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Jehovah’s Witness and Mormons How to reach them for Christ

Jehovah’s Witnesses Today

Jehovah’s Witnesses Today

Charles Taze Russel Founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses

Russel’s Founding of JW’s  Raised Presbyterian, Eastern Religions, old SDA teachings.  1870’s: Started Bible studies.  1881: Formed Zion’s Watch Tower Tracts Society.  1906: Divorced.  Sold mysterious “Miracle Wheat.” Declared and proven a fraud.  Lost libel case against opponents. Claimed to know Greek, but didn’t.

Failed Predictions  1914: End of human rulership  1918: God’s vengeance against Christianity.  1925: Resurrection of the patriarchs  1975: The worldwide jubilee “True” church in possession of JS’ original temple site.  2000: Battle of Armageddon before end of 20 th century. “I said it from the platform! We told everyone the end was near. When I became a Witness I gave up my insurance policies, I cancelled all my insurance endowments, I never bought a house because I knew I wouldn't need one, we didn't even want to put the kids' names down for school .” 1976: 5,000 JW’s leave the movement in Netherlands. JW government since then demands greater loyalty and discipline from members.

JW Doctrine  Denies Trinity, divinity of Jesus Christ, and divinity of the Holy Spirit. God’s name is Jehovah (though proper pronunciation is Yahweh).  Christ: Jehovah created Jesus. Jesus is really archangel Michael. Jesus died on a stake, not on a cross. He was spiritually, not physically, resurrected.  No hell, no punishment for sin.

Sharing With JW’s  Establish Christ’s divinity: Heb. 1:8 -12; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 1:1 (w/Luke 3:2); 8:58; Acts 7:59.  Point out their unfulfilled prophecies, and thus their interpretation of Scripture must be wrong.

Mormonism Today

Mormonism Today

Joseph Smith Founder of the “Mormons”

Smith’s Founding of LDS  1820: Claimed to receive vision to restore the gospel.  1823: Angel Moroni told him about golden plates, i.e. the Book of Mormon.  1827: Found the plates in “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics.”  1827-29: Translated plates using magic glasses – the “ Urim and Thummim .”  1829: Founded LDS.  1830: Published Book of Mormon.

Church Growth and Splits  Brighamites (14 million) 1000’s led by Brigham Young Instituted polygamy “Church of Jesus Christ of LDS”  Josephites (250,000) Led by Emma Smith, w of Joseph Only descendants of JS can be pres. “Reorganized Church of JC of LDS”  Hedrickites “True” church in possession of JS’ original temple site.  Bickertonites “True” church led by JS’ theologian  Cutlerites “True” church led by Alpheus Cutler, who received a revelation that he would lead.  Strangites “True” church led by James Strang, who claimed Smith appointed him as next president.

Five Stages of Man (& God)

Five Stages of Man (& God) Celestial Kingdom Terrestrial Kingdom Telestial Kingdom

Mormon Gospel • We existed with God as a society of intelligences. • God evolved into a man and later an exalted man. • God created his spirit-children – Jesus, Lucifer, us. • God created the world. • God created Adam and Eve, so they could produced bodies for us spirit-children. • 600 BC -- Jews migrated to North America. Good Jews became “ Nephites .” Bad Jews becames “ Lamanites ” and were cursed with dark skin, equated with Native Americans. • Jesus Christ came to earth twice – first to Bethlehem, then to America after His resurrection. • 428 AD – Lamanites killed all Nephites. Mormon wrote about this history on golden plates. His son, Moroni, buried the plates, and later became an angel. • 1820 -- The angel Moroni led Smith to the plates.

How to Share With Mormons Joseph Smith