Jehova's Witness Beliefs?
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Also, they are a cult. Meaning that the organization is directed from the Watchtower's offices, and you have to go along with everything they say. You may not read material or have it in your home, that may say anything contrary to head office, or you can be disfellowshipped.
Only the WatchTower has the truth, but that truth changes and contradicts itself over time. So Jesus was supposed to come in 1914, when he didn't they said he came "invisibly." Many key doctrinal positions have changed over time.
So to be a JW, be prepared to say black is white today, and white is black tomorrow. Or, Oceania has always been a war with Eastasia!
Only the WatchTower has the truth, but that truth changes and contradicts itself over time. So Jesus was supposed to come in 1914, when he didn't they said he came "invisibly." Many key doctrinal positions have changed over time.
So to be a JW, be prepared to say black is white today, and white is black tomorrow. Or, Oceania has always been a war with Eastasia!
Yea, they operate on the premise that only the Watchtower Society itself has the key to interpreting scripture. This is why no matter how logically or clearly you present a passage you are not likely to make a dent because to them you do not have the key to interpreting scripture so who are you to tell me what this scripture means.
Another thing that has always intrigued me about the Society is the evolution of their eschatology. If you will follow their history you will find that as their hierarchy changes so also changes their eschatology.
Another thing that has always intrigued me about the Society is the evolution of their eschatology. If you will follow their history you will find that as their hierarchy changes so also changes their eschatology.
What do they believe about Jesus, The Atonement? I'm only interested in core beliefs about redemption. Do they hold to damnable heresies and doctrines of devils? Not so much interested in vaccinations, holidays, or political stances. Eternal hellfire is one area I was wondering about. Are there other things on the core level?
Like Clark posted above......they do not believe that Jesus is God and yes they hold to damnable heresies......
[h=1]Jehovah's Witnesses View of Christ[/h]By Tal Davis
Jesus' Prehuman Existence
The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus Christ was the first created being of Jehovah God. Jehovah God created Jesus as a divine-like spirit at some point in ancient, pre-creation time.
He is also identified by Jehovah's Witnesses with Michael the archangel. "Reasonably, then, the archangel Michael is Jesus Christ. So the evidence indicates that the Son of God (Jesus) was known as Michael before he came to earth" (Reasoning from the Scriptures [Reasoning] [Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1985], p
Jesus' Divinity
The Watchtower Society denies the deity and eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ.
The Watchtower Society asserts that since the Greek language has no indefinite articles (a or an), the article can be used where needed in translating; thus they insert "a" before god to emphasize the Word's (Christ's) inferiority to God.
Jesus' Birth
The Watchtower Society teaches that Michael the archangel disappeared from heaven and was conceived miraculously by (the Virgin) Mary.
Jesus' Resurrection
Jehovah's Witnesses deny the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Those above should suffice...google their doctrine and you can see for sure......
Many years ago I was well versed in JW beliefs and practice. By the late 80's I had probably read almost every hardcover publication written by the Society since before the 1900's. I knew more about their Society, their history, and what they taught than they did. But, it has been a long time since I have kept up with them and the way things change in the society I don't what may have changed in their views.
The three doctrines you will be most often confronted with by any JW who shows up at your door will usually be either Paradise on earth, the nature of God or hell, at least this has been my experience. Often they will just begin with whatever the topic is in their most current issue of Watchtower magazine.
Here are some positions that were strongly held when I was keeping up with their beliefs.
Very briefly:
Their theology is decidedly non-trinitarian. They believe Jesus is a created being who was Michael the archangel before his incarnation.
In their eschatology they believe that the earth will abide forever and that the faithful will live forever on an earthly paradise. That only the 144,000 will be taken to heaven and rule a Princes over the earth.
Their soteriology is strictly works based.
They believe that man is a soul, not that man possess a soul.
They believe that Hell is strictly a figurative expression for eternal annihilation and that nothing of man survives beyond the grave.
The three doctrines you will be most often confronted with by any JW who shows up at your door will usually be either Paradise on earth, the nature of God or hell, at least this has been my experience. Often they will just begin with whatever the topic is in their most current issue of Watchtower magazine.
Here are some positions that were strongly held when I was keeping up with their beliefs.
Very briefly:
Their theology is decidedly non-trinitarian. They believe Jesus is a created being who was Michael the archangel before his incarnation.
In their eschatology they believe that the earth will abide forever and that the faithful will live forever on an earthly paradise. That only the 144,000 will be taken to heaven and rule a Princes over the earth.
Their soteriology is strictly works based.
They believe that man is a soul, not that man possess a soul.
They believe that Hell is strictly a figurative expression for eternal annihilation and that nothing of man survives beyond the grave.
M
Please, don't get me wrong, I'm not an advocate of any religion... I believe in God and His word
above all things.
If the JW wouldn't believe in the resurrection of Jesus, why would they publish a material like this?... The Resurrection of Jesus Means Life!
above all things.
If the JW wouldn't believe in the resurrection of Jesus, why would they publish a material like this?... The Resurrection of Jesus Means Life!
Since they do not believe in the bodily resurrection they had to find some way to account for the "resurrection" of Jesus so they adopted the position that Jesus merely rose as a spirit being and that his body returned to God. At least this is what they were teaching in the 80's. I do not know their position on this now. I may still be the same.
J
John in his epistles defined any spirit that says that Jesus (God) did not come in the flesh is "Antichrist." This is why the JW's are set apart from mainstream Christianity; and it is the basis of why they are considered to be a cult. John's five uses of the term "Antichrist" simply defines this spirit and nowhere does he ever link it to some 21st century individual boogeyman like so many are taught today.
Could not answer that in particular...all I know is I have had them at my door numerous times and they have argued the physical resurrection of JESUS......key word being PHYSICAL....!
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was raised as a spirit and not in a physical or human body, as orthodox Christians believe. Discussions of the merits of this controversial claim usually focus on a battery of prooftexts, such as 1 Corinthians 15:50b (a favorite Jehovah's Witness prooftext) or Luke 24:39 (a favorite orthodox prooftext).[SUP]1[/SUP] However, since God gave the Bible to us in books, not in isolated prooftexts, we ought to make an effort to read the debated verses in the context of the whole book of the Bible in which they appear.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was raised as a spirit and not in a physical or human body, as orthodox Christians believe. Discussions of the merits of this controversial claim usually focus on a battery of prooftexts, such as 1 Corinthians 15:50b (a favorite Jehovah's Witness prooftext) or Luke 24:39 (a favorite orthodox prooftext).[SUP]1[/SUP] However, since God gave the Bible to us in books, not in isolated prooftexts, we ought to make an effort to read the debated verses in the context of the whole book of the Bible in which they appear.