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Facts About
Jehovah's Witnesses
Most people have had a visit by Jehovah’s Witnesses from the local
Kingdom Hall. Reactions vary, from rudeness, to hospitality. Just
who are these Witnesses? Are they Christian? Are they a cult? To
find these answers we need to examine the facts.
Today, the active number of Jehovah Witnesses is 6,429,000, and
there are 95,919 congregations. In 2003,
258,845 new Jehovah Witnesses were baptized. The Watchtower Bible
and Tract Society, the official name, claims to be God’s prophet on
Earth.
"The historical facts show that 1919 was the year when the remnant
on earth of the 144,000 Kingdom heirs began to be freed from Great
Babylon. In that year the message of God's established kingdom
began to be preached from house to house and publicly by Jehovah's
Christian witnesses in a fearless way. This preaching of the
Kingdom as established in 1914 was in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy
in Matthew 24:14: 'This good news of the kingdom will be preached in
all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations."
Babylon the Great Has Fallen!, 1963, p. 515.[2]
We acknowledge as the visible organization of Jehovah on earth
the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and recognize the Society as
the channel or instrument through which Jehovah and Christ Jesus
give instruction and meat in due season to the household of faith.
The Watchtower April 15, 1939
How can somebody know if this organization is speaking for God?
The Jehovah Witnesses give us the answer to this very question.
Reasonable persons agree that the only fair method is to examine
the evidence on both sides, both for and against a disputed
theory. That is how one arrives at the truth.” (Awake, Oct. 22,
1973, page 6)
Can there be false religion? It is not a form of religious
persecution for anyone to say and to show that another religion is
false. It is not religious persecution for an informed person to
expose publicly a certain religion as being false, thus
allowing persons to see the difference between false religion and
true religion.” (Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1963, page 688)
A Short History of the Jehovah Witnesses
The
founder of the Jehovah Witnesses is Charles Taze Russell, who was
born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania on February 16, 1852. He was the
son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell, young Charles was raised a
Congregationalist and spent most of his early years in Allegheny and
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. At the age of 16, in the year 1868 he
found himself losing faith in churches, church creeds, the Bible and
God.
Adventist Past
At this point, a chance encounter with Jonas Wendell, a Second
Adventist preacher restored his faith.
Seemingly by accident, one evening I dropped into a dusty dingy hall
in Allegheny, Pa., where I heard religious services were held, to
see if the handful who met there had anything more sensible to offer
than the creeds of the great churches. There, for the first time, I
heard something of the view of the Second Adventists, the preacher
being Mr. Jonas Wendell. (Zion’s Watch Tower, July 15, 1906 Page
3821 Society’s reprints)
The Adventist movement and it teaching would influence the young
Russell in the formation of his
doctrines and teachings. The Adventist movement traces it roots
back to William Miller a Baptist lay preacher who in 1816 began
preaching Christ would return in 1843. His preaching attracted many
from Baptist and mainline churches, close to 50,000 put their trust
in Miller’s timing of prophetic events. When in March 1843 the Lord
did not appear, the date was recalculated to March 1844 and then to
October 1844. Miller and the Millerites were disappointed and a
shattered people. Dr. Josiah Litch, a Millerite leader in
Philadelphia wrote on October 24th:"It is a cloudy and
dark day here—the sheep are scattered—the Lord has not come yet."
Most of his followers returned to their churches before his death in
1849. Others kept the movement alive and formed into several sects.
These “Adventist” groups included the Advent Christian Chruch, the
Life and Advent Union, the Seventh-Day Adventist, and others which
split to form the Watch Tower movement. David Reed, a former
Jehovah’s Witnesses connects the dots between Russell and the
“Adventist” movement.
The end of the Civil War in 1865 found former Millerites promoting
new dates for the Second Coming. George Storrs of Brooklyn, New
York, who published the Bible Examiner and was instrumental in
forming the Life and Advent Union, focused his followers’ hopes on
1870, while a group headed by N.H. Barbour of Rochester, New York,
looked to 1873 or 1874, and published their calculations in
Barbour’s periodical the Herald of the Morning. ….Barbour and
Storrs were among the Adventist leaders who shaped the thinking of a
newcomer to the religious scene, teenager Charles Taze Russell.
Charles continued to study under Adventist teachers for sometime
and at the age of 18 organized a Bible Study group. Two Adventist
he gave credit to guiding him into greener pastures were Advent
Christian Church minister George Stetson and the Bible Examiner’s
publisher George Storrs.
"Thus I confess indebtedness to Adventists…And here I should and do
gratefully mention assistance rendered by Brothers George Stetson
and George Storrs, the later the editor of the The Bible Examiner,
both now deceased. The study of the Word of God with these dear
brethren led, step by step, into greener pastures…" (Zion’s
Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, Page 3821 Society’s reprints)[5]
Russell’s Bible study continued and in 1876, when he was 23, his
bible study group elected him “Pastor”. During this time, Russell
received a copy of the Herald of the Morning, N. H. Barbour’s
magazine that foretold the return of Christ in 1874. The year of
1874, having since past Russell noticed the group believed Christ
returned invisibly in 1874. The magazine was failing, as many
readers refused to accept the invisible Second coming.
The summer of 1876, Russell became the financial backer of the
magazine. He was added to the masthead as assistant editor, and he
contributed articles and money to the publication. Russell’s and
Barbour’s groups became affiliates. Since the Lord returned
“invisibly” in 1874 they believed the saints would be “Caught away
bodily” three and half years later, to be with the Lord in the
spring of 1878. (Zion’s Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, Page 3823
Society’s reprints) When the “Catching away” (The rapture) did not
occur as expected Barbour and Russell split. Barbour had “New
Revelations” to account for the lack of the rapture but Russell and
others rejected his “Revelations”.
Zion’s Watch Tower Magazine
Russell
would start his own magazine, His new magazine was called Zion’s
Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, and published its
first issue in July, 1879. Russell no longer considered himself a
“Adventist” or “Millerite” but considered their movements of God.
He viewed these movements as fulfillment of the “Midnight Cry” that
the “Bridegroom cometh” in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew
25:1-13. Russell held that Christ came invisibly in 1874.
"Barbour of Rochester, was we believe, the chosen vessel of God
through whom the “Midnight Cry” issued to the sleeping virgins of
Christ, announcing a discrepancy of thirty years in some Miller’s
calculations…and the Bridegroom due in that morning in 1874… If
these movements were of God, and if Bros. Miller and Barbour were
his instruments, then that “Midnight Cry” based on the prophetic and
other statements and evidences, was correct, and the “Bridegroom
came” in 1874. We believe that Midnight Cry was of God…" (Zion’s
Watch Tower, November 1881, Pages 288-289 Society’s reprints)[6]
Starting with 6,000 initial issues the publication has grown to 17.8
million issues per month in 106 languages. In 1884, the “Pastor”
incorporated “Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society” in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. In 1886, the Society published the first of seven
volumes entitled Studies in the Scriptures, originally
published as The Millennial Dawn. The seventh volume was
edited after his death in 1917. This volume, the Finished
Mystery caused a split in the organization. One group became
known as the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” under Rutherford’s
leadership and the other as “The Dawn Bible Students Association”
In 1908, the headquarters of the movement was changed to
Brooklyn, New York at 17 Hicks Street and became known as the
“Brooklyn Tabernacle”. Today large tracts of land are owned by the
society, the society also owns are a large up-to-date printing
plant, which has produced billions of pieces of literature. All
employees in factory are voluntary and receive a nominal amount of
money per month for personal expenses. (In 1995 that amount was
$14.00/month)
Russell’s life was filled with several legal entanglements including
a divorce from his wife Maria Ackley who left him after seventeen
years of marriage.
In 1897, filing for separation in 1903, the divorce revealed the
financial structure of Watch Tower as recorded in his obituary in
the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 1, 1916.
There was
much litigation then that was quite undesirable from the “Pastor’s”
point of view regarding alimony for his wife, but it was settled in
1909 by the payment of $6,036 to Mrs. Russell. The litigation
revealed that “Pastor” Russell’s activities in the religious field
were carried on through several subsidiary societies and that all of
the wealth hat flowed into him through these societies was under the
control of a holding company in which the “Pastor” held $990 of the
$1,000 capital and two of his followers the other $10.
The teachings of Charles Taze Russell were central to the
Watch Tower Society and its membership grew under his direction.
Russell commenting on his Studies in the Scriptures
published by the Watchtower wrote, "If the six volumes of
Scripture Studies are practically the Bible, topically
arranged with Bible proof texts given, we might not improperly name
the volumes the Bible in an arranged form. That is to
say, they are not mere comments on the Bible, but they are
practically the Bible itself… Furthermore, not only do we find that
people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself,
but we see, also, that if anyone lays the Scripture Studies aside,
even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with the,
after he has read them for ten years—if he then lays them aside and
ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he understood his
Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he
goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the
Scripture Studies with their references, and had not read a page fo
the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of two
years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures." (The
Watchtower, September 15, 1910, Page 298)[8]
In 1886, Russell published The Divine Plan of the Ages
projecting that 1914 would witness Armageddon and the dawn of
Christ’s thousand-year rule on earth. The date was later changed to
1915.
October 31st, 1916 Russell died aboard a transcontinental
train in Texas. He was buried in Pennsylvania and was succeeded by
Judge Rutherford. In Russell’s cemetery, where early Jehovah
Witnesses are buried there stands granite pyramid, measuring nine
feet at its base with the name WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
with a Cross inside of a crown.
Russell taught and wrote that the Great Pyramid of Gaza was designed
by Jehovah and was a blueprint to end-times chronology.
This teaching was held by the Jehovah Witnesses till November 15th
1928 when Judge Rutherford reversed the teaching calling it Satan’s
teaching.
Judge Rutherford (November 1916-1942)
After
Russell’s death, there was a contentious battle for control of the
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Russell had prepared detailed
written instructions to distribute his authority with several
followers. Joseph F. Rutherford served as legal counsel for Russell
and the society. Rutherford ignored Russell’s instruction and
consolidated power under his authority.
The book Faith on the March, by A.H. Macmillan published in
1957 with Watch Tower approval and still found in Kingdom Hall
libraries details the legal battle.
Rutherford consolidated his power in the local congregations by
sending “Service directors” to each congregation to handle the
literature shipped from Brooklyn. He began to increase their
authority and decreased the authority of locally elected elders. He
aimed to set up an organization ruled from the top, a theocratic
organization with him being “God’s mouthpiece”.
Rutherford started to change doctrines taught by Russell, including
the name of the organization to Jehovah’s Witnesses from
International Bible Students Association. Rutherford also
denounced Russell’s “Pyramid” prophecies as an attempt to find God’s
will outside of the Scriptures (1929). Rutherford credited the
Pyramid to Satan rather then to Jehovah God as Russell attributed it
construction.
Many of the followers left the organization as a result of this
action, they were later threatened by Rutherford to “suffer
destruction” if they did not repent and recognize Jehovah’s will as
expressed through the Society.
Beth Sarim
One of the more embarrassing episodes of Rutherford’s tenure is
known as Beth Sarim. Rutherford, prophesied that Abraham and the
other prophets of Hebrews 11 would soon rise from the dead by 1925.
Beginning in 1920, Rutherford declared,"As we have heretofore
stated, the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that
time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized."
How would it be recognized? What event would trigger the ushering in
of the kingdom? Rutherford explained, "Therefore we may confidently
expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the
Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human
perfection" (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, pp. 89-90).
Watch Tower members were excited. Jehovah Witnesses saw their
organization’s vindication in the eyes of the world. In 1925 when
Abraham and the rest of the prophets did not come, some of
Rutherford's followers left. Still others believed, the arrival,
the Hebrews 11 prophets would be soon. Though it had not occurred
by 1929, it was still a topic of much excited anticipation.
Therefore, Rutherford gave instructions to build them a house. In
his book, Salvation, Rutherford mentions this house and the
purpose for building it.
"At
San Diego, California, there is a small piece of land, on which, in
the year 1929, there was built a house, which is called and 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" Salvation (p. 311).
With the house now built, there was nothing to do but wait. In
the meantime, Judge Rutherford lived in this house while his wife
lived in another part of the country. Moreover, Witnesses waited
until 1942 when after the death of Rutherford, the house was sold.
Nathan H. Knorr (1944-1977)
Following
Rutherford, Nathan Knorr was immediately elected president and
served in the position until June of 1977. During his tenure, the
New World Translation was created which was the first
translation by the Watchtower Bible and Tract society.
During his time, the Watch Tower experienced explosive growth. When
he began in 1942 there were 98,076 active members by 1977 there were
2,223,538.
Armageddon was to happen in 1975, and young Watch Tower men and
women were discouraged from having children and pursuing careers.
Knorr was responsible for designing the door-to-door evangelism
system used today by the Watch Tower.
Frederick W. Franz ( 1977-1992)
Following Knorr death in June 1977, Fredreick W. Franz a long-time
leader and then vice-president
was elected president.
After his death, Milton Henschel became the President over the
Governing Body.
Henschel passed away in March 2003.
Are today’s Jehovah Witnesses connected with Charles
Taze Russell?
For many Jehovah’s Witnesses some of the teachings of Russell
are an embarrassment, and many Jehovah Witnesses repudiate him,
denying they follow his teachings.
"But who is preaching the teachings of Pastor Russell? Certainly
not Jehovah’s Witnesses! They cannot be accused of following him,
for they neither quote him as an authority nor publish nor
distribute his writings... This claim is not
borne out in fact. Jehovah Witnesses have quoted Russell many times
since his death in 1916. His is listed as the founder of the
Watchtower Organization on the official website’s short history of
the modern Jehovah’s Witnesses, says, (Paraphrased) In the 1870 an
unassuming bible Study group started in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
Charles T. Russell was the main mover of the group. On July 1879,
the publication Zion’s Watch Tower was issued…In 1884 it was
incorporated with CT Russell as president."
1. In 1923, seven years after the “Pastor’s” demise Judge Rutherford
heir to the Russellite throne, wrote a booklet some fifty-odd pages
long, entitled World Distress: Why and the Remedy
-
Russell is quoted 16 times
-
His book Studies in the Scriptures is referred to 12
times
-
6 pages at the end of the book advertise Russell’s books
2. In 1953, the publication Jehovah’s Witnesses, Communists or
Christians
-
Russell is quoted 5 times
-
His best known works, Plan of the Ages (1886) and The
Battle of Armageddon (1897)
3. The Watchtower (October 1, 1953)
4. Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose (1959) a society
history
Organization
The Governing Body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
controls their followers through a tightly knit organizational
structure that is dictated from Brooklyn, New York. This group is
made of the “Heavenly Class” or “Anointed” men (currently 12).
Milton Henschel, the president presides over this group.
Future Members are baptized into the society through immersion at
the local “Hall” level. New members must immediately begin training
for fieldwork by spending time with older members as they conduct
their fieldwork.
-
Publishers:
Are Witnesses who commit 1200 hours per year in “Fieldwork”,
including door-to-door recruitment, sidewalk soliciting and book
studies with new prospective members.
-
Pioneers: Are those who dedicate a significantly greater
amount of time then 1200 hours
-
Groups meeting together are called congregations; their
meeting place is called a Kingdom Hall
-
Appointed leaders are called Elders or Overseers,
the person who heads the meeting is called Presiding
Overseer. The Service Overseer handles service
business within the congregation. Ministerial Servants
are delegated administrative responsibilities to the elders.
-
Circuits: Are 20 congregations supervised by a Circuit
Overseer.
-
Districts: Are geographical collections of circuits
(22 are in the United States) District Overseer
organizes the annual district convention. Here all new
“Teachings” and “Rules” from the Governing Body are announced to
members and new publications are presented.
-
Branches: Are collections of Districts
-
Zones: are Collections of Branches
-
Headquarters: Brooklyn Society Office
Memorial of Christ Death at Passover: The only day of the
year which Jehovah’s Witnesses have ceremony. This event held in
large Auditoriums, requires all members be present along with
family, friends and prospective members. The elements of the Lord’s
Supper are passed through the crowd. Only the “Anointed Class” is
allowed to partake of the elements. No one born after 1914 is
eligible for the class.
Kingdom Hall Meetings
5 meetings per Week all members are expected to attend.
·
Public Talk
is held each Sunday
·
Watchtower Study
follows the Public Talk
·
Theocratic Ministry School
is a weekday evening meeting
·
Service Meeting
follows the Theocratic Ministry School
·
Book Study:
Each Witnesses is required to attend a “Book Study” in addition to
field work.
Authority
The Watchtower Society is absolute authority, The Governing body is
vested with all authority including to teach and understand the
Bible. The Watchtower is God’s “Visible organization” on Earth, no
dissent is allowed.
·
So Jehovah’s visible organization under Christ is a channel for
bringing he divine interpretation of his word to his devoted people.
·
We acknowledge as the visible organization of Jehovah on earth the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and recognize the Society as the
channel or instrument through which Jehovah and Christ Jesus give
instruction and meat in due season to the household of faith.
·
If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not only
Jehovah God as our father but his organization as our “Mother.”
·
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.
·
They(Witnesses) must adhere absolutely to the decisions and
scriptural understand of the Society because God has given it this
authority over his people.
·
Avoid independent thinking…questioning the counsel that is provided
by God’s visible organization…Fight against independent thinking.
·
To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify
that organization and serve God as part of it.
·
Those who choose to dissent are disfellowshipped. The congregation
is to have nothing to do with the individual. Those in the
congregation are not to have any communication the member.
·
A disfellowshipped person is cut off from the congregation, and the
congregation has nothing to do with him. Those in the congregation
will not extend the hand of fellowship to this one, nor will they so
much as say “Hello” or “Good-bye”…(The congregation members) will
not converse with such a one or show him recognition in any way.
Are only non-Witnesses are allowed to question their
religion, but Jehovah Witnesses are not?
Witnesses are not allowed to read any information this is
contrary to the Watchtower. This includes material from those who
have been disassociated Witnesses, disgruntled Witnesses or someone
who was never a Witnesses.
·
Have no dealings with apostates…For example, what will you do If you
receive a letter or some literature, open it, and see right away
that it is from an apostate? Will curiosity cause you to read it,
just to see what he has to say? You may even reason: “It won't
affect me; I’m too strong in the truth. And besides, if we have the
truth, we have nothing to fear. The truth will stand the test” In
thinking this way, some have fed their minds upon apostate reasoning
and have fallen prey to serious questioning and doubt.[21]
But those who investigate the Jehovah Witnesses are told to question
what they believe, to investigate and search out God’s will.
·
We need to examine
not only what we personally believe but also what is taught by any
religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its
teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the
traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing
to fear from such an examination. It would be the sincere desire of
every one of us to learn what God’s will is for us, and then to do
it.[22]
Can anybody understand the Bible apart from the
Jehovah Witnesses’ Watch Tower Organization?
The Jehovah Witnesses believe without the aid of their organization
it is impossible to understand the Bible or God’s will.
·
Rather we should seek for dependent Bible study, rather than for
independent Bible study.
·
He does not impart his holy spirit and understanding and
appreciation of his Word apart from his visible organization.
·
The Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian
congregation as a whole, not to individuals, regardless of how
sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the bible. For
this reason the bible cannot be properly understood without
Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.
·
They (Questioners) 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.[26]
Beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses
The Trinity:
1. “The doctrine, in brief, is that there are three gods in one:
‘God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,’ all three
equal in power, substance, and eternity” (Let God Be True,
Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946 ed., 100).
2. “The obvious conclusion is, therefore, that Satan is the
originator of the Trinity doctrine” (LGBT, 101).
3. “Sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve Him find
it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated,
freakish-looking, three-headed God” (LGBT, 102).
4. “The Trinity doctrine was not conceived by Jesus or the early
Christians” (LGBT, 111).
5. “The plain truth is that this is another of Satan’s attempts to
keep God-fearing persons from learning the truth of Jehovah and his
Son, Christ Jesus. No, there is no Trinity” (LGBT, 111).
6. “Any trying to reason out the Trinity teaching leads to confusion
of mind. So the Trinity teaching confuses the meaning of John 1:1–2;
it does not simplify it or make it clear or easily understandable” (“The
Word,” Who Is He? According to John, 7).
7. Is Jehovah a Trinity—three persons in one God? No! Jehovah, the
Father, is “the only true God” (John 17:3; Mark 12:29). Jesus is His
firstborn Son, and he is subject to God (1 Cor. 11:3). The Father is
greater than the Son (John 14:28). The holy spirit is not a person;
it is God’s active force (Gen. 1:2; Acts 2:18) (What Does God
Require of Us?, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society,
1997, electronic version).
8. “Thus, neither the thirty-nine books of the Hebrew Scriptures nor
the canon of twenty-seven inspired books of the Christian Greek
Scriptures provide any clear teaching of the Trinity. … Thus, the
testimony of the Bible and of history makes clear that the Trinity
was unknown throughout biblical times and for several centuries
thereafter” (Should You Believe in the Trinity?, Brooklyn:
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1997, electronic version).
The Deity of Christ:
1. “The true Scriptures speak of God’s Son, the Word, as ‘a god.’ He
is a ‘mighty god,’ but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah” (The
Truth Shall Make You Free, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society, 1943, 47).
2. “In other words, he was the first and direct creation of Jehovah
God” (The Kingdom Is at Hand, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and
Tract Society, 1944, 46–47, 49).
3. “The Bible shows that there is only one God … greater than His
Son … and that the Son, as the Firstborn, Only-begotten, and ‘the
creation by God,’ had a beginning. That the Father is greater and
older than the Son is reasonable, easy to understand, and is what
the Bible teaches” (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained,
Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1958, 164).
4. “Jesus was ‘the Son of God.’ Not God himself!” (“The Word,”
Who Is He?, 20).
5. “The very fact that he was sent proves he was not equal with God
but was less than God his Father” (TWWIH, 41).
6. “Certainly the apostle John was not so unreasonable as to say
that someone (the Word) was with some other individual (‘God’) and
at the same time was that other individual (‘God’)” (TWWIH,
53).
7. “Thus, Jesus had an existence in heaven before coming to the
earth. But was it as one of the persons in an almighty, eternal
triune Godhead? No, for the Bible plainly states that in his
prehuman existence, Jesus was a created spirit being, just as angels
were spirit beings created by God. Neither the angels nor Jesus had
existed before their creation” (Should You Believe in the
Trinity?).
The Holy Spirit:
1. “The holy spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God
that moves his servants to do his will” (Let God Be True,
108).
2. “As for the ‘Holy Spirit,’ the so-called ‘third Person of the
Trinity,’ we have already seen that it is not a person, but God’s
active force” (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life,
Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1968, 24).
3. “The Scriptures themselves unite to show that God’s holy spirit
is not a person but is God’s active force by which he accomplishes
his purpose and executes his will” (Aid to Bible Understanding,
Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1969, 1971, 1543).
4. “The Bible’s use of ‘holy spirit’ indicates that it is a
controlled force that Jehovah God uses to accomplish a variety of
his purposes. To a certain extent, it can be likened to electricity,
a force that can be adapted to perform a great variety of
operations” (Should You Believe in the Trinity?).
5. “No, the holy spirit is not a person and it is not part of a
Trinity. The holy spirit is God’s active force that he uses to
accomplish his will. It is not equal to God but is always at his
disposition and subordinate to him” (SYBITT?).
The Virgin Birth of Christ:
1. “Mary was a virgin. … When Joseph learned that Mary was going to
have a child, he did not want to take her as his wife. But God’s
angel … said: ‘That which has been begotten in her is by holy
spirit’. … He took Mary his wife home. ‘But he had no relations with
her until she gave birth to a son’” (Matt. 1:20–25) (From
Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, 122–123).
2. “Jesus was conceived by a sinless, perfect Father, Jehovah God. …
The perfect child Jesus did not get human life from the sinner Adam,
but received only a human body through Adam’s descendant Mary.
Jesus’ life came from Jehovah God, the Holy One. … Jehovah took the
perfect life of his only-begotten Son and transferred it from heaven
to … the womb of the unmarried girl Mary. … Thus God’s Son was
conceived or given a start as a human creature. It was a miracle.
Under Jehovah’s holy power the child Jesus, conceived in this way,
grew in Mary’s womb to the point of birth” (FPLTPR, 126–127).
3. “Jesus’ birth on earth was not an incarnation. … He emptied
himself of all things heavenly and spiritual, and God’s almighty
spirit transferred his Son’s life down to the womb of the Jewish
virgin of David’s descent. By this miracle he was born a man. … He
was not a spirit-human hybrid, a man and at the same time a spirit
person. … He was flesh” (What Has Religion Done for
Mankind?, 231).
4. “While on earth, Jesus was a human, although a perfect one
because it was God who transferred the life-force of Jesus to the
womb of Mary” (Should You Believe in the Trinity?).
The Atonement:
1. “That which is redeemed or bought back is what was lost, namely,
perfect human life, with its rights and earthly prospects” (Let
God Be True, 114).
2. “Jesus as the glorified High Priest, by presenting in heaven this
redemptive price, is in position to relieve the believing ones of
Adam’s descendants from the inherited disability under which all are
born” (LGBT, 118–119).
3. “The human life that Jesus Christ laid down in sacrifice must be
exactly equal to that life which Adam forfeited for all his
offspring: it must be a perfect human life, no more, no less. … This
is just what Jesus gave … for men of all kinds” (You May Survive
Armageddon Into God’s New World, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and
Tract Society, 1955, 39).
4. “Jesus, no more and no less than a perfect human, became a ransom
that compensated exactly for what Adam lost—the right to perfect
human life on earth. … The perfect human life of Jesus was the
‘corresponding ransom’ required by divine justice—no more, no less.
A basic principle even of human justice is that the price paid
should fit the wrong committed. … So the ransom, to be truly in line
with God’s justice, had to be strictly an equivalent—a perfect
human, ‘the last Adam.’ Thus, when God sent Jesus to earth as the
ransom, he made Jesus to be what would satisfy justice, not an
incarnation, not a god-man, but a perfect man, ‘lower than angels’”
(Should You Believe?).
Salvation By Grace:
1. “Immortality is a reward for faithfulness. It does not come
automatically to a human at birth” (Let God Be True, 74).
2. “Those people of good will today who avail themselves of the
provision and who steadfastly abide in this confidence will find
Christ Jesus to be their ‘everlasting Father’” (Isaiah 9:6) (LGBT,
121).
3. “We have learned that a person could fall away and be judged
unfavorably either now or at Armageddon or during the thousand years
of Christ’s reign or at the end of the final test … into everlasting
destruction” (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, 241).
4. “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” (The
Watchtower, October 1, 1967: 591).
5. “To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must
identify that organization and serve God as part of it” (The
Watchtower, February 15, 1983: 12).
The Resurrection of Christ:
1. “This firstborn from the dead was raised from the grave, not a
human creature, but a spirit” (Let God Be True, 276).
2. “Jehovah God raised him from the dead, not as a human Son, but as
a mighty immortal spirit Son. … For forty days after that he
materialized, as angels before him had done, to show himself alive
to his disciples” (LGBT, 40).
3. “Jesus did not take his human body to heaven to be forever a man
in heaven. Had he done so, that would have left him even lower than
the angels. … God did not purpose for Jesus to be humiliated thus
forever by being a fleshly man forever. No, but after he had
sacrificed his perfect manhood, God raised him to deathless life as
a glorious spirit creature” (LGBT, 41).
4. “Usually they could not at first tell it was Jesus, for he
appeared in different bodies. He appeared and disappeared just as
angels had done, because he was resurrected as a spirit creature.
Only because Thomas would not believe did Jesus appear in a body
like that in which he had died” (From Paradise Lost to Paradise
Regained, 144).
5. “Having given up his flesh for the life of the world, Christ
could never take it again and become a man once more. For that basic
reason his return could never be in the human body that he
sacrificed once for all time” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise
on Earth, Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1982,
143).
The Return of Christ and Human Government:
1. “Christ Jesus returns, not again as a human, but as a glorious
spirit person” (Let God Be True, 196).
2. “Some wrongfully expect a literal fulfillment of the symbolic
statements of the Bible. Such hope to see the glorified Jesus coming
seated on a white cloud where every human eye will see him. … Since
no earthly men have ever seen the Father … neither will they see the
glorified Son” (LGBT, 186).
3. “It does not mean that he [Christ] is on the way or has promised
to come, but that he has already arrived and is here” (LGBT,
198).
4. “Any national flag is a symbol or image of the sovereign power of
its nation” (LGBT, 242).
5. “All such likenesses [symbols of a national power, eagle, sun,
lion, etc.] are forbidden by Exodus 20:2–6 [the commandment against
idolatry]” (LGBT, 242).
6. “Hence no witness of Jehovah, who ascribes salvation only to Him,
may salute any national emblem without violating Jehovah’s
commandment against idolatry as stated in His Word” (LGBT,
243).
The Existence of Hell and Eternal Punishment:
1. “Those who have been taught by Christendom believe the
God-dishonoring doctrine of a fiery hell for tormenting conscious
human souls eternally” (Let God Be True, 88).
2. “It is so plain that the Bible hell is mankind’s common grave
that even an honest little child can understand it, but not the
religious theologians” (LGBT, 92).
3. “Who is responsible for this God-defaming doctrine of a hell of
torment? The promulgator of it is Satan himself. His purpose in
introducing it has been to frighten the people away from studying
the Bible and to make them hate God” (LGBT, 98).
4. “Imperfect man does not torture even a mad dog, but kills it. And
yet the clergymen attribute to God, who is love, the wicked crime of
torturing human creatures merely because they had the misfortune to
be born sinners” (LGBT, 99).
5. “The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured
eternally after death cannot be true, mainly for four reasons: (1)
Because it is wholly unscriptural; (2) it is unreasonable; (3) it is
contrary to God’s love; and (4) it is repugnant to justice” (LGBT,
99).
6. “It is … a lie, which the Devil has had spread, that the souls of
the wicked are tormented in a hell or a purgatory” (You Can Live,
89).
Man The Soul, His Nature and Destiny:
1. “Man is a combination of two things, namely, the ‘dust of the
ground’ and ‘the breath of life.’ The combining of these two things
(or factors) produced a living soul or creature called man” (Let
God Be True, 68).
2. “So we see that the claim of religionists that man has an
immortal soul and therefore differs from the beast is not
scriptural” (LGBT, 68).
3. “The fact that the human soul is mortal can be amply proved by a
careful study of the Holy Scriptures. An immortal soul cannot die,
but God’s Word, at Ezekiel 18:4, says concerning humans: ‘Behold all
souls are mine. … The soul that sinneth it shall die’” (LGBT,
69–70).
4. “It is clearly seen that even the man Christ Jesus was mortal. He
did not have an immortal soul: Jesus, the human soul, died” (LGBT,
71).
5. “Thus it is seen that the serpent (the Devil) is the one that
originated the doctrine of the inherent immortality of human souls”
(LGBT, 74–75).
6. “The Scriptures show that the destiny of the sinful man is death”
(LGBT, 75).
7. “The Holy Scriptures alone offer real hope for those who do seek
Jehovah God and strive to follow his ways” (LGBT, 75).
8. “At death man’s spirit, his life-force, which is sustained by
breathing, ‘goes out.’ It no longer exists. … When they are
dead, both humans and animals are in this same state of complete
unconsciousness. … That the soul lives on after death is a lie
started by the Devil” (You Can Live, 77).
9. “The human soul ceases to exist at death. … Hell is mankind’s
common grave” (Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Twentieth Century,
electronic version).
The Kingdom of Heaven:
1. “Who and how many are able to enter it [the Kingdom]? The
Revelation limits to 144,000 the number that become a part of the
Kingdom and stand on heavenly Mount Zion”(Let God Be True,
136).
2. “In the capacity of priests and kings of God they reign a
thousand years with Christ Jesus” (LGBT, 137).
3. “He [Christ] went to prepare a heavenly place for his associate
heirs, ‘Christ’s body,’ for they too will be invisible spirit
creatures” (LGBT, 138).
4. “If it is to be a heavenly kingdom, who will be the subject of
its rule? In the invisible realm angelic hosts, myriads of them,
will serve as faithful messengers of the King. And on earth the
faithful children of the King Christ Jesus, including faithful
forefathers of his then resurrected, will be ‘princes in all the
earth’. … Then, too, the ‘great crowd’ of his ‘other sheep’ … will
continue to ‘serve him day and night,’ and many of them will also be
‘princes’. … They will ‘multiply and fill the earth’ in
righteousness and their children will become obedient subjects of
the King Christ Jesus. And finally the ‘unrighteous’ ones that are
to be resurrected then, to prove their integrity, must joyfully
submit themselves to theocratic rule. … Those who prove rebellious
or who turn unfaithful during the loosing of Satan at the end of
Christ’s thousand-year reign will be annihilated with Satan, the
Devil” (LGBT, 318–319).
5. “The Creator loved the new world so much that he gave his only
begotten Son to be its King” (LGBT, 143).
6. “The undefeatable purpose of Jehovah God to establish a righteous
kingdom in these last days was fulfilled in
a.d. 1914” (LGBT,
143).
7. “Obey the King Christ Jesus and flee, while there is still time,
to the Kingdom heights. … Time left is short, for ‘the kingdom of
the heavens has drawn near’” (LGBT, 144).
8. “Only a little flock of 144,000 go to heaven and rule with
Christ. … The 144,000 are born again as spiritual sons of God” (Jehovah’s
Witnesses in the Twentieth Century, electronic version).
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