Why do they call themselves Christians?

KistByQpid

I am not trying to be sarcastic. However, it just doesn't make sense to me. If a Christian is one who "follows Christ" how does that apply to the JW's? There appears to be discrepancies between what Jesus said to do and what they actually do. Seems they follow the WT. Is it because they strive to appear mainstream? How can they deny the diety of Christ, not worship Christ and be Christian?

gumby

JW's believe in Jesus but do not believe/understand what he taught.
He taught ALL who would believe in him could have life.
THEY believe being in the organisation will bring life, and all who aren't will die.

HE taught that believing that he would lay down his life,then would raise on behalf of all who would believe,and that would be Gods grace to them ...to be forgiven of sins and have eternal life.This was the GOOD NEWS.

They teach God will destroy all who are not Jehovah's Witnesess,then he will make a paradise earth where only Jehovah's witnesess will live in peace.This is THEIR Good News that they preach.

Read in the bible and see if their teaching matches Jesus teaching.

Kep

They may have started out as christians.

But as time has passed they have succumbed to the lure of the mighty dollar.
Building up a huge printing empire.
Their only concern is getting more of their BS books out to as many suckers as they can.
Then, get you into a bible study and make you one of their drones.
Selling more of their books with false promises of a paradise around the corner.
Plus, you get to work for free on their construction sites.

What would Jesus think ??

BluesBrother

One expression we were encouraged to use at one time was "Jehovah's Christian Witnessess" I dont know if it is still in vogue.

Salvation hinges on the ressurection of Jesus but worship goes to God , in their teaching.

Scripures such as John 1.18 was the first to come to mind (NEB)
"No one has ever seen God; but Gods only son,he who is nearest to the fathers heart,he has made him known."

gumby

BB "Salvation hinges on the ressurection of Jesus but worship goes to God , in their teaching.

According to them salvation is based on OBEIDIENCE,WORKS.
Gods FREE GIFT is not taught by them. Only if you are good enough can you have salvation and you must wait till the 1000 years have ended and you are tested again by satan to find out if you will make it.

The only ones who can be aquitted of their sins according to them are the 8,ooo or more annointed ones who are now left. The rest of mankind cannot get in on this deal.

Adonai438

They call themselves christians because thats what the book of Acts called the followers of Christ. They use the name when it suits them but deny any connection the rest of the time. For instance, when calling door to door they say they are calling on behalf of a 'Christian Ministry' without mentioning who they really are. Perhaps an attempt to deceive others about who they are at first or maybe just to surprise people who thought they were going to say they were JWs. Who knows. But when asked if they are Christians they clasify it as Jehovah's Witnesses-- a name derived from Isaiah 43:10 which is actually being used of the Jews who witnessed God's miracles at that time-- and separate themselves from "christendom".
They are not, by any means, true Christians as the outlined faith in Christ of the Bible. Jesus said many would come in his name but do not be deceived.
Definitely study the Bible for truth and you will find it
<>< Angie

amccullough

They call themselves Christians because they make a point of studying the life of Christ and imitating his example. Whether or not they are "true" christians, I believe, can be argued either way without coming to a provable conclusion. Gumby claimed that God's free gift of salvation is not taught by the JWs. This is wrong, they repeatedly teach that God's gift of salvation can not be earned and is indeed a free gift. However, in addition to this, they teach that you will not receive this gift unless you are in God's favor, henceforth obedience to what they teach as his Word, and the works come as a result of this. I see no problem with this as it is consistent with the way God treated his people in the Old Testament. I'm not sure how to follow up to Kep's reply as he seems to be referring to a motive of those in charge as opposed to the beliefs of JWs in large.

Justin

The question of whether or not Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians is an interesting one. When I was still in the Borg, I recall some JWs even talking about outsiders as "the Christians," as if we weren't Christians when the official teaching of the WT was that we were!

There are several definitions of what a Christian is. The idea that the only true Christian is one who accepts salvation through Christ as being "by grace alone, through faith" comes to us from the Reformation. This theology seems to be based on the writings of Paul, but historically the teachings which emerged in the first several centuries were not simply Pauline, and the early Church did not precisely define the relationship between grace, faith and works. It was more preoccupied with issues surrounding the Person of Christ. So historically, at least, the Reformation criteria cannot be used in determining what is Christian and what is not.

The next level has to do with Christology, and here we seem to be on firmer ground. It is generally recognized that JWs are the spiritual descendants of Arius, the "heretic" of the fourth century who insisted that Jesus, in his prehuman existence as the Logos or Word, was a created being. The Church reacted against this by stating that the Logos was not created (out of nothing) but was begotten out of God the Father, and so was just as divine as the Father. This led to the doctine of the Trinity. It was "orthodoxy" as opposed to Arius' heresy. But would it be correct to say that Arius was not a Christian, or simply that he was a heretical Christian?

Now in the nineteenth century, along came Charles T. Russell, an adherent of Arius' views. Russell claimed that Arius actually represented an older form of Christianity, older than "orthodoxy." Russell had no intention of being anything other than a Christian, but he claimed that faith in Jesus as the Ransomer, not as God, was sufficient. So what we have with Russell is a form of Arian Christianity rather than orthdox Christianity.

When Rutherford took over, he emphasized more and more themes from the Old Testament, even going so far as to choose the OT name "Jehovah's Witnesses." He explained OT stories such as that of Ruth and Naomi, or Mordecai and Esther, as being prophetic dramas that are now being fulfilled. He had Ezekiel's chariot (or the wheels within wheels) depicted on the front cover of the Watchtower. I remember even being asked if Jehovah's Witnesses were an Old Testament religion! I personally believe that, after Rutherford's death, Fred Franz (as the hidden 'chief theologian') re-directed the Society's course somewhat back to at least an appearance of Christianity, so the JWs wouldn't be accused of starting their own religion.

So I think that a historian or a sociologist would have to say that the JWs are a Christian sect, and let it go at that. Whatever else they may be, they are certainly not orthodox Christians. But, it is understandable why they make the claim of being Christian.

Justin

ianao

::amccullough: This is wrong, they repeatedly teach that God's gift of salvation can not be earned and is indeed a free gift.However, in addition to this, they teach that you will not receive this gift unless you are in God's favor, henceforth obedience to what they teach as his Word, and the works come as a result of this.

Hmm... How can a "free" gift that is unearnable have conditions for it's giving? Then by definition, the gift is not free and comes with stipulations. After addressing these, you then have salvation. Umm.... Can you say... contradiction? Can you say... Hello cultists?

It's amazing to see the power of the human brain. Capable of adhering to two opposing viewpoints on the same subject at the same exact time. Fascinating neurosis. And I thought it was only possible in Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy.

gumby

AMC:Quote.."Gumby claimed that God's free gift of salvation is not taught by the JWs. This is wrong, they repeatedly teach that God's gift of salvation can not be earned and is indeed a free gift. However, in addition to this, they teach that you will not receive this gift unless you are in God's favor, henceforth obedience to what they teach as his Word, and the works come as a result of this.

..............OH REALLY?????????

You will not recieve this Free Gift ....unless you what? Did you say unless you are in Gods favor by being obedient to what THEY teach as his word? Who is they? Men?

Is this what the bible teaches? Be obedient to what an organisation feels is truth?

How long do you have to be obedient to get this Gift? Untill you die, or at the end of the thousand years?

The bible teaches the gift could be given upon faith in Christ not thru obedience... although obedience would be a byproduct of faith.

They HAD this Free Gift already in Jesus day even though they knew they would sin in the future. The gift was given upon belief. Read all of Romans and see if the witness doctrine of the Free Gift is even close.

The witnesess have twisted the meaning of what the FREE GIFT is.
May I ask where this idea is found in the scriptures?

Why do they call themselves Christians?

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