Thursday, August 7, 2008

Ten Reasons Why Jehovah's Witnesses Are Not of God

The Bible tells us to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Over the years I have tested Jehovah's Witnesses. While one may find Christ even in Jehovah's Witnesses, the mindset of the community is basically anti-Christ.
So here are some historical reasons why Jehovah's Witnesses, as directed by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, are not of God.
1. They have consistently taught false prophecies since the beginning of their movement.
They falsely stated that the end of the present world or system of things would come in 1914 and 1925. They implied over and over again that it would end in 1975.
They indicated that the saints (the remnant of the 144,000) would be taken to heaven in 1878, 1881, 1914, 1918, and 1920.
They taught between 1925 and 1950 that the ancient worthies (Jesus' forefathers) would return in the resurrection prior to the battle of Armageddon.
They long taught that the "final end" must come by 1914. When that failed to happen, they came to assert that the end would have to come before the generation alive in 1914 would pass away. Now they have changed that.
2. They claim that the light grows brighter and brighter. In fact they have changed doctrines back and forth many times.
In 1880 Russell said the Church was not under the new covenant. In 1881 he said it was. In 1907 he said it wasn't. The New Covenant Schism, which included some of Russell's relatives, resulted. Later, Rutherford went back to the very position enunciated by the New Covenanters.
The organization has shifted its position many times on who would and who would not be resurrected. The poor Sodomites get resurrected and damned to gehenna by turns every few years.
The organization has vacillated time and again on medical matters, often with serious results to the lives and health of Jehovah's Witnesses. Take its many stands on vaccination, organ transplants, and blood.
The organization has shifted back and forth on the question of alternative civilian service.
The organization now takes the stand that the Higher Powers or Superior Authorities of Romans 13 are the secular rulers of the nations just as Russell and most churches have. Rutherford got new light in 1929 saying they were Jehovah God and Christ Jesus.
3. The organization of Jehovah's Witnesses has not always claimed to be Spirit directed. During Russell's day, the pastor believed that he and the anointed remnant were the Church and were Spirit directed. But when Rutherford came to power, he argued that since Christ had come to the Temple in 1918 and was ruling, the Holy Spirit was no longer present with the remnant. Rutherford taught that he received messages or "lightening flashes in the Temple" from the thrones of Jehovah and Christ. Evidently "new truths" were delivered to him personally by angels. After he died, Knorr and Franz returned to teaching that Jehovah's Witnesses were Spirit directed.
4. The Jehovah's Witnesses have gone far beyond the Scriptures. Many of the rules they have developed have nothing to do with the Scriptures. The reporting of time in preaching, the creation of a hierarchical form of government, disfellowshipment for such things as smoking, celebrating Christmas and birthdays, many rules concerning what is and is not proper in the marriage bed, rules concerning voting, holding public office, etc.
5. Through the Watch Tower Society and in numerous public statements, the leadership of the movement has often told outrageous lies. In 1894 C. T. Russell and wife both claimed that their marriage was most harmonious and that there was no trouble between them. Later, at the time of their divorce they both admitted that there had been trouble between them at the time. Yet they had damned various Bible House workers for saying what was true in Harvest Siftings.
Russell's statements about not changing doctrines in 1909 during the New Covenant Schism are simply outrageous. If he believed them, he was practicing self deception on a grand scale. Rutherford and company lied openly about the reason for the dismissal of the four Watch Tower directors in 1917. The Watch Tower Society perpetuates the lie to this day. It can be shown clearly that they lied from sworn statements they made in the case of the United States vs. Rutherford et al. The Watch Tower has lied consistently about the nature of its policy in Nazi Germany in 1933. The Declaration published at Berlin in 1933 was an attempt to compromise with the Nazis, was openly anti-Semitic, anti-British, and anti-American. The attacks that the Society has made on various persons who have questioned the behavior of its leaders have been nothing but a through-going tissue of lies. This was the case in 1894, 1909, 1917, 1918, during Rutherford's war on the elected elders in the late 1920s and 1930s, and specifically with regard to such persons as Walter Salter, Olin Moyle, Carl Jonsson, Raymond Franz, and many thousands of others, including myself.
6. The so-called judicial committees of Jehovah's Witnesses do not operate on the basis of biblical principles where matters are open to ordinary persons as was the case in Israel and in the early Christian congregations. They follow the example of the Holy Office of the Inquisition and the Court of Star Chamber. Consequently, much injustice takes place before these bodies.
7. Watch Tower scholarship is puerile and often dishonest. It typically fails to give proper quotations for sources, quotes out of context, and puts forward ideas which are utterly bizarre.
The New World Translation contains a lot of special pleading and intentional mistranslations. Watch Tower articles on science are extremely bad, and material on topics such as evolution are notoriously dishonest. Watch Tower historical works are even worse. The latest Proclaimers book, along with Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, is a travesty from the standpoint of the professional historian. I personally resent the fact that while they continue to damn me as an apostate and to decry my publications, they feel free to "borrow" information from me and even to use my work in court.
8. Jehovah's Witnesses ignore the clear biblical instructions in James and other parts of the New Testament to carry on works of love such as caring for widows, orphans, and their fellow humans. Placing Watchtower magazines at the doors does not feed empty bellies. In this sense Jehovah's Witnesses have faith (as do the demons) but no works. They are "noisy gongs and clashing cymbals."
9. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that they (at least all but the remnant) are saved through works rather than faith. Furthermore, they are told that only the remnant have Jesus Christ as their mediator. The vast majority are told that they should not partake of communion. Since they are told that they are not members of the body of Christ, are not born again, and are not Spirit directed (except through the remnant), where are they? Romans 8:9 (RSV) says: "Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."
10. Jehovah's Witnesses have become notorious for their roles in marriage breakdowns and in child custody cases. There are more JW child custody cases in the United States and Canada than all other religious child custody cases put together. Surely this says something about Jehovah's Witnesses that is not particularly attractive.

30 comments:

kimmy jo said...

The 10th reason is the saddest of all. Kids do not understand all the S*** the Watchtower adds to a marriage failure. The dissociation or disfellowshipping of one of the parents. I have seen the HATE that is between this custody stuff within the Org. It is like this ONLY in the Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. It is so traumatic for a child to think that one or both parents will die in armageddon, destroyed by God. Such dread. Makes me nauseous to even write this.

S said...

Kimmy Jo:

Marriages do not fail because of the teachings of the Bible. It is because people do not follow the Bible.

You mention disfellowshipping of the parents. That is their choice. If it is traumatic for the children, then don't get disfellowshipped by being an unrepentant sinner.

You make me nauseous because you think that it is great to be an unrepentant sinner, rather than taking responsibility for your actions.

S said...

"1. They have consistently taught false prophecies since the beginning of their movement."

Not true.

The Bible is the standard and there are no false prophesies in it.

"They falsely stated that the end of the present world or system of things would come in 1914 and 1925."

No I haven't. It is not my job to defend anything done in the past. But since the question was presented in the present tense, I can defend myself in the present.


"They implied over and over again that it would end in 1975."

Not true. There have been no statements.

"They indicated that the saints (the remnant of the 144,000) would be taken to heaven in 1878, 1881, 1914, 1918, and 1920."

The saints were resurrected in 1918.


"They taught between 1925 and 1950 that the ancient worthies (Jesus' forefathers) would return in the resurrection prior to the battle of Armageddon."

Well, they taught but the topic is supposed to by why JWs are not of God, not were not of God. Stick to present tense.


"2. They claim that the light grows brighter and brighter. In fact they have changed doctrines back and forth many times."

Well, they have not changed back and forth.

"The organization now takes the stand that the Higher Powers or Superior Authorities of Romans 13 are the secular rulers of the nations just as Russell and most churches have. Rutherford got new light in 1929 saying they were Jehovah God and Christ Jesus."

No, nothing changed. It happened as Jehovah wanted. Russell was too weak, Rutherford was too strong, now we are balanced and just right. You don't even know what or why Rutherford taught.

"3. The organization of Jehovah's Witnesses has not always claimed to be Spirit directed."

Again, why do you refer to the past when the top is in the present tense?


"4. The Jehovah's Witnesses have gone far beyond the Scriptures. "

Some may have, but I have not. That is what counts.

"Many of the rules they have
developed have nothing to do with the Scriptures. The reporting of time in preaching,"

That is not a rule, but a way of statistics. And just because the scriptures do not direct keeping time, does not make it wrong. IF the scriptures said to keep time, then where did they get it from? They would be going beyond the scritpures.

" the creation of a hierarchical form of government, "

We didn't create it. It existed prior.

"disfellowshipment for such things as smoking, celebrating Christmas and birthdays,"

That is not a rule, that is that JWs do not want to associate with such ones.



" many rules concerning what is and is not proper in the marriage bed, rules concerning voting, holding public office, etc."

There are no rules, just right.



"5. Through the Watch Tower Society and in numerous public statements, the leadership of the movement has often told outrageous lies."

Off topic again. The topic is about why JWs are not of God, not what the Watchtower Society did.

Yada yada yada, who cares.

If you can't be on topic, and you support the wicked criminals, what good are you.

Unknown said...

not necessary to answer

not necessary.

kimmy jo said...

ronde
your head is up your ass.

i din't say marriages fail because of bible teachings.
i never said i was unrepentant nor did i say it is ok not to take responsibility for ones actions.

i did say that the Watchtower makes child custody very dark and full of hate and the childern suffer far more than in a worldly custody case.
yes indeed the impact this organization has on childern makes me sick to my stomach.

i am not wasteing my time with you ronde, because it is pointless, you are way to confused.

S said...

As a good man once said: "Why can't everyone just get along"?

This thing about the Watchtower or JWs breaking up families is just manure.

How can people reading and studying the Bible daily break up families when that is what the bible teaches to make strong families? The answer is that there are those that do not appreciate the Bible. And thus they are the ones who break it up.

The Witnesses do not do wrong. It is the non believers who do not get along.

Anonymous said...

ronde, how does it feel in that little fantasy world in your head? It must be nice up there. Jehovah's Witnesses are perfect. They never do wrong. It is always the other people who are wrong. Jehovah's Witnesses are perfect. They never do wrong. It is always the other people who are wrong. Jehovah's Witnesses are perfect. They never do wrong. It is always the other people who are wrong.

Anonymous said...

ronde:

"This thing about the Watchtower or JWs breaking up families is just manure."

Yeah after being told for years that I'd better study and get baptised if I want to stay married- I'm happy to report that my ex and her limp wristed plastic kingdumb hall boytoy will be marching down the aisle this very weekend after carrying on a pretty blatant affair under the noses of the All Seeing Elders. My children no longer live with me, I understand they're being encouraged to call Brother Lowlife "Daddy". I am sure your little heart rejoices.
So go peddle some frigging magazines enjoy your coma.

Anonymous said...

And saying that witnesses do no wrong is totally nauseating- winesses are just as apt to do ANYTHING a non-believer does- they just aren't open about it.

Unknown said...

a bunch of lies about the witnesses,
the owner of this site have no idea what he's talking about.
witnesses have no faith, they are breaking up families,
instead of answering this guy why don't you ask him for prooves.
you just believe blindly anything this guy is saying.

where is the statistic about child custody? why don't you post the statistic so we can anlyse it?

what about the divorce statistic?
where is it?

about the faith, are you sure Jehovah witnesses don't have faith?

Like I say no need to answer the facts speak for themselves, if you want to believe this guy whoever he is without doing your own impartial Research, you have free will. Make your choice.

S said...

"ronde, how does it feel in that little fantasy world in your head?"

If that is what you call knowing accuracy about Jehovah's witnesses, then I'll take it. If that is what you call, knowing how to see through opposers misleading statements, then count me in.

" It must be nice up there. Jehovah's Witnesses are perfect. They never do wrong. It is always the other people who are wrong."

I didn't say that. I just said that if the top is "why JWs are (present tense) not of God" then the information should be in the present also. If he is writing about Russell and Rutherford, who died in 1916 and 1942, they are in the past tense.

What does that have to do with JWs today?

S said...

"Yeah after being told for years that I'd better study and get baptised if I want to stay married-"

So what you are saying is that if you would have served Jehovah like people are supposed to, then you would have a happy family?

Thus proving my point. It is not the Witnesses fault, it is the non-Witnesses that cause the problems by causing problems rather than serving Jehovah God as a united happy family.

S said...

Frank,

The thing that people don't understand is not about statistics or custody or divorces, but that the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses is when people follow the bible there are happy families.

There are only problems when people do not want to follow the Bible. Sure sometimes those that are not following the Bible are Witnesses, but that is the result of their not following the Bible. That again vindicates the religion.

Sure the people can do bad but the religion is always good. Following the bible always yields good results.

kimmy jo said...

ronde,
your head is stuck deeply in a dark place and the things coming out your mouth prove that.
and you are so confused...
be careful, all your arrogance and pride are not good qualities to have when your hoping to live forever in a paradise on earth, you may be disqualified along with the apostates.

defending something as vile as the Watchtower and it's followers the JW's is a pointless endeavor, their history is not good. i am sorry you are so mislead. i feel sorry for you and the others here who do not SEE the TRUTH about the things they defend. if Jesus were on earth he would not be any part of your Watchtower organization or congregation because it has been built on lies and greed and misleads many.

kimmy jo said...

ronde,
your head is stuck deeply in a dark place and the things coming out your mouth prove that.
and you are so confused...
be careful, all your arrogance and pride are not good qualities to have when your hoping to live forever in a paradise on earth, you may be disqualified along with the apostates.

defending something as vile as the Watchtower and it's followers the JW's is a pointless endeavor, their history is not good. i am sorry you are so mislead. i feel sorry for you and the others here who do not SEE the TRUTH about the things they defend. if Jesus were on earth he would not be any part of your Watchtower organization or congregation because it has been built on lies and greed and misleads many.

Anonymous said...

ronde:
So what you are saying is that if you would have served Jehovah like people are supposed to, then you would have a happy family?

My fault? For not bowing to a goddamned publishing company?
You're ill.

S said...

Kimmy Jo:

"ronde,
your head is stuck deeply in a dark place and the things coming out your mouth prove that.
and you are so confused..."

And we love you too.

"defending something as vile as the Watchtower and it's followers the JW's"

I have not defended the Watchtower. Since I don't write the articles, how can I. It is not up to me and not my situation.

And JWs are not its followers.

I do defend the religion of JWs since it is the only true one.

"their history is not good."

As for the Watchtower's history, as I said, that is not my concern, neither is it my concern the history of any others, however my history goes back 40 years and it is not good. That is because I am a sinner needing salvation through the blood of Jesus.

That is why I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses to take advantage of that blood.

S said...

"ronde:
So what you are saying is that if you would have served Jehovah like people are supposed to, then you would have a happy family?"


I take your question as rhetorical.
Yes, if both father-husband and mother-wife serve Jehovah God then the children have good examples and they serve Jehovah then there would be happiness.

"My fault? For not bowing to a goddamned publishing company?
You're ill."

That makes no sense. Yes, Bibles need to be produced by printing companies but the Gideon Bible is not goddamned.

Anonymous said...

Jehovah's Witnesses have happy and unhappy families. People other than Jehovah's Witnesses have happy and unhappy families.

Jesus said you would know the truth by the love its followers show. The JWs do not have any more love than outsiders. I have seen great acts of unconditional love, self sacrifice and kindness shown by non Jehovah's Witnesses. Its a smokescreen thrown up by the Watchtower to convince JWs that everyone outside is evil and therefore deserving of destruction at Armageddon.

The JWs love is highly conditional.

Anonymous said...

My mother was a fine upstanding woman, a wonderful mother, and endured much to raise her 4 children, but because her world view was unsullied by tawdry experiences (Other than the fact that she was a Navy Nurse during World War II), I could not trust her to competently execute anything that was out of her long established frame of reference.

I suspect 90% of the Earthlings I have met are the same.

...and about 85% of EVERYTHING is total crap, including the drivel in the Watchtower, Newsweek, most of Scientific American, PBS radio, and certainly NBC News.

Life is an experiment.

If we were better at it, it would not be.

When I at my age trust the Watchtower, my best friend, my wife and children, or even myself to be competent in all areas of human endeavor ... or even in a majority, it will be time to go into the back yard and put a bullet through my brain.

That having been said, Somehow, (and it astonishes me when I reflect upon it...) Jehovah's Witnesses are the only folks on Earth that have figured out who Jehovah God, and Jesus Christ really are, and have learned true courage and resolve.

Do I trust them?

No.

Do I truly envy them?

Yes.

If you really want to understand the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, you have to read the comic strip DILBERT every day.

They have become the "Pointy Haired Boss".

Now, that having been said also, tomorrow, I will go to the Kingdom Hall, and endure two hours of drivel to get the three, thirty second sound bites that are worthy of writing down.

I suspect the same is true when mining for diamonds.

Tom.Rook@Technik-SA.US

kimmy jo said...

without the Watchtower the JW's are nothing. they are without Bible translation. they are without direction. they are lost. so ronde STOP separating yourself from the Watchtower.

S said...

"Jesus said you would know the truth by the love its followers show. The JWs do not have any more love than outsiders. "

That may be true in some cases. People have love of neighbor and family and for causes. But they also place nationalism above their love too.

"I have seen great acts of unconditional love, self sacrifice and kindness shown by non Jehovah's Witnesses. "

True. No one is denying that.
But what good is it?


"Its a smokescreen thrown up by the Watchtower to convince JWs that everyone outside is evil and therefore deserving of destruction at Armageddon."

That is not the Watchtower saying that, that is the truth in that those not JWs are not interested in God's kingdom so why should they survive to it?

"The JWs love is highly conditional."

And what is wrong with giving to our families, and congregations before others?

S said...

Kimmy Jo:

"without the Watchtower the JW's are nothing."

Without WBTS we are 7 million worshippers of Jehovah who can and will use the Bible. The publications make it easier to help people.


" they are without Bible translation. "

We used the ASV and KJV long before the NWT.


"they are without direction. they are lost. so ronde STOP separating yourself from the Watchtower."

We don't get direction from the Watchtower anymore.

We always got our direction from Jesus in God's word. That direction has had us preach the kingdom. So we are not with the Watchtower.

kimmy jo said...

ronde,
"We don't get direction from the Watchtower anymore."
WHATEVER! since when?? FUNNY!!

"The JWs love is highly conditional." TRUE, TRUE, TRUE.

"And what is wrong with giving to our families, and congregations before others?"
THE CONDITIONAL PART IS ALSO WITHIN FAMILIES, STOP LIEING TO YOURSELF, BE PREPARED TO SEPERATE YOURSELF FROM THOSE THAT DO NOT BELIEVE AS YOU DO...NO EXCEPTIONS.
the Jehovah Witnesses kind of "love" is a very superficial kind of love, if you can even label it as such.

S said...

Kimmy Jo said:

"ronde,
"We don't get direction from the Watchtower anymore."
WHATEVER! since when?? FUNNY!!"

In 1970 a governing body separate from the Watchtower was established.

""And what is wrong with giving to our families, and congregations before others?"
THE CONDITIONAL PART IS ALSO WITHIN FAMILIES, "

What's wrong with that?

"STOP LIEING TO YOURSELF, BE PREPARED TO SEPERATE YOURSELF FROM THOSE THAT DO NOT BELIEVE AS YOU DO...NO EXCEPTIONS."

Why would we want to be not separate form those who do not believe as we do>?

"the Jehovah Witnesses kind of "love" is a very superficial kind of love, if you can even label it as such."

Well, is there any alternative?

Ringwielder said...

'Is there any alternative?'

Is that all you can come up with. It is better to believe something that is wrong because there is no alternative??

Hey...ever considered there might NOT be an alternative? I dont know what the truth is. Is there a God? How did we get here? NO ONE on earth can say for certain... otherwise you would not need faith.

I do however know what is NOT the truth and that is what the Jehovah's Witnesses believe. They say that they have extraordinary love which is an identifying factor of the true faith. They dont. Their love is no greater than most faiths. Yet it should be.

No matter what a faith teaches, the Bible states that love is the prime quality a Christian should possess.

S said...

Steve:

You take things out of context.


'Is there any alternative?'

My reply was to her message:'

"the Jehovah Witnesses kind of "love" is a very superficial kind of love, if you can even label it as such."

Then I asked if there was any alternative to that.

"Well, is there any alternative?"

Then you ignorantly state:

"Is that all you can come up with. It is better to believe something that is wrong because there is no alternative??"

So what is wrong?


"Hey...ever considered there might NOT be an alternative? I dont know what the truth is. Is there a God? How did we get here? NO ONE on earth can say for certain... otherwise you would not need faith."

That is just lame and pathetic.


"I do however know what is NOT the truth and that is what the Jehovah's Witnesses believe."

You do not know anything about us.

Ringwielder said...

I know a lot more than you will ever know about Jehovah's Witnesses. It is obvious from your posts that you are not a loyal Jehovah's Witness, hiding your apostate thoughts from the congregation because you know if you voice them, you will get disfellowshipped.

'That is just lame and pathetic.'

That is just lame and pathetic.
See, it means nothing, that statement. Anyone can say it about anything.

'So what is wrong?'

This blog has done more than a good enough job of pointing out what is wrong with the Organization,its Bible and its beliefs, with references to the Society's literature ( which condemns itself while pointing the finger at others) and secular sources.

All you do is come up with one liners such as 'the saints were resurrected in 1918.' ???

No proof, no references.

Anonymous said...

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCB1YvQvseNQmIaJ00bXbCdQ

Anonymous said...

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCB1YvQvseNQmIaJ00bXbCdQ

Proofs.