Unit Six : Jehovah's Witnesses
The basic teachings of the group are listed below in the unit summary. To learn more on how to defend against these teachings check out the apologetic links below the summary. To learn more about what the group itself says, check out the links at the bottom of the page.

This group would be correctly classified as a cult.

"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 thy heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet that spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." - Deut. 18:20-22

Unit Summary

The official name for this group is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, headquartered in Brooklyn New York.
The Watchtower and Awake, are the organization's two key periodicals with millions published every two weeks.
The Watchtower Society was begun by a man named Charles T. Russell, the founding father of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Early in his ministry he prophesied that Christ would return in 1874.
Russell died in 1916 having been proved a false prophet. Russell's successor was Joseph Rutherford, a very charismatic leader who was also famous for his many false prophesies.
Under Nathan H.Knorr, the third president of the group the organization developed its own version of scripture called the New World Translation. This was an obvious attempt to make the Bible fit preconceived Witness theology.
Knorr also falsely prophesied that 1975 would be the end of the age and Armageddon would occur then.
Knorr was followed by Frederick Franz who died in 1992 and Milton Henschel has been the leader since. Some of their false teachings about Jesus:
    1. Jesus is a created being
    2. Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel
    3. Jesus was not resurrected bodily
    4. Jesus returned invisibly in 1914
    5. Jesus was only a man when he was on the earth
Other false teachings:
    1. The Holy Spirit is not God
    2. Hell is simply the grave
    3. Heaven is only for a literal 144,000 elect people
    4. Salvation is found only through the organization
    5. Satan is the author of the doctrine of the Trinity

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God...That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:6,10,11

Check out the links below to find out more about him and his leadership of this group.

Profile of Jehovah's Witnesses

Apologetic Sites Critical of Jehovah's Witnesses
*Note- The doctrinal stances of each of the apologetic web-sites listed below are not necessarily the same as Covenant Christian School or the Protestant Reformed denomination that supports our school. Use these links with discernment.
Rutherford - the organization's second leader
Blood Transfusions
New World Translation
Fear control tactics
The following links will help you understand and defend the following false teachings:
Only 144,00 in heaven
Deny Resurrection
Jesus was created
Works righteousness

Sites that are affiliated with Jehovah's Witnesses
*Note - These sites definitely do not represent the perspective taught by this course, these links are made available for research, to see what the groups themselves say they teach.
Official Media Site
Membership tatistics