Smith or Russell
They both claim to have the truth. They both claim to have been given there doctorines from god. Yet they are very diffrent. They both can't be right. So who's wrong?
2007-12-27 13:01:18 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well, there are a lot of different people with different ideas about the same things, and they cannot all be right. So, you have to read the evidence and decide for yourself. The JW's claim to believe in the Bible, but their version is different from what is accepted by the rest of Christianity. You can look into why they translated it the way they did, and see for yourself. Mormons have the Book of Mormon, which has been revised many times. They claim to believe in the Bible too, but when they disagree, the Book of Mormon is belived to be more accurate. Again, if they disagree, one of them must be wrong.
Most christians consider both of these groups to be cults, and full of errors. They don't even follow their own beliefs, as they contradict themselves. For instance, the JW's have had at least seven end of the World revelations, and none of them have come to pass.
I think your best bet would be to look into apologetics, and decide for yourself. There are a lot of good websites out there, and they will tell you all about what the mainline religions believe, as well as the cults. Hope this helps you.
2007-12-27 13:09:46 · answer #1 · answered by Kissthepilot 6 · 1⤊ 7⤋
You are asking a question that is both judge mental and prejudicial. It is too bad that you do not look into the Mormon Religion and read the history, not just the headlines but the day by day history from the beginning of the Church.
I am not Mormon, but I have read The Book of Mormon and the Word of Wisdom. This is definitely a Christian Church who have very good beliefs. especially regarding family living.
As for the J.W. I have not read anything about them because I have had personal experience and I would rather leave that part of the question unanswered.
You believe YOU have the truth don't you. And what makes you right and others wrong. Your beliefs! I do not belong to any religious organization but I feel that the members of all religions that try and live a good life, no judgment, loving, kind, loving thy neighbor as thyself, which are the basics of all religious organizations. It is the fundamentalists and extremists that turn away from their original teachings.
Be open minded, read, discover, question, be aware and you will find that it is a much more interesting world than trying to stirr the pot of other religions.
An added note to SOMETHIN. Your answer proves my point above. You have not looked into the Mormon religion because if you had you could not possibly state that the way is only through Jesus. Of course implying that the Mormon Church has nothing to do with Jesus. How wrong you are.
You had better research before making another comment which is completely erronous,
2007-12-27 13:11:05 · answer #2 · answered by Maureen S 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
JWs do not have extra Bible books. We have only the same 66 books as in the KJV.
Our literature discusses what is in those, references all Protestant and R. Catholic Bible versions, Hebrew/Greek references, historical references, etc.
Nor do we claim to be divinely inspired. Finding out what we have had to come by searching out things in the book and true knowledge becoming abundant at the time of the end. Daniel 12:3, 4, 1 Thess. 5:21, Acts 17:11.
So they and every individual who begins to study and associate does a lot of religion and history research as well as Bible study for many months or even years to become a member.
Debbie
2007-12-27 13:09:35 · answer #3 · answered by debbiepittman 7 · 10⤊ 2⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses do not have any extra books.
Jehovahs Witnesss adhere solely to the Bible as the basis for all their beliefs.
Brother Russell did not claim to be divinely inspired.Or receive any revelations from God. He did intensive study into the Bible and found the truth,which was so contrary to what Christendom was and still is teaching.And Jehovah God blessed him with insight.
2007-12-27 17:24:25 · answer #4 · answered by lillie 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't know what you're talking about. Jehovah's Witnesses don't have an extra book. Your are probably misinformed.
Jehovah's Witnesses base their beliefs solely on the Bible, God's inspired word.
"All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." -- 2 Timothy 3:16,17
http://www.watchtower.org/e/t13/article_01.htm
2007-12-27 21:11:11 · answer #5 · answered by Alex 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Are you saying that people in other churches can't read material other than the Bible?
When I was studying with the Pentecostals, they gave me a lot of reading material... when I was with the Baptists, I had booklets that shared scriptural thoughts and their interpretation for every day of the year as well as thoughts on how to apply the scriptures to our life.
When I went to a Lutheran church with a friend, I came home with pamphlets.
I have studied with just about every Christian denomination available and I had reading material from every single one of them except one (I only went once- they didn't believe in using musical instruments so I never returned... if I had, maybe I would've gotten something to read from them too).
I also read religious books by Pastor Dobson and others and I had some Biblical reference books to help me quickly find scriptures of a certain topic.
As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I am very thankful for the Bible study aides- known also as the Watchtower and Awake magazines. They help me find information and they educate me about various things from around the world. They in NO WAY replace the Bible. They merely enhance what we learn from the Scriptures.
2007-12-27 14:17:36 · answer #6 · answered by Xyleisha 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
No.
Jehovah's Witnesses certainly do not have any "extra books that were inspired". Jehovah's Witnesses have always recognized the bible as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's will and purposes.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/
2007-12-28 03:19:43 · answer #7 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
OH I see...
Well...while some would have you believe that the Organization leading the Jehovah's Witnesses do not consider themselves Divinely Inspired....
Consider their own words:
*** w93 6/1 p. 21 What Does It Take to Make You Happy? ***Today, God does not speak to his servants directly as he did to Job. Instead, he reproves them by means of his Word and his spirit-directed organization. Christians who pursue materialistic interests, however, often have neither the time, the strength, nor the inclination to study the Bible regularly and attend all the meetings Jehovah’s organization provides.
Soooooo
Let's get this right:
They are NOT divinely inspired.
BUT
They are God's Spirit Led Organization.
Hm.
Let's look at another one:
* w60 7/15 444 Staying Awake with the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" ***
19 Yes, the “faithful and discreet slave” was awake to the coming of 1914. In 1942 the “faithful and discreet slave” guided by Jehovah’s unerring spirit made known that the democracies would win World War II and that there would be a United Nations organization set up. Such wakefulness was concerning events that unerringly took place three years later. At the 1958 Divine Will International Assembly amazing advance information in connection with Daniel’s prophecy was given about events to occur in the immediate future. Such evidence of spiritual foresight is recorded for us in the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth.” Onceagain the “faithful and discreet slave” has been tipped off ahead of time for the guidance of all lovers of God. Surely one’s present security depends on his staying awake with the “faithful and discreet slave.”
....
did ya see that?
Guided by Jehovah's Unerring Spirit....
Isn't God ..er ....Divine?
That would be then...
Divinely Inspired....?
2007-12-27 13:12:08 · answer #8 · answered by Mathair 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
JW's don't have extra books, they have their own translation of the Bible which uses the same books as the King James, NIV etc.
2007-12-27 13:14:21 · answer #9 · answered by Obed (original) 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
JWs do not have extra inspired books. We only have the Bible.
ALL the rest are just study aids.
2007-12-27 13:12:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 1⤋