101 Questions Relative To The NWT
101 Questions Relative To The NWT
101 Questions Relative To The NWT
The WTS claims it uses the Bible as it's "supreme authority". Where in
the Bible does anyone count their time in preaching on a slip of
paper and are assigned record cards of activity, determining this as
a "gauge to their spirituality"? Where in the Bible are Pioneers,
Auxiliary Pioneers, Bethelites, and Kingdom Halls? Where in the
Bible does it say that anyone born after 1935 can not go to heaven,
that Christians are required to attend five meetings a week, that
men are prohibited from wearing beards, and that after a prophecy
fails, if the prophet admits he made a mistake, he is no longer a
false prophet (see Deut 18:20-22)? Where does the Bible say that a
person must belong to an organization that will start in the late
19th century and be headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, in order to
survive Armageddon?
2. The WTS teaches that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not reside
with Christ in his heavenly kingdom. If this is so, then how do you
explain Mt 8:11 in which Jesus says, “But I tell you that many
from eastern parts and western parts will come and recline
at the table WITH Abraham and Isaac and Jacob IN the
kingdom of the heavens"?
5. If the spirit of a man has no existence apart from the body, why
does Stephen just before his death in Acts 7:59, pray to Jesus to
"receive my spirit"? How could Jesus, who was in heaven, receive
Stephen's spirit if a man's spirit ceases to exist when the body dies
and if no one could enter heaven until the year 1914? Similarly, if
the soul ceases to exist after the death of the body, why does Paul
say that he would rather be “absent from the body” so he could go
make his “home with the Lord” (2Cor 5:8), and why would he say
that he would rather depart from this life so that he could go be
with Christ (Phil 1:23)? How could Paul be “with Christ” and make
his “home with the Lord” if no one could enter heaven until 1914?
7. The Bible says in Zeph 1:18, “…but by the fire of his zeal THE
WHOLE EARTH WILL BE DEVOURED, because he will make an
EXTERMINATION, indeed a terrible one, of ALL the inhabitants of
the earth.” If the WTS’s teaching that the present earth will never
be destroyed or depopulated is correct, then why does the Bible say
that the “whole earth” will be “devoured”, and “all” the inhabitants
of the earth will be exterminated? What do the words “devoured”
and “all” mean to you? How can a great crowd of people continue to
live on forever in paradise on earth after Armageddon if “ALL the
inhabitants of the earth” will be exterminated?
11. The WTS claims that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 B.C.E. and
uses Dan 4:23-25, Rev 12:6, 14, Num 14:34, and Ezek 4:6 to come
up with 1914 C.E., which is 2,520 years later, as the year that Jesus
began his reign in heaven. If the WTS’s claim that Jerusalem was
destroyed in 607 B.C.E. is correct, then why is it that every reference
source, including the Encyclopedia Britannica, Microsoft Encarta, The
World Book Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Americana, Compton’s
Encyclopedia, Acedemic American Encyclopedia, Cambridge Ancient
History – Vol. III, The Oxford Dictionary of World History, etc, etc, all
state that Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC? If the WTS is correct
that Christ’s reign in heaven started 2,520 years after the destruction
of Jerusalem, shouldn’t this event have occurred in 1935 instead of
1914? Should we view the overwhelming opinion of essentially every
historian who is an expert on ancient history, or the WTS, as
unreliable?
13. If the Holy Spirit is God's impersonal "active force", why does he
speak directly and refer to himself as "I" and "me" in Acts 13:2? If the
Holy Spirit is God's impersonal active force, how could he: Be referred
to as "he" and "him" in Jn 16:7- 8 and Jn 16:13-14; Bear witness (Jn
15:26, Acts 20:23); Feel hurt (Isa 63:10); Be blasphemed against (Mk
3:29, Lk 12:10); Say things (Ezek 3:24, Acts 8:29, 10:19, and Heb
10:15-17); Forbid someone to say things (Acts 16:6); Plead for us
with groanings (Rom 8:26); Be tested (Acts 5:9); Send people (Acts
13:4); Be a helper (Jn 14:16, 16:7); Appoint overseers (Acts 20:28);
Be outraged (Heb 10:29); Desire (Gal 5:17); Search (1Cor 2:10);
Comfort (Acts 9:31); Be grieved (Eph 4:30); Be loved (Rom 15:30);
Be lied to and be God (Acts 5:3-4)? What does the Bible say about
those who speak against the Holy Spirit? See Mt 12:32 and Lk 12:10.
14. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it alter the written word of God by adding the words
“[in symbol]” in Mk 1:4, even though these words don’t appear in the
Greek? See Gr-Engl Interlinear. How would Mk 1:4 read if the words
“[in symbol]” had not been added? In Acts 2:38, Peter says “…
Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ FOR FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS…” and in Acts 22:16,
Ananias tells Paul “…Rise, get baptized and WASH YOUR SINS AWAY
by calling on his name.” If baptism is only a symbolic display of faith in
God and does not effect the remission of sins, then why does Peter tell
the people of Jerusalem to be baptized “for forgiveness of your sins”
and why does Ananias tell Paul to get baptized in order to “wash your
sins away”?
15. The WTS claims that Ezekiel's prophecy of the Jews returning to
their land is fulfilled in their organization. Ezek 36:24, 28 says "And I
will take you out of the nations and collect you together out of all the
lands and bring you in upon your own soil." and "And you will certainly
dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers, and you must become
my people and I myself shall become your God." If this is fulfilled in
the Watchtower organization, then how are they returning to the land
of CANAAN as promised to the forefathers (Ps 105:8-11)?
16. Consider also what is said concerning those who fulfill this
prophecy. Ezek 36:22 says, "Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This
is what the sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “not for your sakes I am
doing [it], 0 house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have
PROFANED among the nations where you have come in." Since the
WTS claims that it is spiritual Israel and fulfils these prophecies in
Ezekiel, how do Jehovah's Witnesses believe they have profaned God's
name “among the nations”?
17. The NWT adds the word “[the]” to the phrase “of our God and
savior Jesus Christ” in 2Pet 1:1. 2Pet 1:11, 2:20, and 3:18, which
contain the same exact phrase in the Greek with the exception that
these verses contain the word “lord” (kyrios) instead of the word
“God” (Theos), don’t have the word “[the]” added to them. See Greek-
English Interlinear. What is the reason for this gross inconsistency in
translation of these phrases? How would 2 Pet 1:1 read if it had been
translated the same way as 2Pet 1:11, 2:20, and 3:18, and the word
“[the]” had not been added? What does scripture say about adding
words to the Bible? See Prov 30:5-6.
18. Zechariah 2:10-12 says, “Cry out loudly and rejoice, O daughter of
Zion; for here I am coming, and I will reside in the midst of you”, is
the utterance of Jehovah…And you will have to know that Jehovah of
armies himself has sent me to you. And Jehovah will certainly take
possession of Judah…and he must yet choose Jerusalem.” If Jesus and
Jehovah are not one and the same God, then how do you explain the
fact that Christ is the one who is “coming” and “will reside in the midst
of you”, but in this passage, Jehovah claims that he is the one who is
coming and will reside in their midst? How do you explain the fact that
“Jehovah of armies” is sending him (Jehovah) to reside in their midst?
19. Is it true that the WTS once taught that: The second presence of
Christ started in 1874 (WT, 11/1/22, pgs 332-337; Prophecy, 1929, pg
65-66); Vaccinations never saved a human life, doesn’t prevent
smallpox, and are condemned (Golden Age, Feb 4, 1931, pg 293-4);
The great pyramid of Egypt is a witness of the Lord (WT May 15, 1925
pgs 148-9); God governs the universe from a star called Alcyone (Thy
Kingdom Come, 1903 Ed, pg 327); Leviathan of the Bible is the steam
locomotive (The Finished Mystery, pg 84-86); Tonsillectomy is
condemned; better to commit suicide than have a tonsillectomy (GA,
April 7, 1926, pg 438); In the new world, Abraham will rule New York
City (GA, Oct 5, 1927, pg 26/29); The black race originated with
Noah’s curse upon Canaan (GA, Jul 24, 1929, pg 702); Jews are no
longer important to God (Vindication, Vol 2, pg 257-258); God wears
clothes (GA, May 19, 1926, pg 534); The WTS stands for the principles
of Nazi Germany (Yearbook 1934, pg 134-137); Aspirin is the menace
of heart disease (GA, Feb 27, 1935, pg 343-4); Do not use X-rays (GA,
Sept 23, 1936, pg 828); In 1938, people should not get married (Face
the Facts, pg 46-50); Organ transplants were condemned as
cannibalistic (WT, Nov 15, 1967, pg 702-4)? The WTS teaches that it is
the mouthpiece for Jehovah and God’s one and only channel of
communication to the world. Since God does not tell lies or change his
mind (Num 23:19, Ps 89:34, Heb 6:18), and since it is clear that the
WTS could not have possibly been speaking for God when they
proclaimed these teachings, then how do you know that the WTS is
speaking for God now? See Zeph 3:13 and Isa 28:15. To see many
direct quotes from the WTS, click: WTS Quotes
20. The NWT translates the Greek word "esti" as "is" every time it
appears in the New Testament (eg, Mt 26:18, 38, Mk 14:44, Lk 22:38,
etc), except in Mt 26:26-28, Mk 14:22-24, and Lk 22:19 where it is
rendered as “means”, even though this word is translated as “is” in the
Kingdom Interlinear. Why the inconsistency in the translation of the
word "esti" in these verses? If the NWT were consistent and translated
the Greek word "esti" as "is" in these verses, what would these verses
say?
21. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it alter the word of God by twice adding the words
“relation to” in Mt 5:19, when this phrase does not exist in the Greek?
See Gr-Engl Interlinear. How would this verse read if the phrase
“relation to” had not been added to it and what would this say about
who can enter the kingdom of heaven? If only 144,000 people will go
to heaven, why does scripture say in this verse that “ANYONE who
does them (the commandments) and teaches them…” will be called
great “in the kingdom of the heavens.”? What does the word “anyone”
mean to you?
22. If the earth will never be destroyed or depopulated, how can it be,
then, that God says in Isa 51:6, "... the earth itself will wear out, and
its inhabitants themselves will die like a mere gnat...", and that John
says in Rev 21:1 that he saw "... a new heaven and a NEW earth; for
the former heaven and the FORMER earth had passed away, and the
sea is NO MORE."? Similarly, if the WTS’s teaching that the earth will
never be destroyed or depopulated is correct, then why does the Bible
say that “the earth itself…will perish” (Ps 102:25-26, Heb 1:10-11),
and why does Jesus himself say that “Heaven and EARTH will pass
away…” (Mt 24:35, Mk 13:31, Lk 21:33)? Conversly, in Eccl 1:4,
Solomon says, “A generation is going and a generation is coming; but
the earth is standing even to time indefinite.” But didn’t Solomon write
this scripture at a time in his life when he had ceased to serve the Lord
and therefore wrote only his own thoughts from a very humanistic
point of view? In Eccl 1:2, he states, “Everything is vanity!” and in vs
8 he says, “All things are wearisome”. Since obviously not “everything”
is vanity and not “all things” are wearisome to a true Christian, doesn’t
this show that Solomon was speaking for himself and doesn’t this
whole passage just show the futility of man without God?
23. The NWT translates the Greek word “Theos” in Jn 1:1c as “a god”,
but translates this same exact Greek word as “God” everywhere else it
appears, (eg, Jn 3:2, 3:16, 3:17, 3:33, 3:34, 4:24, 6:27, 8:54, etc),
including Jn 20:28 where this word explicitly refers to Jesus. What is
the reason for this inconsistency in the translation of “Theos” in Jn
1:1c? If “Theos” was translated as “God” in Jn 1:1c like it is translated
everywhere else it appears in the NWT, how would Jn 1:1 read and
what would it say about the nature of Christ? Similarly, the Greek
word “Theon” is translated in the NWT as “God” in almost every
instance (eg, Mt 22:37, Lk 10:27, Jn 1:1b, 8:41, 14:1, 17:3, 1Jn 4:7,
4:12, 5:2, Rev 14:7, etc), but in Jn 10:33 it is translated as “a god”.
What is the reason for this inconsistency in the translation of the word
“Theon”? If “Theon” was translated as “God” in Jn 10:33, how would
this verse read and what would it say about the nature of Christ? What
did Jesus say in this passage that made the Jews want to kill him? See
Jn 10:30-31. The phrase “Son of God” in theological language is a
semitic term which means “having the same nature as God”, or being
God, just as the term “Son of man” means “having the same nature as
a man”, or being a man. Since blasphemy is one of the few offenses in
Jewish law for which a person may be stoned to death, wouldn’t this
claim of Christ, that he is the Son of God, qualify as a blasphemous
statement to the Jews, and wasn’t this the reason they wanted to kill
him by stoning him to death (Jn 10:31, 36-39)?
24. On pgs. 66, 69, 211, 423, 560, 648, and 719 of Jehovah's
Witnesses--Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, reference is made to The
Finished Mystery, which was the 7th of the Studies in the Scriptures
series published by the WTS in 1917 (pg 66, 719), and was the major
publication of the WTS at that time. On pgs. 88, 648, and 651, a
picture of this book appears, complete with the winged disk symbol of
the Egyptian sun god Ra on its front cover. Is it true that The Finished
Mystery taught that Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
the end, and the Almighty of Rev 1:8 (pg 15), that Christ established a
"Church" (pg 17), that Christ returned invisibly in 1874 (pg 54, 60,
68), that Armageddon was definitely going to occur in the spring of
1918 (pg 62 and 128), that the Holy Spirit has a personality (pg 57),
that the great pyramid of Giza was God's stone witness and was used
to predict the year of Armageddon (pg 60), that Christ was crucified
(pg 68), that Heb 1:6 is translated, “Let all the angels of God worship
him” (pg 104), that Leviathan of the Bible refers to the steam
locomotive (pg 85), that Michael is the Pope of Rome and the angels
are his bishops (pg 188), that Nah 2:3-6 describes the railway train
(pg 93), that the great earthquake of Rev 6:12 refers literally to the
Lisbon earthquake of Nov 1, 1775, and it refers symbolically to the
American Revolution (pg 119), that the sun becoming black in Rev
6:12 refers literally to a dark day which occurred on May 19, 1780,
and refers symbolically to the light of the papal heavens darkened
when Napoleon fined the Pope 10 million dollars and took the Pope a
prisoner to France (pg 120), that Christ is eternal, “the same
yesterday, today, and forever. – Heb 13:8” (pg 142), and that the
Seventh Volume of Studies in the Scriptures (also known as The
Finished Mystery) is “Divinely provided” (pg 145)? According to
"current" WTS teachings, Christ began to reign in heaven in 1914 and
around 1918 chose the WTS as his earthly organization because they
were the only ones teaching "the Truth". If this was so, then Jesus
would have known the teachings of the WTS as put forth in The
Finished Mystery, published in 1917. Do you really think that Jesus
would have chosen an organization which taught so many things that
were not correct according to "current" WTS teachings and are no
longer taught as "the Truth"? Since God does not tell lies or change his
mind (Num 23:19, Ps 89:34, Heb 6:18), and it is clear that the WTS
could not have possibly been speaking for God when they taught these
things, at least according to current WTS teachings, how do you know
that the WTS is speaking for God now?
26. Phil 2:6-8 says that Christ was “existing in God’s form” before he
became a man, and willingly “emptied (lowered) himself” to become a
man and “humbled HIMSELF” in order to make himself subject to the
Father. Scripture also says that Christ was born under the law (Gal
4:4), in order to do, not his own will, but the will of the Father (Jn
5:30, 6:37). Doesn’t this mean that before Christ lowered “himself”,
he would not have been subject to the Father and therefore equal to
the Father in authority and glory? See also Jn 17:5
27. The NWT translates the Greek words "ego eimi" () as "I am" every
time it appears in the New Testament (eg, Jn 6:35, 6:41, 8:24, 13:19,
15:5, etc.), except in Jn 8:58 where it is translated as "I have been".
If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the Bible
what is the reason for the inconsistency in this translation? If "ego
eimi" was translated in Jn 8:58 the same way it is translated in every
other verse in which it appears, how would Jn 8:58 read and what
would this verse say about the nature of Christ? See Exo 3:14 in every
version of the Bible except the NWT. Why is this phrase, “ego eimi”
translated as “I am” in the KIT, but “I have been” in the NWT? Since “I
am” is present tense, and “I have been” is past tense, which tense is
correct? If the “translators” of the NWT were Greek scholars, shouldn’t
they have known which tense “ego eimi” is?
28. Almost every time the Greek word “ginosko” (Strong’s # 1097) is
used in the New Testament, the NWT translates it as “know” or
“known” (eg, 1Cor 8:3, Gal 4:9, Jn 10:14, Jn 10:27, etc). However, in
Jn 17:3, this same Greek word is rendered as “taking in knowledge
of”. What is the reason for the inconsistency of the translation of this
word in Jn 17:3 by the NWT? If the NWT were consistent and
translated this word in Jn 17:3 the same way it is translated in the
other verses in which it appears, how would this verse read? In
addition, the Kingdom Interlinear translates this word as “they may be
KNOWING” instead of “their taking in knowledge” as it is translated in
the NWT. Why the inconsistency in translation between the KIT and
the NWT? If this word was translated in this verse like it is translated
in the other verses in which it appears, how would this verse read?
How could a person come to “know” Jesus Christ unless they have a
relationship with him? How could a person have a relationship with
Christ unless they communicate with Jesus through prayer?
29. If the soul is the body, why does Jesus make a distinction between
the body and the soul in Mt 10:28? Similarly, if the soul is the body,
why does Paul make a distinction between the “spirit and soul and
body of you” in 1Thess 5:23? In addition, the NWT renders 2Tim 4:22
as, “The Lord [be] with the spirit you [show]…”even though the
Kingdom Interlinear Translation (KIT) translates the Greek phrase “sou
pneuma” as “the spirit of you”. Why is there a difference between the
KIT and the NWT rendition of this verse? Why does the NWT add the
word “[show]” when it does not appear in the Greek? Wouldn’t the KIT
version be a much simpler and straight forward rendition of this verse?
If the KIT version is used, what does this verse say about the “spirit”
of a person?
30. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it alter the word of God by adding the word “[Son]” in
Acts 20:28 when this word does not exist in the Greek? See Gr-Engl
Interlinear.
31. In Phil 2:9, the NWT inserts the word "[other]" even though it
doesn't appear in the original Greek. See Gr-Engl Interlinear. Why
does the WTS alter scripture by adding the word “[other]” to this
verse? Is the word "Jehovah" a name? See Exo 6:3, Ps 83:18, and
Isa 42:8. How would the verse read if the word "other" had not
been inserted? What does scripture say about adding words to the
Bible? See Prov 30:5-6. If Christians are persecuted for the sake of
Jehovah's name, why did Christ tell the first Christians that they
would be persecuted for the sake of his (Jesus') name, instead of
Jehovah's (Mt 24:9, Mk 13:13, Lk 21:12,17, Jn 15:21, and Acts
9:16)? If the name "Jehovah" is so important, then why does Acts
4:12 say, "Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for
there is not another name (Jesus Christ vs 10) under heaven that
has been given among men by which we must get saved"? If the
teachings of the WTS are correct, would this not have been the
logical place for God to have used the name "YHWH" or "Jehovah"?
32. The NWT translates Mt 25:46 as, “And these will depart into
everlasting cutting-off…”. The Greek word that is translated as
“cutting-off” is “kolasis” (Strong # 2851). According to Strong’s
Greek dictionary, this word can only mean “correction, punishment,
or penalty”, but no reference is made to “cutting-off”. If the word
“kolasis” was translated correctly as “correction, punishment, or
penalty”, as it should be according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary,
how would this verse read?
33. According to scripture, Jesus is “the first and the last” (Rev
1:17-18), the “first and the last” is “the Alpha and Omega” (Rev
22:13), and “the Alpha and the Omega” is God (Rev 1:8). In other
words, Jesus = “the first and the last” = “the Alpha and the
Omega” = God. How can this be if Jesus is not God?
34. Since the WTS prohibits the use of blood transfusions, why does
it permit the infusion of albumin, clotting factors, and gamma
globulins, all of which are components of human blood and are
derived from human blood? Since Acts 15:29 clearly refers to the
old Jewish law of not EATING blood (Gen 9:4, Lev 3:17, Deut
12:16), and since the WTS has changed its teachings on other
major health related issues like vaccinations, organ
transplantations, and its opposition to tonsillectomies (Golden Age,
4/7/26, pg 438), etc. and simply calls these changes "New Light",
how can you be sure they won't some day change their teachings
on blood transfusions and refer to that change as "New Light" also?
35. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it alter the written word of God by adding the
words “itself” and “[true]” in Eccl 12:7 when these words don’t
exist in the Hebrew? How would this verse read without the
addition of these words? What does scripture say about adding
words to the Bible? See Prov 30:5-6. If what the WTS teaches
about the spirit of man is correct, then how can the “spirit” of a
man return to God after the body dies and returns to the earth?
36. The WTS book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth states
on page 147, “Bible evidence shows that in the year 1914 C.E.
God’s time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling.” It also
states “In the same way, Christ’s return does not mean that he
literally comes back to this earth. Rather, it means that he takes
Kingdom power toward this earth and turns his attention to it.” In
1Cor 11:26, Paul writes, "For as often as you eat this loaf and drink
this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he
arrives." If Christ “arrived” in 1914, why do Jehovah's Witnesses
continue to partake of the bread and wine? Shouldn't they have
stopped in 1914?
37. In Acts 2:26-27, Peter, referring to the time the dead Jesus
spent in the tomb, quotes David referring to Christ, “On this
account my heart became cheerful and my tongue greatly rejoiced.
Moreover, even MY FLESH WILL RESIDE IN HOPE, because you will
not leave my soul in Hades…” If Jesus’ body was destroyed while he
was in the tomb, why does he say that his “flesh will reside in
hope”? For what “hope” was his “flesh” residing? If there is no
conscious awareness after death, how could he “hope”, in the first
place?
38. In the NWT, every time the Greek word "proskuneo" () is used
in reference to God, it is translated as "worship" (Rev 5:14, 7:11,
11:16, 19:4, Jn 4:20, etc.). Every time "proskuneo" is used in
reference to Jesus, it is translated as "obeisance" (Mt 14:33, 28:9,
28:17, Lk 24:52, Heb 1:6, etc.), even though it is the same word in
the Greek (see Gr-Engl Interlinear). Especially compare the Greek
word "proskunhsan" used with reference to God in Rev 5:14, 7:11,
11:16, and 19:4 and the same exact word used with reference to
Christ in Mt 14:33, 28:9, and 28:17. What is the reason for this
inconsistency in translation? If the NWT was consistent in
translating "proskuneo" as "worship", how would the verses above
referring to Christ read?
39. Jesus Christ is referred to as "Mighty God" in Isa 9:6 ("For there
has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us... And
his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father..."). Jehovah God is referred to as "Mighty God" in Isa
10:20-21. How can this be if there is only ONE God? Jesus is also
called the “Eternal Father” in Isa 9:6. Since only God is eternal,
that is, has no beginning and no end, how can this be if Christ is
not God but was “created” by God? If “Mighty God” and “Eternal
Father” are only titles given to Christ, why would he be given any
“title” in scripture that did not accurately apply to him?
40. Acts 17:31 Paul says, "Because he has set a day in which he
purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a MAN
whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all
men in that he has resurrected him from the dead". Did Paul
believe that the future judge of the world, Jesus Christ, would be an
invisible spirit creature or an immortal “man”? Similarly, after Jesus’
death, Paul writes in 1Tim 2:5, “For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus.” Did Paul,
speaking in the present, believe that Jesus was an invisible spirit
creature or a “man”?
41. Col 1:16, in talking about Jesus says, "... ALL [other] things
have been created through him and FOR HIM". If Jesus were
Michael the Archangel at the time of creation, would an angel have
created all things for himself? Isa 43:7 says God created
"everyone ... for my OWN glory ..." If the NWT is the most accurate
word for word translation of the Bible, why does it alter the written
word of God by adding the word “[other]” even though it does not
appear in the original Greek? See Gr-Engl Interlinear. How would
this verse read if the word “[other]” had not been added? What
does the word “all” mean to you?
43. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it alter the word of God by adding the word
“[others]” in Acts 10:36 when this word does not appear in the
Greek? See Gr-Engl Interlinear. How would this verse read if the
word “[others]” had not been added to it? What does the word “all”
mean to you?
46. In the WTS book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth
states on page 147, “…Bible evidence shows that in the year 1914
C.E. God’s time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling.” It also
states “In the same way, Christ’s return does not mean that he
literally comes back to this earth. Rather, it means that he takes
Kingdom power toward this earth and turns his attention to it.” This
event is described in Zechariah 14:4, which states, "And his feet
will actually stand in that day upon the mountain of the olive trees
which is in front of Jerusalem on the east…" If Jesus has no body
and if he will not literally come back to earth, as only the WTS
teaches, how do you explain this verse? What does the phrase “his
feet will actually stand” mean to you? In addition, Zech 14:3 says
that it is Jehovah’s feet that will stand upon the mountain of the
olive trees. Since Jesus is the one who is coming, how can this be
unless Jesus and Jehovah are one and the same? Similarly, if Christ
will not have a visible return to earth, but returned invisibly in
1914, then how was he seen by "ALL the tribes of the earth" (Mt
24:30), and by "EVERY eye" (Rev 1:7) when he returned? What do
the words “all” and “every” mean to you? How can Christ "APPEAR"
a second time (Heb 9:28) if he will not have a visible “return” to
earth?
48. Acts 1:11 says, “This Jesus who was received up from the you
(apostles) into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you
have beheld him going into the sky.” What does the phrase “in the
same manner” mean to you? Did Jesus literally, physically, and in
plain view ascend to heaven (see Acts 1:9)? What does the phrase
“while they were looking on, he was lifted up” in Acts 1:9 mean to
you? If Jesus physically and in plain view ascended to heaven, then
how can Jesus have an “invisible” return to earth if his return will
be “in the same manner” as his ascension?
51. If the NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the
Bible, why does it translate the very simple Greek phrase “en
autos” as “in him” in Col 2:7, Col 2:9, Mt 14:2, Mk 6:14, Lk 23:22,
Jn 4:14, Acts 20:10, 1Cor 2:11, Eph 1:10, Col 1:19, Heb 10:38,
1Jn 2:15, 3:5, 3:15, etc. but translates this same Greek phrase as
“by means of him” in 2Cor 1:20, 5:21, and Col 2:10, “by
relationship with him” in Col 2:11, “in his case” in 2Cor 1:19, 1Jn
2:8, 10, and “in union with him” in Jn 14:11, 2Cor 13:5, Eph 1:4,
Phil 3:9, Col 2:6, 2Thess 1:12, 1Jn 1:5, 2:5, 2:27, 2:28, 3:6, 4:13,
4:15, and 4:16? See Gr-Engl Interlinear. What is the reason for the
addition of words in these verses and for the inconsistency in
translation of this very simple Greek phrase “en autos”? If the NWT
was consistent and translated this very simple Greek phrase “en
autos” as “in him” in all the above verses, how would they read? Is
the WTS trying to obscure the point of the author that the Christian
life consists of a supernatural relationship with Christ?
52. Jn 1:3 says that Jesus created "all things". What does the word
“all” mean to you? In Isa 44:24, God says that he "BY MYSELF”
created the heavens and the earth and asks the question "Who was
with me?" when the heavens and the earth were created. If what
the WTS teaches about the nature of Christ is correct, how could
God have been “by myself” when the heavens and the earth were
created if Christ had been created first? If Jesus had been created
by God, wouldn’t he have been with God when everything else was
created? Likewise, if Jesus was a created being, then according to
Jn 1:3, Jesus would have had to create himself. How would that
have been possible?
53. If Christ was created by God and was the wisdom of God (Prov
8:1-4, 12, 22-31), then before Jesus would have been created, God
would have had to have been without wisdom. How is it possible
that God could have ever been without wisdom? In Prov 8:2, the
feminine form of the Hebrew verb “natsab” is used. This can only
be translated as “SHE stands”. Similarly, in Prov 8:3, the feminine
form of the Hebrew verb “ranan” is used. This can only be
translated as “SHE cries”. If the NWT is the most accurate word for
word translation of the Bible, why does it use the neuter pronoun
“it” in these verses when the feminine pronoun “she” is called for?
How could Christ be the wisdom of God in Prov 8, if the feminine
form of the verbs are used? In addition, why does the NWT use the
neuter pronoun “it” in Prov 8:2-3, when wisdom is called “sister” in
Prov 7:4 and “she” in Prov 9:4?
54. The Bible says that: The heavens are the work of God’s hands
(Ps 102:25), the heavens are the work of Jesus’ hand (Heb 1:10);
God laid the foundations of the earth (Isa 48:13), Jesus laid the
foundations of the earth (Heb 1:10); God is our judge (Ps 50:6,
Eccl 12:14, 1Chron 16:33), Jesus is our judge (2Tim 4:1, Rev
20:12); God is the temple of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:22), Jesus
(the Lamb) is the temple of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:22); God is
the alpha and omega (Rev 1:8), Jesus is the alpha and omega (Rev
22:13); God is the first and last (Isa 44:6, 48:12), Jesus is the first
and last (Rev 22:13); God is the beginning and the end (Rev 21:6),
Jesus is the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13); Only God can
forgive sins (Lk 5:21), Jesus forgives sins (Lk 5:20); God is our
hope (Ps 71:5), Jesus is our hope (1Tim 1:1); God is eternal (Deut
33:27), Jesus is eternal (Isa 9:6, Heb 1:10-11); God will come with
all the holy ones (Zech 14:5), Jesus will come with all the holy ones
(1Thess 3:13); Only God is our savior (Isa 43:11), Jesus is our
savior (Tit 2:13, 2Pet 1:1); God is the creator of the universe (Isa
44:24, Jer 27:5), Jesus is the creator of the universe (Jn 1:3); To
God, every knee will bow and every tongue confess (Isa 45:22-23),
to Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess (Phil 2:10-
11); God is the same and his years will have no end (Ps 102:27),
Jesus is the same and his years will have no end (Heb 1:12); God is
immutable (Mal 3:6), Jesus is immutable (Heb 13:8); God is over
all (Ps 97:9), Jesus is over all (Jn 3:31); the spirit of God dwells in
us (Rom 8:9), the spirit of Jesus dwells in us (Gal 4:6); God is a
stone of offense and a stumbling block (Isa 8:14), Jesus is a stone
of offense and a stumbling block (1Pet 2:8); God was valued at 30
pieces of silver (Zech 11:12-13), Jesus was valued at 30 pieces of
silver (Mt 26:14-16); God is our shepherd (Ps 23:1), Jesus is our
shepherd (Jn 10:11, 1Pet 5:4, Heb 13:20); God is Mighty God (Isa
10:21), Jesus is Mighty God (Isa 9:6); God is Lord of Lords (Deut
10:17, Ps 136:3), Jesus is Lord of Lords (Rev 17:14); God is our
only Rock (Isa 44:8, Ps 18:2, 94:22), Jesus is our rock (1 Cor
10:4); God is our owner (Isa 54:5), Jesus is our only owner (Jude
4); No one can snatch us out of God’s hand (Deut 32:39), no one
can snatch us out of Jesus’ hand (Jn 10:28); God is the horn of
salvation (2Sam 22:3), Jesus is the horn of salvation (Lk 1:68-9);
God renders according to our works (Ps 62:12), Jesus renders
according to our works (Mt 16:27, Rev 22:12); God loves and
corrects (Prov 3:12), Jesus loves and corrects (Rev 3:19); God’s
words will stand forever (Isa 40:8), Jesus’ words will stand forever
(Mt 24:35); God is the eternal light (Isa 60:19), Jesus is the eternal
light (Jn 8:12, Rev 21:23); God seeks to save the lost (Ezek
34:16), Jesus seeks to save the lost (Lk 19:10); Paul is a slave of
God (Tit 1:1), Paul is a slave of Jesus (Rom 1:1) even though no
man can slave for two masters (Mt 6:24); God raised Jesus from
the dead (Gal 1:1), Jesus raised himself from the dead (Jn 2:19-
21); God is our guide (Ps 48:14), Jesus is our guide (Lk 1:79); God
is our deliverer (Ps 70:5, 2Sam 22:2), Jesus is our deliverer (Rom
11:26); God is called God (Isa 44:8), Jesus is called God (Isa 9:6,
Jn 20:28); God is the King of Israel (Isa 44:6), Jesus is the King of
Israel (Mt 27:42, Jn 1:49). Since the Bible does not contradict
itself, how can all these things be true if Jesus is not God?
56. Does the WTS claim "apostolic succession"? If so, can it trace
its roots all the way back to Christ (Mt 16:18)? Who was it then,
that "passed the torch of God's spirit" to C. T. Russell when he
founded the organization? What was the name of this individual or
individuals? Similarly, since the anointed believers as an
organization are claimed to be God's collective "faithful and discreet
slave" that alone guides people in their understanding of Scripture,
and since this organization did not come into existence until the
late-nineteenth century, does this mean God had no true
representatives on earth for many, many centuries? If he did, who
were they? What were their names? Can you name one Jehovah’s
Witness who lived before 1800?
57. The NWT translates Jn 1:1 as "... and the Word was WITH God,
and the word was a god." How can the Word (Jesus) be "a god' if
God says in Deut 32:39, "See now that I -- I am he, and there are
NO gods together with me..."? Similarly, the Greek word “Theos”
does not have an article in Jn 1:1c and the NWT supplies the
indefinite article “a”, rendering it “and the Word was a god.” If the
NWT is the most accurate word for word translation of the Bible,
why doesn’t the NWT add the indefinite article “a” in other verses
where the Greek word “Theos” does not have an article (eg Jn 1:6,
12, 13, 18, etc)? What is the reason for this inconsistency in
translation? In addition, how could Jesus be “a god” since Jesus
says that he came against those whom the prophet called “gods”
(Jn 10:35)? Is there any such things as a “true” god? If the WTS
teaches this, then doesn’t that make them polytheists?
58. The WTS teaches that the 144,000 of Rev 7:4 and Rev 14:3 is
to be taken literally. If these passages in scripture are to be taken
literally, then the 144,000 are all literally male (Rev 14:4), Jewish
(Rev 7:4-8), virgins (Rev 14:4). Was Charles Taze Russell a Jewish
virgin? Are all women excluded from this number? Are any of the
other 144,000 people included in this number Jewish virgins? If not,
then how can this passage, including the number 144,000, be taken
literally? What justification is there for switching methods of
interpretation from literal, in the case of Rev 7:4 and 14:3, to
figurative in the very next verse(s)?
59. Jesus uses the phrase "Truly I say to you,..." over 50 times in
the Bible. In the NWT, the comma is placed after the word "you"
every time except in Lk 23:43, where the comma is placed after the
word "today". Why is the comma placed after "today" instead of
after "you" in this verse? According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary,
the word “paradise” (Gr-paradeisos – Strong’s #3857) refers to
“the part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be the
abode of the souls of the pious until the resurrection”, where Jesus
would go in order to preach after his death (1Pet 3:18-20, 1Pet
4:5-6). By using this word instead of the Greek word for “heaven”,
wasn’t Luke showing that Jesus was not referring to heaven when
he made this statement? If the translation of this phrase in Lk
23:43 was consistent with the translation of this phrase in every
other verse in which it appears (see concordance), and the comma
was placed after the word "you", how would this verse read?
60. What are the names of the men on the New World Bible
Translation Committee who supposedly translated the original
Hebrew and Greek into English for the NWT? What are their
credentials that would qualify them to produce a Bible translation?
Why does the WTS withhold the names of these people so that no
one can see what their qualifications are?
61. Rev 20:10 says, "And the Devil... the wild beast and the false
prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night
forever and ever". This event will occur after the 1,000 year reign
of Christ (Rev 20:7). Where will the Devil, the wild beast, and the
false prophet be "tormented day and night forever and ever"? What
does the word “tormented” mean to you? Likewise, Rev 14:9-11
says, "... If anyone worship the wild beast... he shall be tormented
with fire and sulphur... And the smoke of their torment ascends
forever and ever..." Where could "anyone" be "tormented... forever
and ever"?
62. Since the WTS currently rejects many of the teachings of its
founder, Charles Taze Russell (who was president of the
organization from 1879-1916), and since they also reject many of
the teachings of "Judge" Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who
succeeded Russell as president from 1916-1942, how can you be
sure that in 25 more years, the WTS won't reject many of the
teachings under current president, Milton Henschel (1992-present),
as they did Russell and Rutherford? What kind of confidence can
you have in an organization that rejected many of the teachings of
its founder and first two presidents for the first 63 years of its
existence - over 50% of the time they have existed?!
64. Since the WTS has received "new light" regarding the 1914
generation, and completely changed their views on this, does this
mean that all the former Witnesses who were disfellowshipped
years ago for the same view the organization is now teaching will
automatically be accepted back into fellowship again? Were these
ex-Witnesses in fact disfellowshipped for what is now taught as "the
Truth"?
66. Rev 7:11 says that "before the throne" is in heaven where "all
the angels were standing". Rev 14:2-3 says "And I heard a sound
out of heaven ... And they were singing as if a new song before the
throne ...", also showing that “before the throne” is in heaven. Rev
7:9 says,"... look, a great crowd ... standing before the throne..."
and Rev 7:14-15 says, "...These are the ones that come out of the
great tribulation ... That is why they are before the throne of
God ..." Therefore, if "before the throne " means in heaven (Rev
7:11, 14:2-3), and the "great crowd" is "before the throne" (Rev
7:9, 7:14-15), where does that mean that the great crowd will be?
Where does Rev 19:1 say that the great crowd will be?
67. If hell does not exist, then what is the “everlasting fire” (Mt
18:8, Mt 25:41, and Jude 7) that people can be thrown into? If fire
is a symbol of annihilation, then what is the scriptural evidence to
support this? Similarly, Jesus talks about the “fiery furnace” and
says “There is where [their] weeping and the gnashing of [their]
teeth will be” (Mt 13:42, 13:50). If hell does not exist, then where
is the “fiery furnace” where there will be “weeping and the gnashing
of [their] teeth”? If the “fiery furnace” is just symbolic of total
annihilation, in which a person will completely go out of existence
and have no conscious awareness, then how could they weep and
gnash their teeth?
68. The WTS makes the claim, "Like the Primitive Christian
Community - the religious publication 'Interpretation' stated in July
1956: 'In their organization and witnessing work, they [Jehovah's
Witnesses] come as close as any group to approximating the
primitive Christian community..."- Jehovah's Witnesses- Proclaimers
of God's Kingdom, pg 234, and on pg 677 of the same book, a
caption appears titled "Like the early Christians". Do Jehovah's
Witnesses pray the "Our Father" (Mt 6:9-13), break bread together
(celebrate the Eucharist) frequently (Acts 2:42, 1Cor 10:16-17,
1Cor 11:26-27), come together on Sunday to break bread (Acts
20:7), confirm the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:15-
17, 19:5-6, Heb 6:2, 2Tim 1:6), ordain (appoint) priests (elders)
through the laying on of hands (Acts 6:5-6, 13:2-3), pray to Jesus
(Mt 11:28, Acts 7:59-60, 1Cor 16:22-23, Rev 22:20), anoint the
sick with oil (Mk 6:12-13, Jas 5:14), often kneel down to pray (Acts
9:40, 20:36, 21:5, Lk 22:41), consider themselves to be witnesses
of Christ (Acts 1:8, 10:39, 13:31), have deacons (1Tim 3:8, 10,
12), use altars (1Cor 10:18-21, Heb 13:10), fast from food (Mt
6:16-18), believe there is salvation in no one else other than Jesus
Christ (Acts 4:10-12), celebrate Pentecost (Acts 2:1, 20:16, 1Cor
16:8), have special people that look after widows and orphans (Acts
6:1-4, Jas 1:27), and occasionally drink wine (1Tim 5:23)? If not,
then how can Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves to be like
the primitive Christian community? Since the word "Jehovah" is not
contained in the original New Testament and did not appear until at
least the 12th century (See Aid to Bible Understanding, pages 884,
885), making it clear that the first century Christian community
could not have referred to themselves by this name, then how can
the WTS be like the primitive Christian community by applying the
term “Jehovah’s Witnesses” to themselves?
72. In Rev 22:12-13, Jesus Christ, the one who is "coming quickly",
says of himself," I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the
last, the beginning and the end". In Rev 1:17-18, Jesus, the one
who "became dead, but, look! I am living forever and ever", refers
to himself as the first and the last. Rev 21:6, in speaking of God,
says, "...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the
end .,.". God is also referred to as the "first" and the "last" in Isa
44:6 and Isa 48:12. How can Jesus and Jehovah both be the “alpha
and omega” and “the first and the last” since by definition of these
words there can only be one Alpha and Omega and only one first
and one last?
73. If the WTS claims they are not "inspired" but does refer to
themselves as "God's spirit-directed Prophet", what is the
difference? Is there such a thing as an "uninspired true prophet"?
Why would anyone be part of a religious organization which claimed
that their teachings were NOT inspired?
78. Heb 11:16, in speaking about some of the faithful people of the
Old Testament (Abel, Noah, Abraham, etc.) says, "But now they are
reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to
heaven..." and,"... their God for he has made a city ready for
them." The footnote on the word "city" refers to HEAVENLY
Jerusalem of Heb 12:22 and Rev 21:2. How can this be since
according to the teachings of the Watchtower Society, the only
people who will go to heaven are the 144,000 spirit anointed who
have been chosen from people who lived after Christ died?
81. If the soul dies when the body dies, how could the "souls"
of Rev 6:9- 11, who were of those who had been
"slaughtered" (i.e., killed), cry out "with a loud voice,
saying: 'Until when Sovereign Lord ..."?
83. If the human soul IS the person, how could the soul go
out of a person’s body (Gen 35:18) or come back into a
person’s body (1 Kings 17:21)? Similarly, in Lk 12:4-5, what
would be left of a person after they were killed that could be
thrown into Gehenna?
84. Eph 4:4 says that there is ONE spirit. 1Cor 3:16 says for
the people of God’s temple, this spirit of God dwells in them
and Rom 8:9 states that those who are in harmony with the
spirit have God’s spirit dwelling in them. If this is all true
and there is only ONE sprirt, then who or what is the spirit of
Christ (Phil 1:19, Gal 4:6, Rom 8:9)? In Gal 4:6, how is it
possible that the spirit of Christ could come into our hearts?
How is it possible that the spirit of CHRIST could reside in
someone? How could a person have God’s spirit dwelling in
them (Rom 8:9) but also have Christ’s spirit (Rom 8:9), if
there is only ONE spirit, unless God and Jesus are one and
the same?
85. In Jn 6:51, Jesus says that a person must eat "of this
bread" in order to "live forever", and that "the bread that I
give IS my flesh". If Jesus was only speaking symbolically
here, why did the Jews object to this teaching (Jn 6:52), and
why didn’t Jesus explain to them that he was only speaking
symbolically, instead of going on to repeat himself FIVE
times saying essentially the same thing (Jn 6:53, 54, 56, 57,
58)? If Jesus was only speaking symbolically here, why does
John use the Greek word “trogo” (Strong’s # 5176) in verses
Jn 6:54, 56, 57, and 58, which means “to gnaw on; to chew”
according to Strong’s Greek dictionary? Can “to gnaw on or
chew” be taken symbolically in any way? If Jesus was only
speaking symbolically in this passage, after his own disciples
objected to this teaching (Jn 6:60), why did he allow “many
disciples” to leave (Jn 6:66) instead of calling them back and
straightening everything out like he had done on other
occasions with other difficult teachings (see Jn 3:1-15, Mt
16:5-12, 19:23-26)? Finally, if Jesus was only speaking
symbolically in this passage (Jn 6:51-58), and really meant
that they only needed to believe, why did so many disciples
leave him over this teaching, when they had already been
told that they must “believe” (Jn 5:24), and we see
absolutely no disciples leaving him after Jesus told them
this? Do you eat the flesh of Christ, as Jesus commanded, in
order to have life in yourself (Jn 6:54) and in order to live
forever (Jn 6:58)? See Lk 22:19.
91. Jn 5:23 says, “in order that all may honor the Son just as
they honor the Father…” If Jesus is not God, why does the
Bible require that all men should honor the Son equally with
the Father?
92. If Jesus and Jehovah are not one God, then why,
according to the NWT, is “Jehovah” the name which brings
salvation (Acts 2:21), but Acts 4:10-12 says that ONLY the
name of Jesus brings salvation (“…for there is not another
name under heaven that has been given among men by
which we must get saved.”)?
93. If the soul is the body, why does John make a distinction
between the “prospering” of Gaius’ body because of good
health and the “prospering” of his soul in 3Jn 2, and why
does Paul distinguish between a person and their soul in
Acts 20:10 by saying, “Stop raising a clamor, for his soul is
in him”?
94. The WTS teaches that Jesus is the first and greatest
creation of God. If Jesus was Michael the Archangel before
he became a man, then why does Dan 10:13 refer to Michael
as “ONE of the foremost princes” implying that he was equal
to other angels? If Christ was Michael the Archangel before
the incarnation, then became Jesus, then changed back into
Michael the Archangel after his death, why does Heb 13:8
say that, “Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday and today, and
forever.”? How could Christ be “the same” if he changed
from being Michael, into being Jesus, then back into being
Michael again?
95. Rom 10:12 says , “…for there is the same Lord (Jesus vs
9) over all, who is rich to all those CALLING UPON him.” If
Jesus is not to be prayed to, then why does Paul say that
they will be rich who call “upon him”? Similarly, Paul says in
1Cor 1:2, “…together with all who everywhere are calling
upon the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, their Lord and
ours” and in 2Tim 2:22 he says, “…but pursue
righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who CALL
UPON THE LORD out of a clean heart.” If Christians should
not pray to Jesus, then why did the early Christians “call
upon” Jesus? How can a person call upon Jesus without
praying to him?
99. If Jesus did not become the Christ until he was baptized
approximately 30 years after his birth, why does Lk 2:11
say, “because there was born to you today a Savior, who IS
Christ [the] Lord, in David’s city.”? What does the word “is”
mean to you?
100. In Col 1:26, 27, 2:2, and 4;3, the Greek word
“musterion” (Strong’s # 3466) is translated as “sacred
secret” but in the Kingdom Interlinear, this same word is
translated correctly as “mystery”. Why the discrepancy in
the translation of this word between the KIT and the NWT?
Wouldn’t it have been just as easy to render this word
correctly as “mystery” in the NWT? If this word would have
been correctly rendered as “mystery” in the NWT, how
would the above verses read and what would they say about
the fact that some things about God are impossible to
completely understand?