Jehovah's Witness/Mormonism

What is a cult? 1. Heresy (belief or opinion contrary to orthodox Christian doctrine) about who God is. 2. Heresy about how we are saved. 3. Raise up a new authority that is over you instead of the Bible. 4. Always claim to have esoteric knowledge. 5. Manipulation is used to make sure your stay in group. What do JW believe? They have an esoteric knowledge of the Bible. Esoteric – specialized knowledge, only known by a small few. Their founder, Charles Taze Russell Claimed to be expert in Hebrew and Greek. Because this special knowledge, all other forms of Christianity are evil. Believe Christianity outside their sect (I would argue cult) is evil and lost from the original Christianity. III. 4 requirements for salvation 1. Take in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. 2. Obey God’s laws. 3. Belong to JW organization. 4. Loyalty. IV. Jehovah is God’s name. 1. Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” i. THIS IS WHY WE MUST KNOW THE BIBLE. 2. Let’s read it in context. i. Acts 4:10-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 3. Jehovah is a man-made name for God (silly JWs)! 📷 V. About Jesus 1. Jesus is not divine but subordinate to the Father. 2. The Angle Michael is Jesus. 3. Was the 1st created being, then created everything else. 4. Died on a torture stake. 5. Jesus did not rise from the dead – bodily. 6. Now Jesus is reigning with his invisible presence from the Watchtower in New York. About their “founder” Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) 1) Was a Seventh Day Adventist but differed from their teachings. 2) Initially, he was part of a movement that predicted the return of Christ in 1878. This led to a split between him and his ministry partner Nelson Barbour. 3) Russell sold clothing stores that he inherited from his father for over $300,000 (modern day over $7,000,000). 4) Claimed to be an expert at both Hebrew and Greek languages. 5) Modern JW claim he was not the founder of their cult. Their Bible The New World Translation 1) How are translations typically done? 2) How is the New World Translation done? i) Why is this a problem? (1) Raymond Franz was a former member of the governing body of the JW revealed one of the “scholars” that worked on the NWT was his uncle. His uncle was not qualified to translate Greek or Hebrew. 3) What do some of the most respected language scholars say about their translation? a) “These books possess a veneer of scholarship unrivaled for its daring and boldness in a field that all informed scholars know Jehovah’s Witnesses are almost totally unprepared to venture into. As a matter of fact, the authors have been able to uncover partially a carefully guarded Watchtower secret: the names of five of the members of the New World Translation committee. Not one of these five people has any training in Greek…[or Hebrew].” - Dr. Walter Martin b) I have never read any New Testament so badly translated as The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. In fact, it is not their translation at all. Rather, it is a distortion of the New Testament. The translators used what J. B. Rotherham had translated in 1893, in modern speech, and changed the readings in scores of passages to state what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe and teach. That is distortion, not translation. -Dr. Julius Mantey 4) The Bible is not final authority. a) "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 them, after he has read them for ten years - if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone... 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 of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures." - Watchtower 1910, pg. 298 Resources for further study 📷Facts and More Facts About “Pastor” Russell https://archive.org/details/SomeFactsAndMoreFactsAboutCharlesTazeRussell/page/n17/mode/2up 📷Crisis of Conscience: The Story of the Struggle Between Loyalty to God and Loyalty to One’s Religion https://www.amazon.com/Crisis-Conscience-struggle-between-religion/dp/0999499211 YouTube – Mike Winger Mormonism (Latter Day Saints) How it Started I. In 1820 Joseph Smith at 14 years old asked God to show him what real Christianity is. II. At 17, goes to a hill in New York. He digs ups golden plates. Through the Holy Spirit, he translated the Book of Mormon. i. 600AD – 385 AD – Jews traveled to America. 1. Split into two families. 2. Bad people became more dark-skinned. 3. Bad killed all the good people. III. Joseph Smith a. Teachings i. Polytheism ii. Salvation by works. b. Morality i. Was known as a scam artist. ii. Had at least 40 wives 1. 11 of them were already married. 2. Several were underage. How to “be saved.” 1) Obey all the commands of God. 2) Be baptized in a special way. 3) Become an LDS Member. 4) Become a Melchizedekian priest. 5) Receive the Temple Endowment. 6) Married in the Temple (around 160 of them in the world). If you do all this, only then can you receive exaltation. View on Eternity 2 Cor. 12:2 - I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows (emphasis mine). 📷

Christianity Jehovah’s Witnesses Mormons Founder Jesus Christ Charles Taze Russell Joseph Smith God Trinity – 3 Persons in one God One Person; No Trinity Three Distinct Gods – God was a man that was resurrected. Also has at least one wife. Jesus became a God because he was resurrected. Holy Spirit another of God’s spirit-sons. Jesus God in Flesh Michael the Archangel; a created being Jesus is Lucifer’s brother. The Cross Jesus’ form of execution A demonic symbol. Jesus died on an upright torture stake. Not on a cross Jesus died on the Cross Resurrection Jesus rose physically. Jesus rose spiritually. Jesus was resurrected so everyone will be resurrected into eternity. 2nd Coming Jesus will come back physically and all people will see Him Occurred in 1874 or possibly 1914. Jesus returned invisibly. Honestly, hard to understand. Jesus will come prepare the earth for the testing of souls. Holy Spirit Is God Not God. God’s active force. Kind of like electricity Holy Spirit another of God’s spirit-sons. Trinity 3 persons; one God. Existing, equally, eternally and simultaneously A doctrine of the devil and a confusing doctrine 3 separate persons. Salvation Through faith in Jesus Christ alone Being a Jehovah’s Witness and adhering to the teachings of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Through works. Going on a mission. Charity, LDS church attendance, baptism, marriage in a LDS Temple. Heaven God’s home, for all believers A place for the 144,000 elite Jehovah’s Witnesses Everyone will be resurrected and go to one of 4 places: 1) Celestial Kingdom – God, Jesus, Holy Spirit are there. Basically Heaven 2) Terrestrial Kingdom – Basically good people. Jesus will visit here but not God. Is like Earth. 3) Telestial Kingdom – Bad People. Only the Holy Spirit will visit here. 4) Outer Darkness – essentially hell. Reserved for those that leave the LDS or that speak openly against it. Hell An eternal place of torment for those who chose not to accept Jesus Does not exist See above – outer darkness Afterlife Heaven or Hell. Man is not conscious until the resurrection. All non-Jehovah’s Witnesses are annihilated. Gospel Jesus saves us from sin Jesus opened the door for us to earn our salvation. Must do good works within the LDS church. Church Those who put their faith in Jesus. Members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses Members of the LDS. Sacred Writings The Bible The New World Translation, The Watchtower Magazine and AWAKE Magazine The Bible, The Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price (The Book of Abraham is in this book), Doctrine and Covenants