Religious offshoots / breakaway groups from Jehovah`s Witnesses around the world.?

by smiddy3 11 Replies latest jw friends

  • smiddy3
    smiddy3

    I believe there are some breakaway groups in different parts of the world ,however I think they are small sects and fall under the radar so to speak. Either JW`s or IBSA ?

    Does anybody here know of any and have any information about them ? I believe their are one or two in Europe from memory. And is their one in the Phillipines ? Back in the 1960`s as a newly converted person I was going D2D with a P.O as they were called in those days in Melbourne Aust. and he called on a place that he said was a breakaway group who still followed C.T.Russell`s teachings called the Berean Bible Society .

    What little research I have done so far fails to bear this out .maybe my memory has failed me.

    Anybody have any info on this subject ?

  • dozy
    dozy

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_splinter_groups

    The biggest , I guess , is in Romania. If I recall there was / maybe still is a big group in Zaire.

    In addition , when I was young (60's / 70's ) there were a few "house" style churches where former JWs would gather and worship on a very small , informal basis. I presume this sort of thing continues , though I am not aware of any specific arrangements.

    The internet , of course , has spawned many groups , both formal & informal. A fascinating group was started by Gordon Ritchie in the UK called the Lords Witnesses. http://www.truebiblecode.com/

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-end-of-the-world-is-nigh-its-name-is-gordon-g3qxf8w5fn9 ( paywall but free to subscribe )

  • blondie
    blondie

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_Student_movement

    https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/similar-religions/bible-students.php

    https://www.internationalbiblestudents.com/about.html

    http://www.heraldmag.org/2004_history/04history_7.htm

    http://www.friendsofjehovahswitnesses.com/2017/07/10/do-you-want-to-watch-the-2012-bible-students-general-convention-july-21-26/

    https://biblestudentsgeneralconv.org/

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_splinter_groups

    http://www.friendsofjehovahswitnesses.com/2015/01/24/who-are-the-true-faith-jehovahs-witnesses-why-have-they-broken-away-from-bethel/

    Just a few comments I have learned along the way after reading various separate Bible students organizations websites and comments by others about them, they are not organized as one large group sharing the exact same beliefs. These groups are separate, autonomous with varying beliefs: some adhere closely to the Studies in the Scriptures--Russell, others accept some but not all the beliefs from that time, and some even have moved away completely from the teachings of Russell. But most do cooperate in some way organizing conventions, exchanging public speakers, etc.

    I have not ever been a Bible Student, but my grandparents were. I have talked to various individual Bible Students from separate groups. Most have never ever been jws; most are second and third and fourth generation Bible Students.

    Some groups have buildings for worship, others meet in private homes. Some focus on preaching to others but not door to door. I met some that have a very extensive bible study program with individuals all over the world through the internet and develop members who are willing to move quite a distance if they are not near a group. Some are small groups in a home, others have purchased old church buildings and renovated them for their own use.

    Except for the group that broke off in Rutherford's day, these are the only groups I have that have some roots or connection with the WTS some time in their distant past. Bible Students disavow the WTS and connection; they do not consider themselves jws (name Rutherford adopted in 1931, long after these groups came into existence, and none adopting WTS/JW beliefs).

    I'm sure some of my comments will not be what a Bible Student might say; my perspective is different having never been a Bible Student.

    I invite you to check some of the websites above and form your own picture from secular sources, ex-jw sources, and Bible Student sources. I even met with a nearby small group but realized that not all Bible Student groups have the same approach to making converts or belief system. So I remain independent in my beliefs still.

    I invite you to use Google to find the various sources on this topic like I did about 15 years ago. There is still a group still near me now, but their approach was too narrow and too small and invited individual authority over others.

    Blondie

    Edited: My grandparents left in 1931 after Rutherford antics but never associated with another Bible Student group after that. They tried later to see if they wanted to become jws; but rejected that idea and made their own belief system.

  • stan livedeath
    stan livedeath

    The judean peoples popular front?

  • stan livedeath
  • blondie
    blondie

    stan, do you any sources to illustrate that is a WTS/JW splinter group?😂

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python%27s_Life_of_Brian

    The People's Front of Judea, composed of the Pythons' characters, harangue their "rivals" with cries of "splitters" and stand vehemently opposed to the Judean People's Front, the Campaign for a Free Galilee, and the Judean Popular People's Front (the last composed of a single old man, mocking the size of real ...

  • newsheep
    newsheep

    Friends of ours wanted us to see what they were involved with so we went. We found there were ex jws, ex adventists and ex penticostals in this group. They all come together but bring a little of their old beliefs with them. Only thing in common is they now all keep the law. They call themselves messianic hebrew roots but when asked what the name of their religion is they say they are torah keepers. I don't ask too many questions because I feel I am upsetting them sometimes when we discuss their new faith. They are such sweet people and so I don't dare rock the boat since they got df'd from the jws like we did and I just want to keep the friendship we once had since we have no family or kids.

  • stan livedeath
    stan livedeath

    @Blondie

    I just refer to your link to Wikipedia. The çurrent version of Jehovah's witnesses dates back to 1931, and even by then they no longer believed in much of Russell's ideas. So to claim they started in 1870 is a bit far fetched..isn't it ?

    Of course..now the current catalogue of beliefs is different to what they taught in 1931..so..yes..they are very much a splinter group from the Russell era.

  • blondie
    blondie

    stan, I just post them trying to weed out the off the wall ones. Just reporting, not supporting anything. When I talked to Bible Students from various groups, some were similar others very different. But they were careful not to say anything bad about another group. But the WTS/GB still identify as jws and the only WT organization regardless of the changes they have made. Bible Student groups make changes too, as well as other religious organizations, including LDS and RC.

  • LV101
    LV101

    Anyone know if Tammy and ? (someone else that posted lots of scriptures and debate and may have been deleted from this site) still have their group/website going - called XJWs? Outlaw was a moderator and Cofty knew something about as I recall. I think a couple of people from this board were there but many just check out (as I did) and don't stay but not sure.

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