JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES:
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS 
A. Because the Watchtower Society says that we should.Q. Why must we closely examine the beliefs of the
Jehovah’s Witnesses?
The primary reason why the Watchtower Society should be closely examined is because of their self-proclaimed position as being the one and only true religion on earth today. They have said:
"Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God's holy spirit or active force. Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise." - WT 7-1-73, p.402
and…
"It is only logical that there would be one true religion...We do not hesitate to say that they are Jehovah's Witnesses." - You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, 1982, p.190
Because the Watchtower Society has placed itself in this exceptional position, we must follow their own reasoning for the necessity for closer scrutiny of their teachings, history and practices. Their rationale for religious scrutiny is given in the AWAKE! issue of August 22, 1984 p.28. It says:
"The Catholic Church occupies a very significant position in the world and claims to be the way of salvation for hundreds of millions of people. Any organization that assumes that position should be willing to submit to scrutiny and criticism."
It is important to note, however, that when a Jehovah's Witness is criticized for a particular organizational teaching or confronted with controversial and documented facts that make the Society appear questionable, then that person is labeled an ‘apostate,’ an 'opposer' or 'quarrelsome' and is thus ignored.
This attitude is quite contrary to what the Society openly proclaimed in the earlier days of its history. Its second president, Joseph Rutherford claimed:
"If the message the Jehovah's Witnesses are bringing to the people is true, then it is of greatest importance to mankind. If it is false, then it is the duty of the clergymen and others who support them to come boldly forward and plainly tell the people wherein the message is false." Golden Age, 1-18- 33, p.252
And this is precisely what this site is all about. We are actually invited by the Watchtower Society itself to “come boldly forward and plainly tell the people wherein the message is false.” We must determine if the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are supported by grammatical and historical resources. Also, we need to investigate how the Watchtower Society has handled information they have researched from outside literature.
Listed below are fully documented articles using direct quotes from literature used by the Jehovah's Witnesses. These reports address a variety of important and, at times, controversial Biblical issues debated throughout the 100+ years of the organization's history.
These articles have been prepared by Covenant Outreach Ministries - a non-profit religious research center that specializes in researching and examining the religious organization known as the Jehovah's Witnesses. Documented critical evidence is utilized in presenting a Christian response to the historical claims, doctrinal positions, and Biblical scholarship as presented by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
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