"The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses are like the Pope is to the Catholic Church. They too claim to be God’s mouthpiece or the voice of Jesus. They also demand unquestioning obedience for their members salvation. They both claim to be the one true religion or church. While the Pope wears certain garb the governing body leaders wear expensive suits with expensive jewelry/pinky rings. Gb have no charity for the poor and needy but live in a commune where all their needs are met. They even get personal donations from their members although they supposedly take a vow of poverty. They live like the Pope in many ways." Nadia Viotto
Here are some similarities between the two. Link below.
- Centralized World-wide church government from which all official doctrine comes. The Pope and the Governing body.
- A city where world headquarters permanently resides: Rome, Italy and Brooklyn, NY, USA (Now Tuxedo NY)
- Authority of this "world organization" is not to be questioned.
- Both consider God to be the head of the world organization.
- Both organizations are "spirit directed" by God.
- A simple definition of both is as follows: "Definition of a Catholic/Jw: 'Someone who accepts Vatican/Watchtower organization as God's visible spirit-directed theocratic organization upon the earth.
- Both have official yearly meetings of the world leaders.
- The official doctrines that have changed dramatically over time.
- Both claim "new light" or progressive revelation to explain doctrinal changes.
- Both teach the organization is supreme over the Bible rather than the Bible being supreme over the organization.
- The average members are told by the organization that they cannot understand the Bible without the help of the official organization.
- Both discourage independent thinking from the world organization.
- Both continue to blindly follow the organization in spite of major doctrinal changes, reversals and flip-flops.
- Both "explain away" doctrinal changes, reversals and flip-flops by claiming "new light".
- Both view every other church as heretical and false.
- No salvation outside of their organization.
- The word of the organization is unquestionably final.
- Interpreting the Bible is the sole right of the organization.
- Both make claims that because of their size, growth, activity, they must have the truth.
- Both have authoritative writings in addition to the Bible. Creeds, catechisms and the watchtower.
- Both teach that you cannot understand the Bible unless you compare the Bible with their official "authoritative writings" Creeds and Watchtower.
- Both have an official clergy system with special privileges and rights the common member does not have. Priests, elders, overseers and the Governing body.
- Both have system of monasteries where "most holy and dedicated" selflessly pledge to do the "work for God" without any material rewards. No children are allowed in both. Catholic = monasteries; JW = Bethel
- Both cover up sexual molestation between men and children. We know that pedophilia can happen anywhere, schools, sports teams and churches. Covering up such acts is wrong. The CBC program, "The Fifth Estate" aired a TV program on Sept 12, 2003 documenting how sexual abuse is routinely covered up in the Kingdom Hall’s of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Catholic Church has a similar history of covering up sexual abuse cases. Various legal loop holes and religious bullying to not tell people of pedophilia leads people to spend decades in fear of telling others of being abused.
- “Jehovah” is the proper name of God (at least according to 1914 Catholic Encyclopedia. Consider the fact the terms was translated in Spanish by a Catholic monk! It is of note however modern Catholic Bibles like the Jerusalem Bible use the now preferred way “Yahweh.”
- Both are active about their faith in the community. Jehovah’s Witnesses go door-to-door, Catholics have various organizations like “Catholic youth week,” the pope visits other countries on a regular basis to “spread the Catholic faith.” It is to be noted members on the Governing Body also do this! Their ways of preaching are remarkably different, but both have a strong presence in the community.
- Too much emphasis is put on works and teach the death for Christ insufficient.
- Have a lot of wealth and power over their rank and file.
- They shun people who leave their faith. However Jw’s go as far as to kick their own children out of their homes into the street and won’t answer a phone call from their child.
- Jehovah’s Witnesses have had shares in a navy company, Rand Cam. That makes weapons of defense! So maybe they aren’t out killing people on the fields, but they own shares in a company that does! They have blood on their hands. As well as their unbiblical blood doctrine that has had numerous flip flops. They dictate the life and death of their members making themselves G.O.D (guardians of doctrine)
- Major church hierarchy.
- Pharisee-like with unbiblical rules.
- Both hand out religious literature in the street.
- Both have had significant decreases in membership in Western countries.
- Conscience involving a lot of activities in faith. Both churches have a lot of rules, but never do in practice.
- Both organizations have big publishing companies.
- Both are militant and indoctrinating about them being the “first church” and to disobey the organization is to disobey God!
- The JW's use to be a part of the UN as an NGO member before they were caught out.
- Both avoid using the Biblical term "Christian," and rather be known by their respective names: Jehovah's Witnesses and Catholics.
LINK BETWEEN JW's and CATHOLICS –– Many Jehovah's Witnesses are ex-Catholics!
Similarities between Catholics and JW's
