The Jehovah's Witnesses (session 1: Basics beliefs and the New World Translation).

Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Menu Jehovah’s Witnesses FOUNDED, LOCATION • Founded by Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916) in 1879 in Pennsylvania. • Later led by “Judge” Joseph F. Rutherford (1869–1942). • Headquarters today in Brooklyn, New York. Charles Taze Russell Jehovah’s Witnesses KEY WRITINGS • All current Watchtower publications, including the Bible (New World Translation only), Reasoning from the Scriptures, What Does the Bible Really Teach? • Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Jehovah’s Witnesses WHO IS GOD? • One-person God, called Jehovah. No Trinity. • The first thing Jehovah created was Jesus. Widely-distributed Watchtower literature that tries to show that the Trinity is a pagan belief. Jehovah’s Witnesses WHO IS JESUS? • Jesus is not God. Before he lived on earth, he was Michael, the archangel. • Jehovah made the universe through him. • On earth he was a man who lived a perfect life. Jehovah’s Witnesses WHO IS JESUS? • After dying on a stake (not a cross), he was resurrected as a spirit; his body was destroyed. • Jesus is not coming again. He already “returned” invisibly in 1914 in spirit. • Very soon, Jesus and the angels will destroy all nonJehovah’s Witnesses. Watchtower illustration showing Jesus on a “stake” Jehovah’s Witnesses WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? • Impersonal “holy spirit” is not God, but rather an invisible, active force from Jehovah. October 1, 2009 issue of The Watchtower magazine Jehovah’s Witnesses HOW TO BE SAVED • Salvation in heaven is limited to 144,000 “anointed ones.” This number is already reached. • Followers must baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness. • Most followers must earn everlasting life on earth by “door-to-door work.” May 5, 1984 issue of The Watchtower magazine featuring the 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? • The 144,000 live as spirits in heaven. • The rest of the righteous, the “great crowd,” live on earth, and must obey God perfectly for 1,000 years or be annihilated. Jehovah’s Witnesses OTHER BELIEFS, PRACTICES • Meet in “Kingdom Halls” instead of churches. • Also known as the International Bible Students Association. • Forbidden to use the cross as a symbol. Jehovah’s Witnesses OTHER BELIEFS, PRACTICES • Active members are encouraged to distribute literature door-to-door, initiate “book studies” in homes of potential converts. • Once a year, followers observe “the Lord’s Evening Meal” (communion); only “anointed ones” may partake. Jehovah’s Witnesses OTHER BELIEFS, PRACTICES • Do not observe birthdays or holidays (such as Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving). • Forbidden to vote or run for public office. • Forbidden to salute the flag. • Forbidden to work in the military. • Forbidden to accept blood transfusions. Menu What Matters Most Who do you say that I am? The Identity of Christ Matters John 10:27–33 (ESV) 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” John 1:1 ESV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1 NWT In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (or, “was divine” from NWT footnote.) Error: 1. Greek word for God is θεός (theos); word for divine is θειότης (theiotes) 2. Greek has no indefinite article (“a” or “an”) John 1:1 ESV “The Word was God” καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. And God was THE Word Greek Word order demands the English translation we have, because “God” has no definite article, “the”. NWT “the Word was a god.” καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. And a god was the Word Error 3. Isaiah 43:10 (NWT) “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, And after me there has been none. Honesty in Translation You should note the underlined terms, “other.” The term other is an adjective that is sometimes inserted as a necessary aid in translation. The footnote on this page justifies the word other in Colossians 1:16, 17, & 20 by referencing Luke 13:2, 4 where other is inserted by the translators: Luke 13:2 (ESV) 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? Luke 13:4 (ESV) 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? Honesty in Translation The NIV, NIV84, NKJV, RSV, NASB Bibles all agree with this use of other in Luke 13:2&4, but no legitimate translation inserts “other” in the Colossian passage highlighted in the photo. If no translation of the New Testament (besides the NWT) inserts the word other, why did the translators find it necessary to do so? They did this because their theology denies that Jesus is God. Rather, the Watchtower has taught since Charles Russell (the founder) denied the Trinity and the deity of Christ. By inserting the word other as they have, they seek to establish this in the mind of reader. But this is fundamentally dishonest. The word, other is unnecessary to clarify in this context. Colossians 1:14-20 14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because [God] saw good for all fullness+ to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens. in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 14 A Switch 1984 14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because [God] saw good for all fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens. 2013 14 by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist, 18 and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become the one who is first in all things; 19 because God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all other things by making peace through the blood he shed on the torture stake, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens. A Missing Footnote 1984 edition of the NWT: This footnote was removed in 2013 Some Questions 1. If Isaiah 43:10 says there is no God, how is the Word a god in John 1:1? 2. How does the NWT translation deny the divinity of Christ? 3. What is Arianism? 4. What do the changes to the NWT tell us about the assumptions the Watchtower makes about modern-day Christians?