I have family members that are Jehovah's Witnesses. I can't honestly say Jehovah's Witnesses are a false religion. It's proud in my opinion to rant and rave about how you don't need God for anything. Other religions small and large don't show the same integrity and Bible insight that they do. They're not your typical cult as many here pass them off as. It's actually more disturbing that a forum that advertises itself as a neutral forum to discuss anything pertaining to Jehovah's Witnesses is 99% full of former members.
Spade,
They are a false religion. They pick scriptures that fit their beliefs and ignore the ones disprove them. Heck, they do that with most of the New Testament by claiming it only applies to the anointed. Just look a little closer. Where does the Bible say we have to be members of an organization or that our attitude towards the faithful and discreet slave determines our surviving Armageddon? Where does it say there are two classes of Christians with two seperate hopes? Where does it say you can not be part of the new covenant and have everlasting life? Show me one scripture that says any of that. And they themselves say they're not inspired, so why believe what uninspired men say over the Bible?
You may find it proud to claim you don't need God for anything, but that does nothing to refute what that person says at all. Ad hominem.
They don't have anymore biblical insight than any other denomination. In fact they have less because of the misleading methods and faulty logic they use and the scriptures they ignore. Where are the JW biblical scholars and theologians? Are they the ones writing the magazines and publications?
They are a typical cult. Their methods are less obvious to the unaware. But they fit the description perfectly. It's more disturbing to me that on a JW forum, very few Witnesses post here. And why is that? Are they instructed not to? Aren't they told former members are "feeding at the table of demons" and they risk their relationship with Jehovah if they associate with them? Guilt and fear. It's a cult, dear. I wish with all my being it wasn't. I have family in there.
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
- Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
- No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
- No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
- Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
- There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
- Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
- There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
- Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
- The group/leader is always right.
- The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html
