent Him. Throughout history, this true organization had a remnant of faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc.); but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that Charles Taze Russell formally began what is now known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which is run out of Brooklyn, New York. This organization claims to be the only true channel of God’s truth on earth today and that it alone can properly interpret God’s word since it is the angel directed prophet of God on earth.
When it came time for the savior to be born, Michael the Archangel became a human in the form of Jesus. Jesus grew and kept all the laws of God and never sinned. Finally, when Jesus died, it was not on a cross but on a torture stake where he bore the sins of mankind–but this did not include Adam’s sins. Jesus rose from the dead as a spirit, not physically (his body was dissolved and taken by God); and during his visitations to people on earth, he manifested a temporary physical body for them to see and touch. Thus began the true Christian church of Jehovah’s followers.
Throughout history, there have been faithful Jehovah’s witnesses who have managed to keep The Truth in spite of the “demonic” doctrine of Trinitarianism that has permeated the Christian church in “Christendom.” Christendom is filled with pastors who are antichrists in churches run by Satan and who support the earthly governments which are all of the devil. In other words, all of Christianity is false; and only the Jehovah’s Witness “theocratic” organization led by several men in Brooklyn, New York, is true.
In the late 1800s, a young man of 18 years by the name of Charles Taze Russell organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his ideas on doctrine, so he co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour. By 1884, Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and founded Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). Russell served as the teacher and guide for the organization which taught that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and is now reigning in heaven. When Jesus finally returns physically to earth, which will happen at the time of the Battle of Armageddon, He will set up His earthly 1000-year kingdom.
During this 1000-year period, people will be resurrected and have a second chance to receive eternal salvation by following the principles of Jehovah’s Organization on earth known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. After the millennium, those who reject God and His organization will be annihilated; that is, they will cease to exist. The rest of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who has faithfully followed God’s organization on earth will be saved from eternal annihilation and reside forever on Paradise earth. Heaven, however, is a place for a special group of 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses–the only ones who are “born again” and who alone are allowed to take communion in their annual communion service. These are the ones who have “immortal life”; all other Witnesses have “everlasting life.” Those with immortal life do not have resurrected bodies. They have “spirit bodies.” Those on Paradise Earth have everlasting life and consist of resurrected bodies that must be maintained through eating, rest, etc.
When you study with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, you agree to attend five meetings a week where you are taught from Watchtower literature. You cannot be baptized until you have studied their material for at least six months and have answered numerous questions before a panel of elders. Men are not supposed to have long hair or wear beards, and women are to dress in modest apparel. They refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” celebrate birthdays or Christmas, won’t take blood transfusions; and they can’t join the armed forces. A schedule of door-to-door canvassing is required where you distribute the Watchtower literature, acquire donations, and forward all monies to the headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
If you ever leave the Jehovah’s Witness organization, you are considered an apostate and are to be shunned.
Reference
1↑
Watchtower, 11/15/53, p. 703.
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ History
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
The Jehovah’s Witnesses were begun by Charles Taze Russell in 1872. He was born on February 16, 1852, the son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell. He had great difficulty in dealing with the doctrine of eternal hellfire, and in his studies came to deny not only eternal punishment but also the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. When Russell was 18, he organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his aberrant ideas on doctrine. He co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour; and by 1884 Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and founded Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). The first edition of The Watchtower magazine was only 6,000 copies each month. Today the Witnesses’ publishing complex in Brooklyn, New York, churns out 100,000 books and 800,000 copies of its two magazines – daily!
Russell claimed that the Bible could be only understood according to his interpretations–a dangerous arrangement since he controlled what was written in the Watchtower magazine. This kind of assertion is typical among leaders of cult religions.
After the death of Russell on Oct. 31, 1916, a Missouri lawyer named Joseph Franklin Rutherford took over the presidency of the Watch Tower Society which was known then as the International Bible Students Association. In 1931 he changed the name of the organization to “The Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
After Rutherford’s death, Nathan Knorr took over. After Knorr, Frederick William Franz became president.
The Society was led by Mr. Henschel who died in 2003. The group has over 4 million members worldwide. The Watchtower Society statistics indicate that 740 house calls are required to recruit each of the nearly 200,000 new members who join every year.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have several ‘book studies’ each week. The members are not required to attend, but there is a level of expectation that gently urges converts to participate. It is during these ‘book studies’ that the Jehovah’s Witness is constantly exposed to counter Christian teachings. The average Jehovah’s Witness with his constant Watchtower indoctrination could easily pummel the average Christian when it comes to defending his beliefs.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses vehemently portray the doctrine of the Trinity as pagan in origin and that Christendom, as a whole, has bought the lie of the devil. Along with denying the Trinity is an equally strong denial of the deity of Christ, the deity of the Holy Spirit, the belief in hell, and eternal conscious punishment in hell.
Is the Jehovah’s Witness religion Christian?
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
The Jehovah’s Witness (aka Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) religion is not Christian.” Like all non-Christian cults, it distorts the essential doctrines of Christianity. It denies the deity of Christ, His physical resurrection, and salvation by grace. These make it non-Christian. In addition, to support its erring doctrines, the Watchtower organization (which is the author and teacher of all official Jehovah’s Witness’ theology) has altered the Bible to make it agree with its changing and non-Christian teachings.
Typical with cults that use the Bible to support their position is a host of interpretive errors:
- Taking verses out of their immediate context.
- Refusing to read verses in the entire biblical context.
- Inserting their theological presuppositions into the text.
- Altering the Biblical text to suit their needs.
- Latching onto one verse to interpret a host of others.
- Changing the meanings of words.
- Proclaiming some passages to be figurative when they contradict their doctrines.
- Adding to the Word of God.
Additionally, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ organization requires of its member’s regular weekly attendance at their “Bible Study” meetings where they are repeatedly indoctrinated with anti-Christian teachings. This is done by reading the Watchtower magazine, following along with what it says, reading the questions it asks, and reciting the answers it gives. In other words, the Watchtower Organization carefully trains its members to let the Organization do their thinking for them. For confirmation of this, please read Does the Watchtower organization control the JW’s thinking?
The Witnesses are told they will be persecuted when they go door-to-door teaching their doctrines. They are further told that this is simply the enemy fighting against God’s organization because they are in “the truth.” So, when someone disagrees with them, they are conditioned to reflect on what the Watchtower has told them. They then feel confirmed in being in God’s true organization on earth (like all cults claim). They are strongly encouraged to have friends and acquaintances that are only JW’s, thereby keeping outside examination to a minimum. They are told to shun those who leave their group, for in this way there is no way to see why someone has left and no way to find out that they are in error from those who have found the truth in Christ. They are conditioned to shy away from any real biblically knowledgeable person. An example of this is frequently found on the Internet. I was once banned from a Jehovah’s Witness chat room after I not only answered their objections to the Trinity and deity of Christ but also challenged them in return. Subsequently, my name was passed around to all other Jehovah’s Witness rooms where I was banned from them as well. This is a frequent occurrence on the Internet where the Jehovah’s Witnesses are alive and well. It is obvious that a critical examination of their doctrines is not encouraged by the Watchtower Organization.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves to be Christians because they believe they are serving the true and living God. Like many cults, they think they are the only true church on earth. Yet, they deny the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the personhood of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ physical resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are discouraged from looking into Jehovah’s Witness history or old Watchtower literature which is replete with contradictions, altered doctrines, and false prophecies. Instead, they are indoctrinated repeatedly against basic Christian doctrines (Trinity, deity of Christ, etc.,) and into the notion that they alone are the true servants of God and that all others are either in “Christendom” or simply unbelievers.
Primarily, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ organization is a mind-control organization that uses its people to pass out literature and send in “donations” to the headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
“Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization and not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible.”(The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.)
Conclusion: Jehovah’s Witness doctrine is not Christian
The Watchtower organization of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a non-Christian organization that uses its people to promulgate false doctrines, collects “contributions” for distribution of a multitudinous amount of literature, and expands its grip into the lives of its members and their families. The Jehovah’s Witness organization is a non-Christian cult.
Week 2
If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, please read this first.
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, please understand that I am not against you as an individual. I am not an apostate from the Watchtower organization; and, of course, I was never baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness. However, when I was 17, I studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses for a couple of months but quit. Unfortunately, they used the Watchtower Magazine equally with and sometimes more than the Bible; and they couldn’t answer all my questions. All I wanted to study was the Bible since that is God’s word.
As a Jehovah’s Witness, you have been taught from the Bible and the Watchtower organization. You’ve attended numerous meetings and believe you are in God’s true organization. You also believe the Trinity is a demonic doctrine and that Christendom is an apostate group preaching a false gospel. Additionally, you are taught the Watchtower organization is the true channel of God’s revelation to His church on earth. You are taught that you are in “The Truth,” but believing it does not make it so. Perhaps you might respond by saying that your beliefs are in agreement with the Bible. After all, you study it deeply. I don’t deny that you study; but when you study, you study under the Watchtower’s guidance and allow it to shape your understanding and thinking concerning the Bible and its doctrines.
Please consider these quotes from the Watchtower Magazine that verify what I am saying:
- “All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the “greatly diversified wisdom of God” can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.”1
- “Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible.”2
In short, you are led by what the Watchtower says the Bible says; but if the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is from God, then . . .
- Why has it made false prophecies?
- Why has it altered the translation of the Bible?
- Why does the Watchtower say you will fall into apostasy if you read the Bible without the Watchtower? See their quotes
- Why are you not allowed to examine your own organization and its problems?
- Why does it tell you what to think and do?
Please don’t be offended by this; but when a group claims to be the prophet of God yet mistranslates the Bible, takes verses out of context, makes false prophecies, and misquotes authorities all to make its position valid, its credibility is lost. It cannot be from God.
But you will never know that unless you “examine ALL things.” Unfortunately, as a Jehovah’s Witness, you are only encouraged to study what the Organization tells you to study. That means you can’t really check up on its false prophecies on your own. Instead, you must trust what it tells you about its own false prophecies. In addition, you are instructed to not take any literature from “apostate Christendom.” This way, you will have far less opportunity to be challenged, something the Watchtower organization doesn’t want to happen.
The Watchtower Magazine teaches by asking the questions and giving the answers. Sometimes it even uses a Bible reference (often out of context) to back up what it says. It all looks good and sounds good from your perspective, but it is a false method of study. The Watchtower organization tells you what to think and what to do; if you say that isn’t true and that the Watchtower Organization is God’s organization on earth, then you are simply repeating what the Watchtower tells you.
The Bible alone is sufficient, but the Watchtower denies this:
“From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude . . . They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…“3
What are the apostate doctrines: Trinity? Hell? Jesus is God? Funny thing is that, according to the Watchtower, if you study the Bible by itself, you will come to believe these things! Could it be that apart from the selected questions, answers, scripture quotes, and direction of the Watchtower teaching that the Bible actually does teach these “apostate doctrines”? If you don’t check for yourself and only believe the Watchtower, you’ll never know.
Do you want to trust your eternal soul to the teachings of several men headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, who claim to be the directors of God’s organization on earth? Do you? Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
References
References
1↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1994, p. 8.
2↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.
3↑
The Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981, emphasis added.
Jehovah’s Witness are Really “Watchtowerites.”
by Matt Slick | Jul 11, 2011 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witnesses faithfully go door-to-door preaching the “Kingdom of God” that is taught them via the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They are usually quite polite and sincere in their efforts of communicating “Jehovah’s Good News.” As always, they carry with them several books and magazines, some of which are the New World Translation (their Bible, which has been altered in many places), the Awake Magazine, and, of course, the ubiquitous Watchtower Magazine.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses receive their direction from The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. This organization claims to be the channel of communication from God to his people, that it represents Jesus on earth, and that you cannot find Scriptural guidance outside of it as an organization. Consider the following quotes:
- “It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of communication to his people on the earth, and he has clearly shown that the magazine called The Watchtower is used for that purpose.”1
- Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect.”2
- “We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ organization.”3
Of course, the Jehovah’s Witnesses will strongly disagree with this statement. They say that they read and study their Bibles and only use the Watchtower literature as a guide to understanding God’s word. But it is this very admission that condemns them because their doctrines are not found in the Bible. The proof is found, believe it or not, in the Watchtower’s own writings. Consider this quote from The Watchtower magazine, August 15, 1981, that says:
“From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude…They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…”4
Did you get that? If you read the Bible by itself, you will become a Trinitarian because that is exactly what the Watchtower is referring to here when it says “apostate doctrines.” In other words, if you read the Bible alone, you will not arrive at Watchtower doctrines. This is an amazing admission by the Watchtower organization. It is clear, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not get their teachings from the Bible, but from the Watchtower literature.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are Really WatchtoweritesThe average Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witness church) has “Book” studies several times a week. It is in these meetings that the Jehovah’s Witness gets new Watchtower publications, studies with the help of the Watchtower aids, and discusses doctrines in ‘Bible studies.” This is how they are indoctrinated. Whether or not a Jehovah’s Witness likes or dislikes what is being taught is not the issue. Rather, the Jehovah’s Witness is supposed to accept and believe what is taught via the Watchtower Literature and is discouraged from independent thinking. Another quote:
“We should eat and digest and assimilate what is set before us, without shying away from parts of the food because it may not suit the fancy of our mental taste…We should meekly go along with the Lord’s theocratic organization and wait for further clarification.'”5
This quote clearly shows that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is the Jehovah’s Witness’ teacher and those who follow its teachings are Watchtowerites. That is, they are students of the Watchtower which is why, basically, all Jehovah’s Witnesses all believe the very same thing. Of course, they will say that this is unity and not confusion as is found in Christendom’s denominations. But precise unity in beliefs among a people is a sign not of freedom, but of control.
Within Christianity’s denominations are the core beliefs that unite Christians all over the world. We are allowed differences of opinions on non-essential doctrines (Rom. 14:1-7). Not so with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are all taught the same doctrine from the same publications. They each give identical Watchtower responses to questions and challenges, and all present the identical claims of “The Kingdom of God,” “the Errors of the Trinity,” the “Coming Armageddon,” etc. Essentially, if you’ve spoken to one Jehovah’s Witness, you’ve spoken to them all.
If you want to learn what the average Jehovah’s Witness believes, you don’t read the Bible, you read the Watchtower Magazine. This is because the Watchtower is the source of their theological beliefs, not the Bible. If you want to quickly learn what the Watchtower teaches, spend an hour with any Jehovah’s Witness. The Jehovah’s Witness is, quite plainly, a Watchtowerite.
References
References
1↑ 1939 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, p. 85
2↑ The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 591.
3↑ The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981.
4↑ The Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981.
5↑ The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, pp. 79-80
Questions for Jehovah’s Witnesses
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
- The Watchtower organization has claimed to be the prophet of God1 yet it has made numerous false prophecies. The excuse given for their false prophecies has been to quote Proverbs 4:18, which says, “But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.” Whether or not the “light gets brighter” or not, does not change the fact that the Watchtower made false prophecies. The Bible says in Deut. 18:20-22, “‘However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: “How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?” When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak . . . “
- Question: If the New World Translation (NWT) condemns false prophesying and states that it is proof that God is not speaking through that prophet, then doesn’t this prove that the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is not speaking for God?
- The Name of God
- Question: Why does the NWT insert the word Jehovah in the New Testament when there are absolutely no Greek manuscripts that have it in there? Isn’t this playing with the text?
- In the book, “Salvation,”2 (a Watchtower Publication) it says, “At San Diego, California, there is a small piece of land, on which, in the year 1929, there was built a house, which is known as Beth-Sarim. The Hebrew words Beth Sarim mean “House of the Princes”; and the purpose of acquiring that property and building the house was that there might be some tangible proof that there are those on earth today who fully believe God and Christ Jesus and in His kingdom, and who believe that the faithful men of old will soon be resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and take charge of the visible affairs of earth. The title to Beth-Sarim is vested in the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in trust, to be used by the president of the Society and his assistants for the present, and thereafter to be forever at the disposal of the aforementioned princes on earth [italic added] . . . while the unbelievers have mocked concerning it and spoken contemptuously of it, yet it stands there as a testimony to Jehovah’s name; and if and when the princes do return and some of them occupy the property, such will be a confirmation of the faith and hope that induced the building of Beth-Sarim.”
- Question: This place was sold in 1942 after Rutherford’s death. Therefore, it appears that the faithful were misled since the house was to “be forever at the disposal of the aforementioned princes.” Is this really a testimony to Jehovah’s name as it said? How can it be if they sold the house?
- The Watchtower organization states that Jesus died on a stake and not a cross. The typical Watchtower representation of this is with Jesus on a single vertical stake – hands over his head with a single nail in his wrists. If Jesus were crucified on a cross, then two nails would be necessary, one in each hand. How then does the Watchtower organization handle the verse in the Bible that states that Jesus had nails (plural) in his hands: “Consequently the other disciples would say to him: ‘We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe,'” (John 20:25, NWT).
- Question: Jesus had one nail in each hand. This is made clear by the use of the word ‘nails’ not ‘nail.’ Jesus must have been crucified on a cross and not a stake as the Watchtower organization teaches. Why is it, then, that the Watchtower teaches something that is so clearly unbiblical?
- The Watchtower organization states that through good works and sincere effort only 144,000 elite JW’s will go to heaven. The 144,000 are mentioned in two chapters in the Bible: Revelation 7 & 14. By looking at the verses it is obvious that the 144,000 are literal Jews of the ancient tribes with no Gentiles among them (7:4-8). They are all males (14:4) and virgins (14:4).
- Question: If the JW states that the usage of Jewish male virgins is figurative, what gives them the right to state that number of 144,000 is literal?
- Michael the Archangel
- Question: Where does it teach in the Bible that Jesus is Michael the archangel? Why isn’t Jesus called Michael right now since he is in heaven?
- According to the Watchtower Organization, Feb. 15, 1983, p. 12, there are four requirements for salvation as taught by the Watchtower magazine. The second is relevant here: “Many have found the second requirement more difficult. It is to obey God’s laws, yes, to conform one’s life to the moral requirements set out in the Bible. This includes refraining from a debauched, immoral way of life.’ 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 1 Peter 4:3, 4.”
- Question. Must the JW obey God’s laws in order to have his sins forgiven so he can go to paradise earth even if the Bible says no in Romans 3:28 and 4:5?
References
1↑
The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197.
2↑
Rutherford, J. F., “Salvation,” 1939, p. 311.
Response to “Has the Jehovah’s Witness’ god performed the greatest act of love?”
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
On the CARM discussion boards, a Jehovah’s Witness that goes by the name “jonniel” (for some reason he wants to remain anonymous) posted a response to the paper, “Has Jehovah performed the greatest act of love?”1 His response is not very good, and I’ll show you why; but before I do, I can’t help wondering if this Jehovah’s Witness is following the admonition of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, his governing theocratic organization.
- “Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord’s visible organization and not be so foolish as to put against Jehovah’s channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings.”2
- “Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible.”3
John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this . . .The article the Jehovah’s Witness attempted to refute deals with the statement made by Jesus in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” The Jehovah’s Witness view of Jesus is that Jesus is not divine, but Jesus performed the greatest act of love by dying for others. This means that according to the JW view, Jesus did a greater work than God because it wasn’t God who laid his life down for his friends. Yet, in Trinitarian theology, God is the one who performs the greatest act of love because Jesus is divine. Therefore, God is not outdone by a created thing in Trinitarianism; but he is according to Jehovah’s Witness teaching. This is a simple argument. Nevertheless, Jehovah’s Witness has attempted to answer the paper.
“Now we can see where Matt Slick errs. He thinks that Jesus spoke of “the greatest” act of love one can do as if there was no other that can equal it. But Jesus did not say this! Jesus said there was no “greater” act of love that one could do for one’s “friends.” Not that there was not or could not be other acts of love that could be as great! Can you, our reader, not see this and see then how Matt Slick has misinterpreted Jesus’ words? In fact Matt Slick even misquotes Jesus it seems by his “Jesus said that this self sacrifice is the greatest act of love” compared to what Jesus actually said “There is no greater act of love than someone should surrender his soul (life) in behalf of his friends.” There is a difference in what Matt Slick thinks Jesus said and what Jesus actually said! The Greek word John used at John 15:13 is the comparative form of MEGAS, MEIZWN, meaning not “greatest,” which would require the superlative form MEGISTOS, but “greater.”5
Alright, this Jehovah’s Witness’ argument is based upon the difference between the words “greatest” and “greater.” He argues that if Jesus had said “greatest,” then there can be no act of love equal to that; but since Jesus said “greater, there can be other acts of love equal to what Jesus is stating. He then tries to illustrate it with an example:
“Say there are three runners Tom, Dick, and Harry, (this analogy with three has nothing to do with the Trinity by the way!) who have all run the 100m in 9.5 seconds. No other runners have but these three. Based on this fact one could say that “There is no greater 100m runner than Tom.” This would be correct, true. But it would not mean that Tom was the “greatest” 100m runner! Both Dick and Harry are equally as great as they too have run the 100m in 9.5 seconds.” 6
Jonniel compares Jesus’ comment about self-sacrifice on the cross having no greater love to a track meet where three people run with identical times. Okay, so how does this equate to Jesus saying that no greater act of love can be offered than laying down one’s own life for another? It doesn’t. Still, he tries to make an argument based on an analogy. The Jehovah’s Witness later says in the same discussion board post that
“Jesus is God’s Son and as the Father, God did as great an act of love by sending this own only begotten son down to die it does not have to then mean that God’s Son is God also for God to perform the greatest act of love!”[Ibid.]
I know, his sentence is difficult to follow; but, where does it say in scripture that the act of God sending his Son to die on the cross is as great as laying down one’s own life? I can’t find any such statement, and the JW hasn’t produced one–but it hasn’t stopped him from using his own human reasoning to interpret the Bible.
However, what we do have is the clear teaching of Christ in John 15:13 saying there is no greater act of love than self-sacrifice. In contrast to Jesus’ words, we have the opinion of the Jehovah’s Witness to counteract it–not very good and not very convincing–but let me put some flesh and blood to the JW’s argument with a short dialogue.
JW: According to Jesus’ words, I’m going to perform an act of love of which you can say there is none greater.
Tom: Really? How so?
JW: You know my son, Michael?
Tom: Yes.
JW: I’m going to sacrifice his life to save someone else.
Tom: [pause] Why don’t you sacrifice yourself instead of sending your son?
JW: Because I must send him since no greater act of love can be made than laying down my own life.
Tom: [pause and blank stare] Wait, Jesus said there was no greater act of love than to lay down your own life for others–not sending someone else in your place; but, you’re not doing that. So how is sacrificing Michael a fulfillment of Jesus’ words of laying down one’s own life? How is that an equal act of love?
JW: You’re missing the point. Sending my son to die is equal in love to dying myself.
Tom: You mean you’re really being loving and sacrificial by having someone else die instead of yourself?
JW: Yes, by sending my son, I am doing an act of love that is just as great as Jesus laying down his own life.
Tom: So, let me get this straight. You’re saying that sending someone else to die is just as good a loving act as dying yourself?
JW: No, sending my Son–not just anyone.
Tom: I see, so sending someone else, in this case, your son, to die for someone is just as great and loving an act as dying yourself?
JW: Exactly.
Tom: They are equivalent, right?
JW: Right.
Tom: Did the Watchtower tell you to think like this?
The dialogue illustrates essentially what the Jehovah’s Witness is saying, namely, that it is just as great an act of love for the Father to send the Son as it is for the Son to lay his own life down for others. What do you think? Are they equal? Is it just as great an act of love to send someone else to die instead of doing it yourself? Not as far as I can see.
Quantifying loveThere is a bit of a problem: subjectivity. How do you quantify which act of love is greater or equal than another? It would be difficult to do even though the Jehovah’s Witness attempted just that. Still, I would think that loving my cat is not as great an act of love as is dying to protect my wife. Some comparisons are easy. So, in this category, the best place we can go is Scripture where we see that Christ clearly states there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s own life–he didn’t say someone else’s life. Would it have made sense if the verse was rendered according to the Jehovah’s Witness argument: “Greater love has no one than this, that he send someone else to die for his friends, yea, even his own Son.” If just if, this is actually what Jesus said, then the Jehovah’s Witness would be able to appeal to Scripture for his position, but it isn’t; and so he appeals not to Scripture but to an opinion and a track-meet analogy to make his point. He isn’t convincing.
ConclusionIt is still true that according to the doctrine of the Trinity, where there is one God in three persons and each person shares the divine nature, that God (in Christ) has performed an act of love of which there is none greater. In Trinitarianism, we can say that God laid down his own life for his friends. God shed his own blood to forgive us–not someone else’s.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood,” (Acts 20:28).
Do you see what it says? It says that God purchased his people with his own blood – not the blood of someone else. So, who performed the greater act of love, God (in trinitarianism), or a created thing (as in JW theology)? To me it is obvious.
Thank you, God, for your greatest act of love.
UpdatesJan. 14, 2008. It is hardly worth dealing with this Jehovah’s Witness since he has been so rude and demanding in posts on the board and in emails. Nevertheless, he’s attempted to answer this paper–and did a bad job in the process. He only furthers his errors. One point that he’s been trying to make (taken from the discussion board) is that John 3:16 and 1 John 4:8-10 together somehow demonstrate that, according to his interpretation, “it is God the Father who performed the greatest act of love.”7 Of course, I’ve already addressed the equality issue above but let’s take a quick look at these two verses to see if they support his opinion.
- John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
- 1 John 4:8-10, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Jan. 15, 2008. The Jehovah’s Witness just won’t stop. He continues to e-mail me with accusations of incompetence, of twisting Jesus’ words, etc. He said in an e-mail to me,
“Slick also continues with his twisting of Jesus’ words at John 15:13 where Slick has Jesus speaking of the “greatest” love when Jesus actually spoke of a love there is no “greater” among “friends,” amongst humans and which Jesus was saying his disciples should have for each other as he has for them!
Notice how he has emphasized the difference between greater and greatest but on the discussion board he said,
“However, 1 John 4:8-10 and John 3:16 shows us who performed the greatest act of love. God the Father. When one reads “God is love” the referent for “God” here is the Father, not the Son. If the Son loved us as much as the Father did then is it not strange that the Son is also not said to be “love”? This is then against the claim that in John 15:13 the love there is the “greatest.” It is not.”8
This is interesting. He complains about the difference between greatest and greater in my writing, but then on the boards, he commits the very error he accuses me of committing when he says that the Father is the one who performed the greatest act of love. So, I guess it’s okay for him to use the term “greatest” in referencing God the Father sending the Son but not me in referencing Jesus laying down his own life for others. Amazingly inconsistent, wouldn’t you agree?
Also, since he accuses me of Scripture twisting by saying Jesus performed a greatest act of love, not the greater, then why does he say the Father performed the greatest act of love when nowhere in the text does it say anything like that regarding the Father. The words of Christ are clear where Jesus says there was no greater act of love than to lay your own life for a friend? It seems the Jehovah’s Witness wants to have his cake and eat it too.
Obviously, this guy cannot think clearly, is inconsistent, and, to repeat what I said at the beginning of this article, is apparently contradicting what the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society say when he uses his own human reasoning to interpret the Bible:
- “Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord’s visible organization and not be so foolish as to put against Jehovah’s channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings.” 9
- “Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible.”10
References
1↑, 5↑
http://www.christiandiscussionforums.org/v/showthread.php?p=2262675#poststop.
2↑, 9↑
The Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1952, pp. 79-80.
3↑, 10↑
The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.
4↑
The Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981.
6↑
Ibid.
7↑
Ibid., I am assuming that the person on the discussion boards who goes by the name of gordenbell (from the U.K.) and the emailer beb (from the U.K.) are the same person since they have the same style, the same accusatory tone, and are both from the U.K.
8↑
Ibid.
Week 3
John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I.”
by Matt Slick | Dec 5, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.'” (John 14:28).
Jesus said that the Father was greater than He not because Jesus is not God but because Jesus was also a man, and as a man, He was in a lower position. He was “. . . made for a little while lower than the angels . . .” (Heb. 2:9). Also in Phil. 2:5-8, it says that Jesus “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men . . .”
Jesus has two natures. Jesus was not denying that He was God. He was merely acknowledging the fact that He was also a man. Jesus is both God and man. As a man, He was in a lesser position than the Father. He had added to Himself human nature (Col. 2:9). He became a man to die for people.
A comparison can be found in the marriage relationship. Biblically, a husband is greater in position and authority than his wife, but, he is no different in nature, and he is no better than she. They share the same nature–being human, and they work together by love.
So, Jesus was not denying that He was God. He was simply acknowledging that He was also a man, and as a man, He was subject to the laws of God so that He might redeem those who were under the law, namely, sinners (Gal. 4:4-5).
For further reading please see The two natures of Jesus.
Scriptures Quoted:
- Phil. 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
- Col. 2:9, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”
- Gal. 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
- Heb. 2:9, “But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”
Does 1 Thessalonians 4:16 prove that Jesus is Michael the Archangel?
by Luke Wayne | Jan 17, 2017 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, whom they claim was God’s first creation and the highest of all the “spirit creatures,” or angelic beings. To argue for this teaching, they point to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, which says:
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
While it is not immediately apparent to most readers how this verse could mean that Jesus is Michael the Archangel, their argument from this passage goes something like this:
- Jesus’ voice is the voice of an archangel
- Jesus, therefore, is an archangel
- Michael is the only archangel
- Therefore, Jesus is Michael
The voice of an archangel?
First, the most obvious reading is not necessarily that the “voice of an archangel” is Jesus’ own voice. It is merely one of several sounds said to accompany Jesus’ second coming. That a trumpet blowing and a voice crying out mark Jesus’ decent sounds more like the approach of a king who is being announced by a herald. The fact that Jesus is King is not in dispute. Even Jehovah’s Witnesses accept this. For a King to be coming with an archangel serving Him as His herald and for that King to be further announced by the blast of the “trumpet of God,” however, would seem to make Jesus someone much greater than Michael.
Meaning and metaphor
Secondly, even if we accept that the “voice of an archangel” is meant to describe Jesus’ own voice, that would be a weird way of saying that Jesus is an archangel. If I were describing a man coming to greet me, I would not say that he “called out to me with the voice of a human being.” That would be awkward and entirely unhelpful. I might say that “his voice was that of a lion,” and you would get that he was speaking loudly, powerfully, boldly, perhaps even angrily. I might say that “he spoke with the voice of a nightingale,” and you would grasp that his voice was pleasant and his greeting was sweet to the ear. In neither of these examples, however, would you think that I was saying that the man literally was a lion or a nightingale. Such statements are clearly metaphors. I would not bother saying that a lion has the voice of a lion because that is obvious and useless. I would not say that a nightingale has the voice of a nightingale because that doesn’t say anything. Even if Paul was saying that Jesus will personally shout “with the voice of an archangel,” such a statement could only be a metaphor. Plus, think about what happens if you apply the Jehovah’s Witness logic consistently in this verse. If Jesus must be an archangel because His voice is the voice of an archangel, then He also must be God because His trumpet blast is the trumpet blast of God. Obviously, no Jehovah’s Witness would accept this logic as applied to the latter point, so why should they think it valid in the former? There is simply no logical way to read this passage as actually calling Jesus an archangel.
Is Micheal the only archangel?
Thirdly, it is a big leap to get from “an archangel” to “Michael the Archangel.” Jehovah’s Witnesses try to bridge this gap by claiming that Michael is the only archangel. The case for this is rather weak, however. Many major English translations indeed render 1 Thessalonians 4:16 as reading “the voice of THE archangel” rather than “the voice of AN archangel.” In Greek, however, there is no article here, which is why even the Jehovah’s Witness’s “New World Translation” goes with “an archangel” here. Trustworthy translations like the ESV and NKJV also use “an archangel,” and others like the NASB put “the” in italics so that it is clear to the reader that the word is not in Greek. 1 Thessalonians itself gives us no reason to think that there is only one archangel. Jehovah’s Witnesses, therefore, turn elsewhere to try and prove this point, claiming:
“God’s word refers to Michael ‘the archangel.’ (Jude 9) This term means ‘chief angel.’ Notice that Michael is called the archangel. This suggests that there is only one such angel. In fact, the term ‘archangel’ occurs in the Bible only in the singular, never in the plural,” (What Does the Bible Really Teach, pg. 218).
This is rather horrific logic, and I honestly can’t believe they even published it. Let’s try applying this same argument to another biblical figure:
“God’s word refers to Alexander “the coppersmith.” (2 Timothy 4:14) Notice that Alexander is called the coppersmith. This suggests that there is only one such tradesman. In fact, the term ‘coppersmith’ occurs in the Bible only in the singular, never in the plural.”
You could write the same paragraph about “Simon the Zealot” (Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13) and a host of others, and the conclusion is just as laughable. So, too, with “Michael the Archangel.” The argument is absurd. Simon being designated “the zealot” obviously was not meant to deny the existence of other zealots. Calling Alexander “the coppersmith” does not negate the obvious fact that there were many other coppersmiths. Labeling Michael “the archangel” has nothing to do with the number of archangels that exist. Daniel 10:13 calls Michael “one of the chief princes,” clearly indicating that there are other angels of his rank. In the ancient world, people often had descriptors attached to their names. Thus, in addition to “Simon the Zealot,” we also see names like “Simon the Leper” (Matthew 26:6), “Simon the Tanner” (Acts 10:32), and “Simon, who was called Peter” (Matthew 4:18). This was a normal convention for referring to people by name, and Michael was no exception. There is no reason to think that Michael is the only archangel.
Is Jesus Michael the Archangel?
Fourthly and finally, since all of the premises of the Jehovah’s Witness’s argument are wrong, there is no basis for their conclusion. The reality is that Jesus is not a created being, not even the most exalted created being. Rather:
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being,” (John 1:3).
and:
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain, And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end,” (Hebrews 1:10-12).
No, Jesus is not Michael the Archangel. Jesus is Michael’s Lord and Maker. This is why an archangel will be Jesus’ herald and why the trumpet of God announces His coming. Jesus is the King of all creation because Jesus is the Creator. Jesus is Jehovah God.
Jesus is Abaddon and Apollyon the Destroyer
by Matt Slick | Dec 10, 2008 | Jehovah's Witnesses, World Religions
Jesus is Abaddon and Apollyon
Watchtower 12/1/1961, p. 717-720
“United Against Nations in the Valley of Decision”
“When Jesus was on earth as a man, he was a Hebrew, and now in his capacity as Jehovah’s royal Executioner he is called by the Hebrew name Abad’don, which means Destruction. (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; 12:23; 14:19) In the Greek in which the inspired Christian Scriptures were written his similar title is Apollyon, which means Destroyer,” (Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1961, p. 719).
Comment: Abaddon is the Hebrew for the ruling angel in hell. Apollyon is the Greek equivalent. Is it Jesus? No. The New Topical Textbook lists Abaddon and Apollyon as names of Satan. The Bible Knowledge Commentary does the same.
The Modern Plague
. . . continued . . .
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How long are the remnant of the anointed Christian witnesses of Jehovah authorized to strike the religious clergy with this tormenting message? For the period of their life before God’s war of Armageddon, as symbolized by the five months assigned to the locusts. Since Jehovah’s anointed remnant are not authorized to act as his executioners of men who persecute them for preaching God’s message, the religious clergy are left alive to suffer the tormenting pain from God’s judgment message. Not that the clergy would not prefer to die rather than endure this judgment proclamation any longer; but as the apostle John says of them: “And in those days the men will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will desire to die but death keeps fleeing from them.” God’s execution of judgment, his infliction of death upon these hypocritical Christian clergy, is delayed till he begins his universal war of Armageddon.
What do these symbolic locusts look like? John says: “And the likenesses of the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle, and upon their heads were what seemed to be crowns like gold, and their faces were as men’s faces, but they had hair as women’s hair. And their teeth were as those of lions; and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running into battle. Also, they have tails and stings like scorpions; and in their tails is their authority to hurt the men five months.” From this description, we note that the remnant of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses were brought forth in 1919 for warfare, spiritual warfare from that year till the actual outbreak of the “war of the great day of God the Almighty,” commonly called Armageddon. (Rev. 16:14-16) Hence they looked like horses, which in Bible times were used for warfare. “The horse
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is something prepared for the day of battle,” says Proverbs 21:31.
The symbolic locusts are royal warriors, as denoted by the goldlike crowns upon the locusts’ heads; for by being anointed with God’s spirit, they have been made “joint-heirs with Christ” and have been assigned a crown and throne in Christ’s kingdom of a thousand years. (Rom. 8:16, 17; Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 3:11, 21) During this time of spiritual warfare with Christendom, these symbolic locusts are mere humans gifted with intelligence, as denoted by their “men’s faces.” Like Hebrew warriors in the field who did not have barbershop facilities, they let their head of hair grow to the length of women’s hair so that they had a hairy mane and looked like lions for fierceness. (1 Chron. 12:8) Appropriately, then, “their teeth were as those of lions,” that could devour solid food, flesh, like the strong judgment message of God’s vengeance against Christendom. (Heb. 5:12; 1 Cor. 3:1, 2) Their hearts, the organs of love for God, and for his righteousness, hence hearts that know no fear but are courageous, are well protected as if by impenetrable breastplates of iron. So they never lose love and courage.
Like a huge swarm of winged locusts that are capable of flying for a thousand miles or more, they unitedly make a noise that sounds like a squadron of war chariots rattling along to the beat of many horses’ hoofs into the battle. It is a terrific sound. The symbolic locusts shout as from the house-tops and let God’s judgment message be heard over a vast distance in the territory that they cover. Fear of the enemy does not soften down their message to a mere whisper. Jehovah’s war declaration must be sounded loudly. He is responsible for the hurting of feelings that the message causes to the ones who are stung by it. For the brief time interval till Armageddon breaks out, “five months,” as it were, the symbolic locusts must use their scorpion-like tails, God’s Word, “the sword of the spirit,” and must strike men against whom God’s judgment is directed. It is not God’s time to spare feelings. His enemies have to be exposed and notified of coming judgment.–Eph. 6:17.
The symbolic locusts must follow their King, Jesus Christ. John says of them: “They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew, his name is Abad’don, but in Greek, he has the name Apollyon.” The resurrected heavenly Jesus Christ is the “angel of the abyss,” for he holds the “keys of death and of Ha’des.” In the finale of the universal war of Armageddon, he will bind and pitch Satan the Devil and his spirit demons into the abyss of deathlike inactivity. (Rev. 20:1-3) When Jesus was on earth as a man, he was a Hebrew, and now in his capacity as Jehovah’s royal Executioner he is called by the Hebrew name Abad’don, which means Destruction. (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; 12:23; 14:19) In the Greek in which the inspired Christian Scriptures were written his similar title is Apollyon, which means Destroyer. This name clearly shows that he comes to the throne at God’s right hand to rule first in the midst of his enemies and to destroy them in execution of Jehovah’s righteous judgment, Jehovah’s judicial decision against them.–Jas. 4:12.
The symbolic locusts who must proclaim the judgment message before the judgment is executed in the “low plain of the decision” have Jesus Christ as their King, but he is invisible. They have no
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visible king any more than literal locusts have: “The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth all of them divided into groups.” For the reason that they move forward in groups or swarms, they are “instinctively wise,” although being among the “smallest” things on earth. (Prov. 30:24, 27) The symbolic locusts, the anointed witnesses of Jehovah, move forward united, grouped according to their local congregations. But this is not due to any locust instinct. It is due to the heavenly wisdom imparted by God’s spirit. Also, their following their heavenly King Jesus Christ as the Leader whom God had enthroned is what keeps them united in their attack upon the men not sealed. (Rev. 7:2-8; 9:4) Willingly, obediently, they subject themselves to his command; and this is what may also be pictured by the fact that the symbolic locusts “had hair as women’s hair,” since a woman’s long hair naturally is a sign of her subjection, a sign of having authority on her head.–I Cor. 11:10, 15; Ps. 110:3.