The WatchtowerThe WatchtowerAKA Jehovah’s Witnesses

Which Jesus and Which GospelWhich Jesus and Which Gospel

• Knowing the Biblical and historical Jesus is essential– II Corinthians 11:3-4– Matthew 24:24– Matthew 7:21-23

• The wrong Jesus is always accompanied with the wrong message or Gospel, which has eternal consequences– Galatians 1:1-9

Watchtower HistoryWatchtower History

• Charles Taze Russell• From Allegheny, PA• At 25 he managed men's clothing stores• Congregationalist-Disappointed with them• Rejected Hell fire• Became associated with Second Day Adventist

– William Miller-Great Disappointment-1844

• Worked as an assistant editor with Nelson Barbour– Herald of the Morning

Watchtower HistoryWatchtower History

• Russell leaves Barbour• Begins his own and new magazine

– Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence– First printing July 1879 – 6,000 issues

• Russell Dies October 31, 1916• Joseph “Judge” Rutherford takes charge• The “Judge” dies January 1942 at Beth Sarim

Beth SarimBeth Sarim

Watchtower HistoryWatchtower History

• President Nathan Homer Norr– Introverted, but demonstrates organizational

competence• President Fred Franz

– Lives until he is 99– Invents the 1975 false prophecy– The WT proclaimed him a genius – Rhode Scholar

• Milton Henschel– Last President

• Don Adams Current President– Watchtower split– Now several separate corporations

The WatchtowerThe Watchtower

• Roughly 6 million JW’s world wide• Just over 1 million active in the US• Publishers and Pioneers “place” the Watchtower and

Awake magazines• March 2012 Watchtower statistics

– Each issue – 42,182,000– 194 Languages

• Awake April 2012 statistics– Issue – 41,042,000– 84 Languages– Ceased issuing two magazines in 2005

• Plus numerous books, booklets, tracts, etc.• There are over 120M magazines published a month for 6

million JW’s. Where are the other 114M going?

Jehovah Witness DoctrineJehovah Witness Doctrine• The Trinity

– The Father is called Jehovah and his son Jesus is a god (John 1:1 NWT). The Trinity is a pagan belief carried forward into today

• Jesus– Pre-existed as spirit person until Jehovah created his

“first born of creation.” The Master worker who created all “other” things. Also known as Michael the Arch Angel and “a god.” Jesus returned “invisibly” in 1914 (1874).

• Resurrection– Jesus was raised a spirit creature. The body on the

torture sake was not the body the Apostles saw later

• Hell– Hell is Sheol or the grave. Hell does not exist

Jehovah Witness Doctrine Jehovah Witness Doctrine ContinuedContinued

• Birthdays– Only two instances of birthdays (Gen. 40:20-22 &

Mat. 14:6-10) in both cases these pagans killed someone

• The Cross– A Pagan religious symbol. The torture stake is the

correct description

• The name Jehovah– God’s name that is to be used by true Christians

• New World Translation– A more correct and modern version– Version/Edition changes

Jehovah Witness Doctrine Jehovah Witness Doctrine ContinuedContinued

• There is only one True religion– True Worshipers of the Father (John 4:23)– Show true love among themselves (John

13:34)

• “Respect” for life and blood– Abstain from transfusions (Acts 4:21-25)

• A Heaven which is limited to 144,000• The soul of man is mortal. There is no

need for a Hell.

The Watchtower Web site

New World TranslationNew World TranslationErrors and ChangesErrors and Changes

From 1961 to 1984From 1961 to 1984From 1961 to 1984From 1961 to 1984

Hebrews 1:6; NWT, 1961 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1961 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1961 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1961 Edition

Hebrews 1:6; NWT, 1984 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1984 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1984 EditionHebrews 1:6; NWT, 1984 Edition

Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Jesus is CreatorJesus is CreatorJesus is CreatorJesus is Creator

Colossians 1:16-17; Colossians 1:16-17; DiaglottDiaglottNo [other] in the Greek!No [other] in the Greek!Colossians 1:16-17; Colossians 1:16-17; DiaglottDiaglottNo [other] in the Greek!No [other] in the Greek!

Colossians 1:16-17; NWTColossians 1:16-17; NWT[other] inserted 4 times [other] inserted 4 times despite absence in the despite absence in the Greek manuscripts!Greek manuscripts!

Colossians 1:16-17; NWTColossians 1:16-17; NWT[other] inserted 4 times [other] inserted 4 times despite absence in the despite absence in the Greek manuscripts!Greek manuscripts!

ColossiansColossians1:16-171:16-17

The God and SaviorThe God and SaviorThe God and SaviorThe God and Savior

The Watchtower understood, as should we, that if the The Watchtower understood, as should we, that if the ‘the’ were not present, then Peter would be calling ‘the’ were not present, then Peter would be calling Jesus God. The Watchtower had added the ‘the’ despite Jesus God. The Watchtower had added the ‘the’ despite the lack of Greek text support.the lack of Greek text support.

They have added to God’s words and have changed the They have added to God’s words and have changed the teaching of scripture. Even the Watchtower admits the teaching of scripture. Even the Watchtower admits the lack of the definite article ‘the’ in the Greek. That is why lack of the definite article ‘the’ in the Greek. That is why they have added [the] and placed it in brackets.they have added [the] and placed it in brackets.

The Watchtower understood, as should we, that if the The Watchtower understood, as should we, that if the ‘the’ were not present, then Peter would be calling ‘the’ were not present, then Peter would be calling Jesus God. The Watchtower had added the ‘the’ despite Jesus God. The Watchtower had added the ‘the’ despite the lack of Greek text support.the lack of Greek text support.

They have added to God’s words and have changed the They have added to God’s words and have changed the teaching of scripture. Even the Watchtower admits the teaching of scripture. Even the Watchtower admits the lack of the definite article ‘the’ in the Greek. That is why lack of the definite article ‘the’ in the Greek. That is why they have added [the] and placed it in brackets.they have added [the] and placed it in brackets.

2 Peter 1:1; NWT2 Peter 1:1; NWT2 Peter 1:1; NWT2 Peter 1:1; NWT

God Will Appear-Titus 2:13God Will Appear-Titus 2:13God Will Appear-Titus 2:13God Will Appear-Titus 2:13

Titus 2:13; NWT, 1961Titus 2:13; NWT, 1961no [the]no [the]Titus 2:13; NWT, 1961Titus 2:13; NWT, 1961no [the]no [the]

Titus 2:13; Titus 2:13; Diaglott; Diaglott; no [the] in the Greek!no [the] in the Greek!Titus 2:13; Titus 2:13; Diaglott; Diaglott; no [the] in the Greek!no [the] in the Greek!

Titus 2:13; NWT, 1984Titus 2:13; NWT, 1984 [the] has been inserted [the] has been insertedTitus 2:13; NWT, 1984Titus 2:13; NWT, 1984 [the] has been inserted [the] has been inserted

False PropheciesFalse Prophecies

• 1 John 4:1– 1874– 1914– 1915– 1918– 1925– 1975– 2000

Practical ExercisePractical Exercise

• True God vs. the false god• Quick and easy• You can do this on the fly on you door step• Simple and easy to recall• Ready?• First, ask the JW to read John 1:1 in their bible• Ask them who is the God represented by the big

“G” and who is the god of the little “g”– Their answer should be: – Big G=Jehovah– Little g=Jesus

TRUE GOD FALSE GOD

ASK: How many true God’s are in existence?

ASK: How many false god’s are in existence?

Go back to John 1:1 and point to little “g” and ask on which side do we put Jesus?

There are two likely retorts to this:

1. Jesus is a mighty god, not Almighty. Isaiah 10:20-21

Jehovah is called the Mighty God.

2. There is a third option and you are tricking me.

Jehovah SatanBaalMoneyIdols

22ndnd Practical Exercise Practical Exercise• Ask the JW to define their Gospel message i.e. what is

the message they are spreading from door to door– They should answer to the effect that they “preach the gospel

of the kingdom” (Mat. 24:14)– Have them explain and define the “Gospel of the Kingdom”

• You can let the JW know that as a Christian you have a different Gospel message (I Cor. 15:1-4)– Show them these verses– “Oh! We also teach that”

• Now take them to Galatians 1:1-8– Stress that the gospel of the WT is not the Gospel of the

Bible– Stress the consequences of a different gospel– Let them know that they do not have to remain in the WT

preaching a gospel contrary to the Bible

Recommended ReadingRecommended ReadingIntroduction:Introduction:• Behind the Watchtower Curtain, David A Reed• Witnesses of Jehovah, Leonard & Marjorie Chretien• What you need to know about Jehovah Witnesses, Lorri Macgregor• Jehovah Witnesses answered Verse by Verse, David A Reed• Jehovah of the Watchtower by Walter Martin and Norman Klann

Intermediate:Intermediate:• Reasoning From the Scriptures with Jehovah Witnesses, Ron Rhodes• Index to Watch Tower Errors, David A. Reed• Jehovah Witness Literature, David A Reed• Jehovah's Witnesses 7 the Hour of Darkness, Darek Barefoot

Advanced:Advanced:• The Jehovah Witness’s New Testament, Robert H. Countess• Thirty Years a Watch Tower Slave, William J. Schnell• Crisis of Conscience, Raymond Franz• Why You Should Believe in the Trinity, Robert M Bowman• The Sign of the Last Days, Carl Olof Jonsson

MY E-Mail: Jimbo222@aol.com

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John 20:25-Nails If the torture stake is correct, why does the scripture speak of a plurality of nails in his hands Mat. 27:37-Sign above his head The sign is actually above his hands in this picture.

There is only one correct solution for NAILS and ABOVE HIS HEAD; the cross.

The Torture Stake

II Corinthians 11:3-4II Corinthians 11:3-4

Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him

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Galatians 1:1-9Galatians 1:1-9Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but

through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

Gal 1:2 and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia. Gal 1:3 Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father and from

our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from

this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father, Gal 1:5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Gal 1:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him

who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel, Gal 1:7 which is not another, but some are troubling you, and

desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ. Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to

you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches

a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.

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1 John 4:11 John 4:1

• 1Jn 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

• R.C.H. Lenski Commentary– “This testing John wants all his readers to apply to all

who come to them as prophets in order to teach them.”

• Commentary volume: 1-2 Peter; 1-3 John & Jude. P. 485

– Jehovah Witnesses are prophets who come to teach you spiritual teachings. (WT-April 1, 1972, p. 197)

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