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 20th 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