Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult or religion?

Question

can anyone answer that? especially a j.w. i am intereted in talking with one if u are one about the religion and beliefs. just kind of curious.

Answer 1

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.

Sadly, this so-called "question" seems intended mostly as insulting slander against Jehovah's Witnesses. Interestingly, such "hatred" should be expected by true Christians in this time of the end, and it actually helps identify Jehovah's Witnesses as Christ's true disciples:

(John 15:19) If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.

(Luke 6:22) Happy are you whenever men hate you, and whenever they exclude you and reproach you and cast out your name as wicked for the sake of the Son of man.

(1 Peter 4:4) Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.

(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.

It seems signficant that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are the ones best known for their worldwide preaching work. Yet Jesus commanded that ALL who would call themselves "Christian" perform this public work:

(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2003/3/1/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2002/4/1/article_01.htm

Answer 2

Yes. Yes they are a religion. Yes they are a cult. As for the cult, the Episcopal church claims to be a cult--look it up, as with many other things "cult" originally was not a dirty word. As for a strange religion or deviant group, yes, but then most denominations are denominations because they deviated from the norm of previous groups.

The Jehovah's Witnesses deviate from Christian orthodoxy (rightness) because they are not Christian--Christ has comparatively little part to play. They are akin to a heresy that arose among Christians around 1700 years ago, back around the time of Christian Roman Emperor Constantine. It just resurfaced about a century ago from similar arguments and promoted for similar reasons. So, while JW is comparatively new, the ideas are really old, but rarely considered "normal".

Answer 3

Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT a cult, but are a worldwide Christian society of people who actively bear witness regarding Jehovah God and his purposes affecting mankind. They base their beliefs solely on the Bible.

Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and from many religious backgrounds. They do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader.

A cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual. Many cults follow a living human leader, and often their adherents live in groups apart from the rest of society. The standard for what is orthodox, however, should be God’s Word, and Jehovah’s Witnesses strictly adhere to the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual devotion. They neither follow a human nor isolate themselves from the rest of society. They live and work in the midst of other people.

If you would like further information, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses will tell you they are the only true Christians. They look down on all others who call themselves Christians, belittleing them as belonging to apostate "Christendom."

Mainstream Christians consider the JWs a cult, because they do not believe in the divinity of Jesus. Instead, JWs think Jesus was Michael the Archangel, which is completely unscriptural. They reject the concept of the Trinity, which is repeatedly demonstrated in the Old and New Testaments. Without a doubt, though, the JWs are an organization governed by false prophets. The Bible clearly tells us to stear away from such individuals, since the followers of false prophets will receive the same punishment. They also require their followers to use a version of the Bible that was mistranslated by men unqualified for this task; one of these men admitted under oath in court that he could not read, write, speak or translate Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic. Not surprisingly, each and every major mistranslation just happens to support the false teachings of the JW founder, Charles T. Russell, a man who married a woman for her money, refused to have sex with her, and behaved inappropriately with several woman; these things lead to his eventual divorce -- a scandalous event in Victorian times.

If you're interested in understanding more about why the JWs are a cult, I strongly suggest you go to this link and read each section; there are copies of actual documents proving the JWs lie to their followers and falsely prophesy:

http://blueletterbible.org/study/cults/exposejw/chap1.html

Peace.

EDIT: in response to Hannah, the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines "divine" as:

1 a : of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God or a god b : being a deity c : directed to a deity

JWs DO NOT believe Jesus is divine; they believe he was made "a god," but did not proceed FROM God and therefore is not God. There is quite a bit of difference.

Answer 5

***achtung I don't think this question is intended as slander. Most of the answers are, though. I think the asker is genuinely curious.

***also a cult is any group of people organized for a something they believe in. So all religions, really, are cults. However, the connotations attatched to the word "cult" now are a little different. So I'll address that.

A Christian is a follower of Christ. One who tries to be "like Christ." Not necessarily a worshipper of him. Look it up.

Also how in the world are we like scientologists? That is probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard said about us. We are nothing alike. We don't "prey" on anyone because we don't charge anything. What would we get out of people by preying on them? We don't have a human leader, we don't believe in aliens...man the list is just too long.

We don't look down on anyone who says "I'm a Christian" and is not a JW. We don't look down on anyone at all. We look at everyone as one that can be saved. That is why we talk to people.

Jesus is not God, and if you want to know why instead of just believing we're a cult because people say we are, then just ask a JW and he will be happy to answer you. We don't believe this because that's what "our" Bible says; rather, we know this because that is what THE Bible says. The NWT was translated in '84 and is closer to the originals than most translations. And I don't believe this just because I'm a JW and that's what I was taught; rather, I am a JW because I looked up everything and I know that they are the ones telling the truth.

Oh and by the way, no, we are not a cult. Jesus is our heavenly leader; not some cult leader guy. Our kingdom hall doors are open to the public; there's nothing mysterious going on.

And there is NO, NO, NOBODY getting rich off of Jehovah's Witnessism (I know that's not a real word.) There is no head huncho, group of head hunchos, to where all our donations go to. The people with the most responsibility are dirt stinkin' poor and have nothing at all to call their own. They live in TINY one-room (not one bedroom) units in one compound building. I've seen it. There is nothing cultish about us.

As far as "orthodoxy" goes, what makes these teachings orthodox, ir right? Just because the people that came up with them say they're right? Jesus said that by their works we will know who his followers are. I'm not going to go into detail, but the church fathers proved by their works that they really had nothing to do with Jesus at all. I'll leave it up to whoever is reading this to look it up. And they are the ones that came up with "christian orthodoxy." This is not intended to badmouth anyone, but really you can't believe that something is right just because it is called "orthodox" by the people that insitituted it.

We are not governed by false prophets. In the past, some of our members have misinterpreted the scriptures and thought certain things that weren't true. That is not a secret to any JW. Nobody feels "betrayed" or anything like that. In fact, we once spent 10 minutes at a meeting making a little fun of some of the things that Bible Students used to believe. However, they were not false prophets or true prophets. They were not prophecies; they were interpretations. Misinterpretations. A prophet will come out and say "God told me this," We never claimed to talk to God or anything of that nature.

We do not follow the teachings of Charles Taze Russel. Charles Taze Russel is not our leader. In fact, there were some things that he believed that we now know not to be true. If we were a cult, we would follow Russel blindly and never question his teachings. We follow the teachings of the Bible. Everything that I believe can be backed up, without any holes, from the Bible. If you doubt that, anyone can visit watchtower.org, ask your local JW's, or even email me [e-mail] to find out for yourself.

Jehzeel, we do believe that Jesus is our Lord, he is the way to the father, and that he and the father are one, just as we are one with him, and we are one with the father. That is what Jesus said. We are all one: Jesus, Jehovah, and Jesus' followers. One in purpose. Not literally one person. If that were the case, then we should all be praying to every Christian that has ever lived or died and worshipping each other as God Almighty.
***"Lord" does not necessarily mean "god." It just means someone with authority. For example, Sarah called Abraham her "lord."

***asker, sorry if I seem a little angry. None of it is directed at you.

Answer 6

All religious organizations are "cults" by definition. But as far as a creepy cult or religions the Jehovah Witnesses are definitely a religion. The Jehovah Witnesses have many believes with which I disagree (Christ wasn't crucified on a cross but on a poll, no surgeries/blood transfusions, no holidays, no politics, etc.) but I really respect members of their faith because they really try to practice it.

Answer 7

Religion

Answer 8

First understand that the 1st Century followers of Jesus were call a cult.

2nd in the 1930's and 40's Jehovah's Witnesses carried signs calling religion a crutch and a snare.

One needs to becareful about labels.

Having said that, we are Christians who adher to the Bible for all of our teachings.

We worship Jehovah, the only true God, (Jesus' words at John 17:3)

We believe that salvation is only by faith in Jesus the Son of God. (Not God the Son, which you won't find in the bible)

The best way to get to know us is by visiting

www.watchtower.org and request a Witness to call on you.

Answer 9

One poster claimed that all the other "Christian" religions label them a cult because they deny the divinity of Christ. In other words, they don't accept him as God Almighty, so that means they are a cult. Interesting definition, that is. Particularly when you consider the fact that countless people in countless "Christian" denominations reject the teaching that Jesus is God Almighty. Does that make all these denominations cults?

Incidentally, Judaism rejects the teaching that Jesus is God as well. Do you suppose that makes Judaism a cult?

If you are interested in talking with one, as you said, you may e-mail me. I am available to respond to your curiosity. Or you may use the link provided by an earlier post to the official site of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses.

By the way, Jehovah's Witnesses do not reject the divinity of Christ. They firmly believe he is divine. They reject the teaching that he is Almighty God.

Hannah

Answer 10

No offense to anyone. JWs are nice people, very polite and respectful, but to answer your question I would call them a cult. They deny the deity of Christ, deny the Trinity, deny the existence of hell, believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven, follow the teachings of Charles Taze Russell and the watchtower , and wrote their own version of the bible to agree with their beliefs.

Grace and Peace