I have two reasonable questions about JW doctrine I need answered. Help please.?

Question

Why is it that on Yahoo answers that the Jehovah's Witnesses refer to someone as a "born again" in a derrogatory manner?

The scripture says this:

John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

((IF you're not born again YOU WILL NOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!! That's what Jesus said.))


The scriptures say this:

1 Peter 1:23, "Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Don't you believe what Jesus said? Don't you believe what Paul wrote? I thought you believed in the Bible.

Also, to be termed an "apostate" don't you have to have been a former member?

I am not a former member--how do I qualify for the term apostate when I follow and read the scriptures?

xyleisha--my interest is peaked--thank you for the respectful answer--where in the scriptures are only a certain group (the 144,000) explicitly told they are the only ones who are born again? If you are baptized as a JW are you not also "born again" of his spirit too? How can one be only born of water (through baptism) and yet not born of the spirit?

I thought that what Paul writes is directed to ALL believers in 1 Peter 1:21-23:
"Who by him (Jesus) do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

How do you determine who is part of the elect and which scriptures state only the elect are born again of the spirit?

Iron serpent--When someone says something to you as you're witnessing why don't you ask them the scripture evidence for their beliefs?

Here is where it is stated the Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth (hades, hell, sheol, the grave)
Ephesians 4:8-10, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things)"

And this is where it is stated that Jesus has the keys--Revelation 1:18, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

I don't know about the 'walk up to satan' part but these are two verses that back up this concept from the scriptures.

What do you believe that these scriptures are teaching?

Hannah (nice name BTW)--thank you for the informative answer. I'd like that from your own words instead of a download (atleast credit your watchtower source directly)
but here is my question to you about your answer--Do you believe that you will see the kingdom of God?
If the answer is "yes" you will live in the kingdom of God (seeing his kingdom) here on earth then how come you are not yet born again? Jesus said: John 3: 3, "...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "

Answer 1

Interestingly, Jehovah's Witnesses' own statistics count about 1 million active Witnesses in the United States, but about 2 million associate themselves by meeting attendance. Secular surveys generally note that about 1% (or 3 million) Americans identify themselves with Jehovah's Witnesses. In summary:
...1 million practice
...2 million attend
...3 million identify

Clearly, there are many who identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses while having little or no formal connection with the religion. This questioner is to be commended for seeking information about Jehovah's Witness beliefs, but should be cautioned that such information may be of limited use in understanding the assertions of a person who is only tangentially committed to the faith.


No person who believes and obeys the Scriptures (in their entirety) is an apostate. During 2006, Jehovah's Witness statistics reported more than eight thousand born-again Christians within their ranks.
http://watchtower.ca/e/statistics/worldwide_report.htm

Perhaps the only real confusion concerns different definitions for the term "born agains" and "apostates".

Learn more:
http://watchtower.ca/e/20050508/article_01.htm
http://jw-media.org/beliefs/membership.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/index.htm
http://watchtower.ca/e/20060401/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.ca/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_08.htm

Answer 2

I'm not any religion, but I want to share this anyway. This is what I think born again means. I don't think God wants us to rest on our heels, but I don't think he forces us to do anything. I believe in reincarnation. We can chose to remain in spirit, where we learn very slowly, or we can choose to be "born again" back into the earth, basically that means we go back to school. We learn faster when we are in human form rather than spirit form. I also believe in karma. Karma is not punishment, it's a way of teaching. We get to be the receiver of those things we did wrong during other lives. Walk a mile in the shoes of one we have hurt so to speak. When someone lives an evil life, it does not mean we will necessarily be punished for it during this lifetime. We may go through hell, (and I have an unusual idea of what this is), before we have the option to come to be "born again", but when we do, we will have to live through the karma we have created. We all will, learn from what they we did or we may be evil all the way through. If we are, there is no choice left but to destroy the evil. As for Karma if we deliberately maim someone, we may choose to come back handicapped in the same kind of way. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Like where Jesus healed that man who had been blind from birth. His apostles asked what had the man done, or what had his parents done. If it were something the man who was blind from birth had done something to deserve blindness, he must have done it in another life. It only makes sense. There are several areas in the Bible where there are left-overs from the removal of the teaching of reincarnation. I have other examples, John the Baptist’s message to Jesus while he was in prison for a 2nd example. Check it out.
Blessed Be

Answer 3

In the Bible, the teacher Niocdemus came to Jesus and asked Him(Jesus) what must I do to be saved ? Jesus said you must be born of water and born of the spirit. Nicodemus asked Jesus how can I enter Into my mother's womb a second time now that I am old ? Jesus said you must be born of the spirit. We're born through a natural birth process and come Into this world with a sin nature. Meaning we're spiritually dead. We all know that children that aren't aware of right & wrong won't be held accountable for their sins.They automatically go to heaven. But when we reach that age of accountability we must have a spiritual re-birth,to be made alive through Jesus Christ. We then become a new creation In Christ.

Answer 4

You are not an apostate JW if you were never one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
I am an apostate Pagan, Baptist, Agnostic etc because I left the beliefs I once practiced before I became one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

To quote and sometimes paraphrase our book "Reasoning from the Scripture" it defines Born Again: "Being born again involves being baptized in water ("born from water") and begotten by God's spirit ("born from... spirit"), thus becoming a son of God with the prospect of sharing in the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3-5) Jesus had this experience, as do the 144,000 who are heirs with him of the heavenly Kingdom."

So I'm sorry if someone used the term in a derogatory manner.

The majority of all JW's alive today look forward to living forever on a paradise earth. Those who go to heaven will rule as priests and kings with Christ Jesus (Rev. 20:6; 1 Cor. 6:2). Those going to Heaven are 144,000- also called "the little flock" (Luke 12:32; Rev. 14:1-3).

We hold to the belief that Jehovah God's Kingdom is his Heavenly Government- the one mentioned in Daniel and other places as putting an end to all other governments (Dan. 2:44; Ps. 72:12-14).
But those who do not inherit actual life in Heaven will live under the Kingdom government of Heaven. The blessings from that government are going to encompass the world. See Ps. 37:29 and Rev. 21:3, 4

So, yes. JW's definitely believe in Jesus- He is our King. And we hold that all scripture is inspired of God and beneficial.

I hope that helps some.

Answer 5

When I was being forced to grow up as a JW and go door to door, I know that the last people they wanted to meet at the door was a Satanist or a Born Again Christian. Satanists, for the obvious reason that the whole idea of dealing with that level of spiritual warfare was scary. Born-Agains because they were the only ones that knew their Bible well enough to give a JW a run for their money.

When, the people in our local congregation heard a householder use that term, they were in a hurry to beat feet out of there because they did not want to spend either the time nor the energy engaging in a battle where the playing field did not see them in total control of the direction of the conversation.

Answer 6

Satan will attack Gods most blessed gifts and make them seem ugly.
When I was a Witness we made jokes about the born again Christians and felt a fear of them because we thought they were possessed by demons. We called them "glassy eyed, and addicted to a cult" When in reality, we were probably seeing in their eyes, was Gods Holy Spirit, But because the Witnesses do not have the spirit of god, it seemed evil.

If you are against the Witnesses dogma, they will call you any number of names. Just hang out for awhile and see what they can come up with to call you.


Iron Serpent: Quote: I think that some ex-Jehovah's Witnesses on Yahoo Answers are now Born Again Christians. Perhaps some Witnesses have risen to the bait when being slandered by them and has led them to be derogatory.

Are you kidding..Blame the Abused for being abused...That is brilliant...So the nasty Behavior of the Witnesses is the direct result of them being pushed to it...LOL

Answer 7

I was told that the Watchtower Society freely contradicts John 3:3-7, saying, "The 'other sheep' do not need any such rebirth, for their goal is life everlasting in the restored earthly paradise as subjects of the Kingdom. " It is from The Watchtower, 15. of February, 1986, page 14 )

The society similarly disputes the testimony of church-goers who claim to be born again. I think this is a serious arrogance from the part of an organization so many people "blindly" depend on with their teaching of the Word.

"Christendom's TV preachers lull millions into beliving that they are 'saved' or 'born again' " With these scornful words Watchtower of April 1,1988, introduces one of its unique teachings. "To whom does being 'born again'really apply?" The magazine explains that 'a careful study of God's Word and Christ' teachings shows tha only a limited number share the privilege of being born again", namely the 144, 000 of Revelation 7: and 14:1-3. " The great crowd' of true Christian today do not need to be born again, since their hope of everlasting life is earthly, not heavenly." (Page 18 )

However, Scripture makes it clear that ALL who belong to Christ receive the Spirit of adaptation; there is no secondary class of Christins who are not spirit=begotten as God's adopted children. One is either born again or not Christian at all!

Answer 8

I like your question. Their fruit shows they aren't Christians. I like what Unsilenced Lamb said and I know for a fact the she's been labeled an unfairly labeled an "apostate."

The JW's believe in a different bible, different jesus, different doctrine and it's not the doctrine of Christ. They don't believe that Jesus was God in human flesh. They are antichrist! 2 Jn. 7,9.

They call anyone apostates whether they are former JW's or people who disagree with them Scripturally. Like you, I read and obey the Scriptures and I study to be a workman approved by God.(2 Tim. 2:15)

The common jw or mormon can turn the average Christian into a doctrinal pretzel. This shouldn't happen! We need to study the Word and call the cults out and use their own teachings against them. I personally like doing this. It allows everyone to see who the apostate really is. Then the cults tend to shriek, spin, squirm, and run.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb. 4:12

Answer 9

Hi. I personally don't recall seeing someone purporting to be a Witness use the term "born again" as a derrogartory term. Could you give an example??

Well in general yes, though the term is used at times by some to refer to persons who simply make things up that aren't true/tell purposefull lies/intentionally give misleading information.

Answer 10

The Jehova's Witnesses (Watchtower and Bible Tract Society) are the spiritual descendants of the heretical Arius - In brief it is a cult. While not all members are aware of this you would do well to keep away from it. JWs do not believe in Hell and eternal damnation - they deny the Divinity of Christ making them come under the Spirit of Antichrist.
There are many exposures of this cult but the best book you can get to read up on it is this one:

Questions for Jehova's Witnesses Who Love the Truth

They are not bad people (any more than the rest of us) but if you leave their cult you will be cut off from all communications with the JWs - I have seen the damage this cult has caused in my wife's family. It is spiritually oppressive and they wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction.


http://www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?id=665&rc=1&list=multi