What are some of the similarities between Mormonism and the J.W. cult?

by hubert 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  hubert

  I am doing some research on Mormons, along with the Watchtower Org., and I'm looking for similar beliefs between the two.

  I found a few, (I think), like:

  Both believe in shunning.

  Both use the term "apostate".

  Both have "end time " predictions.... Mormons = Generation of 1832.

  Does anyone know of any other similarities? Thanks.... Hubert
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  liquidsky

  They both use the term "worldly".
• 

  blondie

  Door to door preaching, studying with people in their literature

  Jehovah is one of God's names

  Say they don't teach a trinity but believe Jesus is equal to Jehovah
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  Terry

  The Mormon religion at least started with some great Sci-Fi writing! An angel with golden plates written in Egyptian heiroglyphs, special glasses that, when you put them on, automatically translate for you! Wow! Great stuff.

  C.T.Russell had his pyramid gizmo; but, it was not at all original to him. He was just suckered in by it and returned the favor to other hapless rubes.

  Mormon's have mysterious rituals they get to observe at the temple with secret dramas portrayed to them as hermetic knowledge. They get special underwear too!

  JW's have the weird Lord's Supper ritual that only the special anointed can "partake" of. How they know they are anointed is all goofy double talk.

  Mormons can be in politics and JW's had to go to prison rather than serve their country.

  Mormons minister as missionaries for 2 years; but, JW's have the dork-to-door work a lifetime.

  One similarity that comes to mind is this. Mormon's have their own bible substitute: The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. JW's have the NWTranslation. All the aforementioned are mostly works of fiction.

  Mormon's have a support structure for the rank and file. JW's have nothing.

  Mormon's receive "revelations" from their governing body. So do JW's but it is very mysterious what the process is. New Light comes from somewhere/somehow but it is never explained. Mormon's come right out and call it prophecy. JW's, always proved wrong, call themselves latter day "prophets" but always put the word in quotation marks !

  When I was an active Pioneer as a JW the toughest debates I ever had were with Mormons. They were sharp! Indoctrination in the Mormon church is every bit as good as among JWs.

  Terry
• 

  Scully

  When a Prophecy? does not come to pass, it is never the Prophet's? fault, it is the fault of the believers. They either were too sinful, didn't believe enough in the Prophecy?, or believed the Prophecy? too completely; so God punished them by making the Prophecy? fail.

  Questioning the belief system is a huge No-No and is considered Apostasy?.

  Getting a higher education is frowned upon by the leaders. Too many people end up leaving after getting an education and learning the skill of critical thinking.

  Women are second class people. They are not allowed to teach in the congregations. They must be in subjection to their husbands. They must "keep sweet" and not bring reproach on the religion by talking about being sexually abused by male members of the church.

  Try reading Under the Banner of Heaven, by J. Krakauer if you want a really good reference to help you juxtapose the Mormons vis-à-vis the JWs.

  Love, Scully
• 

  frenchbabyface

  Blondie : Jehovah is one of God's names

  I didn't know that ...
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  blondie

  It is interesting to compare the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses to the Mormon church because the similarities are quite striking:

  • Both orgainizations had a founder who was unstable in his religious beliefs and was only satisfied with beliefs that he established himself.
  • Both organizations had a founder who claimed that the church had become apostate centuries before and that he had been appointed to "restore" the church to its proper condition.
  • Both founders made their claims of having authority from God without presenting or possessing any credentials to certify their claims. They could not prophesy, they could not heal and they could not raise the dead as could Jesus Christ and His apostles.
  • Both founders taught with materials which they had written and therefore, were outside the Bible.
  • Both groups elevate their teachings and writings as authoritative above the Bible.
  • Both founders pre-defined their doctrine and then used verses in the Bible as "proof texts" in order to support their beliefs.
  • Both organizations claim that the Bible is flawed and mistranslated, and have produced "translations" of their own claiming that they alone, out of the thousands of translators and language experts throughout history, are the correct and official interpreters of the meaning of the texts. Joseph Smith in the Mormon church produced his Inspired Translation of the Bible in 1830, by which he did not consult any original manuscripts, but translated "by inspiration" from the English text. The Jehovah's Witnesses produced their own New World Translation in 1950 which they claim as a translation.
  • Both organizations have a "president" as their head which is not a Biblical position of authority.
  • Both organizations are Theocratic in nature, controlling the individual groups throughout the world from a central location and through a set organization and system of teaching.
  • Both groups claim that they were appointed by God as His official representatives on earth and that they are they only organization approved by God and by which man can receive the truth.
  • Both organizations have changed their doctrines over the years and at the same time deny that they have done so.
  • Both organizations teach that God lives on a planet.
  • Both organizations reject, or change, virtually every doctrine taught in the Bible and at the same time claim the Bible as their authority.

  http://www.ondoctrine.com/10jehwit.htm
• 

  Earnest

  Blondie,

  I found your list interesting and generally accurate bar this one item :

  Both organizations teach that God lives on a planet.

  Do you have any references for this as I doubt there are any JWs who currently believe this. I am aware that Rutherford allowed ("It has been suggested, with much weight...") that Jehovah's throne may be in the Pleiades star cluster, either on or near the brightest of the stars, Alcyone, because it was thought the constellation was the gravitational centre of the universe (Reconciliation, 1928, p. 14). But I don't think a planet was ever involved or that it was presented as more than an interesting thought.

  That interesting thought was put to rest in the Watchtower of 1953 (11/15, p.703) :

  Pleiades can no longer be considered the center of the universe and it would be unwise for us to try to fix God?s throne as being at a particular spot in the universe. Were we to think of the Pleiades as his throne we might improperly view with special veneration that cluster of stars.?Deut. 4:19; 2 Chron. 2:6; 6:18.

  Earnest
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  RevMalk

  Both believe in shunning.

  Mormons do not practice shunning.
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  jwsons

  Both have some kinds of relation to Masonic (Mormons have their Headquater) JWs have their founder's tomb and Watchtower cover emblem till 1931

  jwsons