What do they teach or believe or do that offends so many people?
2007-05-18 01:31:31 · 18 answers · asked by harridan5 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Shellback: I don't hate individual witnesses, but in general I think I do hate the religion, or at least the organization behind it. Some of the people I really feel sorry for, for the way they are treated by the so-called "leaders".
As for JW's crying "why does everyone hate us", I have answered other Christians with simular complaints that Jesus promised his followers they would be persecuted, just as he had been. I personally hate anyone who persecutes others. Is hate too strong a word? How about detest or despise then. People show treat each other fairly and decently. One thing all religions seem to have in common is the Golden Rule. I just wonder when they are going to start following it and practice what they preach.
2007-05-25 00:23:44 · update #1
they change wording from the original text and it is all so very subtle. for example. their bible says. in the beginning was the word and the word was "A" god and the word became flesh. in the original translation it states the word WAS god.. not A god. big difference. there are other references as well but this was one of the more subtle ones.
I also asked a JW about the passage in revelations that says. I am the alpha and the omega .. the first and the last. I once was dead but now I live.. and they have no explanation. The Alpha and Omega IS god. But he also says for I was once dead but now live. .. God didn’t die. Jesus Died and now lives .. which makes Jesus God .. Jesus is God in the flesh..
2007-05-18 02:00:43 · answer #1 · answered by eric 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses teach bible truth.
It is true that Jehovah's Witnesses are not loved by everyone.
http://jw-media.org/newsroom/human_rights.htm
Some people hate Jehovah's Witnesses out of ignorance, or over some misunderstanding. A few may have had a bad personal experience with an individual who claimed to be a Jehovah's Witness, and prejudicially extended their animus to this entire Christian religion.
However, it seems that the majority of anti-Witness hatred is motivated by religious intolerance and bigotry. A few may even be motivated against their Christian worship by the unseen 'god of this system of things', Satan the Devil.
(2 Corinthians 4:4) the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers
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/e/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20030301/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20020401/article_01.htm
2007-05-24 16:40:20 · answer #2 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Harridan, as mad as I am at the organization, I do not hate them. For me, hate is a very powerful word that I have rarely used if at all. I am sure this is something they told you during one of your studies with them. Its like they think all of us non-JW's run around thinking only of evil towards the religion. Lots of times one of them gets on here and invariably crys out why does everyone hate us? Guess what? I rarely read where anyone references the word hate at all in describing their feelings about them. I will admit I have read one or two threads where some one singular answerer has written and maybe said they hated a certain thing about them but I have never read where anyone has said: "I hate every JW in the world. I mean really have you ever read someone saying something like that? I know I haven't, give me a brake. shellback
2007-05-25 01:29:48 · answer #3 · answered by Shellback 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Dear Harridan5,
No Watchtower Witnesses do not have the Truth.
That is precisely why I call them Watchtower Witnesses.
They have added to God's Word.
They have subtracted from God's Word.
The materials they provide do not show all of the relevant verses on any topic that I have seen so they are not credible witnesses of the Bible. For example look at a wonderful chart called One Truth Exposes a Thousand Lies - Traits Shared Between Jehovah and Jesus at http://www.soulright.com
After looking at this chart someone made the comment "... that's a suspiciously high number of qualities that Jehovah and Jesus share. And since Jehovah God will not share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42:8) it seems odd that the two have the same characteristics through and through."
"Hate" is the word they use.
It is not the word that 99.9% of the people use.
It seems to me they keep using it to generate sympathy for themselves.
The word I use is False prophets (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).
2007-05-24 20:59:46 · answer #4 · answered by JOYfilled - Romans 8:28 7 · 4⤊ 3⤋
I dont think that people hate them they are just to be avoided.
It is just that they have additional books to support the Bible called "The Watch Tower" and if you know the Bible you will know that anybody that add or subtract anything to or from the Bible is wrong.
They don't believe that a person can have a blood transfusion for the soul is in the blood. So if you need blood to live you must die without because according to them it is a sin.
They don't believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The best way I get rid of any person who claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses, is to say to them "can I pray for you" and low and behold they are gone, I wonder why?
The preach that they are part of the elect (144 000) in the book of Revelations when by preaching that only the 144 000 will be going to heaven, they are making their own chance slimmer, or what, rather keep quite for that will secure your place
2007-05-18 08:45:48 · answer #5 · answered by INCOGNITO 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Most people hate Jehovah's Witnesses, because they knock on their doors. But if they actually knew the bible, they would know that Jesus commanded his disciples to go out and preach, so JW's are following that command.
People don't realize that all they have to do is tell them "no thanks" and they will leave.
People go through all kinds of motions to try to hide or stand there and debate with them etc. If you're not interested, just say so and they will leave.
2007-05-18 09:33:30 · answer #6 · answered by philosopher_pimp 2 · 5⤊ 2⤋
I don't think it has much to do with their beliefs--but rather their persistence. Many people don't like getting spam in their email, getting telemarketers on the phone--but to have a live-in person-religious "spammer" at your door, can be irritating to a lot of folks.
You can't hang up the phone or delete the spam as quickly in real life and that personal interaction creates a need to follow our own standards of civility. (I find it hard to slam the door in a stranger's face--unless they intend to do bodily harm ;) )
I did about a year of study with the JW, and I can't find anything in their doctrine that would incite such 'hatred' against them. Plenty to argue with, plenty to disagree with, but not such 'hatred' as they seem to engender. So, in my opinion, it has to be the "religious spamming."
Hope that helps.
2007-05-18 08:44:06 · answer #7 · answered by chocowriter 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You can tell there is a lot of miss information concerning Jehovah's Witnesses by the answers you've received.
If you teach that Jesus is all loving,
If you teach that Jesus is a babe in a manger,
If you teach that Jesus is helpless and hanging on a cross,
Then people are happy you talked to you
If you teach that Jesus is God's appointed judge,
If you teach that Jesus is coming to execute God's judgments
Then people feel threaten and uncomfortable.
If you refuse to go along with what people believe is normal,
If you try to do things God's way
If you obey God as ruler
Then people look down on you as a fanatic.
Try to please everyone and you will please no one.
Try to please Jehovah and you will please those who love Jehovah.
2007-05-22 15:21:40 · answer #8 · answered by TeeM 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Well, let just say I personally have a hard time believing they are right about religion. When my infant sister died a JW who also happened to be a family member told my parents that they will never see her again in heaven because they believe that heaven is "full" because they believe that only 144,000 can get into heaven. Why would anyone be in a religion that works their flock so much work to convert others when there is no chance to get to heaven.....its beyond me
2007-05-22 14:57:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
People hate us for being different. We have found the truth, and we do our best to spread the word as Jesus taught us.
The vast majority of religion is based on opinions and since the actual work involved IS work to most, they don't want to be involved in it. Especially now. It's expensive to travel to people's homes and talk with folks who have heard so many outright lies from preachers who don't know any better.
There's a new excuse for each new person we meet.
But, when all is said and done, Jesus said we would be hated, and it just proves we have it correct.
As to being offensive, it's more of a bother than an offense.
What drives us? It's the will of God / Jehovah, that no one be left behind........He want all of us to be saved.
As to our teachings, please type watchtower.org into your browser to take you to our website where you can find all the answers.
2007-05-18 08:46:40 · answer #10 · answered by Wisdom 6 · 4⤊ 4⤋
They teach that Jesus was NOT God. Rather, they say He is the Son of God and a "king."
There's an important theological point here. If Jesus Christ wasn't God then He couldn't die for the sins of all.
At best, He could have only died to save 1 other person. But because He was divine His sacrifice on the cross is sufficient to cover the sins of all humanity and bring us to Heaven.
Furthermore, the JW created a new bible translation in the 50's that changes some key scriptural verses which refer to Christ's divinity. How convenient.
This is why JW are not considered a Christian denomination. A true Christian believes in the divinity of Christ and the Holy Trinity. This is what was defined by the Council of Nicea in 425 A.D.
2007-05-18 08:36:16 · answer #11 · answered by Veritas 7 · 3⤊ 6⤋