Why Do People Say That Jehovah's Wittnesses Are A Cult?

Question

First Off I Am One Of Jehovah's Wittneses and I'm Proud Of It I'am Baptized Too But Why Do People Think Where A Cult Why Do People Spread So Many Lies About Us

Answer 1

many people think Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult and that they are weird and have wacky idea's. I have looked into religions of many different beliefs, and the witnesses seem really just to be following what the bible directs people to do. Many think that christ is god but witnesses don't believe that. In studying the trinity doctrine, i was able to see it was not an original teaching of christ or his apostles. Almost all biblical scholars and historians (non-witnesses, I made sure so i knew there testimony wasn't biased) have admitted that no where in the bible did christ or his apostles alude to him being the almighty god, but that he was the first born creation of god or the Logos. Christ also said that his father was greater than he was at John 14:28. A lot of religions think this is wrong but it seems though that it is actually right to those who do study.
Another reason people think of witnesses as a cult is that they believe they are following CT Russel, the founder of the witness organization instead of God, but in actuality they are merely following what the bible teaches. Many of Russels original thoughts on the scriptures aren't at all what the witnesses follow today.
It seems funny to me to that people hate the witnesses calling on their doors yet they are the only ones who are preaching about gods kingdom on a global scale like Christ said would happen in the time of his comming or prescence as the witnesses put it. The whole chapter of Matthew 24 talks about this and it really describes the world that we live in to a T. Matthew 24:14 says that before the end, this good news of gods kingdom would be preached in all the inhabited earth to all nations then the end would come.
oh yea and i was wondering why witnesses call themselves witnesses, it seems that witnesses have been around in the past too, Check out Isaiah 43:10-11. In verse 11 in the original hebrew text it says "I am YHWH and besides me there is no savior." in english that name YHWH is actually translated Jehovah. So it looks like witnesses of Jehovah have been around in bible times too.
So if people wanna call Jehovah's witnesses a cult then i guess they consider every religion a cult. But it really seems witnesses are just following what Christ comissioned his followers to do. I have no beef with them, but there is always people who think negativley about any organization. Nothing you can do about that. Christ said his followers would be objects of hatred because they were different or as he put it "no part of the world." So if you're on the right path according to the bible you gotta expect some harsh things to be thrown at you.

Answer 2

There is a fundamental difference between a cult and a denomination/sect of a belief such as Christianity. A religion has certain essential doctrines that cannot be contradicted to be considered a part of it. This would then be a statement that the group is orthodox. Groups that have some doctrines similar to a religion, but do not have all the essential doctrines are labeled as cults.

JW reject the Bible and have rewritten it to form their own "version" (NWT) which is filed iwth mistranslations designed to prove the JW doctrine. Jehovah's Witnesses believe the following things that are against the essential doctrines of the Christian religion (The citation refers to a book that teaches their doctrine.):

1) There is no trinity, Let God Be True, p.100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p. 385.
2) Jesus was Michael the Archangel who became a man, The WatchTower May 15, 1963, p. 303; The New Wold p. 204.
3) Jesus was oly a perfect man not God in the flesh, Reasoning From the Scriptures (1985), p.306.
4) Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body, Awake, July 22, 1973, p.4.
5) Jesus was not a human creature but a spirit, let God Be True, p. 276.

I have listed only 5 beliefs Jehovah's Witnesses have that contradict the essential tenets/doctrines of Christianity. In response to the beliefs stated above I have placed the Biblical responce to each of them below.

A1) "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost." I John 5:7.

A2-3) Jesus said here that if you do not believe "that I am" you will die in your sins. In Greek I am is 'ego eimi,' which means ‘I am.' These are the same words used in John 8:58 where Jesus says "...before Abraham was, I am." He was claiming the divine title by quoting Exodus 3:14 in the Greek Septuagint. (The Septuagint was the Hebrew Old Testament translated into Greek.)

A4)"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith" (1 Cor. 15:14). "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:17). To deny the physical resurrection is to deny Jesus' work, sacrifice, and our resurrection. These verses clearly state that if you say that Jesus did not rise from the dead (in the same body He died in -- John 2:19-21), then your faith is useless.


A5) "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 1 John 4:2-3

JW change the teachings of the Bible to suit their ideas and will change them again. An example of this is blood transfusions and organ donations. God's Word does not change!

JW depend on the Watchtower Society for their authority. True Christians depend upon God and His Bible.

JW teach one can "work out" their salvation. This DIRECTLY conflicts with the Bible which teaches that Christ's death completely paid for all mankind's sins and that believers are justified freely by God's grace through redemption in Christ.

JW is a parody and false teaching.

Answer 3

Counterfeit Christianity is probably the best description I can give for a cult. Counterfeit Christianity is an imitation of real Christianity. Bible terms like "Jesus Christ, Resurrection, Salvation, and Atonement" are used by the Cult, but entirely different meanings have been assigned to these terms by the various cult groups.
Like counterfeit money which is sometimes difficult to detect, so it is difficult to detect counterfeit Christianity, since it looks like the real thing. Experts examining counterfeit money often hold it up to a strong light and look for identifying marks. Counterfeit Christianity also has identifying marks which can be seen when held up to an even stronger light, the light of God's word, the bible.
We are at an advantage if we know what to expect from a cult. Cultists are very well trained to appear "Christian", and indeed believe they are the true church, and you need the deliverance! Therfore, be bold and ask the question, "Do you believe the group you represent is the only true church on the face of the earth?"
If they reply that they are, or if they are evasive, making remarks like "Well, every church has a measure of truth but...", you have made an early detection of a Cultist.
Every true Chistian, if asked the same question, regardless of his denomination, would reply that the true church is comprised of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and HE (not some organization) is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, (John 14:6). No legitimate denomonation would claim that they alone and their members have salvation exclusively, but the cults (the counterfeits) do.

Answer 4

Jesus Christ is our leader.
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.

Answer 5

What would you want them to call you? Christian? The Chosen Ones? The (Self)Righteous Ones?

According to Wikipedia, a cult usually has beliefs or practices that society considers to be far outside the mainstream. Since JW reject other traditional Christian doctrines, other (much larger) Christian denominations consider you to be a cult.

If you are a JW, why are you so concerned about what other people think about you? After all, your cult believes that you will be saved in the Armageddon, while everyone who is not a JW is wicked and will be destroyed.

Answer 6

For the same reason people think Mormons are a cult. They don't know what we believe and so they are scared of us. However, the very definition of the word means that EVERY religion is a cult. A cult is a group of people with the same beliefs and purpose. Only modern dictionaries use the same definition for cult as occult. 10 years ago, the 2 words meant 2 different things.

Answer 7

Consider that the first Christians were considered a cult, by a highly educated individual in the religious arts, Saul of Tarsus, who later became the Apostle Paul. It took an act of Christ to change his direction, so apparently having a good religious education is not enough to know what is truth or not.

Answer 8

Those Christians who study & know the Bible label all religions who claim to believe in The Christ, but who do not believe that God is a triune being - Father, Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - as a cult. It is not the same as the occult -witchcraft, necromancy, ouija boards and stuff. But Jesus said to know Him is to have life eternal. And how can you know Him if you don't even know what kind of being He is? JW's teach that Jesus is the Archangel Michael who was given a temporary assignment of playing Jesus for 33 years. Now he is back at his old job of being Michael. They believe that Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer are brothers but Lucifer fell. So if Michael=Jesus that makes Jesus and Lucifer brothers! Not my Jesus!
Sooo, the Jehovah Witness Jesus must be a false doctrine, a pretty serious false doctrine if Jesus was right that knowing Him was having eternal life.
And one question to all you JW's who want us to accept you as Christian so we will then listen to you all so you can convince us of all this hoo-ha: You won't accept us as believers in God. You call us "in the World", and if any of your group go back into another church you refuse to have anything to do with them. So why do you want or expect us to accept you as Christian, and not as a cult? There are hundreds of other Christian denominations, true Christian denominations, that accept each-other as godly and as going to heaven, and allow free transition from one to the other with full acceptance, but not you guys. Oh no, in your doctrine you are the only ones who can be right, but you want US all to accept you as OK. Right.

Answer 9

First all religions are not cults. If u believe that ya'll are the only ones going to heaven and u can only fellowship with JW.
Why is it that JW ya'll can give people papers and all kinds of things but then on the flip side if someone try to offer u a pamplet you can't receive it. I'm sorry but that's kind of fishy. Oh yeah ya'll dont even believe in Hell or heaven. Ya'll believe that when u die all JW will be in paradise in Hawaii. OK

Answer 10

I think most people think Jehovah's Wittnesses are a cult due to the fact that your religion tells you that if a person is not jehovah they are pagan and are going to hell, the religion is quick to judge (judge not lest you be judged yourself), if you break one "rule" of the church you are kicked out and told your going to hell. The religion is more of a door to door pushy sales attempt. I attended a Jehovah church once and could not believe how poorly I was treated because I'm Christain and not ashamed to admit it. I was told by their "pastor" what an evil pagan I am and I will rot in hell. Maybe I don't know that is why people think it is a cult.