## 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).