1. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES: A CULT STUDY
Richard R. Roberts, M.Ed.

2. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Began 1879 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
FOUNDERS
DATE
Began 1879 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
LOCATION
Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York
Charles Taze Russell ( )
later Joseph F. Rutherford ( )

3. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Watchtower Bible and Tract Society KEY WRITINGS
Include…
Bible (New World Translation only)

6. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
Gen. 1:1-2 - "In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep; and God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters." (New World Translation, Emphasis added)

7. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
John 1:1 - They mistranslate the verse as "a god." Again it is because they deny who Jesus is and must change the Bible to make it agree with their theology. The Jehovah's Witness version is this: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."

8. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
Hebrews 1:6- “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
In this verse they translate the Greek word for worship, proskuneo, as "obeisance." Obeisance is a word that means to honor, show respect, even bow down before someone. Since Jesus, to them, is created, he cannot be worshiped.

9. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
Colossians 1:15-17 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

10. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
Colossians 1: NWT: "because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all OTHER things and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exists."

11. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
KEY WRITINGS
Include…
Bible (New World Translation only)
You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth
Reasoning from the Scriptures
Watchtower magazine
Awake! magazine

12. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES One-person God called “Jehovah.” No Trinity.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
WHO IS GOD?
One-person God called “Jehovah.”
No Trinity.
Jesus is the first thing Jehovah created.

13. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Jesus is not God.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
WHO IS JESUS?
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Jesus is not God.
Before he lived on earth, he was Michael, the archangel.
Jehovah made the universe through him.
On earth he was a man who lived a perfect life.

14. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
WHO IS JESUS?
After dying on a stake (not a cross), he was resurrected as a spirit.
He is not coming again; he already “returned” invisibly in 1914 in spirit.
Very soon, he and the angels will destroy all non-Jehovah’s Witnesses.

15. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES The impersonal “holy spirit” is not God.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The impersonal “holy spirit” is not God.
Instead, the “holy spirit” is an invisible, active force from Jehovah.

16. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Be baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
HOW TO BE SAVED
Be baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness.
Most followers must earn everlasting life on earth by “door-to-door work.”
Salvation in heaven is limited to 144,000 “anointed ones.” (This number has already been reached.)

17. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH
The 144,000 “anointed ones” live as spirits in heaven.
The rest of the righteous (“the great crowd”) live on earth and must obey God perfectly for 1,000 years or be annihilated.

18. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Meet in “Kingdom Halls instead of churches.”
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
OTHER BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
Meet in “Kingdom Halls instead of churches.”
Active members are encouraged to distribute literature door-to-door.
Once a year, members observe “Lord’s Evening Meal” (like communion); only “anointed ones” may actually partake.

19. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Members are not allowed to…
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
OTHER BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
Members are not allowed to…
observe holidays or birthdays
vote
salute the flag
work in the military
accept blood transfusions
Members believe Armageddon will occur soon.