JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES By Brandon Guthmiller

ARE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES PROTESTANTS?  No, they are Christians, but they don’t consider themselves to be Protestants.  Protestantism has been defined as a “religious movement that is opposing the Roman Catholicism.” It’s true that Jehovah’s Witnesses disagree with teachings from the Catholic Church, they don’t consider themselves to be Protestants for the Following reason.  1. A number of Protestant beliefs conflict with what the bible actually teaches. In their bibles it teaches that there is one God, not a trinity. Also it clearly states that God will punish the wicked, not in a hellfire, but with eternal destruction.  2. They don’t protest against or attempt to reform the Catholic Church or any other religious groups. All they want to do is preach the good news of God’s kingdom, and they want to help other to build a faith in the good news.  They are not interested in/ attempting to reform other religious groups, they just want others to know the truth about God and his word, the bible.

WHY DON’T JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?  They believe that Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death, and not his birth.  Jesus’s apostles and the early disciples didn’t celebrate Christmas either. In the New Catholic Encyclopedia it says, “the Nativity feat was instituted no earlier than 243 C.E, more than a century after the last of the apostles died.  There is no proof that Jesus was born on the 25 th of December, his birth was never recorded in the bible.  They believe that Christmas is not approved by God, because it’s rooted in a pagan customs and rites.

WHY DON’T JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CELEBRATE EASTER?  They think that the Easter holiday is not a celebration that is not based on the bible. They say that Jesus has commanded us to commemorate his death, and not his resurrection.  They believe that Easter is unacceptable to God, God wants them to give him a exclusive devotion. But he is offended by worship that includes practices that God not approve of.

ARE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CHRISTIANS? Yes, they say that they are Christians for the following reasons  They try to follow the teachings, and the behavior of Jesus Christ In 1Peter 2:21- it talks about us following Jesus and following him in his foot steps. God wants us to follow him and teach his teachings to his people.  They believe that Jesus is the key to salvation, and that there is no other name that is greater then his name. In Acts 4:12- it talks about that no one has salvation in them other then Jesus, and Jesus’ name is the only one that we can have salvation.  When someone becomes a Jehovah’s Witnesses, those people are baptized in the name of Jesus. In Matthew 28:18, 19- it talks about that all authority is in heaven and on earth, and Jesus tells us to go make disciples of all nations. And to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit  They offer their prayers in Jesus’ name. In John 15:16- it talks says that Jesus wants us to go and bear fruit to the nation, tell his teachings to the nations. That is why he has appointed us to do  They also believe that Jesus is the head, or that he is the only one appointed to have authority, over all men, women, and children. In 1Corinthians 11:3- it is talking about the heads of authority

However they are also not like some of the other religious groups that are out in the world. Some examples are:  That Jesus is the son on God, and not party of the trinity  That the soul is not immortal when someone dies

DO JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES BELIEVE IN JESUS? Yes, they do believe in Jesus who has said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6. They have faith in that Jesus came to the earth from heaven and that he was the perfect human life as a ransom sacrifice. Jesus’ death and resurrection makes it possible for those excising their faith in him to gain everlasting life. They also believe that Jesus is now ruling as a king of God’s Heavenly Kingdom, that will soon bring peace to the entire earth. But they take the word when Jesus says- “The Father is greater than I am” John 14:28. So they are saying that, they don’t worship Jesus because he is not God Almighty.