Are Jehovah Witness members of a Cult?

Question

Why am i reading so much bad things about them? All i tried to do last night was ask if they where banned from the internet, And i got my throat jumped down and redirected to Watchtower there own website,Which i have read on many many other informative websites label them a Cult? Are they all brainwashed?

I asked a simple question and was dismayed at the replys.

Because after reading some of the posts from JW`s last night i really think they are.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, most people here aren't really interested in honest, healthy debate of ideas. Most are just squirming in their own self loathing and trying desperately to tear down others in a pathetic and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to make themselves feel better about themselves.

So I wouldn't read too much into any "answers" you get here. I also wouldn't judge an entire religion by hear-say or the opinion of a few zealots here. (No, I'm not a JW, but I hate it when people label other religions as "cults". Anytime you hear someone say "Oh that church. That's a cult!" It really means "I don't have the slightest idea what the followers of that faith really believe or practice.")

Answer 2

Having read the responses to your prior questions, I think you were rather savagely abused by fanatics at your decision to ask a fair enough question.

Jehovahs witnesses are not banned from the internet, simple as that. They like non-religious people can peruse the internet at their wishes.

Jehovahs witnesses are a fringe movement of Christianity, started in America by Russel. They take a literal translation of the bible, and so follow things like the 10 commandments very strictly.

Heres an example; Accepting a blood transfusion could be taken to mean the consumption of another mans blood. "No soul of you shal eat Blood (Leviticus 17)", so no JW could do it as it is against the bible.

Though they follow the bible very closely, there is nothing in there that says:
"Thou must refrain from use of the Internet, for it contains lots of stuff"
or to this effect. This is why they can use the internet.

Answer 3

In Douglas Kennedy's excellent book In God's Country - he visits the bible belt of the USA to look at Christianity in all it's forms and he classifies the Jehovah's Witnesses as a cult. He gives evidence of it's brain washing techniques and recruitment tactics which are very similar to those of other cults.

Having said that, does it matter if it is or isn't a cult? One man's mead is another man's poison and all that. I think when it comes to any religion you weigh up the pro's and the con's and then decide whether or not to go for it.

And the previous reference about 144,000 saved - that's true for the ordinary bible, it's from revelation where the allegation is that 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be granted immediate access to heaven on the return of Jesus and then the rest of us will be punished for a further 2,000 years after this a decision will be made by God on who else gets access to heaven and who will get eternal punishment in the lake of fire.

So it's quite possible that the other 12.6 million will have to do a few laps of the burning pool before being whisked away to paradise.

For me, I don't like the control aspects of almost any religion and for the Jehovah's I don't like the refusal of blood transfusions - particularly when that decision is made by an adult for a child who then has no choice but to die in the name of "a god of love". My God, is a bit more forgiving than that.

But at least they aren't Christian Scientists...

Answer 4

Sadly, anti-Witnesses seldom trouble themselves with facts or proof or straightforward answers to specific questions. It's much more comfortable for them to continue with their bigotted prejudice and anti-Witness agenda if they can pretend that their outrageous propaganda is true.

The term "cult" is an insulting synonym for "religion". The term has no place in polite conversation, and Jehovah's Witnesses correctly consider it an insult.

One wonders if anti-Witnesses understand that Jehovah's Witnesses are proven to be true Christians, based upon the Witnesses' preaching work and the anti-Witnesses' bigoted hatred against them. Do anti-Witnesses recognize that Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent preachers of Christ on the planet? Do anti-Witnesses recognize that the Scriptures foretold this hatred against true Christians?

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2003/3/1/article_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/6/22/article_01.htm

Answer 5

Please, do not develop your view of what a witness believes based on information given to you by people who have nothing to do with The Truth. I cannot fully call myself one of Jehovah's Witnesses, because I don't practice often enough, but I do agree with the teachings. Almost every answer you have received on here has been ignorant and containing false information.

So far as being banned from anything, I don't know that that's true. They do not take part in things that are worldly and could lead them astray.

A lot of times, people slander the religion before knowing anything about it because it is just commonplace to speak against them. Even I've done it. But it's not fair to do so.

Answer 6

There is a very good book called "The Kingdom of the Cults". It explains what a cult is and what current world religions are considered cults and why. It is a huge book and very informative.
The truth will set you free!

Answer 7

we are not a cult. we worship Jehovah God and his son Jesus Christ. a cult worship a mere man, who tells them when to eat,sleep and whatever. Jehovah wants us to love him because we want to. we are not brainwashed, Jehovah God did not make us into robots. people think that because we are Jehovah Witnesses we turn away from our family, that is not true. we love our families. we take our children to the best doctors and we don't have our children taken away from us. if we where banned from the intent how come we all have the intent at our homes and we even have a website. www.watchtower.org

Answer 8

Well, I know that they are not allowed to read literature that is not approved by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (located in Brooklyn, NY) - so that is pretty cult-like. And as a Christian I've always been encouraged to read the Bible for myself but also other religious material so that I can make informed choices about my faith.

Answer 9

Yes they are a cult. They use a lot of Christian terminology but they imply other meanings for those words. They wrote their own bible to change the meaning of the original one handed down for generations. Stay away from them. Read your own Bible and get to know it so that you will not be strayed by people who falsely teach lies.

Answer 10

Yes. A very big cult. Someone close to me had their childhood blighted by this religion. They witnessed physical abuse of their friends by their parents under the protection of this closed society. Its awash with hypocrisy. Children are taken door to door to prevent you shutting the door in their face. They change stories and interpretation of the Bible to suit their own means, and are quite upset that old copies of the Watchtower and stuff are still in exitence with contradictory info to what they give now. They actually ask members to burn them. well wierd.

Answer 11

Jehovah's witnesses think Jesus is Michael the archangel. Who knows where they get that idea. The Son of God refers to the Divine Human that God took on in the world or the Word that became flesh.


Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.