Stumpers for the Jehovah's Witnesses
The sect known as Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) began
with Charles Taze Russell in the 1870’s. Russell was raised a Presbyterian,
then joined the Congregational church, and was finally influenced by Adventist
teachings. By his own admission, he had a hard time accepting the existence
of hell. He sought out the Bible, and as his "studies" continued, he systematically
began to reject the major doctrines of historic Christianity. He ultimately
established his own belief system, and in 1879 he started publishing a
magazine to promote his beliefs. This magazine was the precursor to today’s
Watchtower (WT) magazine, by which Jehovah’s Witnesses are typically
known.
In this tract we will examine five topics relating
to Russell, the JWs, and their parent organization, the Watch Tower Society
(WTS). We will show that the beliefs of JWs are unscriptural, and that
both Russell and the WTS are completely unreliable as spiritual guides.
1. Is the Watch Tower Society Reliable?
In 1910 Russell wrote, "If anyone lays the Scripture
Studies [short for a 7-volume WTS publication entitled Studies in
the Scriptures, hereafter abbreviated as Studies] aside, even
after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he
has read them for ten years—if he lays them aside and ignores them and
goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for ten years,
our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the
other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture Studies with their
references and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he will be in
the light at the end of two years . . . " (WT Reprints, 9-15-1910,
4685). The WTS maintains that it is God’s reliable mouthpiece to the nations,
and it claims to be God’s inspired prophet (WT, 4-1-1972, 197)—and yet
its prophecies have repeatedly proven to be false. The only conclusion
to be drawn is that the WTS is to be rejected as a false prophet.
Among other things, the WTS predicted the following:
| 1889 |
"The ‘battle of the great day of God almighty’
(Rev 16:14) which will end in AD 1914 . . . " (Studies, Vol. 2,
1908 edition, 101). |
| 1891 |
"With the end of AD 1914, what God calls Babylon,
and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown
from prophecy" (Studies, Vol. 3, 153). |
| 1894 |
"The end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning,
but for the end of the time of trouble" (WT Reprints, 1-1-1894,
1605 and 1677). |
| 1897 |
"Our Lord is now present, since October 1874
AD" (Studies, Vol. 4, 1897 edition, 621). |
| 1916 |
"The six great 1000 year days beginning with
Adam are ended, and that the great 7th day, the 1000 years of Christ’s
reign began in 1873" (Studies, Vol. 2, p. 2 of foreword). |
| 1917 |
"Scriptures . . . prove that the Lord’s Second
Advent occurred in the fall of 1874" (Studies, Vol. 7, 68). |
| 1918 |
"Therefore, we may confidently expect that
1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the faithful prophets
of old" (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 89). |
| 1922 |
"The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated
by the scriptures than 1914" (WT, 9-1-1922, 262). |
| 1923 |
"1925 is definitely settled by the scriptures.
As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his faith
than Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge" (WT, 4-1-1923,
106). |
| 1925 |
"The year of 1925 is here. . . . Christians
should not be so deeply concerned about what may transpire this year" (WT,
1-1-1925, 3). |
| 1931 |
"There was a measure of disappointment on
the part of Jehovah’s faithful ones on earth concerning the dates 1914,
1918, & 1925 . . . and they also learned to quit fixing dates" (Vindication,
388, 389). |
| 1939 |
"The disaster of Armageddon is just ahead"
(Salvation, 361). |
| 1941 |
"Armageddon is surely near . . . soon . .
. within a few years" (Children, 10). |
| 1946 |
"Armageddon . . . should come sometime before
1972" (They Have Found a Faith, 44). |
| 1966 |
"Six thousand years from man’s creation will
end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history
will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E" (Life Everlasting in Freedom of
the Sons of God, 29). |
| 1968 |
"The end of the six thousand years of man’s
history in the fall of 1975 is not tentative, but is accepted as a certain
date" (WT, 1-1-1968, 271). |
Besides false prophesies, the WTS has misled its
members through countless changes in doctrine and practice:
"To worship Christ in any form cannot be wrong
... " (WT, 3-1880, 83). "It is unscriptural
for worshippers of the living and true God to render worship to the Son
of God, Jesus Christ" (WT, 11-1-1964, 671).
The men of Sodom will be resurrected (WT, 7-1879,
7-8). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected (WT, 6-1-1952, 338). The
men of Sodom will be resurrected (WT 8-1-1965, 479). The men of Sodom will
not be resurrected (WT 6-1-1988, 31). The men of Sodom will be resurrected
(Live Forever, early ed., 179). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected
(Live Forever, later ed., 179). The men of Sodom will be resurrected
(Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, 985). The men of Sodom will
not be resurrected (Revelation: Its Grand Climax at Hand! 273).
"There could be nothing against our consciences
in going into the army" (WT, 4-15-1903, 120). Due to conscience, Jehovah’s
Witnesses must refuse military service (WT, 2-1-1951, 73).
"We may as well join in with the civilized world
in celebrating the grand event [Christmas] . . . " (WT Reprints,
12-1-1904, 3468). "Christmas and its music are not from Jehovah . . . What
is their source? . . . Satan the devil" (WT, 12-15-1983, 7).
"Everyone in America should take pleasure in displaying
the American flag" (WT Reprints, 5-15-1917, 6068). The flag is "an
idolatrous symbol" (Awake!, 9-8-71, 14).
A much longer list of such contradictions and doctrinal
twists by the WTS could be formed, but this suffices to remove any reason
one might have to believe that "It is through the columns of The Watchtower
that Jehovah provides direction and constant scriptural counsel to his
people . . . " (WT, 5-1-1964, 277). If that is the case, who is to say
what will be taught tomorrow?
2. Can You Trust the New World Translation?
The New World Translation (NWT), the JWs’
own Bible version, was created between 1950-61 in several parts, beginning
with New Testament (NT). The translation was made by an "anonymous" committee,
which transliterated and altered passages that were problematic for earlier
JWs. Nathan Knorr, Fred Franz, Albert Schroeder, George Gangas, and Milton
Henschel were later identified as the men that created the text, which
is used by no other sect. Franz studied non-biblical Greek for two years,
and taught himself Hebrew. The rest had no formal training in any biblical
language. The text of the NWT is more of a transliteration to fit theological
presumptions than it is a true translation. This can be seen in key verses
that the WTS changed in order to fit its doctrines.
To undermine the divinity of Christ in John 1:1,
the NWT reads, " . . . the word was a god." Non-JW Greek scholars call
this "a shocking mistranslation," "incorrect," "monstrous," and "evidence
of abysmal ignorance of the basic tenets of Greek grammar." Furthermore,
Col. 1:15-17 has been changed to
"... by means of him all [other] things were
created." If the text were left as the original Greek reads, it would clearly
state that Jesus created all things. However, the WTS cannot afford to
say that anyone but Jehovah created all things, so it inserted the word
"other" four times into the text.
The 1950, 1961, and 1970 editions of the NWT said
that Jesus was to be worshipped (Heb. 1:6), but the WTS changed the NWT
so that later editions would support its doctrines. The translators now
decided to render the Greek word for "worship" (proskuneo) as "do
obeisance" every time it is applied to Jesus, but as "worship" when modifying
Jehovah. If the translators were consistent, then Jesus would be given
the worship due to God in Matthew. 14:33, 28:9, 28:17, Luke 24:52, John
9:38, and Hebrews 1:6.
At the time of the Last Supper, there were over
three dozen Aramaic words to say "this means," "represents," or "signifies,"
but Jesus used none of them in his statement, "This is my body."
Since the WTS denies the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist, they have
taken the liberty to change our Lord’s words to "This means my body"
in Matthew 26:26.
The NWT also translates the Greek word kurios
("Lord") as "Jehovah" dozens of times in the NT, despite the fact that
the word "Jehovah" is never used by any NT author. It should also be asked
why the NWT does not translate kurios as "Jehovah" in Romans 10:9,
1 Corinthians 12:3, Philippians 2:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, and Revelation
22:21. If it did translate kyrios consistently, then Jesus would
be Jehovah!
3. Is "Jehovah" God’s Name?
In Reasoning From the Scriptures the WTS
teaches that "Jehovah" is the proper pronunciation of God’s name, and so
"Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved" (Rom. 10:13).
They continue, "Many scholars favor the spelling ‘Yahweh,’ but it is uncertain
and there is not agreement among them. On the other hand, ‘Jehovah’ is
the form of the name that is most readily recognized, because it has been
used in English for centuries . . . " (p. 195).
However, the JWs’ own Aid to Bible Understanding
says, "The first recorded use of this form [Jehovah] dates from the 13th
century C.E. [after Christ]. Raymundus Martini, a Spanish monk of the Dominican
order, used it in his book Pugeo Fidei of the year 1270. Hebrew
scholars generally favor ‘Yahweh’ as the most likely pronunciation" (pp.
884-885).
New Testament Greek always uses the word "Lord,"
and never "Jehovah," even in quotes from the Old Testament (OT). Encyclopedia
Judaica, Webster’s Encyclopedia, Jewish Encyclopedia,
Encyclopedia Britannica, Universal Jewish Encyclopedia and
countless others agree that the title "Jehovah" is erroneous, grammatically
impossible, and was never used by the Jews.
4. Do Humans Possess an Immortal Soul?
Another mistake made by JWs is their denial of
the immortality of the soul. The Bible mentions the soul approximately
200 times, and it can be seen to have very different meanings according
to the context of each passage. This tract will simply demonstrate that
the soul is immortal according to Scripture.
Perhaps the strongest contradiction of the WTS
doctrine is seen in Christ’s descent to Hades. In 1 Peter 3:19, the apostle
tells his audience how Jesus "preached to the spirits in prison." If the
dead were aware of nothing, then his preaching would have been futile.
In the OT, the prophet Isaiah speaks of the condition of the dead, "Sheol
underneath has become agitated at you in order to meet you on coming in
. . . all of them speak up and say. . . . Those seeing you will gaze even
at you, saying . . . " (Is. 14:9-11). These verses indicate clearly that
the dead are conscious, and the NT tells the same story. To be absent from
the body is not to be unconscious, but rather it enables one to be home
with the Lord, according to Paul (2 Cor. 5:8, Phil. 1:23). The body is
just a tent, or tabernacle that does not last (2 Cor. 5:1-4; 2 Pet. 1:13),
while man cannot kill the soul (Matt. 10:28). In fact, the souls live past
the death of the bodies, since John "saw . . . the souls of those slaughtered
. . . and they cried with a loud voice, saying . . . and they were told
. . . " (Rev. 6:9-11). Because the soul does not die with the flesh, those
in heaven are able to offer our prayers to God (Rev. 5:8), and live in
happiness (Rev. 14:13).
5. Is Hell Real or Not?
The WTS also maintains that everlasting punishment
is a myth and a lie invented by Satan. Hell is merely mankind’s common
grave, and is definitely not a fiery torture, according to them.
According to Scripture, if one is in hell, "he
shall be tormented with fire and sulfur . . . the smoke of their torment
ascends forever and ever, and day and night they have no rest" (Rev. 14:11).
This is an "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt.
25:41). Jesus tells his listeners of Lazarus and the rich man, where the
rich man dies, and is "existing in torment . . . he sees . . . calls out
. . . ‘I am in anguish in this blazing fire’" (Luke 16:19-31). As a further
illustration, Jesus stated that hell is likened to Gehenna. This "Valley
of Hinnom" was located southeast of Jerusalem, and was used as a garbage
dump where trash and waste were continuously burned day and night in a
large fire. Jesus informs the listeners that hell is like this, "where
the maggot does not die, and fire is not put out" (Mark 9:42-48). It is
the place where the wicked are sent, and from this "everlasting fire" (Matt.
18:8) will come "weeping and the gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 8:12). Now if
hell were "a place of rest in hope" as the WTS teaches, then it is odd
that Jesus would choose such contradictory illustrations to convey this.
Lastly, Revelation 20 calls hell a "pool of fire . . . [where] they will
be tormented day and night, forever and ever"—all who are not in the book
of life. So, if one’s name is in the book of life, one enters heaven (Rev.
21:27). If it not in the book, then a literal hell awaits.
For more information on refuting JW beliefs, see the Catholic Answers tract
More Stumpers for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
NIHIL OBSTAT:
I have concluded that the materials
presented in this work are free of doctrinal or moral errors.
Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004
IMPRIMATUR:
In accord with 1983 CIC 827
permission to publish this work is hereby granted.
+Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004
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