Jehovah’s Witness Beliefs and Practices

## 1. Beliefs About God/Jesus - **Created being** - Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man (_The Watchtower_, May 15, 1963, p. 307; _The New World_, p. 284). - Michael was made first; everything else was made through Michael. They think “firstborn” means first one created. - Michael became Jesus, then Jesus ceased to exist and Michael now exists. - **Not God, just “a” god** - John 1:1 – Not God, just “a” god. - “The justice of God would not permit that Jesus, as a ransom, be more than a perfect man; and certainly not the Supreme God almighty in the flesh” (_Let God Be True_, pg. 87). - **Not enough for salvation** - “the ‘ransom for all’ given by ‘the man Christ Jesus’ does not give or guarantee everlasting life or blessing to any man” (Russel, _Studies in the Scriptures_, I, p. 150). - **Invisible rule** - Jesus began his invisible rule over the earth in 1914 (_The Truth Shall Make You Free_, p. 300). - **Resurrection** - Don’t believe in the resurrection: “the man Jesus is dead… forever dead” (Russel, _Let God Be True_, pp. 453–454). - “so the King Jesus Christ was put to death in the flesh, and was resurrected an invisible spirit creature” (_Let God Be True_, pg. 122). - “He was put to death a man, but was raised from the dead a spirit being of the highest order of the divine nature” (Russel, _Let God Be True_, pp. 453–454). - Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake (_Reasoning from the Scriptures_, 1985, p. 89-90). - The Holy Spirit is a force, not a person. - “Jehovah” is God’s name – they claim He won’t respond if you don’t use it. - **No hell, only annihilation** - They teach that hell is a doctrine Satan made up and spread. - All people just die and stop existing. - Those who are resurrected are recreated. ## 3. Three Categories of People 1. **The Anointed Class – 144,000 people** - From Pentecost till now. Most modern ones are in Brooklyn, NY. - Resurrected as spirit beings and rule and reign with Christ (who is 1 of the 144,000). - In 1935 God “stopped” calling people into the anointed class. - Only 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses go to heaven (_Reasoning from the Scriptures_, 1985, pp. 166–167, 361; _Let God be True_, p. 121). - Only the 144,000 are born again (_Reasoning from the Scriptures_, 1985, p. 76; _Watchtower_ 11/15/54, p. 681). 2. **The Great Crowd** - “Earthly hope.” - Resurrected as physical beings and live on paradise earth. 3. **Everyone else** - Cease to exist. ## 4. Salvation Requirements 1. Taking in knowledge of God and Jesus Christ (false knowledge). 2. Obeying God’s laws. 3. Belonging to the Jehovah’s Witness organization (they use Acts 4:12 for this). 4. “Loyalty” or promoting the JW organization and giving out or selling its material. - This is why they go door to door. An “active publisher” does 10 hours a month. --- ## 5. Beliefs About Their Church - Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God (_Watchtower_, April 1, 1972, p. 197). - They claim to be the only channel of God’s truth (_Watchtower_, Feb. 15, 1981, p. 19). - Only their church members will be saved (_Watchtower_, Feb. 15, 1979, p. 30). **Quotes**: - “We all need help understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful to and discreet slave' organization” (_Watchtower_, Feb. 15, 1981). - “The Vatican belittles Bible study by claiming it is the only organization authorized and qualified to interpret the Bible” (_Watchtower_, July 1, 1943, p. 201). ## 6. Practices They Cannot Do - Salute any flag or serve in the military. - Celebrate birthdays. - Accept blood transfusions (_Reasoning from the Scriptures_, 1985, pp. 72–73). - Use the cross (they say it’s pagan; _Reasoning from the Scriptures_, 1985, p. 90–92). - Talk to former JWs. - Read or study anything contrary to Watchtower teachings. Members aren’t allowed to get info from other sources. ## 7. Translation Issues - 2 Peter 1:1, Titus 2:13, Colossians 1 all mistranslated in NWT. - They routinely change anything that doesn’t fit their theology. They quote scholars out of context. They have their own New Testament translation (NWT), considered very poor by scholars. - Members aren’t allowed to double-check. ## 8. False Prophecies - 1914: Armageddon. - 1915: Armageddon. - 1918: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob to return (_Millions Now Living Will Never Die_, p. 89). - 1925: Expected end (_Watchtower_, 1926, p. 232). - 1968: Watchtower admitted past date-setters were guilty of false prophesying (_Awake_, Oct. 8, 1968). Jesus is a created being - Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man, The Watchtower, May 15, 1963, p. 307; The New World, 284. - Michael was made first, Everything else was made through Michael. They think “firstborn” means first one created. - Michael became Jesus, Then Jesus ceased to exist and Michael now exists - John 1:1 – Not God, just “a” god: - “The justice of God would not permit that Jesus, as a ransom, be more than a perfect man; and certainly not the Supreme God almighty in the flesh” (Let God Be True, pg. 87) Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 89-90. Jesus alone isn’t enough for salvation: - “the ‘ransom for all’ given by ‘the man Christ Jesus’ does not give or guarantee everlasting life or blessing to any man” (Russel, Studies in the Scriptures, I, p. 150) Jesus began his invisible rule over the earth in 1914, The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 300. -Don’t believe in the resurrection: - “the man Jesus is dead… forever dead” (Russel, Let God Be True, pp. 453–454) - “so the King Jesus Christ was put to death in the flesh, and was resurrected an invisible spirit creature” (Let God Be True, pg. 122) - “He was put to death a man, but was raised from the dead a spirit being of the highest order of the divine nature” (Russel, Let God Be True, pp. 453–454) 3 categories of people 1. **The Anointed Class** – 144,000 people - From Pentecost till now, Most modern ones are in Brooklyn NY - Resurrected as spirit beings and rule and reign with Christ (who is 1 of the 144,000) - In 1935 God “stopped” calling people into the anointed class. - Only 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses go to heaven (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 166–167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121). - Only the 144,000 are born again (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 76; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681). 2. **The Great Crowd** - “Earthly hope” - Resurrected as physical beings and live on paradise earth 3. **Everyone else** - Cease to exist Only their church members will be saved (Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1979, p. 30). **Four Requirements** 1. Taking in knowledge of God and Jesus Christ (false knowledge) 2. Obeying God’s laws 3. Belonging to the Jehovah’s Witness organization (they use Acts 4:12 for this) 4. “Loyalty” or promoting the JW organization and giving out or selling its material This is why they go door to door. An “active publisher” does 10 hours a month. Beliefs about their church - Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God (Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197) - They claim to be the only channel of God’s truth (Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981, p. 19) - Members aren’t allowed to get info from other sources Quotes: - “We all need help understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful to and discreet slave' organization” (Watchtower, Feb. 15, 1981). - “The Vatican belittles Bible study by claiming it is the only organization authorized and qualified to interpret the Bible” (Watchtower, July 1, 1943, p. 201). Practices they can’t do - Salute any flag or serve in the military - Celebrate birthdays - Accept blood transfusions (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72–73) - Use the cross (they say it’s pagan; Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 90–92) - Talk to former JWs - Read or study anything contrary to Watchtower teachings Translation issues - They have their own New Testament translation (NWT), considered very poor by scholars - “Jehovah” is God’s name – they claim He won’t respond if you don’t use it - 2 Peter 1:1, Titus 2:13, Colossians 1 all mistranslated in NWT They routinely change anything that doesn’t fit their theology. They quote scholars out of context. Members aren’t allowed to double-check. False prophecies - 1914: Armageddon - 1915: Armageddon - 1918: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob to return (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, p. 89) - 1925: Expected end (Watchtower, 1926, p. 232) - 1968: Watchtower admitted past date-setters were guilty of false prophesying (Awake, Oct. 8, 1968)