Is the Jehovah Witness Religion a Christian Religion?

[polonius]

Do Jehovah Witnesses consider Jesus Christ to be God? If so, does it maintain that there are two divine persons? God and Jesus Christ?

Are both God and Jesus eternal and coequal?

[onewithhim]

No we dont believe Jesus to be equal to YHWH Almighty God.

Right, so Jehovah's Witnesses reject John 5:18 (among other texts). From the NWT directly (along with the rest of the passage leading up to that verse:

• "After this Jesus found him in the temple and said to him: 'See, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse does not happen to you.' The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things during the Sabbath. But he answered them: 'My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.' This is why the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God." (emphasis mine)

The fact that John, the author of one of the four gospels, wrote this is all the evidence necessary to prove that the apostles all knew perfectly well what Jesus had claimed and affirmed it clearly.

So you accept the Jews' accusation that Jesus made himself equal to God? You con't think that they were accusing him of something that he was absolutely not guilty of? You believe that they heard him comparing himself to God and claiming equality?

Then you must believe their other accusations.

They accused him of "having a demon!" (John 8:48,52) So because they said it, it must be true, right?

[historia]

[Replying to post 1 by polonius]

The Jehovah's Witnesses aren't a Christian Religion, they are a branch of the Christian Religion. There are many branches of this religion. They are simply one of the more recent ones.


Tcg

What?

They aren't but they are?

Tcg is simply critiquing the specific terminology Polonius used here. He's pointing out that it would be more accurate to describe the Jehovah's Witnesses as a Christian sect or a Christian denomination rather than a Christian "religion."

[Checkpoint]

Do Jehovah Witnesses consider Jesus Christ to be God? If so, does it maintain that there are two divine persons? God and Jesus Christ?

Are both God and Jesus eternal and coequal?

Your title question is in no way furthered by your post content and questions.

For this thread, please specify the meaning intended by "a Christian religion".

RESPONSE: If you don't understand a term, check your dictionary.

"relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings."

Well then, using that broad description, JW is a Christian religion, as also is Mormonism.

However, the narrow specific questions you posed in your op inevitably bring different or mixed results.

[marco]

The word "divine" basically means "like god", "godly" it doesnt mean EQUAL to god ...there are millions of divine persons. None of whom are equal to the one, supreme Almighty Creator of all things Jehovah (YHWH).

That is not the "basic" meaning; it is one of the meanings. The original word "divinus", from "divus" a god, related to a deity. The divine Augustus was the god Augustus. Transported to English it has widened its meaning and the word can now be applied to a meal or a holiday resort. It would be wrong to say Jesus was delicious or sunny - we take the meaning that is appropriate. Obviously some Christian denominations who don't like the idea that Jesus was a deity might use a diluted meaning of divine for their own ends but that does not change the "basic" meaning of the word.

Are both God and Jesus eternal and coequal?

No, we dont believe so. We hold that Jesus is a created being that at one time didn't exist. Only the Almighty, YHWH is without beginning.

It is very honest to say that this is just a "belief". Many believe otherwise. As for Jesus being a created being that does not contradict Trinity claims. "The word was made flesh" means The Son of God took human form, for whatever theological purpose, and so assumed a human nature with a divine nature (divine meaning here "of God"). But again this is yet another interpretation of the events that appear to have taken place some years ago in Bethlehem.

Is the Jehovah Witness Religion a Christian Religion?

Yes, absolutely.

And since we are researching the "basic meaning" of words it is well to know that religion - from religio - meant superstitious belief as well as pious practice. One is free of course to apply the meaning that best fits. The noble Lucretius tells us:
" saepe religio peperit scelerosa atque impia facta" - religion has quite often given rise to wicked and shameful deeds. Plus ça change, as Karr said.

[JehovahsWitness]

The word "divine" basically means "like god", "godly" it doesnt mean EQUAL to god ...there are millions of divine persons. None of whom are equal to the one, supreme Almighty Creator of all things Jehovah (YHWH).

The original word "divinus", from "divus" a god, related to a deity.

Yes we believe Jesus is a diety ( a god), just not the diety that is Almighty God. The bible even calls Jesus "Mighty God" so we have no problem recognising him as such. Indeed the bible says there are many gods and many Lords. We believe none of them rivals in position, power or rank to the omnipotent and eternal uncreated One YHWH. That's the God we choose to worship.

It is very honest to say that this is just a "belief".

Yes, the OP asks what we "consider" . I took that to mean what we think, believe... what in our opinion we hold to be true. I answered in kind. NOTE All posts I write represent my personal faith based beliefs as one of Jehovah's Witnesses


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

To learn more po to my other posts related to...

CHRISTIANITY, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES and ...THE TRINITY

[polonius]

When and by whom was the Jehovah Witnesses founded?

[JehovahsWitness]

When and by whom was the Jehovah Witnesses founded?

If you are referring to the modern day organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Charles Taze Russell started a bible study group in the late 1800's. The first issue of the Watchtower was published in 1879. The name Jehovah Witnesses was formally adopted on 26 July, 1931.


JW


FURTHER READING:

Who was the Founder of Jehovah's Witnesses? [official website]
https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/founder/

Personal blog on Charles Russell
http://pastorrussell.blogspot.fr/

[Menotu]

I put JWs in the same category as Mormons: wishful thinking Christians. AKA scam religion.

It's important to note that the Mormons I know are very likeable (as long as you agree with them) while JWs aren't in any way shape or form likeable.

But that's just me and may not speak to the groups as a whole.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 1 by polonius]

The Jehovah's Witnesses aren't a Christian Religion, they are a branch of the Christian Religion. There are many branches of this religion. They are simply one of the more recent ones.


Tcg

What?

They aren't but they are?

Tcg is simply critiquing the specific terminology Polonius used here. He's pointing out that it would be more accurate to describe the Jehovah's Witnesses as a Christian sect or a Christian denomination rather than a Christian "religion."

Point well taken. Tcq isn't calling us non-Christian, just one of the denominations of Christianity. O.K. That is acceptable, since we undoubtedly don't want to scrutinize too closely the fine points of just what a Christian is, on this forum, at least not yet.

[onewithhim]

When and by whom was the Jehovah Witnesses founded?

It's encouraging that someone has an interest in that. Many people think that we are a "new" religion, or sect of Christianity, when in fact we are in direct connection to the earliest "church," or, congregation, arranged by Jesus Christ. We hold the belief that our particular faith was begun and taught by Jesus and his disciples, and their minority congregation (relatively few in number of members) continued (aside from the Roman Catholic Church) through the centuries to this day. Our faith was actually almost choked out by apostate Christianity (which Jesus spoke about in parable form in Matthew chapter 13) but there was always someone on Earth that believed as we do now. So we are not a "new" sect.

Charles Taze Russell happened to be living in the perfect time period when Jehovah saw that it was the best time to get the true faith back on the rails and going full steam ahead. Everything was in place to get everything rolling again. If you could avail yourself of a book called "Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom," it goes into all that. Also, if you really want a good take on Russell and the congregation since 1873 or so, there is a book entitled "Charles Taze Russell, his life and times/The man, the Millennium and the message," by Frederick Zydek.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I bought it, but after I read it I found it quite balanced and fair.