The Apostles Creed vs. Watchtower

by Sea Breeze 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Sea Breeze

  The Apostles Creed could be recited in less than a minute in Latin. It was like an ancient YouTube video clip: Christianity in less than a minute. It is very ancient, reaching back to the 200's. But, Watchtower would have a problem with most of it.

  1. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

  Right off the bat, there is a problem. Wt would never use the phrase God the father

  2. I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord.

  Wt. is uneasy about referring to Jesus as "our Lord".

  3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

  This one OK

  4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

  Wt doesn't like the word "crucified" or cross

  5. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.

  Wt. would never accept that Jesus went to hell after he died.

  6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

  Wt believes only a spirit creature who looks like Jesus went to heaven - Michael the Archangel

  7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

  Wt. teaches that the dead atone for themselves and will not be judged for their sins.

  8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,

  Wt. believes the Holy Spirit is like electricity

  9. the holy catholic (universal) Church, the communion of saints,

  Wt. would never accept the concept of a universal body of believers known only to Christ.

  10. the forgiveness of sins,

  Wt. teaches that since 1935 new believers are not justified (forgiveness of sins)

  11. the resurrection of the body,

  Wt. teaches that people are not resurrected in their body, but are recreated as spirits.

  12. and the life everlasting.

  Wt teaches "life everlasting" is postponed until after you have been good for 1000 years if you wre lucky enough to survive Armageddon.

  Amen.

  Wt is at odds with the Apostles Creed, which was a pity statement of faith regarding what it meant to be a Christian.
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  joey jojo

  

  I preferred this movie :)
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  punkofnice

  The Creed, Nicean or otherwise is packed with meaning.

  The GB want all glory for themselves.

  Anything associated with Christianity, like the Creed, will be avoided because they don't want anyone thinking they are connected with the Catholic or Anglican Churches. Where's the money and exclusive power trip in that?

  I first came across the Creed at Evensong in Peterboro' Cathedral many years ago here in the UK. I did think it was powerful stuff.

  Mind you, the Jobots don't even say the Lord's prayer.

  I'm surprised they haven't invented their own mantra to praise the GB and the Corporation.....he said sarcastically.
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  Longlivetherenegades

  @ punkofnice some of the songs used currently already have special stanza for the GB praise and worship
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  slimboyfat

  Many of your observations are not factual or miss the point. For example, Watchtower has described Jesus as “our Lord” many hundreds of times, as any search will show.

  And JWs do use the biblical phrase “God the Father”. What they don’t do is follow the Trinitarian inflection of pairing it with the non-biblical phrase “God the Son”, and the habit of divorcing the phrase from its context, such as instances where Paul refers to “God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” showing that even as Lord, Jesus looks to another as his God; or 1 Cor 8.6 where “God the Father” is equated with the “one God” of the Bible, rather than merely one person of the one God, as per Trinitarian dogma.

  And JWs agree that Jesus was in Hell/Hades for three days, they just have a different understanding of what that means.

  In all I think JWs could agree with most of the Apostles Creed. There’s no Trinity in it at all, which is striking, but should not be entirely surprising because the Trinity hadn’t been invented yet.
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  Sea Breeze

  @ SBF

  I have never heard a Jehovah's Witness say the words: "I believe in Jesus our Lord", except when challenged by Christians they are encountering.

  When JW's talk among themselves, it's all Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah.

  "He descended into hell".

  JW's would NEVER say this. His tomb was above ground. There was nothing to descend into according to WT indoctrinated JW's.

  I couldn't help but notice how you forgot the most important point that applies to us:

  10. the forgiveness of sins,

  Wt. teaches that since 1935 new believers are not justified (no forgiveness of sins).

  JW's believe in working for their Salvation and reject the New Covenant for the forgiveness of sins, like you.

  I have asked you many times to justify your personal rejection of the new covenant "for the forgiveness of sins" Jesus offered in Mt. 26: 27-28. But you refuse to defend your position. Why?

  Why not just come out and say that you believe in another way of Salvation other than the new covenant, the one that carries the blood value of God's only-begotten?

  Isn't that an accurate evualation of your position?
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  Vanderhoven7

  Apparently JWs don't need Jesus to pay for their sins since their death does that for them. Romans 6:7