Jehovah's Witnesses - Southern Nazarene University

Jehovah’s WitnessesThe WatchtowerBible and Tract SocietyApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 1

Do we really know them?• History -- where did they come from?• Doctrines -- what they believe• Practices -- how they live• Presence in world today• When you encounter them . . .April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 2

Charles Taze Russell 1852-1916• Bounced from Presbyterian toCongregational churches• Ended up contemptuous of all• Age 17 -- Heard convincingargument that hell did not exist• 1870 -- at age 18 organizedBible classApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 3

The Russell era• Captivated by Adventist preaching on Christ’sSecond Coming• 1876 -- joined staff of Adventist publication“Herald of the Morning”That group said Christ had returned invisibly in1874 and would take believers to heaven in 1878April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 4

Charles Taze Russell1879• Took control of Barbour’spublication, renamed it“Watchtower”• Married• Began feeling hewas the 7thmessengerof RevelationApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 5

Movement gets underway• 1884 -- IncorporatedZion’s Watchtower TractSociety• 1893 -- First majorconvention in Chicago360 in attendance70 baptismsApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 6

1914?• 1894 -- Watchtower set 1914 as thereturn of Christ and beginning ofmillennium• 1914 came and went . . . remains keydate for Jehovah’s Witnesses“The Creator’s promise of a peacefuland secure new world before thegeneration that saw the events of 1914passes away” -- Awake! October, 1995April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 7

Pyramidologymeasurements of Egyptian Great Pyramid used to calculatedates• 1909• 1916Wife divorced himmoved headquartersfrom Pittsburgh toBrooklynDied during train tripBuried near thispyramid structureApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 8

“Judge” Rutherford 1869-1942• A power vacuum ensuedwith Russell’s death• By quasi-legalmaneuvering, this lawyeredged out competition andtook over the organizationin 1917April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 9

Judge Rutherford 1869-1942• First visited by WatchTower representatives inhis Missouri law offices in1894• Baptized as a BibleStudent in 1906• When he took over,several groups splinteredoffApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 10

Rutherford continues dating game1918 -- Watchtower setsChrist’s return for 1925“Millions Now Living Will NeverDie” -- article became book titletwo years laterWorldwide anarchy waspredicted to occur in 1920April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 11

Expansion in Rutherford era• 1919 -- began Awake!• 1920’s, 30’s -- Extensiveuse of radio andphonograph records• 1933 -- over 400 radiostations were carrying hisBible lecturesApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 12

Steady revision of doctrineand structure• 1931 -- New name:Jehovah’s Witnesses• Under Rutherford,membership grew from10,000 in 1916 to 100,000in 1942April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 13

• Beth-SarimPalatial San Diego home builtby RutherfordTo be deeded to Abraham,Isaac, Jacob and David whenthey returned to earthRutherford planned to beburied hereAfter his death, quietly sold• Beth-Shan 79 acres purchased in 1939;also deeded to “princes” Had bomb shelterApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 14

Personality era endsWith Rutherford’s death, the era of charismatic,flamboyant leadership ended.Power now vested in the governing council.April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 15

JW Bible translation• “New World” Bible translation appeared in 1950Only one member of translation committee knewanything about the original languages of the BibleKnorr had two years of Greek• What is the “New World Translation?”An authentic translation? No.Systematic re-writing of Scripture in support ofdoctrinal positions. Yes.April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 16

1975 -- a new date• 1966 book hinted that 1975 would see a newperiod in human history.• August 1968 Watchtower set 1975 as year forArmageddonFor JW’s, period of growth leading up to 1975, thenstagnation when the year came and wentApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 17

Doctrines - Beliefs• Eschatology (end times)• Soteriology (salvation)• Pneumatolgy (doctrine of Holy Spirit)• Christology (beliefs about Jesus Christ)April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 18

AuthorityWatchtower Society claims to speak for Jehovahas His sole “channel of communication” on theearthApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 19

Beliefs: ApocalypticFocused on end timesWaiting for paradise onearth after battle ofArmageddonApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 20

Future Paradise on earth• Only 144,000 “anointed”will go to heaven• Hell does not exist; evilpeople will simply beannihilatedApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 21

Salvation• People God approves will receive eternal lifehere on earth• You may be saved, depending on yourfaithfulness and obedience“Just as a proper secular education is necessary to fit aperson for a place in everyday society, so a properBible education is necessary to equip one for enteringthe society that will survive to live in the Paradiseearth.” -- from Jehovah’s Witnesses web siteApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 22

Holy Spirit• Denial of trinity Claim trinity comes from ancientmythology “a complicated, freakish-looking,three-headed God” -- Let God Be True• Holy Spirit is an active forcelike electricity or fireApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 23

Core issue: Christology• As fascinating as all the date setting and shifting is . . .• As fascinating as the issues of blood transfusions andsaluting the flag may be . . .• The core of our disagreement with ourJehovah’s Witness friends centers on JesusChristApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 24

Latter day Arians• Arianism -- a 4th century heresy denyingdeity of Christ, saying Jesus was the firstthing God created• To JW’s, Jesus Christ is Archangel Michael• At Jesus’ death, God disposed of Jesus’physical body.• Because Jesus was raised a spirit creature,God had to “materialize” a fleshly body forhimApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 25

Practices -- how they live• No drugs; alcohol in moderation• Sexual purity• Limited social environmentPervasive us/them mentalityEveryone else is of the devil• Heavy controlNot allowed to read literature critical of JW’s• Children discouraged from higher learning• Respect government but do not participate inelectionsApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 26

Community life• CongregationsAttendance expected at weekly “book studies” (canbe in homes)Full congregations meet in “Kingdom Halls”Ministers serve without payDisfellowshipping -- kicking people out of the family• Communion or Lord’s SupperObserved annually on date of Jesus’ deathNisan 14 -- March/AprilOnly 144,000 elite may take the elements In 1999 the “partakers” worldwide were 8,755April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 27

Iconoclastic“overthrowing traditional or popular ideas”• No celebrating Christmas• No celebrating Easter• No celebrating birthdays• No celebrating Mother’sDay• No saluting of the nationalflag• No blood transfusionsApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 28

Iconoclastic“overthrowing traditional or popular ideas”Jehovah’s Witnessessay Jesus died on astake rather than ona crossApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 29

Presence in world today• 800,000 in USA• 5 million “publishers”worldwide300, 000 baptisms annually100,000 net increase• 90,000 “congregations”worldwideApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 30

Global publishing operation• 15 million publicationseach weekBrooklyn factory buildingbought in 1927Several expansions3,000 now work thereApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 31

Recruitment / Evangelism• Door-to-door house calls• 740 house calls needed to recruit one newmemberApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 32

7 Step Process• Literature put in prospect’s hands• “Back calling” or follow up• Prospect starts actual “book study”• Attendance at Kingdom Hall meetings• Attendance at worship services• Active tract distribution• BaptismApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 33

When we encounter them• Do we slam that door?• Do we just politely close it?• If we let them in . . .should we try to prove them wrong?April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 34

When we encounter themRemember . . .• They believe they are the only “true religion”JW’s are used to attacks and persecutionUsing logic to prove them wrong accomplishes littleCriticism will likely encounter a stone wallHow do we overcome that “true religion” idea?April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 35

Overcoming “true religion” syndrome• Shy away from “setting them straight”• Ask disarming questions• See yourself as a sower of seeds, not aharvesterApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 36

Question possibilities. . . not to provoke a fight• Have true Christians always existed somewhereover the last 2,000 years?• Are the marks of real Christians exclusive to theWatchtower or are they shared by other groups?• Does the Watchtower believe all other Christiangroups are completely false?April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 37

Questions on the Bible• Was the Bible written to all people?• Can someone who had a Bible and no otherliterature understand it and become all that Godwanted him or her to be?• The Mormons claim that one must study theirbooks in order to get an accurate knowledge ofScriptures. What do you think of that?April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 38

Key question on Christ• Can you come to Christ as your mediator?April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 39

Be friendly and neighborly• Don’t focus on winning arguments• Don’t defend yourself or your beliefs• Win trust• Don’t try to back people into a corner• Allow them to “save face”April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 40

Use of Scripture• Get your Bible• Read aloud every text they mention• Look carefully with them at the context (thesurrounding verses and chapters) in a verseappearsApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 41

Be sensitive to whom youare speaking. . .• Someone made in God’s image forwhom Christ died• A human being with whom you havemuch in commonApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 42

Stay in touch with the One inwhose presence you arehaving the discussion. . .Your greatest advantage is prayerBe constant in prayer as you talk withthemApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 43

Maintain with discipline . . .• your position and role Humility and love Make your conversation “heart to heart”rather than “head to head”April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 44

A bit of poetry . . .He drew a circle that shut me out.Heretic, rebel; a thing to flout.But love and I had the wit to win.We drew a circle that took him in.-- Edwin MarkhamApril 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 45

Jehovah’s WitnessesThe WatchtowerBible and Tract Society(end)April 4, 2012 Howard Culbertson, Southern Nazarene University 46