The "Others"

I've been getting a lot of questions from students, parents and staff about some of the other groups out there that like to claim the name of Christ, but don't quite like to follow the stuff that's in the Bible. Over the next few months I will post a series of reviews on some of these "cults" of Christianity as we would call them.

Much of the information will be processed from a book called "Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps and Timelines". The book takes a chapter to walk through some of the deviations from normal/orthodox Christianity.

The first group we'll take a stab at is the Jehovah's Witnesses:

The Jehovah's Witness organization was founded by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) in Pennsylvania in 1879. They are currently headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. The Jehovah's Witnesses use a tranlsation of the bible called the "New World Translation", which is the only acceptable version. They have other publications that they use for life and practice called "Reasoning from the Scriptures, You Can Live Forever In Paradise on Earth, Watchtower Magazine and Awake Magazine". These publications offer direction, discovery and truth for the JW's and they are considered to be "from God".

Theology
The JW's believe that there is one God, called Jehovah. There is no Trinity. They believe that Jesus is the first created being. This is important because normal/orthodox Christianity believes that Jesus is uncreated and eternally existing (Col 1:15-20).

Christology
They believe that 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. After dying on a stake (not a cross), he was resurrected as a spirit; his body was destroyed. Jesus is not coming again; he "returned" invisibly in 1914 in spirit. Very soon, he and the angels will destroy all non-Jehovah's Witnesses.

Pneumatology (Holy Spirit)
The Jw's believe that there is an impersonal, "holy spirit" that is not God, but rather an invisible, active force from Jehovah.

Soteriology (salvation)
They believe that you must be baptized as a Jehovah's Witness in order to be saved. 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 is already reached. The rest will spend eternity in paradise on earth.


Death

The 144,000 live as spirits in heeaven. The rest of the righteous, "the great crowd" live on earth and must obey God perfectly for 1,000 years or be annihilated.


There are some quirky beliefs that the JW's hold to. Active members are encouraged to distribute literature door-to-door as many of us have experienced first hand. Once a year they celebrate the Lord's Evening Meal (communion), but only the anointed ones may partake. They do not observe birthdays or holidays. They are forbidden to vote, salute the flag, work in teh military or accept blood transfusions.

There are currently (as of 2006) about 16 million Jehovah's Witnesses , of those 6.7 million are considered true members (determined by who performs door-to-door work).

For more information check here

Next week... Mormons