Something produced by Jehovah's Witnesses that explains their basic beliefs?
score:3
I don’t know how I missed that link provided by Kris either! I searched online for two hours but got drawn into a bewildering array of articles, none of which specifically answered that question. Even when I keyed in “jehovah witness beliefs” I did not find that link. I had to go to their Bible Based Books web site to find it. Clearly, their web site could do with simplification – either that or I’m really stupid!
The official link given by Kris provides a brief overview of their basic beliefs from which you can look at more detailed information on a variety of topics (such as why they don’t believe the Trinity or why only 144,000 persons since the time of Jesus can ever go to heaven: https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovah-witness-beliefs/
However, it is not a comprehensive publication. The only book that is referred to as appropriate for people to learn about their beliefs is the ‘Bible Teach’ book. It is specifically designed to be used as a study book and the objective is to get interested people to agree to a regular home study session. The idea is to carefully guide people along a path that will gently encourage them to come along to the weekly meetings to further increase their appreciation and understanding of “the truth”. A 2015 article said this:
The length of the study course depends on you. The book What Does the Bible Really Teach? contains 19 lessons. You can cover any or all of the lessons at a pace that suits you. Source: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015243?q=frequently+asked+questions&p=par
The 2005 ‘Bible Teach’ book is the latest in a long line of similar publications that are used by Jehovah’s Witnesses to teach interested persons in their beliefs. They all use the question and answer teaching method. The answers to the questions are to be found in the relevant paragraph. The subject matter and chapter headings follow a similar pattern covering identical topics:
1968 The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life
1969 Is the Bible Really the Word of God?
A 1995 Watchtower mentioned the Public Meetings as an appropriate place for people to learn about the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are held in local Kingdom Halls:
17 Another long-time feature of the teaching program is the Public Meeting. As its name indicates, this meeting was established particularly to acquaint non-Witnesses with basic Bible teachings. Thus, the one giving the talk needs to present the information so that it is understandable to those hearing the message for the first time. This means explaining terms such as “other sheep,” “brothers,” and “remnant,” terms that non-Witnesses may not understand. Since people who attend the Public Meeting may have beliefs or life-styles that are quite contrary to the Scriptures—though acceptable in today’s society—the speaker should always be tactful and never make fun of such beliefs or life-styles. Source: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1995564?q=basic+beliefs&p=par
Whatever you do, make sure you compare their New World Translation with other Bibles, preferably accredited Study Bibles that provide extensive commentaries in order to better understand the differences between some of the key doctrinal issues that distinguish Jehovah’s Witnesses from Trinitarian Christians.
P.S. Try this official web site link: https://www.jw.org/en/search/?q=faq
Upvote:1
I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses myself. It is true that we do offer personal Bible studies, but I think there is some confusion on what we are trying to achieve. We are (or should be at least) aware that we cannot make someone a Witness; this is a personal decision that has to be made freely. After all, the foremost command Jesus referred to is to "love Jehovah your God with your whole heart (...)" (Matthew 22:37). No one can make you want something.
That said, we base our beliefs on what the Bible says, and that means that the best way to understand our beliefs is to dig into what the Bible says for yourself, with the idea that "Scripture explains Scripture". I would admit that, despite considering myself intellectually well off, I found a personal study as you've been offered the most helpful, as I got the chance to ask the difficult questions; and get a better grasp on topics that I never understood when I went to church. Being able to discuss things also helped me to deal with things that I felt may not be quite right. Most of all, having this personal Bible study helped me to apply what I learned; that is what makes all the difference.
By making themselves individually available to do this, Jehovah's Witnesses try to follow Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19, to "make disciples of people of all the nations, (...) teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you". They also do it for free, because Jesus said "You received free, give free" (Matthew 10:8). Indeed, I could have been a Witness for many years without donating a penny, and no one would know, or think of asking some financial contribution from me. So more is involved than a simple transfer of knowledge, and I hope you understand that this is the motivation behind the offers for Bible studies that you get. Additionally, this video What Happens At A Bible Study? explains what to expect, and what it is not.
Of course, there are various reasons why people would not want to study the Bible with us personally, like you have mentioned in the question yourself, and I'm glad the brothers do acknowledge that. So if a personal study is not something you're prepared for right now, you can find what you are looking for (as this question asks for) at the Bible Teachings section on jw.org . Or for a brief introduction to our beliefs see What do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe These articles are like digital pamphlets that provide summarised answers on quite a number of questions, based on the Bible and referring to it. If you have further questions, feel free to tell a Witness that you simply have a question for them. I'd expect they'll be happy to answer it. Don't be surprised if they suggest to come back at a later time, though, because this gives them the chance to prepare a suitable answer based on the Bible, without rambling or making it too complex to understand. After that, you're still free to accept or decline a study.
To conclude, I would just like to give you a compliment on your efforts to find proper answers to your questions in this respect, because many people seem to give up or settle for the easiest answer they can find. Two relevant Scriptures come to mind:
"The naive [or: inexperienced] person believes every word, but the shrewd [means: "practical" or "clever"] one ponders each step." ~Proverbs 14:15
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." ~Acts 17:11
More post
- 📝 What is the significance of "Zealot" in Acts 1:13?
- 📝 Is Nessa or Vanessa a Catholic name?
- 📝 Did any ancient source believe in more than four gospels?
- 📝 Ghosts Appearing as Children [Latter-day Saint perspective]
- 📝 What would be a typical Christian Pacifist response to 'rampant evil' - say in the form of large scale terrorism?
- 📝 Did the sun and the moon really stop rotating?
- 📝 Is repenting the same as it always has been or do we in the New Covenant repent in a new way? (Roman Catholic perspective)
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church believe that we become just souls after we die?
- 📝 What is the basis for the LDS belief that religious truth is confirmed by what you feel?
- 📝 What do Evangelical Protestants say about sanctification?
- 📝 Is the Holy Spirit the combining of God the Father and God the Son's Spirit's
- 📝 What does "labor or cost of a godly life" mean?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church allow for financial incentives to be used to make converts?
- 📝 Eucharist as a definition of the Church in any early universal councils before the 1054 split?
- 📝 Do we have any more information on Jesus's Sisters?
- 📝 Is it permissible for a Catholic to believe in Miaphysitism?
- 📝 Did any Jews have the same canon as Jesus during the time of Christ and did the early church ever quote from it?
- 📝 Why isn't Zebulon near Sidon but Asher?
- 📝 Why is God said to have married a couple?
- 📝 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, why the elaborate ruse?
- 📝 Did scholars doubt Belshazzar's existence before 1854?
- 📝 Did the early Church become full preterist after AD 70?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that modern churches have guardian angels?
- 📝 Why did Magdalena use her hair to dry Jesus' feet?
- 📝 Do the measurements of the Ark have any important significance?
- 📝 Is there more than one High Priest in the order of Melchizedek?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the belief that Satan was the serpent in the Garden of Eden?
- 📝 Is it appropriate to say that some denominations are more "extreme" than others?
- 📝 How to choose an edition/translation of the bible?
- 📝 Does the Pope have the authority to baptize aliens (martians)?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Something produced by Jehovah's Witnesses that explains their basic beliefs?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses respond to the charge that they are false prophets (because their end-of-the-world predictions didn't come true)?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses explain John 8:58-59 in a way that accords with their doctrine?
- 📝 How do the Jehovah's witnesses reconcile Isaiah 44:24 with their belief that Jesus is the only direct creation of God?
- 📝 According to Jehovah’s Witnesses what does the name Immanuel mean in light of their belief that Jesus is a created being and not God?
- 📝 Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their "Governing body" will rule the world after "Armageddon"?
- 📝 How do Jehovah’s Witnesses support their belief that only 144,000 persons can be in the New Covenant and go to heaven, there to rule with Christ Jesus
- 📝 Do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that demon possession is possible within their ranks?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for saying that wives can divorce their physically abusive husbands?
- 📝 Do Jehovah's Witnesses have their own version of the Bible?
- 📝 How do Jehovah Witnesses support scripturely the idea that humans will live on earth after death?
- 📝 What is the basis that many mainstream Christian groups justify labeling groups like the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses as Non-Christians?
- 📝 From where do Jehovah's Witnesses derive the doctrine that Jesus was and now is Michael the Archangel?
- 📝 Are there any Protestant beliefs which have their roots in Mormon doctrines?
- 📝 How do apologists defend against Bart Ehrman's arguments that Church scribes corrected and changed the Bible to fit their theology?
- 📝 Did Augustine often complain that his contemporaries burdened the church with their traditions?
- 📝 How does 1 John 2:19 fit with the teaching that Christians can lose their salvation
- 📝 Which denominations believe that the misfortunes of Jews are a result of "God's curse" for their killing of Jesus?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the belief held by Jehovah's Witnesses that Jehovah and Jesus Christ are separate entities?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses explain the dramatic changes in their eschatology?
- 📝 The Jehovah's Witnesses deny that Jesus Christ existed eternally or everlastingly, how do they reconcile this with Micah 5:2?
- 📝 When did the teaching that salvation can still be obtained by people after their physical death first appear in Christianity?
- 📝 What is the basis for the belief among some LDS/Mormons that children in their pre-mortal existence choose who their parents will be?
- 📝 How comparable are the concepts of the Teaching Magisterium in the Catholic Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses view of their Watch Tower society?
- 📝 How do evangelical universalists reconcile their position with the designation for Judas that it would be better if he had never been born?
- 📝 Do any Christians purport to make testable predictions that any unbeliever can verify in their lifetime?
- 📝 Do any other denominations agree with the Jehovah Witnesses that Satan was cast to earth in 1914?
- 📝 Does the theology of Arians and Jehovah's Witnesses admit that God was at one point ἄλογος?
- 📝 Is there a doctrine or Biblical justification that explains why God chose the number 7 to be so significant?
- 📝 Is there something in Sirach that caused it to be considered Apocrypha?
