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 .