Liberty University
Jehovah’s Witnesses
A paper submitted to Dr. Adonis Vidu
In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the course APOL 500-B13
Liberty Baptist Theological seminary
By
Cory Maurer
Lynchburg, Virginia
Sunday, October 2, 2011
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 SUMMARY 1 FLAWS 2 EVANGELISM 4 CONCLUSION 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY 6
Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Jehovah’s Witness religion/cult. The background and core beliefs of this religion will be discussed as well as the flaws that can be found in it. There will be much attention given to how proponents of this cult view Jesus and the implications that those views bring. There will
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God did not raise Jesus to life in the fleshly body in which he died. He gave Jesus a new spirit body, as the angels in heaven have.” This is also in direct contradiction with scripture. In Luke 24:39 (NIV) Jesus says, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”” It is clear that Jesus was not a spirit, but was a corporeal being. Their view on hell also comes with scriptural contradictions because they believe that unbelievers (people not Jehovah’s Witnesses) will be annihilated and there is no hell. Jesus references hell in Matthew 5:30. Also 2 Corinthians 5:8 references being “absent with the body and present with the Lord.” There is a separation from the body once we die, which is something they do not believe. The 144,000 people is taken completely out of context. This is actually 144,000 witnesses that will minister to the Jews of the world. There is no evidence that this class of people will be the only ones that fulfill 2 Corinthians 5:8.
Lastly, their views over the present Kingdom Age and salvation by works are completely off base. Their failed attempts to predict Armageddon should have been clear enough for them to not hold the Kingdom Age belief. Instead, they believe that Jesus began his kingly reign in 1914 and that we are in the 1000 reign of Christ. There has not been an Armageddon and
What practical steps could be taken to build a relationship with a follower of this worldview who might be a co-worker, neighbor, etc.? Just like with anything in life you have to take the time to understand and research on one religion. I think the most important part in trying to build a relationship with a follower of the Buddhist Worldview is to be honest and up front let them know you’re not here to judge them or be evil you just want to understand their point of view on things and gain some knowledge on how they see the truth. Because most Buddhist fears evil spirits and want to relieve them. I think we are all entitled to your own opinion. But as Christian you have to let them know that we do not have to relieve evil spirits because
According to the Bible, there is life after death. When people die, the body becomes separated from the spirit and the soul. It is the body that remains on earth while the spirit goes back to God (John 11:25). Here, depending on your deeds on earth, the spirit may be accepted into Gods kingdom (heaven) or it may be subjected to punishment through hellfire (Matthew 10:28). (625 words)
In our treatment of the environment, mankind is to have dominion over all of the creatures of the earth. Although with this great power over the earth, man has a responsibility to maintain and sustain the earth. The Reverend John Cumming, Minister of the Scottish National Church stated in 1854 that “wherever there is great power, lofty position, there is great responsibility,”
Explain how different American and British choices during the war might have changed its outcome.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, a sect of the Adventist movement, founded in 1872 by Charles Taze Russell are one of the most unusually strict biblical literalist groups in the world. They are strict to their interpretation of scripture to a fault, as intentional communities go this, as most religion based groups, is one which depends upon the charisma of the biblical character Jesus while looking almost yearningly forward to the “end of days” a time during which the supposedly wicked will be cast into purgatory and the chosen will ascend to heaven, and the righteous will inherit the earth to live in paradise for eternity.
The next article recapitulates the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses, remarking where they agree and disagree with the typical Christian doctrines (George 2008).
A Jehovah’s Witness “does not deny the virgin birth of Christ” (Hoekema). This is a good place to correlate the New and Old Testament scriptures – the Old Testament prophesied about Jesus being virgin born, and the New Testament tells about it. Do not forget to use your Bible- “the Bible the Jehovah’s Witnesses use is the New World Translation (NWT), which is a modified version of our Bible. The Watchtower Society has taught these witnesses to understand their translation, and have formed the verses to fit their teachings” (Defending). This may make it harder for your point to get across; however, if you are adamant in your presentation, and make sure that your words are backed up by scripture, it is possible to represent the truth one wishes to portray.
He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Jesus is explaining how everyone who believes that he died and rose from the dead is promised an eternal life. Matthew 10:28 warns us to not fear anyone who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear God because he is capable of destroying the soul and body in hell. Therefore, there is life after death, and depending on how an individual lives their life on earth will determine their where they spend their eternal afterlife. As the saying goes, the righteous goes to Heaven when they die and the wicked goes to hell when they die, (Psalm 9:17). After I die, I believe that I will be in Heaven with God. I say this because I try my best to live my life in the image of God. Or course, I sin, however, I also repent and try not to repeat the same mistakes. I love everyone, even the ones who wish to be my enemy. I pray for the homeless and enjoy animals. Therefore, I believe that when I die I have a special place in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Generally speaking, people’s worldview patterns what way they translate realism and approach sentiments. Worldview attributes of your trust about God, children, cultures, and marriage. It affects peoples’ beliefs.
After reading the fourth chapter heading of Consider, the first definition of worldview that came to my mind was “view of the world” just from a literary perspective. The co-authors defined worldview as “a framework a person brings to decision-making” (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p.51).
My personal worldview explains the way I view and live life through the assumptions and beliefs I hold in response to the world around me. I believe I was created for a specific reason and purpose.
Before taking this course, I had no idea that I had a worldview. I know my worldview didn’t change, but my understanding of myself, others and what that means changed enormously. I learned something very useful and important about the way I perceive things and gain knowledge; I learned about things I didn’t know previously.
According to the practical test, I consider myself satisfied with what I believe. I think that it is possible to live accordingly to my worldview. I do not feel by any means obligated to act or think in a certain way in order to meet the description of my worldview. Nor I feel stressed or tense when following my worldview. However, it requires work to commit to this worldview. For example, I like to donate blood as much as I can, and in that way being able to help the ones that may need it. But, to do so it is necessary to set a time aside and give it preference over other activities. Even if I enjoy helping others I know that it requires to be committed. Sometimes it is not easy to take the right decisions, and therefore mistakes are made.
Today’s society consists of many worldviews. Most people tend to pull beliefs from different religions, but often stick to one main worldview. A worldview to me is the gathering of beliefs that shape what we do on a daily basis and forms our overall view on life. When I look at my beliefs critically, I am able to see my worldview and see how it compares to different worldviews, but also how it compares mainly to the Christian Worldview.
The history and beliefs/rituals of the Jehovah Witness branch of Christianity has altered my perspective of Christianity in general. Since the beginning of the 19th century to the present day, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have brought forth a different perspective about Christianity. The people of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community believe that Jesus is not the messiah, and do not believe in the Holy Trinity. They believe that Jesus is not the one to worship because he is less than God too just as humans. This puts in perspective that God is the Father Almighty and no other person, or spirit is above him. Before learning about Jehovah’s Witnesses, I did not think there was this many branches of Christianity. I also thought every Christianity denomination believed in the Holy Trinity as seeing The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. This topic has impacted