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What the Bible Says About

Jehovah's Witnesses vs. the Bible

The 144,000 JWs believe that only 144,000 will go to heaven. These are the only ones who are "born again".

  • 12,000 from each tribe of Israel. Rev.7:4-8
  • The "great crowd" will be before the thrown of God. Sounds like heaven to me. Rev.7:9-10
  • Will all be male virgins. Rev.14:4
  • Great crowd in heaven. Rev.19:1, 6.

Birthdays

  • The Governing Body says you're not supposed to celebrate birthdays, but Jesus did, at least according to 2:13-14.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus

Body and soul
The WatchTower denies the immortality of the soul.

  • Stephen, as he is dying, asks Jesus (not Jehovah) to receive his spirit. But how could Jesus receive his spirit if, as the GB teaches, if the spirt dies along with the body. Jn.7:59?

Cross vs. torture stake
The governing body of the Jehovah's Witnesses insist that Jesus died on a "torture stake", not on a cross. Watchtower publications often show this with Jesus nailed to a vertical stake, with his hands over his head and a single nail passing through his wrists. But if he was executed on a torture stake, then why did Thomas say "unless I see in his hands the print of the nailS...."? Jn.20:25

The earth will last forever.
The GB teaches that the there are three classes of people: 144,000 who will go to heaven, the remaining 6 million or so JWs who will live forever on earth, and the rest of us 6 billion poor slobs who will be viciously slaughtered by Jehovah. It is a fundamental part of JW belief, then, that the earth will last forever, and that its capacity for sustaining life will not be degraded. But, of course, the Bible contradicts this view.

Hell does not exist
This is by far the nicest JW belief. Unfortunately it is contradicted by virtually all of the New Testament, whose basic message is "believe or be damned."

  • And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Mt.10:28
  • And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mt.24:30
  • And these shall go away into everlasting punishment. Mt.25:46
  • The rich man and Lazarus. Lk.16:31
  • Jn.5:28-29
  • And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. Rev.14:11, Rev.20:10

The holy spirit

Jesus is not God.

  • I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. 43:11
  • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jn.1:1
  • Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. Tit.1:5
  • Jn.2:19-21
  • Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Jn.8:58
  • "My Father and I are one." Jn.10:30
  • "My Lord and My God." Jn.20:28
  • " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Acts 7:59
  • Phil.2:5-6
  • Tit.2:13
  • "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." 1 Col.1:16-17
  • Heb.1:6
  • "Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Heb.1:8
  • Rev.1:7-8, 11, Rev.22:13

Jesus is the Archangel Michael

  • The angels are told to worship Jesus. But if Jesus is the Archangel Michael, would the angels worship him? Heb.1:6

The second coming came and went in 1914 (but nobody except the JWs noticed).

    Mt.24:30
  • Mk.13:26
  • Lk.21:27
  • Jesus' return will be much like his ascension. Acts 1:9-11
  • Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Rev.1:7

Mother's Day

  • "Honor thy father and thy mother." Dt.5:16

Torture stake

  • "Unless I see in his hands the prints of the nails...." Jn.20:25

The human soul is not immortal.

  • Rachel's soul departed from her body. But how can a soul leave a body if, as the governing body of the JWs teaches, the soul is the body? Gen.35:18
  • Saul has a witch bring Samuel back from the dead. Witnesses claim that Saul didn't really see Samuel, but only thought that he did. A hallucination, I Guess. (R.385)1 Sam.28:3-20
  • "And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Ec.12:7
  • Mt.17:12
  • The rich man and Lazarus. Lk.16:31
  • And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Lk.23:43
  • Jn.5:28-29
  • For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead. 1 Pet.4:6