Jehovahs Witnesses Jesus, the lesser god

Lesson 3 20 May 2012

Jehovahs Witnesses
Early Leadership
Charles Taze Russell (1852 1916)
Born in Pittsburg, PA on 16 February 1852 Parents were committed Congregationalists; he left over Hell Briefly flirted with Seventh Day Adventist 1870 - 1876 Bible class elected him Pastor of the Group 1884: Incorporates Zions Watch Tower Tract Society 1886 1916: Wrote seven vol. Studies in the Scriptures 1896: Became Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society 1909: Moved from Pittsburg to Brooklyn, NY Died 31 October 1864 in Pampa, TX while on a mission tour

Judge Joseph F. Rutherford (1869 1942)

Born in Versailles, MO. 8 November 1869 of a Baptist family Completed law school and was a Special Circuit Court Judge 1894: Purchased first 3 vol. of Russells works converted Became Russells attorney and assumed directorship on his death 1918: Thrown into prison for violation of the Sedition Act of 1917 1931: Formally adopts Jehovahs Witnesses as title Died 8 January 1942 in San Diego, CA

Jehovahs Witnesses
Sources of Authority
The Sources
The New World Bible translated 98 languages The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures Studies in the Scriptures 7 vol. translated into 84 languages The Watch Tower magazine published monthly 18.9 million Awake! Magazine published monthly 15.7 million

Judge Rutherford published over 100 books and pamphlets Purchased the rights for the American Standard Version (1901) Translated by an unknown number of linguist who have never been identified Translation issues:
The use of the name Jehovah The translation of John 1:1-3 The translation of Titus 2:13

Jehovahs Witnesses
Organization
Headquarters Brooklyn, NY campus
About 7.65 million world wide (714,000 in US)

6th President Don Adams, Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society absolute authority Congregations: Local Kingdom Halls
Baptism by immersion Publishers 1200 hours of witness per year Pioneers greater than 1200 hours Presiding Elder and the Service Elder

Circuits: 20 Kingdom Halls

Circuit Overseer twice a year conventions

Districts 22 Districts in US annual convention Branches and Zones Meetings: 5 per week
Public Talk (Sun), Watchtower Study (Sun), Theocratic Ministry School (Tues); Service Meeting; Book Study Jehovahs Witnesses: 5 Kingdom Halls in Austin

Jehovahs Witnesses
Theology
Creation Created by Jehovah; Jesus a created being his agent God the Father Jehovah (only name) absolute king; pure God the Son Jesus created by Jehovah; mortal like man; became a mighty god is only the son of God; the Archangel Michael The Holy Spirit an impersonal force like electricity or fire The Trinity a creation of the pagan mind; 3 gods in one Virgin Birth not an incarnation; by spirit begotten Sin failure to join the Kingdom and follow all of its dictates Hell does not exist; upon death one is annihilated The Death, burial and resurrection Jesus died, was buried and the resurrected spiritually, his body was annihilated by Jehovah The Atonement the ransom theory of atonement Salvation by grace: must be faithfully earned by obedience The return of Christ spiritual, not physical; rules the Kingdom now; came back in 1914 AD Heaven: 144,000 of faithful rules with Christ; rest of Jehovahs Witnesseslive eternally on earth; non-believers live through 1000 year reign then decides; particularly evil - annihilated

Jehovahs Witnesses
Practices
Absolute Autocracy Commands come from top down
Independent thought is highly discouraged No Witness is allowed to read any dissenting material

No allegiance to any authority by Jehovahs Kingdom

Flags, governments, etc are of the Devil Students in schools West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette (1943) Holidays are of the Devil (idolatry to celebrate Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc)

Memorial of Christs Death at Passover

Element of Lords Supper can only be taken by those of the anointed or heavenly class

Witness requirement; must sell the magazines or pay for them out of pocket Disfellowship completely cutting off Prophesy: 1914, 1925, 1975, 2006 are the most prominent Ban on Blood Transfusions can take plasma The Arian Revival

References
Ankerberg, John, et al. The Facts on Jehovahs Witnesses, 2008 Brown, Harold O.J. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. 1988, pp. 104- 143 Martin, Walter. The Kingdom of the Cults. ed. Ravi Zacharias, 2003, pp. 49 - 147 www.probeministries.org www.cri.org