AboutDerrick Holland Expertise I was raised in the religion known as Jehovah`s Witnesses for 13 years. Since becoming a born-again Christian, I have researched extensively this religion, especially their doctrines and their history. I can answer questions about their doctrines from the perspective of Biblical Christianity.
Experience 23 years of Biblical research into the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, and how they differ from the teachings of the Watchtower.
Question -------------------------Thank You for your answers and kind words. I will check out your website. Also, with a little checking, you will find that even the Nazis documented the work ethic and trustfullness of JW's, as they believed they would do them and their loved ones no harm. This could not be said of anyone else in those camps. To their (JW's) credit, you are right, there are good and sincere JW's, no matter how diselutioned they are. The JW's also have a website of deaths caused by their followers that have died from not taking blood, I guess to honor them in print. I do not know that website, but I am sure you will be able to find it. Once again Thank You, and I hope in the future I may contact you with any future questions I may have about the JW's and their religion. Roger Buitrago.
Followup To
Question -
My Father has been a witness for 29 years now. He is a ministerial servant. I am Catholic. I have never believed in the witness religion, even though I was forced to go to thier meetings through violence and coersion when I was a child.My Father who is a witness beat his children right after and before going out to pass out Watchtowers. He would pull us up by our ears in the witness bathromm to make us cry and then go give his speach and pray. When my Brother died of AIDS, (which he contracted from his unfaithful wife) my Father gave the OK to let the doctors and nurses give my Brother a fatal dose of morphine, supposedly to let him die in peace. Even though I was not yet in the military I was disfellowshipped. When I went to the hall no one would acknowlege me or shake my hand. Are these people truely Christins? When I told the elders of my Fathers abuse, they said to honor our parents and washed their hands of the situation. They say no blood, but take flu shots. Is not a drop of blood the same as a pint of blood? No birthdays?-Jesus birth was celebrated by angels and men. I just do not understand. Also, witnesses are quick and proud to say they served the Nazis in Germany. Is this not serving Ceaser? Thank You.
Answer -
Hello Roger. Thank you for the question.
I am sorry for the experiences you have had with this religion. Like you, I grew up in the JW religion, and left it as well. However, my experiences were not as tragic as some of the things you have been through.
You ask..."Are these people Christians?"
In one word...NO! Jehovah's Witnesses are not Christians in the Biblical sense of the word. According to Jesus, one must be born again into God's family, in order to be saved. JWs do not preach this, and also hold many doctrines that are in direct contrast to what the Bible teaches. Therefore, they are not Christians in the Scriptural sense of the word.
In all fairness, I must say that I believe most of them are decent and sincere people. The problem is, they seem to view themselves as wonderful, Godly people, and feel that they live on a higher standard than those on the outside of their religion. They claim that, when a JW lives in a way that is not consistent with the Bible, that they deal with that person, in order to "keep the Organization clean". I think the situation that you described with your father, proves that this claim is not always true. It appears that they simple "looked the other way".
As for the shunning at the Kingdom Hall after your disfellowshipping, unfortunately this happens quite often. To a JW, a disfellowshipped person apparently isn't worth wasting a simple "hello" on. And no, this is not a Christ-like, or Christian approach. They are actually taught that a disfellowshipped person is not to be greeted, or acknowledged.
When the Bible speaks of a brother or sister who has been "disfellowshipped", it gives us clear instructions on how to treat them. In 2 Thessalonians 3:15, we are told how to treat such a one...
"Yet count him not as an enemy, but ADMONISH him as a brother."
It is difficult for me to understand how we are supposed to "admonish" or encourage one who has fallen away, without speaking to them, or acknowledging them.
As for the inconsistency regarding the blood issue, you are exactly right. But you must understand something...JWs do not arrive at their beliefs about blood transfusions on their own. The are TOLD what to believe by the Watchtower publications. These people would not come to these conclusions in a million years by simply reading the Bible for themselves. But they have been trained to accept what the Organization tells them. So, when the Watchtower tells them that blood transfusions are wrong, they accept that as truth. When the Society tells them that a certain amount of blood is acceptable, in the case of flu shots, hemophiliac preparations, immune globulins, albumin, etc.
To say that it is permissible to take certain components of blood separately, but not to take them together in the form of whole blood, is a little like saying that it is o.k. to eat ham, cheese, mayonnaise, and bread separately, but it is a sin to put them all together and make a sandwich. Yet, when people allow their minds to be controlled for them, this is what usually happens.
As for birthdays, again, you are correct. Jesus' birth was celebrated by angels and men. Also, so was the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:14).
Now, as for the JWs serving the Nazi's in Germany, I was not aware of this one. My experience with JWs, is that they like to claim that they were martyrs and victims of the Nazis in Germany, and they were killed in mass numbers along with the Jews.
Let me also refer you to my web site, on which I have written many articles about various doctrines of this religion. There is a very lengthy and in-depth article about the blood issue, which you may find helpful. It is www.jehovahswitnesses-thetruth.com, and I hope you will check it out.
Well, I hope this answer has helped. While JWs may be sincere in their beliefs, they cannot be regarded as a true Christian religion by those who believe the Word of God. If I can be of any further help to you, please feel free to write.
Take care, and have a great day.
Derrick
Answer Thanks for the info. regarding the web site about those who have died as a result of the blood transfusion teaching. I will see if I can find it. If you happen to come across it, let me know.
And again, feel free to write with any questions you may have.
