Apologetic Study: Introduction to Jehovah's Witness Beliefs

Early History of Jehovah's Witnesses.

As with Mormonism, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventistism, etc., the Jehovah's Witness sect originated in the USA. The movement was founded in 1872 by Charles Taze Russell from Pittsburgh, PA.

Founding Follies

Charles Taze Russell:

Born in Pittsburgh, PA in 1852, the son of a draper, and attended a Calvinist Congregational Church. He was soon overcome with despair at the prospect of hell and went about proclaiming damnation for unbelievers. When he was 17, in trying to convert an atheist, he himself lost his faith. So, at the age of 20, Russell began declaring the "good news" that there was no hell.

He soon began writing, borrowing heavily from the ideas of J. H. Paton who published his works under the title Day Dawn. Russell merely changed the name of his "new" ideas to "Millenial Dawn", and then later to avoid being recognized, "Studies in the Scriptures".

Russell then went on to claim that his idea's were divinely inspired by God and that the Final Judgement was at hand, much like the Seventh Day Adventists. However, what do we know about the character of this "prophet" of God. First, we know that he was forced by federal authorities to return money to farmers whom he had sold his "miracle wheat". The reason being that the only miraculous thing about the wheat was it's exhorbant price and outlandish claims. Secondly, under oath in a court in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Russell stated that he was an expert Scripture scholar and was fluent in Greek. However, when a Greek New Testament was produced for him to read, he was forced to admit that not only did he not know Greek, he didn't even know the Greek alphabet. Lastly, in 1897 his wife divorced him for having adulterous affairs with two different women. When the judge had ruled against him, Russell immediately transferred his property, worth over $240,000 to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

"Judge" J. F. Rutherford":

Born in 1869, he became a lawyer and went on to represent the Millenial Dawnists. Upon Russell's death in 1916, he assumed the role of president and wished to be know as Judge Rutherford, even though he had never been appointed a judge. He had a forcefull personality that jumpstarted the movement. He focused on creating a seemingly endless collection of books and pamphlets in order to grow the publishing business. He was responsible for coining the name Witnesses of Jehovah, as well as the infamous slogan "Millions now living will never die". Rutherford died in 1942.

What's in a Name?

This sect first was formally know as the Millennial Dawnists, then shortly thereafter as Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society. In 1896 this was changed to The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. In 1909 Russell thought the People's Pulpit Association sounded better, the headquarters of which he established at Brooklyn, New York. In 1909 he resumed the title Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. In 1914 the work was being carried on as the International Bible Students' Association. [1]

Their "permanent" name did not come until 1931 when "Judge" J. F. Rutherford, who ironically was never an elected judge, decided upon the name Witnesses of Jehovah. The irony is that the name Jehovah appears no where in Scripture. The name Jehovah is a mis-translation of the name Yahweh (He who is) that is found in the original King James Bible. [2] This version of the Bible used Greek and Hebrew documents (Textus Recptus) that were later found to have had various mis-tranlations. These were later corrected, but the name Jehovah stuck. We'll see how this inability to make a decision concerning something as minor as their name will come into play in many of their other beliefs.

What do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?

We'll now shift our focus on to some of the major tenets of the Witnesses of Jehovah.

Denouncement and Hatred of All Religions

Russell, in 1878, stated that God rejected all existing Churches and that from thenceforward only Russell and his followers would be God's spokesmen. Russell went on to say that shortly after the resurrection of Christ, Satan created an evil empire in the form of the Catholic Church. Satan later "inspired" the creation of the various Protestant Churches.

Christ is not God

Jehovah's Witnesses deny the divinity of Christ and claim that Jesus was instead the first and greatest of God's creatures. From here things get even more bizarre. Russell claimed that Michael the Archangel transformed from his spiritual self into the human self of Jesus. Upon His death, he once again became Michael the Archangel.

The Second Coming is Imminent... Again and Again

Russell, adopting the Adventist idea that the world would end any day, claimed to have calculated the year as 1874. Why didn't any of the rest of us see Christ in 1874? Because, according to Russell, he came only in Spirit form, and not to Earth, but only to the "upper air". Russell then stated that Armageddon would begin in 1914.

While WWII did begin in 1914, by coincidence, the earth and all Churches were not destroyed. Rutherford then moved the date to 1916, 1918, 1924, 1928, until finally Rutherford claimed that Christ had indeed come in 1874 but once again only to the "upper air", and had been enthroned as King in the "upper air" in 1914. Rutherford further claimed that the reason Armageddon had not yet begun was because Christ was waiting for the Witnesses of Jehovah to complete their work of proclaiming the good news.

Millenial Theocratic Kingdom

Another peculiar belief is that everyone who as ever died will be resurrected during the "Millenial Theocratic Kingdom". Conditions will be much better than our current world and it will be our actions during this time that determine whether we go to heaven. However, this heaven will be divided into two classes: the "Consecrated Class" and the rest. The Consecrated Class will only number 144,000 and will become spirit beings inhabitig the "upper air" with Christ. The rest will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven which is basically this earth in a "Garden of Eden" like state.

Annihilationism (No Hell)

As stated earlier, Russell adopted the notion that hell did not exist. If hell did not exist, then what happens to all the souls that don't go to heaven? These souls, along with the Devil and his angels, will be annihilated. That is they will cease to exist. An obvious problem with this notion is that all who died before were also supposedly annihilated, but were somehow brought back into existence for the Final Judgement in the Theocratic Kingdom.

No Blood Transfusions

[3] Jehovah's Witnesses forbid this modern medical practice on the basis of passages which merely refer to the eating of blood (Gen 9:4, Lev 7:26, 17:10-14, Deut 12:16, Acts 15:28-29). It is clear that blood transfusions are not forbidden in Scripture, according to Mark 7:15 and Romans 2:15:

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him . . .

. . . for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Even if there were such a law, Jesus would have set it aside in order to save a life (see Mt 12:1-8, Lk 6:1-11, 13:9 to 14:6). According to American Red Cross statistics, the lives of about 1000 Jehovah's Witnesses are, on average, placed in jeopardy each week: a horrifying result of a false and unnecessary doctrine.

On similar grounds, organ transplants were held to be equivalent to cannibalism (WT, 15 November 1967), but God apparently changed His mind, and they are now permitted (WT, 15 March 1980). The transfusion ban, however, remains. [3]

No Holidays

[3] Christmas was outlawed in 1928 by the Watchtower. Thanksgiving, Easter, and Good Friday are likewise forbidden, under the threat of disfellowshiping. Birthdays aren't celebrated, since:

. . . they exalt the creature, making him the center of attention rather than the Creator. (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, 1968, 146)

Un-Civilization

[3] The Watchtower frowns upon civil involvement. Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to vote, join trade unions, salute the flag, or serve in the military. All forms of patriotism and political activity are forbidden, on grounds that these activities are "worldly." The Bible commands no such thing, and advises Christians to be in subjection to civil authorities (Romans 13:1-7). The Apostle Paul even appealed to his Roman citizenship and to Caesar in order to fight an unjust accusation (Acts 21:39, 22:25-29, 25:11). Christians are to be the "salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13). Salt in the ancient world was a preserver. We cannot preserve, let alone transform, the institutions of the world if we withdraw from them. Charles Taze Russell, the Jehovah's Witnesses Founder, would today be disfellowshiped for his view on military service:

There could be nothing against our conscience in going into the army. (WT, 15 April 1903, 3179-3180 in reprint)

God has an Address?

Rutherford stated that "the constellation of the seven stars forming the Pleiades is the place of the eternal throne of God -- the dwelling place of Jehovah". [4]

References:

[1] "Incredible Creed of The Jehovah's Witnesses", by Rev. Dr. Rumble, M.S.C.

[2] Father William G. Most, noted theologian

[3] "Jehovah's Witnesses: "The Apocalyptic Arians" A Biblical and Historical Critique" by Dave Armstrong

[4] Reconciliation by J. F. Rutherford

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

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Alfredo Nevarez
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