(Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York)    

In 1884, Charles Taze Russell (a Knights Templar Mason) founded The Zion's Watchtower Tract Society now known as The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, with headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

• Jehovah Witnesses see themselves as a modern day theocratic organisation. Because of this, Witnesses are taught not to vote, salute national flags, or participate in military service. Many Witnesses/conscientious objectors have suffered terribly for their religion.

• They don't celebrate Christmas or Easter. And in some of their earlier publications, they dubbed mothers day as being feminist.

• In 1945 they stated that Witnesses could not receive a blood transfusion. To do so, would be sinful. They also refuse to even allow doctors to conduct transfusions using their own blood!

• Their members are frequently unable and unwilling to reason with non-Witnesses and insist that only their religion can understand the Holy Scriptures.

• They refuse to pray with non-Witnesses.

• They are unable to sell their literature because of tax reasons, so donations are requested. (This may not apply in the UK or other countries.)

• Throughout the history of the Jehovah Witnesses, they have repeatedly changed their doctrines 148 times.

Prior to 1931, Witnesses had also gone by the names of Millennial Dawn, People's Pulpit Association, The Brooklyn Tabernacle and The International Bible Students Association.

To the unlearned and unskilled Christian all this might sound innocent, but upon careful and honest biblical exegesis and hermeneutics, one can soon begin to peel back the layers of their unbiblical man-made religion.    

Financial facts

In a publication entitled Comments from the Friends, written by a former Witness, David A. Reeds, information was released concerning the wealth of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. In this publication he reports:

"The Watchtower headquarters complex in the Brooklyn Heights section of New York City consists of more than thirty buildings with a current real estate value of $185,998,000. 

The report would also go on to show just how handsomely their theocratic religion was doing; figures like $1,247,999,000 were revealed and apparently this was up $1/4 billion from just over $1,248,000,000.00 in 1990. The article concluded with: 

"The figures, not published for the sect's members, are evidently provided to credit reporting services, so that the firms doing business with the Society will extend credit." 

Membership statistics

At the end of 2001 membership for the Jehovah Witnesses was 6,117,666 operating out of 234 countries worldwide.

During 2001, Witnesses baptised 235,700 converts worldwide - a decrease from 1996 in which the Witnesses baptised 366,579 (-103,148.)

There are over 500,000 full and part-time missionaries worldwide, spending 20-30 hours a week proselytising. The Witness must attend all five meetings a week (5 hours), and fill in and complete a monthly time sheet if they wish to remain in the Witnesses. Hours spent proselytising worldwide each year is 1.1 billion. Yet down from 1996's figures of 1.4 billion (-3billion.)

Beliefs

Red = Jehovah Witnesses

Black = Traditional Christianity

• They believe that Jehovah God created His Son: "There was, therefore, a time when Jehovah was all alone in universal space" (Let God Be True, pg. 25.)

In John's Gospel, Jesus said: "Before Abraham was, I AM" [ego eimi], (8:58.)

Thus Jesus quoting Exodus 3:14, claimed to be the eternal pre-existent God in the flesh!

Every Bible in the world has this reading "I AM," except their bible (the NWT) which blasphemously says: "I have been," pg. 1341! Yet if one turns to page 1340 in the NWT Bible, one will see the Deity of Christ beautifully stated. 

Clearly this is one verse that Westcott and Hort missed!

Please also see the New World Translation that affirms Christ's eternal existence (Is. 9:6) [Mighty God, ETERNAL Father], and His EQUALITY to God (John 5:18; 14:9; Phil. 2:6.)

It should also be pointed out that in John 1:23, John the Baptist quotes Isaiah 40:3 and tells his audience that he had come to prepare the way for the Lord - Jehovah God, who is transpires to be Jesus Christ, the Word, in the flesh vs.14!

And then Paul writes in Philippians 2:9-11: 

"That every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father," yet this is taken from Isaiah 45:23, when it speaks of the Lord Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4), and the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9.)

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:8; Is. 41:4.)

Had Jesus not been eternal, He couldn't claim this title as His own.

We also quote two verses, both from the NWT: 

"I, Jehovah, the First One; and with the last ones I am the same" (Is. 41:4.) 

"I am the First and the Last, and the living one; and I became dead" (Rev. 1:17,18.) 

Looks to me that there is only one God and Jesus Christ is His name! 

So it should be evident for any honest and open-minded individual that the writers of the New Testament made is abundantly clear that Jesus is Jehovah God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16.) 

This cult also used to believe that God was once like we are - a mere man - and this finite god is something that the Mormons still hold to.

• That Jesus is Michael the archangel. To try and prove this they add the word "other" four times in Colossians 1:16,17, teaching that Christ was God's first creation (Aid to Bible Understanding, pg. 920.)  

The Greek word for firstborn is Prototokos. Whenever this is used of Jesus, it ALWAYS means pre-eminence or position of rank (Rom. 8:29.) Not a physical birth.

Jewish culture taught that the firstborn son would inherit his father's wealth, whether he was the eldest or not.

Israel, although not the oldest nation on the earth, is called the firstborn of God (Ex. 4:22; Jer. 31:9.)

And even King David, the youngest of Jesse's sons, is also called God's firstborn (Ps. 89:20-27.)

No angel in the Old or the New Testament ever received worship, love and obedience like Jesus did (Heb. 1:6-9.)

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus said to Satan twice: "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD YOUR GOD (4:7) [NWT, pg. 1219.]

And the apostle Thomas called Christ: "My LORD and my GOD" (John 20:28). Thus Thomas called Jesus JEHOVAH GOD (NWT, pg. 1359.)

• Jesus was not crucified on a cross, but on a stake.

For centuries theists and atheists have universally agreed that Jesus Christ did indeed die on a Roman Cross. The Romans were notorious for their savagery and their dreaded crucifixions.

• Jesus was resurrected a divine being (J Rutherford, The Harp of God, pg, 165 -2,327,000 edition, 1 Oct 1921, Brooklyn New York.)

After Jesus' resurrection He was raised using His original human body. He was not some super spirit creature, much like the error the disciples made in Luke 24:39, but was fully human and fully God (John 20:27.) The only reason His disciples had previously been unable to recognise Him was because God wasn't yet ready to fully declare His risen Son (Luke 24:16; 24:31.)

This event clearly demonstrates how the Trinity work in harmony with one another, while working independently: 

1) John 2:20, 21 - Jesus says He will raise up His own body after three days (God the Son) 

2) Romans 8:11- the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead (Holy Spirit) 

3) Galatians 1:1 - God raised Him up (God the Father)

• Jehovah" (Latin) or Elohiym (Hebrew) [~Yhla] is only singular with no connotations for plurality (Harold J. Berry, 1990.)

Jehovah or Elohim can in some places be plural (Gen.1: 26; 3:22 & 11:7) and also singular (Matt. 3:17 & John 12:28.)

• They do not believe that God is a Triune being. Rutherford said that Satan is behind Trinitarianism: "Sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve him find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish-looking, three-headed God. The clergy who inject such ideas will contradict themselves in the very next breath by stating that God made man in his own image; for certainly no one has ever seen a three-headed human creature" (Let God Be True, pg.101-102.)      

Man is made in the image of the one God (Deut. 6:4; Is. 43: 10-12, with a triune makeup, 1 Thess. 5:23.)

The Trinity is not some satanic, pagan or even Catholic doctrine, but very much a Biblical one that the Scriptures teach (Ps. 2:7; Pro. 30:4; Is. 49:6 and Matt. 3:16,17), and that the early church fathers held too. (Please see my article Who is Jesus Christ for more information.)

• The Holy Spirit is renamed God's active force, and thus is an impersonal being (What Does God Require of Us, 1997.)  

The Holy Spirit is a real Person with real characteristics (Ehp. 4:30 & 1 Thess. 5:19), and is Deity (Acts 5:3,4.)

In John 14:16, Jesus promised to send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. There are two Greek words for another. The first is allos, the second is heteros. Allos means, another of exactly the same kind, and heteros means another of a different kind. Therefore, the Greek word used of the Holy Spirit, in all texts, is allos, the Same Kind - God Almighty, the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9.)

• They use the Westcott and Hort corrupt translation of the Scriptures! [New World Translation.]

This perverted bible has changed over three hundred verses to support their peculiar doctrines. As a result of this tampering, it blasphemes the glorious doctrines and truths such as the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal being: references (John 1:1; 8:58; I Tim. 2:6; Acts 10:36; Col. 1:16-17; 2:9-10.)

• When baptising [full immersion] new converts, their formula is: The name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit directed organisation. They will now become work slaves until Armageddon (1 June 1985 Watchtower magazine.) 

People are to be baptised using the Lord's formula of Matt. 28:19: "Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;" anything else is heretical!  

• That Adam only died a temporary death in the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis 2:17 God warned Adam that if he ate of the tree of life, he would surely die. There is nothing in Scripture to suggest that this wasn't temporary, but eternal. However, Adam was granted a very long lifespan, in which he and Eve would populate the earth.

• That salvation is not a gift of God, but one must work to earn it, and may, if not caught door knocking when Armageddon arrives, lose it. They have absolutely no assurance of salvation whatsoever as one member told me this personally. Even during the millennial reign of Christ, they can still fail God and end up in the Lake of Fire.

This doctrine is almost similar to Roman Catholicism, for they too have no Biblical understanding or assurance of salvation. Yet if one takes the time to study the following passages, they will soon see that salvation is instant (Mark 16:16; Luke 23:43; John 3:16; 5:24; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9 and eternal (John 10:29; Acts 7:59, 60; Rom. 8:1; 38, 39.)

In Romans 4:1-8, the apostle Paul takes great care and time in teaching how a sinner is made righteous before a Holy God:

"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

A sinner can only ever be saved through God's unmerited Grace and absolutely nothing else (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8.)

• That a person has one of three possible destinations: 1) The anointed Jehovah Witness (144,000) will reign with Jehovah God in heaven for all eternity.

The concept that only 144,000 will reign with Jehovah God comes from Rev. 7:4 & 14:1. However, upon careful biblical exegesis, the student of theology will soon realise that this group mentioned of 144,000 are actually Jewish virgins from the twelve tribes of Israel, sealed by the Holy Spirit for special evangelism, during the Great Tribulation, not the Church age. Therefore, the Witnesses are incorrect to assume that this group refers to them, for Jehovah Witnesses are predominantly Gentiles, not Jews.

• 2) The rest of the faithful Witnesses (not the 144,000) will live forever on paradise earth, but only after immense effort and proselytising on behalf of the faithful Witness.

Two Scriptures are used to teach that endurance and preservation are essential for entrance to heaven/salvation (Matt. 10:22 & 24:13). First, the word endure can also be translated to overcome. In this case, 1 John 5:4 states: 

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

Therefore to overcome Satan/the world can be synonymous with Jesus' clear teaching that the child of God must overcome the evil one, and this the apostle John affirms has now occurred to all regenerated children of God (Tit. 3:5.)

Second, Matthew 10:22 and 24:13 could also be interpreted to refer to Jews and Gentiles living during the Great Tribulation, and therefore their endurance would be essential for their salvation. Again, as we are still living in the Church age, the latter explanation would not apply to Jew or Gentile today.

• 3) Those people who are not members of the Watchtower organization will be destroyed by Jehovah God and cease to exist. There is no concept of eternal punishment or hell in Watchtower theology annihilation is the destiny for many (Let God Be True, pg. 90-95.)

Jesus gave a very clear and sombre command in Matt. 7:13,14: 

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

With the doctrine of Hell so clearly affirmed above, please see 2 Thess. 1:9. In this passage of Scripture the apostle Paul spoke of eternal punishment, never annihilation.

Three times in Mark's Gospel alone, Jesus said the worm would never die, 9:44; 9:46 & 9:48. 

In Matthew's Gospel the Lord said the following: 

"But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (8:12.) 

Revelation 20:15: 

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Hell is not some satanic or even apostate doctrine, but a clear and freighting one for the unrepentant sinner to get to grips with!!! And please remember, the Lord spoke of Hell more times than Heaven.

• Hell is not considered a literal place of torment, but a condition (J Rutherford, The Harp of God, pgs. 51,52 - 2,327,000 edition, 1 Oct 1921, Brooklyn New York.)

On page 54 of this book, Rutherford states: 

"Jehovah at no time employs torture but he denounces such doctrine as an abomination in his site."

This statement is not biblically accurate. As already demonstrated in the above rebuttal, Hell is spoken of as not only being real, but lasting forever.

Also what Rutherford omits to mention is that the word punishment can also be translated torture: this is precisely what awaits unrepentant sinners.

Please also see the following verses that affirm Hell is REAL and CONSCIOUS existence (Ezekiel 32: 19-32; Daniel 12:2; Matt. 3:12; 25:46; Mark 9:44-49; Luke 16:23, 24; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 14:10, 11; 20:10.)

Therefore if the sinner is unwilling to repent and received Jesus' free gift of salvation (Acts 16:31), then God's perfect justice is accomplished (Ps. 76:10), and the unrepentant sinner is solely to blame for his eternal abode (Deut. 32: 3-5.)

My prayer would be that people would wake up and realise that the bible is so abundantly clear hell is real, but was never made or intended to house mankind, but for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41.) Yet mankind by his sinful lifestyle sends himself to Hell. The bible is very clear that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Eze. 33:11); but that the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9.)

• That the soul has no life within itself. Once a person dies the soul ceases to exist. The body, however, sleeps/waits in the grave for the resurrection (Let God Be True.)

There are two ways to try and interrupt this understanding from the Watchtower. First, if it refers to the unrepentant dead, then the Scripture they will use to prove this would be Ecclesiastes 9:5. Yet with the wider understanding of Scripture, one can easily interpret it to mean that the dead have no knowledge of what is occurring on earth, while they are physically dead. We know from Luke 16:19-31 that the rich man in Hades/Hell was very conscious of his surroundings, but was unaware of what was occurring on the earth. All he wanted to do was return and warn his unrepentant family members of the horrors that awaited them.

Second, there are at least four passages in the New Testament alone that contradict the claim that the soul has no life/consciousness prior to the resurrection (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-25 and 2 Tim. 4:8.)

The apostle Paul was very much of the mind that when he died he would go straight into the presence of the Lord.

There is no purgatory either. Heaven or Hell the choice is yours! 

Hidden shame

Please see a brief transcript from the BBC 1 Panorama programme that aired at 10:15pm on the 14th July 2002: "Despite there being a total of 23,720 recorded cases of sexual abuse in the USA, Canada, and Europe in the secret database of Jehovah Witnesses, one of their members stated:

"Focusing on numbers isn't important." To date, campaigners from the US organisation 'Silent Lambs' have heard from 5,000 victims. Bill Bowen (former Witness) is now calling for JW's to 'come clean': "Once they're found out, it causes their own members to be deeply disturbed," he said.

The above transcript shines some much-needed light into world of the Watchtower organisation!

• High divorce rates are also common within this cult.

There have also be numerous occasions in the Watchtowers history, in which members have coached their children to lie under oath during messy divorce custody battles. All this apparently sanctioned and encouraged from Brooklyn (please see the Vancouver Sun, Tuesday, 17 October 1989 & The Spokan Review, 5 October 1996.)

Charles Taze Russell

(1852-1916)

• Originally a Presbyterian but then joined the Congregationalists. Disillusioned with both groups he opted out and launched his new religion.

• On the grounds of adultery, his wife divorced him after discovering he was having an affair with his young female servant cost in damages 3,176 - very messy and public divorce case (The Brooklyn Daily Newspaper 19 February 1912, pg. 18.)

• During his life he appeared in court three times to defend his battered integrity.

• During these hearings he lied under oath each time and lost on all occasions (The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Rev. John Ross and the Eagle; Some Facts and More Facts About the Self-Styled, Pastor Charles T. Russell, pg.17.)

• Please see the following court transcript. Staunton was Ross attorney; Rutherford was Russell's attorney:

(Attorney Staunton): Do you know the Greek alphabet? (Russell): Oh yes. (Staunton): Can you tell me the correct letters if you see them? (Russell): Some of them; I might make a mistake on some of them. (Staunton): Would you tell me the names of those on top of the page, page 447, I have got here? (Russell): Well, I don't know that I would be able to. (Staunton): You can't tell what those letters are? Look at them and see if you know. (Russell): My way [he was interrupted at this point and not allowed to explain]. (Staunton): Are you familiar with the Greek language? (Russell): No. (Staunton): Is it true you were never ordained? (Russell): It is not true. (Staunton): Now, you never were ordained by a bishop, clergyman, presbytery, council, or any body of men living? (Russell), after a long pause, I never was.

This fascinating transcript comes from a court date on the 17 March 1913, in Ontario, Canada, Rev. J Ross, Some Facts and more Facts About the Self-Styled Pastor.  Not only had Russell contradicted himself under oath, twice, but affirmed that he had no understanding whatsoever of the language that the Holy Spirit used to compose the New Testament.

• Was never ordained.

• Lacked linguistic knowledge.

• Never studied systematic theology or philosophy.

• Visited Egypt on at least one occasion. He very much believed in pyramidology, a spiritualistic religion. He wrote books on this and they are classed as occultist, (The Watchtower, 15 November 1928, pg. 344.)

• Believed in astrology and horoscopes (The Watchtower, 15 November 1928, pg 344.)

• Recommended a book, called Angels and Women; apparently written by a medium.

• Confusion surrounds his death in 1916. Some claim he died on board a transcontinental train, others in a hospital bed or the Illuminati murdered him.

• Rumoured to have been a freemason: symbols on this gravestone and the inscription, Laodicean Church - the apostate Church, cause concern to Watchtower members!

• The Laodicean Church, of the seven Churches in the book of Revelation, is seen as the final and apostate church before Christ's welcomed return to a fallen and unrepentant earth.

Joseph (Judge) Rutherford

(1869-1942)

• Came from a strict Baptist background.

• Was married with one son.

• Rumoured to have been a freemason.

• Was an alcoholic attorney, who used the title "Judge" (Salter, Open Letter.)

          Enjoyed bottles of whiskey: $60 a case (Penton, Apocalypse Delayed.) 

• Took control of this religion after a power struggle and forcibly removed four elected members of the Board of Directors, and then swapped them for his own loyalists thus he became the second leader of the Jehovah Witnesses.

• Invented the name Jehovah Witnesses in 1931.

• Wrote a letter to Hitler praising him for anti-Anglo/America campaign and his plan to exterminate the Jews (Proclaimers, pg. 693.)

• Was very intimidating towards younger members of the Watchtower (The Watchtower, 1 August 1994, pg. 23.)

• Was a prolific literary writer and would churn out one book a year. In total he authored over one hundred books, which have been translated into over eighty languages.

• On at least three occasions, was cited for contempt of court (Morgan County Book 13, pg. 251 for 8 August 1894 and Cooper County Book 2, pg. 376 on 15 May 1895.)

• Sued, along with the board of Jehovah Witness directors, for libel, in 1939 by an Olin Moyle they had to pay damages to Moyle of $25,000 (13,157) (Moyle v. Rutherford et al., 261 App. Div. 968; 26 N.Y.S. 2d 860.)

• Rumoured to have encouraged alcoholic smuggling during the era of prohibition.

• Apparently turned a blind eye to homosexual activities within the Watchtower organisation and a brothel in New York for its male Witnesses.

• Owned property in New York, London and Magdeburg, Germany (Edward J. Ford Interviews and Manuscript.)

• Owned two Cadillac's and one convertible sedan (Chretien 45-46.)

• Died on 8 January 1942 some say in the grounds of Beth-Sarim?

• His wife Mary died in 1962.

• Little information is known on Malcolm their son.

Nathan Homer Knorr

Was involved in spiritualism and would waste Watchtowers money trying to defend in court this sinful obsession (27 May 1942 Consolation.)

He would also be credited for leading the New World Translation committee in 1950-51, under the watchful eye of a Roman Catholic priest called Johannes Greber. Greber was a spiritualist, and medium. Such untrained scholars, incredibly, felt compelled to undertake such a sacred task of translating the Greek into English.

There isn't one distinguished bible scholar in the world that condones of their heretical bible translation. On the contrary, many have not only distanced themselves from the Watchtower cult, but some have even reprimanded the Witnesses for printing articles claming well known Christian scholars affirmed their bible to be authentic and reliable.

Under his leadership, the number of Witnesses grew from 113,000 to 1 million in 80 countries.

Frederick W. Franz

Under Franz, the Witnesses accelerated their proselytising techniques around the globe. This man is credited for the immense amount of literature that they print. Jehovah Witnesses churn out more literature than any other group of people in the entire world.

Amazingly, however, on 24 November 1954 Frederick W. Franz would too find himself being cross-examined under oath concerning his authority and biblical expertise.

Q: Have you also made yourself familiar with Hebrew?

A: (Franz) Yes.

Q: So that you have substantial linguistic apparatus at your command?

A: Yes, for use in my biblical work.

Q: I think you are able to read and follow the Bible in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French?

A: Yes.

Q: You, yourself, read and speak Hebrew, do you?

A: I do not speak Hebrew.

Q: You do not?

A: No.

Q: Can you, yourself, translate that into Hebrew?

A: Which?

Q: That forth verse in the second chapter of Genesis?

A: You mean here?

Q. Yes. 

A. No.

According to Hebrew scholars, this verse in Genesis 2:4 is not particularly hard to translate, especially not for someone who has sworn under oath that he speaks seven languages (The Divine Name That Will Endure, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).

It should also be pointed out that Franz too was rumoured to have Masonic loyalties (Rhodes scholar) and Spiritualistic interests.

Milton G. Henschel

In 1996 Henschel, his wife and others travelled to Malta. Upon arrival they checked in to a beautiful and expensive five star hotel in Malta.

During their lavish trip to Malta, local Witnesses complained that Henschel had spent little time visiting local Witnesses. One such witness wrote to Henschel complaining that the average wage in Malta is 84 week, while Henschel's hotel bill was $117 per day.

Henschel tried to cover up Joseph Rutherford's and the Witnesses admiration for Hitler (Dr M. James Penton, Open Letter, 11 August 1995.)

Current president is Don Adams (1925-)

False prophecies

• Rutherford wrote a book called Millions Now Living Will Never Die. In this prophetic book, he prophesised that Jesus would return along with King David, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore a house needed to be built to accommodate their return. In this book Rutherford wrote, "The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914. We may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old to the condition of human perfection" (The Watchtower, 15/7/24, p. 89). However, the Second Coming never materialised, and therefore Rutherford moved into this luxurious mansion at 4440 Braeburn Road, San Diego, California, which had cost the Watchtower $25,000 (13,157). Please remember this was during the 1920s depression. It was quietly sold in 1948. However, ex-Witness, Frank J. Toth, believes this property was predominately built to hide away their drunkard president.

• In the early 1940's they declared that Armageddon was imminent and would end the Second World War, defeat the Germans and her allies, and then usher in God's long awaited rule on earth (The Watchtower, 12/41). In their book 'Children', they suggest that marriages, having children and normal living, be postponed until after Armageddon.  

• They later prophesied that God's Millennial Kingdom would commence in 1975, again all plans to continue living normal lives were temporary shelved, i.e., many left their jobs, sold their homes and dedicated themselves to continuous proselytising.

In total, Jehovah Witnesses theocratic machine has falsely predicted the end of the world five times: 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 and 1989.  

In late 1975/1976, much to their credit, one million American Witnesses left the cult in utter contempt for the numerous and continually unfulfilled prophecies that never came to pass. Leaders gave flimsy excuses; dates were amended, but again and again, nothing happened.

Facts about prophecies

For any person who wonders what the Bible says about people who make false prophecies, please see Deuteronomy 18:20,21:

"But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak , or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken."

As we read in the word of God, this sin was so serious that false prophets were to be killed. One must ask the question: If the Witnesses are bible based and if they are God's messengers for today, then why weren't Russell or Rutherford stoned for making false prophecies? Or at least, why weren't they excommunicated?

Helpful tips for the Christian when witnessing to Witnesses

In Edmund C. Gruss book, Cults & Occults, he lists some tips for Christians to use when confronting Jehovah Witnesses or any cult for that matter:

 The Jehovah Witness:

• He is trained in a particular doctrinal system.

• He is committed to the Society without reservations as God's channel.  

• He is brainwashed, a fact attested to by many former Witnesses.

• He normally rejects being, born again; therefore, he cannot give a testimony of an accomplished personal salvation.

Famous members

In 2003 the pop star Prince joined the Jehovah Witnesses. Who knocked on his door?

Please tell us if you know? He has been seen door knocking and being driven round to certain houses.

Other famous Witnesses

President Eisenhower, but would later join the Masons. However, according to Billy Graham's autobiography Just as I am, pg. 205, he was saved prior to his death.

• Tennis champions, Venus and Serena Williams.

• Michael Jackson. However, he converted to the Nation of Islam in 2003.

• Cliff Richard was also rumoured to have been associated with them for a while. His close friend Hank B. Marvin, founder member of The Shadows, is still very much part of the JW mandatory treadmill that all Witnesses have to carry out, and only recently turned down the opportunity to receive an OBE.

(It was reported in the British media that Marvin's estranged son was found dead in a homeless hostel in South London a couple of years ago: neither Marvin nor Richard decided to attend his funeral. (Richard was once was his godfather). It would appear that a religious feud several years ago over the sons sole decision to forsake the Jehovah Witnesses was never fully resolved!)

Conclusion

Upon finishing this article, I find myself asking the following questions: why were these people ever allowed near the bible? They were untrained, unqualified, unlearned and not even ordained ministers.

• Why didn't more faithful Christians at the time reprimand them?

• Where were the mighty Catholic and Anglican theologians at the time?

• Why do gullible and vulnerable people (cultists) never check out what they are hearing or examine the integrity of their leaders and their abhorrent doctrines?

• Why are so many people, who are in religious systems, remaining in utter spiritual darkness, when their is such an abundance of information from books, biographies, Internet access, bible translations, lexicons, sermons, and numerous other sources, why an earth are so many deluded people so foolish and complacent? (Acts 17:11.)

• One must NEVER take the word of a preacher, vicar, priest or scholar.

• One must ALWAYS examine what is placed before one and then confirm its authenticity with biblical and traditional teachings. ANYTHING that deviates from this must be considered suspect and discarded in the nearest wastepaper bin.

All members of this cult (and all cults for that matter) will be accountable to God at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:10-15), for they and their organisation have lead many souls astray (Matt. 15:14; 23:13-15) with their man-made doctrines.

Jehovah Witnesses, like all cults and false religions, have a genuine zeal to serve the god that they believe to be the one true living God. However, as Romans 10:2 says, "But not according to knowledge."

Personal thoughts

Since 2002 I have approached numerous members of Jehovah Witnesses and after many heated debates and exchanges - discussing our beliefs - one thing that I must agree with them on, was how Bible believing Christians, whether neo-evangelical or fundamental, were at most times nowhere to be seen.

Many of them take great delight in telling me that they are constantly door knocking and sharing their faith, while most of the time unchallenged by the state Church and others. And I must agree with them that Bible believing Christians are a shower at times, choosing instead to remain in their warm and safe churches, while half listening to easy-on-the-ear sermons.

I would also say since converting to Christianity some 3-years ago now, I have meet only one or two dedicated and committed evangelists. Sadly, I have meet many, many more who seem to have no zeal or enthusiasm to take up the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19; Luke 24:47; Rom. 10:14-21; 2 Tim. 4:1-5), something that all saints are called to do.

Please help us to help them and members who are trapped in a system that cannot nor ever could offer them salvation (Matt. 7:13-23). Failure to do this will result in Christians having to give an account to God for not warning cult members of their heretical and dangerous theology (Ezekiel 3:17-21; Acts 18:6; 20:26.)

Update

The reader may be interested to know that I recently made personal contact with one member of this cult. (I have tried with numerous others but they nearly always walk away from me.)

This man, an ex-Anglican now turned veteran JW for the past 26 years, and still very active with them, happily and unexpectedly agreed to read this 13-page article. So I printed it off for him and posted it to him at his local Kingdom Hall (please note they don't like to call their places of worship, churches). The envelope was personally addressed to him and was marked "Private and Confidential." Several weeks passed, and still no word from this veteran member. Then one Saturday morning I bumped into him on the street.

We exchanged brief pleasantries and then I asked him if had received it. He said emphatically that he hadn't and even named an elder in his congregation who is responsible for all their post, yet this elder had no mentioned anything to my veteran member coming for him. I reassured him that I had indeed sent it. I could tell he believed me that I had sent it. I should also say that I believed him when he told me that he hadn't received it. I told him that it wasn't acceptable for nosey people to interfere with my parcel or any parcel for that matter and he agreed with me.

Yet what wasn't known to me at the time, was what Walter Martin penned in his classic, cult buster book:

"Witnesses are not only to isolate themselves from those who were once Witnesses and have been disfellowshipped or disassociated but also from anyone who is not a Witness and who attempts to present a view contrary to the Watchtower. No Witness is allowed to read dissenting material, whether it is written by a disgruntled Jehovah Witness, a disfellowshipped or disassociated Witness, or someone who have never been a Witness" (The Kingdom of the Cults, 2003, pg. 68.)

And this type of behavior is clearly affirmed by the Witnesses themselves:

"Have no dealings with apostates...For example, what will you do if you receive a letter or some literature, open it, and see right away that it is from an apostate? Will curiosity cause you to read it, just to see what he has to say? You may even reason: "It won't affect me; I'm too strong in the truth. And besides, if we have the truth, we have nothing to fear. The truth will stand the test. "In thinking this way, some have fed their minds upon apostate reasoning and have fallen prey to serious questioning and doubts" (The Watchtower, 15 March 1986, pg. 12.) 

Did not the Apostle Paul commend those that used Scripture to check what he told them (Acts 17:11.) One might be forgiven for concluding that the Witnesses know only too well that should a well read non-JW, filled with the Spirit of God get a hold of one of their unsaved brethren, real damage could be done, and that is why they (and all cults) make such a fuss about not communicating with those outside their sect.

So, in conclusion to this true saga, one cannot help but see similarities with the old KGB movements, for they were always watching one another and would regularly intercept and vet mail for their fellow agents. Sadly in the 21st century, in a so-called "Christian religion," this is still commonplace today. 

Final comments

The Witnesses call Jesus a created spirit; the Muslims call Him a Muslim prophet; the Jews reject Him; the Mormons say He is Lucifer's spirit brother, and the Catholic Church degrades Him with their appalling transubstantiation.

Yet the Bible clearly states that He is the world's only Saviour, and to be the world's only Saviour, He must be God Almighty, for only God can redeem sinful man! Jesus Christ, in His full majesty, is Jehovah God; El Elyon; El Olam; El Roi El; Shaddai; Adonai (Is. 43:11 Matt. 1:21), and this is what the Christian Church has believed and stood for over 2,000 years now. 

Sources

W. R. Martin, Kingdom of the Cults

E C. Gruss, Cults and the Occult

B. R. Smith, Second Warning

James G. Battell, 2004

Updated, April 2006

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