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The Watchtower AKA Jehovah’s Witnesses

The Watchtower AKA Jehovah’s Witnesses. Why be concerned with the Watchtower?. Which Jesus and Which Gospel. Knowing the Biblical and historical Jesus is essential II Corinthians 11:3-4 Matthew 24:24 Matthew 7:21-23

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The Watchtower AKA Jehovah’s Witnesses

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  1. The WatchtowerAKA Jehovah’s Witnesses

  2. Why be concerned with the Watchtower?

  3. Which 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

  4. Watchtower 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

  5. Watchtower 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

  6. Beth Sarim

  7. Watchtower 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

  8. The 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?

  9. Jehovah 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

  10. Jehovah Witness Doctrine Continued • 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

  11. Jehovah Witness Doctrine Continued • 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.

  12. The Watchtower Web site

  13. New World TranslationErrors and Changes

  14. Hebrews 1:6; NWT, 1961 Edition Hebrews 1:6; NWT, 1984 Edition From 1961 to 1984 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.

  15. ñ Colossians 1:16-17; DiaglottNo [other] in the Greek! ï Colossians 1:16-17; NWT[other] inserted 4 times despite absence in the Greek manuscripts! Colossians 1:16-17 Jesus is Creator

  16. The Watchtower understood, as should we, that if the ‘the’ were not present, then Peter would be calling Jesus God. The Watchtower had added the ‘the’ despite the lack of Greek text support.They have added to God’s words and have changed the teaching of scripture. Even the Watchtower admits the lack of the definite article ‘the’ in the Greek. That is why they have added [the] and placed it in brackets. The God and Savior 2 Peter 1:1; NWT

  17. Titus 2:13; Diaglott; no [the] in the Greek! ñ Titus 2:13; NWT, 1961no [the] ï Titus 2:13; NWT, 1984 [the] has been inserted ï God Will Appear-Titus 2:13

  18. False Prophecies • 1 John 4:1 • 1874 • 1914 • 1915 • 1918 • 1925 • 1975 • 2000

  19. Practical 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

  20. FALSE GOD TRUE GOD ASK: How many true God’s are in existence? Satan Baal Money Idols ASK: How many false god’s are in existence? Jehovah • There are two likely retorts to this: • Jesus is a mighty god, not Almighty. • Isaiah 10:20-21 Jehovah is called the Mighty God. • There is a third option and you are tricking me. Go back to John 1:1 and point to little “g” and ask on which side do we put Jesus?

  21. 2nd 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

  22. Recommended Reading 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: • 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: • 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

  23. The Torture Stake 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. BACK

  24. II 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 BACK

  25. Galatians 1:1-9 Gal 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. BACK

  26. 1 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) BACK

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