Do Jehovah Witness really believe in Jesus/the bible?

Question

I had a neighbor in Texas who is a Jehovah Witness. She explained to me why they don't celebrate christmas, birthdays, and other things that most of us christians do celebrate. I've heard people say that Jehovah Witness's will tell you to your face they believe in the same God and same Jesus that general christians believe in, but they truely don't believe in them and the bible like other christians do. I've also have been told that once they convert you and get you deeper into their religion and have brain washed you enough, that's when the truth about their relgion comes out, like truely not believing in the bible, Jesus, and so forth. What's the deal? What do they truely believe?

Answer 1

Not the same Bible, they sorta did some selective editing, (took out parts that were inconvenient, added a bit here and there, generally changed it to suit their preconceived notions).

So when talking about many biblical concepts, (say Jesus), the words are the same, (they'll tell you they believe in jesus), .......but they have a different meaning, (not the same Jesus you'd know as a Christian).

They believe in the "bible", (their version)
They believe in "jesus", (their version)
They believe in..........Get it?

Don't take my word for it, look it up

EDIT: Wow! I've been accused of HATE!!! Well, let's just use an example: Below is John 1:1, from the New World Translation, and then the New American Standard Version

New World Translations, (from http://www.watchtower.org/bible/) (1)

(1) In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
(2) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

New American Standard (from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201:1&version=49) (2)

These do NOT say the same thing! Christians believe Jesus is God, Jehovah Witness believe he was a god.

Another example: JESUS never claimed to be God http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/article_06.htm
.

(Hey, I'm not making this stuff up, the web reference is right there!)

So by CHANGING John 1:1, the Jehovah Witness, (JW), can say Jesus, (referred to as the Word, even JW agree with that), never believed he was God. There are many other examples the New World Translation changing meaning and intent in the Bible.

I respectfully disagree with the Jehovah Witness beliefs.

Answer 2

The theme of our 2007 District Convention is Follow the Christ. Of course, we believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus is God's Son, and it is because of his sacrifice that we have forgiveness of our sins and a real hope for the future. Matthew 20:28) We also base our beliefs on the Bible(2Timothy 3:16,17) We also believe that God's Kingdom is the only solution to mankinds problems(Daniel 2:44, Revelation 21:3,4) Jehovah's Witnesses are no part of the world(John 18:36) To really find out about the witnesses and what they believe why not visit the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. They would be very happy to show you from the Bible what they believe is the truth.

Answer 3

ABSOLUTELY! There is no salvation by anyone else except through Jesus Christ. JW's have for years been falsely accused of not believing in Jesus, but if you actually read any of the publications, you will see that Jesus is the Savior that all men must acknowledge.

The name JEHOVAH, found in Psalms 83:18 is the true name of God Almighty, the father of Jesus. Most religions don't acknowledge Jehovah's name,,,some of that has to do with an ancient superstition that God's name was too sacred to be spoken. In the old testament, God's name was widely used by his people, but mostly unknown by the nations, just as it is today.

Birthdays and Christmas are actually pagan celebrations that were adopted by the ancient christians in an effort to reach the pagans with the message of truth, but what happened was, the christians became paganized then and are still paganized now, but are not willing to change because of 'traditions of men" Matthew 15:3.

Answer 4

Do Jehovah Witness really believe in Jesus/the bible?

Yes.

>why they don't celebrate christmas, birthdays, and other things that most of us christians do celebrate.

Correct. JWs as Jesus instructed, is to be no part of this world thus will not get involved in pagan practices.

>in the same God and same Jesus that general Christians believe in

Incorrect. JWs will not adopt a pagan Trinity God as professing Christians have. The nation of Israel was decimated every time they adopted a pagan trinity; therefore JWs abstain from such practices.

>like truely not believing in the bible, Jesus, and so forth.

JWs use any and all bibles. As the bible says Jesus is God's Son, who said to worship his father, ONLY.

Matt 4:10 - Then Yeshua said to him, "Get behind me, satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"

Deu 6:4 - `Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God [is] one Jehovah;

Answer 5

Koutney,
There are thousands of people who study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses on a regular basis. The one thing they all can tell you is that we do use and believe the Bible and that we do believe strongly in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the only means for salvation.
Persons who make the type of statements you refer to are mainly uninformed or disgruntled. Jehovah's Witnesses, in obedience to Bible commands, do not tolerate unrepentant sinners in their midst. They are disfellowshipped. By repenting and discontinuing sinful conduct, they can be welcomed back into the congregation. Some however, do to pride, become disgruntled and begin to speak against their former brothers and sisters in faith. Sometimes their word is viewed as authoritative by some because the one bit of truth in their statements is "I used to be one of them." If you ask your neighbor the question you have posed here, you will get an honest, definative answer to your question. Also, you may learn from watchtower.org.

Answer 6

LOL YES, we really DO BELIEVE IN THE SAME BIBLE AS EVERYONE ELSE!

We don't have a "special Bible"- the New World Translation is an incredibly accurate translation that differs because it replaces the name of God, Jehovah, where it has previously been taken out by other translations and substituted with LORD or GOD. (If you have your own King James Version you can find the name Jehovah at Psalms 83:18.)

We do believe that Jehovah God and Jesus Christ are 2 separate people- there is not a firm scriptural basis for the teaching of the Trinity- Jesus himself often said that the Father was greater than he was.

We are not brainwashed- we are normal people who have families, careers, hobbies and social lives- the difference is that we try to live according to God's righteous standards: we share the Good News of God's Kingdom publicly, are politically neutral, are law abiding and maintain moral cleanliness.

All of our beliefs are in the Bible- Psalms says that "the meek shall inherit the Earth," and that "the righteous themselves will reside upon it." We believe that the majority of faithful mankind will get to live forever as perfect humans on a paradise Earth, just as Jehovah originally intended for Adam and Eve.

There are no surprises, no tricks, no "hidden beliefs." All of our meetings are open to the public and free of charge, as is our literature. You can access TRUTHFUL information about our beliefs at www.watchtower.org, our only official site.

:0)

Answer 7

Aside from what the JW, the Watchtower or any magazine may say, I personally believe this: Christ IS the meassure of all things, then in His death, the death of the original sin from Adam is paid back in full. So - if you qualify (by God's approval) you will go to heaven immediately "in a blink of the eye" ("in the House of my Father there are many mansions, and I'll go to prepare an abode for you..."). If you don't have God's qualification (either by ignorance, rebellion, etc...) you will sleep in dead, in "sheol" which is the common grave ("and sheol and the sea gave all its dead, some for a resurrection of life others for a resurrection of judgement", happening in His Second comming, with His angels in the clouds - as Rev. says)). All the dead of mankind were waiting for Jesus' resurrection in 'sheol' (Job asked Yahweh to keep him in sheol until His wrath subsided. In the particular case of Lazarus, He was saying something that will happen at His death, because He "sees things to happen as they have already happened", this is true when He said "before Abraham WAS, I AM). The book of Psalms says the earth will continue for ever, in which the meek will inherit and live for ever too. Somebody has to live here too, right? But of course, this my opinion. Be aware of conditions created by organizations and groups, because a King brought to his table in Israel a family that did not drink wine - although the all nation was doing otherwise - and at the table they refuse, honoring something they "personnally" had concluded to do. This pleased God.

Answer 8

I find it quite tragic that people like "spam-free" and "bidlow" make such belligerent statements about Jehovah's Witnesses. Who are they to say what WE believe and don't believe, . . . it's so very hateful. Reading these statements shows who really IS brain washed.

Jehovah's Witnesses are normal people who have been taught from the Holy Scriptures the truth about false religion. People don't like to see their religion exposed for what it really is. The fact that you came up with this question gives evidence that we are witnesses of Jehovah and Jesus. Jesus said that his followers would be persecuted because we don't sink to the same level of debauchery that some do. Our clean wholesome lives condemn the lifestyles of so many who call themselves Christians - it's a wonder why they hate us so much. It's expected. So, I thank Jehovah for lovingly sending his son who prepared us for this type of mean-spirited persecution.

Answer 9

There are five important facts to remember about the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Organization.

1. They have accepted the Organization as the Prophet of God.
2. They have accepted the Organization as God's sole channel for His truth.
3. They believe that to reject the Organization is to reject God.
4. They believe that only the Organization can interpret the Bible; as individuals they are unable to do so.
5. They believe the Watchtower Magazine contains God's truth, directed by Him, through the Organization.

What does the Organization and Watchtower Magazine teach that is in conflict with Orthodox Christianity?

1. That Jesus is a created being/a creature.
2. That Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel
3. That Jesus was not resurrected bodily, but as a spirit being.
4. That Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 (secretly to the Organization)
5. That Jesus was only a man when on earth, not the Word Become flesh.
6. That the Holy Spirit is only an active force, not the person of God.
7. That Hell is simply the grave.
That Heaven's doors is open to only 144,000.
8. That the majority of Witnesses must remain on earth.
9. That salvation is found only through the Organization.
10. That it must be maintained by energetic works for the Organization until the end when one may merit eternal life on a paradise earth.
11. That Satan is the author of the doctrine of the Trinity.
12. That Jesus cannot be given worship, but only honor as Jehovah's first creation.

The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe or teach some of the very basic tenets of Christian doctrine. They deny:

1. The Trinity.
2. The Omnipresence of God.
3. The Deity of Christ.
4. The dual nature of Christ.
5. The bodily resurrection of Christ.
6. The visible return of Christ.
7. The person of God the Holy Spirit.
8. The Promise of Heaven to all believers.
9. The necessity of the New Birth for all believers.
10. The Lord's Supper for all believers. (only for the 144,0000).
11. The Eternal Security of the believer.
12. The conscious Eternal Punishment of the lost.

Answer 10

They believe in Jesus but not the way most Christians do. They [ like all religions ] have their own Bible. Jesus was known as Jehovah in certain parts of the Bible.
Yes they do not believe in Christmas, or any Holidays they believe are pagan. My husband is a witness and he celebrates my birthday and our anniversary. It all depends on the person. He goes and visits his parents on the holidays. He may not participate in the celebrations but he respects his parents and their beliefs.
I have never heard of anyone being brain washed into believing the truth.
I am a born Christian and will always be one. My husband has been a Jehovah Witness for 15 years now. And he and his friends have never tried to convert me in all that time...
There have been some that have dropped out after being a witness because their beliefs change.

Answer 11

Jehovahs Witnesses believe in Jesus and the Bible. They are Christians, similar in most beliefs to most Protestant religions, and they use the Bible in all their studies.

The biggest differences are that they call God by his actual name, Jehovah; that they don't believe in repetitive prayers, but more personalized ones; (instead of praying the Lords Prayer, they use it as a guideline to create their own personal prayers); they believe most good people will live forever on a Paradise earth instead of in clouds in heaven; that Jesus is God's son, and the Holy Spirit is God's active force here on earth, but not that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all the same being.

Its interesting how contraversial Jehovah's Witnesses are to so many other churches. I personally do not belong to one church, but study the Bible regularly and try to live by the wisdom and teachings of Jesus. If you are sincerely interested in learning more about Jehovah's Witnesses, you can read their beliefs at www.watchtower.org , or call your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and ask for a study. Their church is open to anyone, it is not a secret society, and they are always open to questions.