Bible Believing Christians, what do you think about Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

Are they a cult? Are they really Christians? They claim that they base all of their beliefs on the Bible. How can this be?

thanks to all who answered. This is my point. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that that are Bible based, as do all Christians. So, isn't it really a matter of different interpretations of the Bible? Whose interpretation is correct? The Rev. Jim Jones of the People's Temple believed his interpretation of Scripture was correct. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in Waco Texas thought their interpretation of Scripture was correct. Where does it all end?

This is why I am Catholic. It is the Catholic Church that is the Authoritative Interpreter of Scripture.

Answer 1

True Christians (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) are primarily interested in WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES (see Scriptures below).

Meanwhile, trinitarians repeatedly pretend that Jehovah's Witnesses are not Christian. Trinitarians use an artificial, trinity-specific definition of the term "Christian" which excludes anyone who does not believe that Jesus is God Himself, rather than the Son of God. Interestingly, pagans in the first century pretended that Christ's followers were Atheists(!) because the Christians had a somewhat different idea from the pagans about the nature of God.

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe! Both secular dictionaries and disinterested theologians acknowledge that Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian religion.

The Trinitarian arguments are intended to insult and demean Jehovah's Witnesses, rather than to give a Scripturally accurate understanding of the term "Christian".

In fact, the bible most closely associates being "Christian" with preaching about Christ and Christ's teachings. Review all three times the bible uses the term "Christian" and note that the context connects the term with:
"declaring the good news"
'teaching quite a crowd'
'open eyes, turn from dark to light'
"uttering sayings of truth"
"persuade"
"keep on glorifying"

(Acts 11:20-26) [The early disciples of Jesus] began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus... and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.

(Acts 26:17-28) [Jesus said to Paul] I am sending you, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God... Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind. ...Do you, King Agrippa, believe the Prophets? I know you believe.” But Agrippa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”

(1 Peter 4:14-16) If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy... But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name


So why do anti-Witnesses try to hijack the term "Christian" and hide its Scriptural implications? Because anti-Witnesses recognize that it is the preaching work that makes it clear that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent followers of Christ:

(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


Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 2

Did Jesus teach that there would be a resurrection? Yes. He mentions it repeatedly. John 5:28, 29; John 6:40; John 6:44. The apostle Paul taught this as well at Acts 24:15. He was even being judged by the Sadducees over his hope of the resurrection. Acts 23:6-8. Even people in hell get resurrected. Revelation 20:13. So the doctrine of the resurrection is firmly established in scripture, yes? Now if we 'travel to heaven or to hell' when we die, what need is there of a resurrection? Resurrection is, plainly, for dead people, right? So if something survives death and goes to heaven, resurrection is unnecessary, is it not? Since resurrection is what overcomes death, then when we are dead, we are conscious of absolutely nothing, just as Ecclesiastes says, right? So there is no contradiction, is there? Hannah J Paul

Answer 3

Let the bible itself answer your question. First, you need to know what we believe in order to test it against scripture. Half of the people who answered your question don't even know what we believe (See Hannah J Paul's answer). SO, find out from a REAL Jehovah's Witness what we believe (or go to www.watchtower.org, NOT .com) and then check it against the bible.

Being Christian means following the teachings of Christ, right? What kinds of things did Christ and his apostles teach? Well, to address the people who say that "Christian means believing that Jesus is God", here are a few points;
1. God CANNOT die. Jesus died. Therefore, Jesus is NOT God.
2. God knows EVERYTHING. Jesus admits he doesn't know everything, only the Father (Matthew 24:36) Therefore, Jesus is NOT God.
3. God is not subject to anyone. The bible says that Jesus is subject to the Father (1 Corinthians 7:3). Therefore, Jesus is NOT God.
4. God was NOT created. Jesus was created (Colossians 1:15, Proverbs 8:22-31). Therefore, Jesus is NOT God.
These four things are undeniable, straightforward, and sound SCRIPTURAL evidence that Jesus is NOT God. To try to create a "workaround" is to deny the truth!

You will likely be amazed (as was I) that Jehovah's Witnesses ACTUALLY DO base their beliefs on the bible! And to think I grew up being taught to hate them, just like some of these people on Yahoo!
Just think about it for a second- How did Christ get mixed up in a wintertime festival involving a fat guy in a red suit who breaks into people's homes to leave wrapped gifts under a decorated tree? What does Christ's resurrection have to do with a rabbit who lays painted eggs and hides them for human children to find? How does a God of justice who is described, not as HAVING love, but that he IS love, create a place called Hell where he can torture for eternity his children who were disobedient for all or part of 80 or so years of human life? Furthermore, what part of God's purpose would eternal torment accomplish? To what end would he torture people?

Now, do you think those things are taught in the bible? Start a bible study- the answers you find might pleasantly surprise you!

Oh, and a word of advice- Don't listen to people like Matt or Silenced Lamb who, instead of answering from their bible- trained heart, refer you to or paste from websites of JW haters. The only reason to go there or listen to them is if you just WANT to hate JWs. You won't get the truth there!

Answer 4

Is the following an accurate definition of "Christian?"

Merriam Webster OnLine
1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ

If it is then QUIT trying to separate Jehovah's Witnesses from "Christian."

Jehovah's Witnesses ARE Christians.

To those who have issues with the New World Translation, please consider the following carefully.

Many people learned basic Bible truths from Jehovah's Witnesses LONG before the NWT was even available. Did they use defective translations of the King James Version or the American Standard Version?

My parents never saw a copy of the New World Translation until long after they accepted these teachings. Shame on you.

Answer 5

Nope were not a cult, were an organization.Yes we are christians,some claim to be jehovah's witnesses but they could be leading a double life or trying to mislead u.Our beliefs are based on the bible but there are some things in the bible though that are symbolic and some laws that are from mosaic law which was demolished by jesus when he came to be the messiah, such as not eating pork. If you have any other questions go to www.watchtower.org which is the official site for JW's,any others are by people who are opposed of us.

Answer 6

The question: "Bible Believing Christians, what do you think about Jehovah's Witnesses?" is a nonsequiter.

Jehovah's Witnesses ARE Bible believing Christians.

Answer 7

I as a Bible Believing, and following, Christian believe that we Jehovah's Witnesses are Christains striving to follow God.

Answer 8

I think they are wonderful people. Yes, they are Christians. Many JWs are much better Christians than those of other faiths. And those "Christians" who slander JWs, well, that's just mean. All their teachings are based on the Bible, it just depends on how you interpret the verses. Calling certain groups cults is childish if you ask me. Plus, depending on how you define cult, every single religious organization may be considered one!

Answer 9

Jehovah´s witnesses preach what will Jesus do during his 1000 year kingdom, are you agree?

What will Jesus do during his 1000 year kingdom? Jehovah ´s witness preach that Jesus after Armageddon and destruction of evildoers, Satan and his demons will be "Jailed" for 1000 years in the mean time Jesus will rule the earth with a group redeemed from earth (Revelation 5:10, 14:1-5) will resurrect people (Acts 24:15 and John 5:28-29) will provide food and eliminate famines (Psalm 72:16) will restore the health of humans (Isaiah 35:5-6, 33:24) will eliminate the death and the cause of the death and suffering (Revelation 21:4) in resumen will transform the earth in a great place to live a "new earth" the original purpose of God with Adam and Eve before they sinned (Genesis 1:28) .
After 1000 years , Satan will be release and mankind will have a second test and after that Satan will be cast into the lake of fire (destroyed) and Jesus give the kingdom to his father (Jehovah) (1 Corithians 15:28)


Can they prove this is false? this is the only message we preach, we dedicated more than 1 billion hours yearly and 700 millions of maganizes promoting Jesus as the king annoited by Jehovah and the solution of all problems of this sick planet in the hand of Jesus Christ.

WE CAN PROVE ALL THIS THING WITH ANY BIBLE IN THE WORLD.

IF THIS IS A LIE THEN LET THROW AWAY THE BIBLE.

What Is God’s Kingdom?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20060715/article_01.htm

Answer 10

I am not going to come in here and slam another person's faith. What I will say is that as a non denominational Christian, I have beliefs that differ from theirs. As a people, I have met some very nice JW's.

Answer 11

The misinformation that flows whenever a question regarding Jehovah's Witnesses is asked still amazes me. To wit: "I don't think Jehovah's Witnesses are real Christians because they do not believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God." (Well, of course, Jehovah's Witnesses do believe Jesus was the son of God. But Jews do not. So if this is the definition of a cult, then Jews are a cult as well.)

"They're a cult because they deny Jesus even died on the cross." I have never seen that definition of cult in any of my countless dictionaries.

"The Jehovah's Witnesses wrote their Bible." This despite the fact that Witnesses are perfectly happy to sit down with you and use any Bible you prefer. They will cite to any Bible on this site as well, and have often done so.

"Jehovah’s Witnesses believe salvation is obtained by a combination of faith, good works, and obedience." You mean to say obedience is not necessary? Does this mean faith is an afterthought?

Jehovah's Witnesses are constantly condemned for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity, as if this alone makes them non-Christian and a cult. This conveniently overlooks the very real fact that thousands of professed Christians in countless "Christian" denominations flatly reject the Trinity doctrine as unscriptural. So if we were to follow this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, we would be left with the fact that countless "Christian" denominations have on their member sheets those who are really cult members.

Then of course there is the poster who pastes paragraph after paragraph after paragraph of data, ostensibly to deal with the allegedly "false" teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and ends with a personal note addressed to JW's. For example: he mentions the fact that Witnesses teach it is possible to lose your salvation. Then he cites to Ephesians 2:8, 9 and Romans 11:29. Romans says " For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
Fine. This shows that God does not go back on his word. Does this mean that we can never lose our salvation? If that is so, why does Jude warn otherwise at Jude 3 and 5?
Why does the apostle Peter give this exhortation according to the way the New American Standard Bible reads: "Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble." If it is impossible to lose one's salvation, why warn us to fight for it?

Why does Christ warn at Revelation 2:10, in the English Standard Version: "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." If it is impossible to lose one's salvation, why did Christ encourage them to be faithful unto death?

Why at Revelation 3:14-21 does Christ warn the congregation at Laodicea to repent and be zealous? Is it because they could not possibly lose their salvation? Or was it because they were in danger of doing exactly that?

In the final analysis, the only way for you to get a satisfactory answer to your question is to consider their teachings. To solicit personal opinions from others in this forum is to invite all manner of subjective opinions from detractors, uninformed ones and former witnesses.

Hannah J Paul