What do Jehovah's Witnesses REALLY believe?
This Thread is for all of the Non-Witnesses who are wondering what the JW's religious beliefs are.
This Thread may also help current Witnesses to see what the Watchtower Society truly teaches.
I encourage everyone on this Website, to Post on this Thread, and let everyone know weird, strange, un-Biblical things that the Watchtower Society teaches to the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Here is my list of the Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs (if I have any wrong, please let me know):
There are about 6 million JW's worldwide, and 1 million in the USA.
Beliefs about God and Jesus Christ:
The JW's REJECT the Trinity.
The JW's REJECT the Deity of Christ (Jesus being God)
The JW's believe that Jehovah (The Father) is the ONLY TRUE GOD, and ALL others are false.
The JW's believe that Jesus Christ is a CREATED SPIRIT PERSON named Michael the Archangel, and He is also "a god" and "The Mighty God" which would make Him another god, which would make Him a "false god", but He's somehow not a false god! Confusing, isn't it?
The JW's believe that Jesus Christ (Michael the Archangel; the Word) was the first of God's creations, and Jehovah God used Jesus to create all other things.
Even though they say that Jesus/Michael created everything other than Himself, yet, He is NOT the Creator, only Jehovah can be called the Creator, the JW's say.
Also, in the past, the JW's taught that all Witnesses should WORSHIP the ANGEL, Michael, as a "Glorious Spirit Creature", which is IDOLATRY and is in DIRECT VIOLATION of the BIBLE! (See Colossians 2:18, Revelation 19:10 and 22:9.)
The JW's now FORBID worshipping Jesus, or praying to Jesus.
However, the JW's REJECT the TRUE JESUS CHRIST of the BIBLE, who is GOD ALMIGHTY, THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, who should be worshipped and prayed to! (See Hebrews 1:6 and Acts 7:59-60.)
The JW's believe that the Holy Spirit is NOT A PERSON, but an impersonal "active force" like radio waves.
The JW's teach that Jesus was NOT the Messiah or Christ until He was Baptized and BORN AGAIN when He was 30! He also did not remember His Life in Heaven with the Father until He was Baptized.
The JW's teach that Jesus Christ (Michael the Archangel) died as a Perfect Human, and the EXACT RANSOM for Adam, and cancelled out Adam's original sin.
The JW's teach that Jesus Christ died on a "Torture Stake" NOT a Cross (the Cross is PAGAN and SATANIC, they say).
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead as an Immortal Spirit Person (Michael the Archangel), and He was NOT raised up in His fleshly Body! However, they teach that Jesus did "materialize" in a FAKE BODY to TRICK the Apostles into believing that He was raised in His fleshly Body. Jehovah God did away with Jesus' fleshly Body by turning it into gases!
Jesus Christ's Second Coming and Presence is in spirit and is INVISIBLE, and it began in 1914.
Beliefs about the 144,000 "Anointed Ones", the Governing Body, and the Organization:
The JW's teach that only 144,000 "Anointed" People go to Heaven (God's selection of the "Anointed" began with the Apostles and ended in 1935). All other people, who are called "Other Sheep", will live on a Paradise Earth forever, as long as they obey all of the Watchtower Society's Ever-Changing List of Pharisaical Commands and Rules.
JW's allow ONLY members of the "Anointed" to partake of the Wine and Bread at the Lord's Evening Meal Memorial, which is held once a year, in March or April. They teach that if you are NOT one of the "Anointed" and you partake, then Jehovah will be VERY ANGRY WITH YOU.
The 144,000 "Anointed Ones" are the ONLY ONES who are BORN AGAIN!
Also, the 144,000 "Anointed" are the ONLY ONES who have Jesus Christ as their MEDIATOR! All others have the "Anointed Ones" as their Mediator!
The JW's teach that all of the dead "Anointed Ones" were taken to Heaven in 1918.
The JW's teach that the Jehovah's Witnesses were chosen by Christ as His Only True Earthly Organization in 1919.
JW's believe that the 11-Man Governing Body (which is made up of very old "Anointed Ones"), who control the Watchtower Society, is a "Prophet" of God and that whatever this Governing Body says is the WORD OF GOD!
The Governing Body receives all of their Teachings and Doctrine through the following Channel:
1. Jehovah God gives the info to Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ gives the info to the angels.
3. The angels give the info to the Governing Body. (They zap the "New Light" into their minds, I suppose!)
4. But sometimes, Jesus gives the info to one of the "Anointed" who is already in Heaven, and then he gives the info to the Governing Body.
5. Also, sometimes, Jesus just uses the "holy spirit" active force to give the info directly to the Governing Body.
All Jehovah's Witnesses (since 1985), are Baptized in the Name of the Father (Jehovah), and in the Name of the Son (Jesus Christ/Michael the Archangel), and in the Name of the Spirit-Directed Organization of the Watchtower Society!
ANYONE who leaves the Jehovah's Witnesses Organization will be SHUNNED, and are called "APOSTATES", "SATAN-WORSHIPERS", and "ANTI-CHRISTS", and they are told that Jehovah will DESTROY them at Armageddon, and that their Children will also be DESTROYED.
More Religious Teachings:
The JW's REJECT the Bible's Teaching that you cannot be saved by doing "good works."
The JW's believe that you must go to 5 Meetings a week, and go Door-To-Door preaching their "Good News" in order to be saved at Armageddon (and then only if you put in "enough" hours going Door-To-Door).
The JW's believe Armageddon is coming "very soon" (they've been saying this for over 120 years, plus they have had NUMEROUS false prophecies, such as Armageddon coming in 1874, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, World War II, 1975, 2000), and that EVERYONE ON EARTH WHO IS NOT A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS WILL BE DESTROYED (even if they believe in God and Christ and the Bible!)
The JW's teach that women cannot have ANY authority within the Organization, and they cannot give Public Talks, and they cannot be Elders, Overseers, Ministerial Servants, etc.
Women are told NOT to ask questions to the Elders, but rather to ask their husbands to ask their questions for them, and if they don't have husbands, then they may be allowed to ask Elders questions, but only if they do it "respectfully".
Also, if women have to do something that is normally reserved for MEN ONLY in the Organization, the women MUST wear a Head-Covering.
Women, must at ALL TIMES, be in subjection to the MEN who run the Organization, including the local Elders.
They teach that if a woman is raped, and she does not scream and/or fight off the attacker, then she has committed fornication and will be Disfellowshipped (Excommunicated) from the Congregation and will be Shunned by all friends and family (who are outside her household), and they will not even say "Hello" to her, and she is told that if she is Disfellowshipped when Armageddon comes, God will destroy her and her children (if she has any).
They also teach that receiving a Blood Transfusion is "against Jehovah God's Law", and God will destroy you at Armageddon if you take a Blood Transfusion. Also, if you allow your child to have a Blood Transfusion, Jehovah will destroy the child at Armageddon. But, now, the JW's allow certain Blood Fractions, but not others. In the past, the JW's were forbidden from accepting Organ Transplants and Vaccinations, but they are now allowed.
Also, in the past, the JW's were forbidden from performing Alternative Military / Civilian Service, but it is now allowed.
The JW's forbid celebrating ANY holidays, such as Christmas, or Birthdays. JW's forbid even celebrating Christ's Resurrection.
The JW's forbid ANY Political Activity (although I think they put out an Article saying that Voting in Elections is up to the individual JW's conscience now).
The Watchtower Society (Leadership of the JW's) made their own Bible "Translation" (called the New World Translation) so they could alter and corrupt the Bible and make it agree with their own beliefs and false doctrines (they have changed nearly all Verses that showed Jesus Christ's Deity, to make it appear that Christ was NOT God. For example, John 1:1 reads "...and the Word was a god." And they inserted the word "Jehovah" several times in the New Testament where the word "Lord" should be, and also, every time that a Scripture says that Jesus Christ was being wroshiped, they changed it to say "do obeisance to" instead of "worship")
The JW's do not believe that there is a Human soul or Human spirit that lives on after death.
They do not believe in the Biblical Hell (they teach that "Hell" is simply the common Grave, and that the dead are completely out of existence until God resurrects them).
If you break ANY of the JW's Rules, Commandments, and Laws, you could be brought before a Judicial Committee of 3 or more Elders, who will then pray to God and make a "spirit-directed decision" on whether or not to find you guilty or innocent. If the Elders judge you as "unrepentant" they could Disfellowship (Excommunicate) you (depending on how serious your sin was), which means all your friends and family (who are outside your household) will SHUN you, and anot even say "Hello" to you. If you go to the Meetings and suck-up to the Elders, you might get Re-Instated in a year or so.
The JW's forbid Smoking.
The JW's forbid Boxing, Wrestling, and Self-Defense Training.
The JW's forbid carrying a Gun for your Job (such as a Policeman or Security Guard).
The JW's forbid Participating in the National Anthem and Pledging Allegiance to the Flag or to any Government.
The JW's REQUIRE all their Members to Count their Time in Preaching on a Slip of Paper and are assigned Record Cards of Activity, determining this as a "gauge to their spirituality".
The JW's have an "Unwritten Rule" against men having Beards.
The JW's also, at one time, discouraged Witnesses from playing Chess.
The JW's at one time, discouraged Witnesses from going to Zoos.
Here is the Watchtower Society's Pedophile Policy:
Scenario # 1: In a State that does NOT Require Clergy to Report Sexual Abuse to the Police, and the Child Molester DENIES the charges:1: The Child is Unfortunately Molested.
2: The Child talks with the Elders.
3: The Untrained Volunteer Elders "Investigate" the charges.
4: The Elders ask the Child about all of the details of the abuse.
5: The Elders then ask the Child, Do you have a 2nd witness to the act of abuse? (According to Awake Magazine, very few Children ever lie about being abused)
6: The Child, of course, says No.
7: The Elders then ask the accused Child Molester, Did you sexually abuse this child?
8: The accused Child Molester, of course, says No. (I have heard that 98% of Child Molesters DO NOT confess!)
9: The Elders may decide to have the Child accuse the Molester while the Molester is in the SAME ROOM with the Child!
10: The Elders call the Bethel Legal Department for instructions.
11: The Bethel Legal Department tells the Elders that they are NOT in a Mandatory-Reporting State, so they are not required to report it to the Police, and the Bethel Legal Department tells Elders not to report because you would not want to get yourself in a jam.
12: The Elders tell the Child that they cannot do anything, and that the accused person is INNOCENT because there were not 2 eye-witnesses to the act.
13: The Elders also tell the Child that if the Child tries to warn ANYONE, even other Parents or Children about the Pedophile, that the Child will face a Judicial Hearing, and will most likely be Disfellowshipped for Slandering an Innocent Man.
14: The Child and the Child's Parents are told by the Elders that, going to the Police or taking the accused Pedophile to Court would be Bringing Reproach on Jehovahs Organization.
15: The Elders tell the Child and the Child's Parents to "Wait on Jehovah" and "Jehovah will bring it all out someday" (at Armageddon).
16: If the Child was molested by her/his Father, Mother, or other immediate Family Member, the Elders send the Child back home to the "innocent" Family Members so the Child can be molested again.
17: The Child decides to warn another Child or Parent about the Child Molester.
18: The Child is then brought before a Judicial Hearing and the Elders Disfellowship the Child for "Slandering an Innocent Brother".
19: The Child is Shunned by all of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
20: Meanwhile the Child Molester is "Innocent" and a "Brother in Good Standing" who is going Door-To-Door, Pioneering, giving Talks, and is on his way to becoming a Ministerial Servant and possibly an Elder!
21: The Child's Parents decide to go to the Police to turn the Child Molester in, and they also go to the Media to speak out about this Policy.
22: The Child's Parents are brought before a Judicial Hearing for "Causing Divisions" and "Undermining the Authority of the Governing Body" and "Undermining the Arrangements of the Organization".
23: The Parents are Disfellowshipped and Shunned.
24: Meanwhile, "Brother Innocent Molester" has just been promoted by "holy spirit" and is now your Ministerial Servant!
25: Any Jehovah's Witnesses who talk to the Victim or the Victim's Parents will also be Disfellowshipped!
Also, there is a "3-Year Statue of Limitations" on Sins.
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Scenario # 2: In a State that does NOT Require Clergy to Report Sexual Abuse to the Police, and the Child Molester CONFESSES to the charges:
1: The Child is Unfortunately Molested.
2: The Child talks with the Elders.
3: The Untrained Volunteer Elders "Investigate" the charges.
4: The Elders ask the Child about all of the details of the abuse.
5: The Elders then ask the Child, Do you have a 2nd witness to the act of abuse? (According to Awake Magazine, very few Children ever lie about being abused)
6: The Child, of course, says No.
7: The Elders then ask the accused Child Molester, Did you sexually abuse this child?
8: The Accused Molester Confesses to the Elders.
9: The Confessed Child Molester tells the Elders he is really sorry and repentant and puts on a great act for the Elders.
10: The Elders decide not to Disfellowship this "Weak Brother".
11: The Elders Privately Reprove the Molester.
12: The Elders call the Bethel Legal Department for instructions.
13: The Bethel Legal Department tells the Elders that they are NOT in a Mandatory-Reporting State for Clergy, so they are not required to report it to the Police, and the Bethel Legal Department tells Elders not to report because you would not want to get yourself in a jam.
14: The Child Molester is supposedly not allowed to Pioneer or go Door-To-Door alone or to be a Ministerial Servant or an Elder (at least not until enough time has passed)
15: The Elders supposedly Keep an eye on him.
16: NO Report is made to the Police.
17: NO Warning is given to the Congregation that he a Predator waiting to molest more Children!
18: NO Warning is given to the Molester's immediate Family.
19: NO ONE in the Congregation knows ANYTHING about this except for the Victim, the Molester, the Elders and the Bethel Legal Department.
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Scenario # 3: In a Non-Mandatory Clergy Reporting State, in the extremely unlikely event that the Child Molester is Disfellowshipped, the following happens:
1: Elders make NO Warning to the Congregation about him being a Molester.
2: NO Warning is given to the Molester's immediate Family.
3: Elders make NO Report to the Police.
4: The Molester is free to molest Worldly People or members of his immediate Family.
5: If he puts on a good act for the Elders, he can be Re-Instated months later.
6: When he is Re-Instated, no one (except Elders and Victims and Bethel) will ever know what he was Disfellowshipped for.
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Scenario # 4: In a Mandatory Reporting State for Clergy!
1: Elders supposedly encourage the Victim to Report to the Police.
2: Elders supposedly encourage the accused Molester to Report to the Police.
3: Only as a last resort, Elders are supposed to Report the Molester to the Police if they are inside a Mandatory Reporting State for Clergy.
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Yes, can't you tell that this Pedophile Policy is a STRONG AGRESSIVE BIBLE-BASED POLICY!
2: The Child talks with the Elders.
3: The Untrained Volunteer Elders "Investigate" the charges.
4: The Elders ask the Child about all of the details of the abuse.
5: The Elders then ask the Child, Do you have a 2nd witness to the act of abuse? (According to Awake Magazine, very few Children ever lie about being abused)
6: The Child, of course, says No.
7: The Elders then ask the accused Child Molester, Did you sexually abuse this child?
8: The accused Child Molester, of course, says No. (I have heard that 98% of Child Molesters DO NOT confess!)
9: The Elders may decide to have the Child accuse the Molester while the Molester is in the SAME ROOM with the Child!
10: The Elders call the Bethel Legal Department for instructions.
11: The Bethel Legal Department tells the Elders that they are NOT in a Mandatory-Reporting State, so they are not required to report it to the Police, and the Bethel Legal Department tells Elders not to report because you would not want to get yourself in a jam.
12: The Elders tell the Child that they cannot do anything, and that the accused person is INNOCENT because there were not 2 eye-witnesses to the act.
13: The Elders also tell the Child that if the Child tries to warn ANYONE, even other Parents or Children about the Pedophile, that the Child will face a Judicial Hearing, and will most likely be Disfellowshipped for Slandering an Innocent Man.
14: The Child and the Child's Parents are told by the Elders that, going to the Police or taking the accused Pedophile to Court would be Bringing Reproach on Jehovahs Organization.
15: The Elders tell the Child and the Child's Parents to "Wait on Jehovah" and "Jehovah will bring it all out someday" (at Armageddon).
16: If the Child was molested by her/his Father, Mother, or other immediate Family Member, the Elders send the Child back home to the "innocent" Family Members so the Child can be molested again.
17: The Child decides to warn another Child or Parent about the Child Molester.
18: The Child is then brought before a Judicial Hearing and the Elders Disfellowship the Child for "Slandering an Innocent Brother".
19: The Child is Shunned by all of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
20: Meanwhile the Child Molester is "Innocent" and a "Brother in Good Standing" who is going Door-To-Door, Pioneering, giving Talks, and is on his way to becoming a Ministerial Servant and possibly an Elder!
21: The Child's Parents decide to go to the Police to turn the Child Molester in, and they also go to the Media to speak out about this Policy.
22: The Child's Parents are brought before a Judicial Hearing for "Causing Divisions" and "Undermining the Authority of the Governing Body" and "Undermining the Arrangements of the Organization".
23: The Parents are Disfellowshipped and Shunned.
24: Meanwhile, "Brother Innocent Molester" has just been promoted by "holy spirit" and is now your Ministerial Servant!
25: Any Jehovah's Witnesses who talk to the Victim or the Victim's Parents will also be Disfellowshipped!
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2: The Child talks with the Elders.
3: The Untrained Volunteer Elders "Investigate" the charges.
4: The Elders ask the Child about all of the details of the abuse.
5: The Elders then ask the Child, Do you have a 2nd witness to the act of abuse? (According to Awake Magazine, very few Children ever lie about being abused)
6: The Child, of course, says No.
7: The Elders then ask the accused Child Molester, Did you sexually abuse this child?
8: The Accused Molester Confesses to the Elders.
9: The Confessed Child Molester tells the Elders he is really sorry and repentant and puts on a great act for the Elders.
10: The Elders decide not to Disfellowship this "Weak Brother".
11: The Elders Privately Reprove the Molester.
12: The Elders call the Bethel Legal Department for instructions.
13: The Bethel Legal Department tells the Elders that they are NOT in a Mandatory-Reporting State for Clergy, so they are not required to report it to the Police, and the Bethel Legal Department tells Elders not to report because you would not want to get yourself in a jam.
14: The Child Molester is supposedly not allowed to Pioneer or go Door-To-Door alone or to be a Ministerial Servant or an Elder (at least not until enough time has passed)
15: The Elders supposedly Keep an eye on him.
16: NO Report is made to the Police.
17: NO Warning is given to the Congregation that he a Predator waiting to molest more Children!
18: NO Warning is given to the Molester's immediate Family.
19: NO ONE in the Congregation knows ANYTHING about this except for the Victim, the Molester, the Elders and the Bethel Legal Department.
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2: NO Warning is given to the Molester's immediate Family.
3: Elders make NO Report to the Police.
4: The Molester is free to molest Worldly People or members of his immediate Family.
5: If he puts on a good act for the Elders, he can be Re-Instated months later.
6: When he is Re-Instated, no one (except Elders and Victims and Bethel) will ever know what he was Disfellowshipped for.
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2: Elders supposedly encourage the accused Molester to Report to the Police.
3: Only as a last resort, Elders are supposed to Report the Molester to the Police if they are inside a Mandatory Reporting State for Clergy.
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It is my personal belief, based on what I have read and seen on the Internet, that Charles Taze Russell, the Founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, had MASONIC, ILLUMINATI, and OCCULT connections (he used several Masonic Symbols and Phrases in his Publications, and he also requested to have an All-Seeing Eye Pyramid built on his Grave.
I believe Charles Taze Russell was also accused of having an affair with a young lady, but I am not 100% sure on that.
Also, here is the Watchtower Society's HIERARCHY ("Pecking Order"):
1: The 11-Man Governing Body of "Anointed Ones"
2: Watchtower Society's Presidents, Lawyers, Spokesmen, Bethel Elders, and other really Big-Shots at Bethel in Brooklyn.
3: Zone Overseers (ZO)
4: District Overseers (DO)
5: Circuit Overseers (CO)
6: Bethelites (People who work at Bethel)
7: Presiding Overseer (PO) (Top Elder of each Congregation)
8: Body of Elders (Leaders of each Congregation)
9: Ministerial Servants ("Wanna-Be" Elders)
10: Local "Anointed" Brothers and Sisters
11: Auxiliary Pioneers
12: Pioneers
13: Publishers
There are good people in the Jehovah's Witnesses, but there are also WICKED people in the Jehovah's Witnesses, and their Leaders are EVIL!
I'd love to hear everyone's comments!
I have Edited this Post so that it contains more accurate information, based on other Users' Replies below (Thanks for correcting me on a few points).
Edited by - UnDisfellowshipped on 29 September 2002 22:32:1Edited by - UnDisfellowshipped on 29 September 2002 22:34:5