Beliefs & Facts of JWs
Many people I have met since becoming a Christian, don't know much about Jehovah's Witnesses and believe they are Christians as well. Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves to be Christians. Many people don't understand the severity to which the religion is damaging and also that they do not believe in the true Jesus or true gospel. Jesus warned about false Christs and false gospels and it's imperative to believe in the correct one. This is why I want to educate people on what their beliefs and harmful practices are, as well as encouraging my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to witness to these people when they encounter them at their doors or out and about where they are set up with carts of literature, etc.
Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses:
Beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses:
- Jehovah God is one God, just the Father, not a Trinity
- Jesus Christ is a created being, Michael the arch angel
- The Holy Spirit is not a being, it is Jehovah's "active force" or "will"
- Only 144,000 go to heaven who are only Jehovah's Witnesses
- There is no Hell except the lake of fire that will only exist after the millennial reign of Christ, and will destroy Satan, demons and all wicked people once and for all, but will not be an eternal suffering.
- Soul Sleep - when we die our body returns to the ground and our soul/spirit returns to God but we are "conscious of nothing"
- The Soul is not immortal even in heaven/paradise
- The Earth will be restored to it's original condition like that in the Garden of Eden, a "Paradise Earth", and ONLY the faithful Witnesses that survive Armageddon, that are faithful until the end of the millennial reign and survive the last testing, will inherit this "Paradise Earth". God, Jesus, the angels, and the 144,000 will live in heaven as a separate place from the earth still.
- They do not believe in a rapture
- Jesus died on a torture stake, not a cross.
- Jesus did not resurrect in the body
- Jesus Christ returned "invisibly" in 1914 as his 2nd return
- The Jehovah's Witnesses are God's "visible organization/government on the earth"
- The "Governing Body" is a group of men who, up until recently, were "anointed, Holy Spirit filled" men, God's channel through which he speaks, appointed to direct Jehovah's Witnesses and "give them spiritual food at the proper time". Also known as the "faithful and discreet slave".
- The Governing Body still exists but has in recent years now admitted they are NOT inspired, and are fallible. They make mistakes and everyone is still not to question them, and go along with everything they say, even if it doesn't make sense. (The Watchtower—Study Edition Feb. 2017 "Who Is Leading God's People Today?" Par. 12; Watchtower Study Edition Nov 2013 "Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes" Par. 17))
- Jesus is mediator for only the 144,000
- Only the 144,000 are part of the New Covenant and may partake of the bread and wine at their annual memorial of Jesus' Death
- They only observe Jesus' death, not his resurrection, once a year at a world wide "memorial" pretty close to Easter each year. This is where, if you are of the "anointed" 144,000, you may partake of the bread and wine, all others pass these by in "observance"
- If you are not a Jehovah's Witness, you are of the "world" and worship Satan
- Failed Prophecies of Armageddon: 1914, 1925, 1975, and believe it will happen any day now.
- They do not accept whole blood transfusions
- Anyone who was baptized and leaves the religion, is to be "disfellowshipped" and shunned, even close family members. Any person caught fellowshipping, speaking to these ones, will be "disfellowshipped" themselves.
- Members who have left the organization and try to help bring truth to other JWs, are labeled as "mentally diseased Apostates", "part of the Anti-Christ", "like their Father, Satan", "false teachers", "evil", etc..
- They have their own translation of the bible, "The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures" published by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, believed to be the only accurate bible translation.
- No one can fully understand the bible without studying the Watchtower publications such as, the Watchtower and Awake magazines and their bible study books. Only the Watchtower can accurately interpret the bible, because they are supposedly God's visible organization on Earth.
- Higher education should be avoided, as it takes away from the door to door ministry, is not necessary to make a living, and should be avoided.
- Employment should not be political, involve carrying a gun or any thing to do with going against any of their beliefs.
- All Holidays and birthdays are not to be celebrated, due to their "pagan origin"
- Yoga, meditation, Martial Arts, astrology, etc, are forbidden
- Children are not allowed to participate in recreational activities after school, such as sports, drama, music/band, clubs, scouts, etc. because they take away from serving Jehovah and introduce bad associations.
- Military service is not allowed, as well as the flag salute and singing the National Anthem or any such national songs.
- Voting is forbidden because they are to remain "neutral", since man cannot fix our problems, and allegiance is only to Jehovah God and his organization
- Women are not seen as equal to men. They are not allowed to hold any positions of leadership or serving in the congregation. They are only allowed to do door to door ministry and hold bible studies. Women are to be completely obedient to their husbands, submitting to them even if they are unbelievers. If a husband is abusive, the woman is told she must stay with him, as well as do more in the ministry, attend more meetings, read their bible more, etc etc because they must not be doing what they should as a "faithful wife". If they divorce, they are more likely than not to be disfellowshipped and shunned. Children are taken away if they decide to no longer be a Jehovah's witness.
- Children are to be completely obedient to their parents and are often physically abused/beat if they are not especially by fathers who are in a leadership role because it brings reproach on Jehovah if they do not have their house in order.
- Immense pressure is put on men to be in leadership roles, have their household completely obedient and all members of the religion.