Expert: Sal - 3/30/2009

Question
i have religious beliefs and wish to become a practicing catholic.
i would like your opinion on the Jehovah witness faith. i recently found myself in a debate with a member of the Jehovah witnesses and i am ashamed to say i found myself at a loss to disprove the points they were making. the main reason for this was just a lack of knowledge on my behalf. could you tell me is there proof that the jw's faith is a farce and what do the base their beliefs on. have they translated the bible to suit themselves and what makes Catholicism a truer religion to follow. i have no interest in becoming a jw's but id like to be better informed on the subject so if debate reoccurs i can make the argument for Catholicism. and i have no doubt it will reoccur. id appreciate any help you can give me on the matter.

Answer
Dear Colin:

The JWs have their own Bible translation which no one else uses because it is a corrupt translation. The New World Translation (NWT) is the JW Bible. They had to make their own translation because any legitimate translation will not support their beliefs especially that Jesus is not God. For example John 1:1 states that Jesus is the Word and that the Word is God. The NWT states that the Word is a god with a small “g”. According to them Jesus is an angel, therefore, their “a god” translation. The JWs do not believe in the Trinity either. The very fact that they needed to rewrite the Bible indicates that they are a farce. To make a new translation is not bad in inself. However, when all Hebrew and Greek scholars say that the translation is a farce then it is a farce.  When a church says that it is Christian, but denies the divinity of Christ and the existence of the Trinity it is a farce.

If you want me to deal with some particular strange JW doctrine I will be glad to. However, please keep it to one or two questions each time so that I can give them the time that they deserve.

What makes Catholicism a truer religion than the JWs is that Catholicism is biblical. Nothing that the Catholic Church teaches is against the Bible as are the teachings of the JWs.  

God Bless You,
Sal