The answer to the question is, "No. It is not Christian." Like all non-Christian cults,
the Jehovah's Witness organization distorts the essential doctrines of Christianity. It
denies the deity of Christ, His physical resurrection, and salvation by grace. This alone makes it
non-Christian. To support its erring doctrines, the Watchtower organization (which is the
author and teacher of all official Jehovah's Witness theology), has even altered the Bible
to make it agree with its changing and non-Christian teachings.
Typical with cults that use the Bible to support its position is a host of interpretive errors:
Taking verses out of their immediate context. Refusing to read verses in the entire biblical
context. Inserting their theological presuppositions
into the text. Altering the Biblical text to suit their needs.
Latching onto one verse to interpret a host of others.
Changing the meanings of words. Proclaiming some passages to be figurative
when they contradict their doctrines. Adding to the Word of God.
Additionally, the Jehovah's Witness organization requires of its members regular weekly attendance
at their "Bible Study" meetings where they are repeatedly indoctrinated with anti-Christian
teachings. This is done by reading the Watchtower magazine, following along with what it says,
reading the questions it asks, and reciting the answers it gives. In other words, the
Watchtower Organization carefully trains its members to let the Organization do their thinking
for them. For confirmation of this, please read Does the Watchtower organization control
the JW's thinking?
The Witnesses are told they will be persecuted when they go door to door teaching their doctrines.
They are further told that this is simply the enemy fighting against God's organization
because they are in "the truth." So, when someone disagrees with them, they are conditioned
to reflect on what the Watchtower has told them. They then feel confirmed in being in
God's true organization on earth (like all cults claim). They are strongly encouraged
to have friends and acquaintances that are only JW's, thereby keeping outside examination
to a minimum. They are told to shun those who leave their group, for in this way there
is no way to see why someone has left and no way to find out that they are in error
from those who have found the truth in Christ. They are conditioned to shy away from any
real biblically knowledgeable person. An example of this is frequently found on the Internet.
I was once banned from a Jehovah's Witness chat room after I not only answered their
objections to the Trinity and deity of Christ, but challenged them in return. Subsequently,
my name was passed around to all other Jehovah's Witness rooms where I was banned from them
as well. This is a frequent occurrence on the Internet where the Jehovah's Witnesses
are alive and well. It is obvious that critical examination of their doctrines is not encouraged
by the Watchtower Organization.
The Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves to be Christians because they believe they
are serving the true and living God. Like many cults, they think they are the only true
church on earth. Yet, they deny the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the personhood of the
Holy Spirit, Jesus' physical resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith.
The Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged from looking into Jehovah's Witness history or
old Watchtower literature which is replete with contradictions, altered doctrines, and
false prophecies. Instead, they are indoctrinated repeatedly against basic Christian doctrines
(Trinity, deity of Christ, etc.) and into the notion that they alone are the true servants
of God and that all others are either in "Christendom" or simply unbelievers.
Primarily, the Jehovah's Witness organization is a mind-control organization that uses its
people to pass out literature and send in "donations" to the headquarters in Brooklyn,
New York.
"Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation
as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they
can interpret the Bible."1
The Watchtower organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses is a non-Christian organization
that uses its people to promulgate false doctrines, and collects "contributions" for distribution
of a multitudinous amount of literature, and expand its grip into the lives of its members
and their families.
It is a non-Christian cult.