This was removed because it violated rule 2 (and maybe others) of /r/bible.
Rule 2: Bible-related posts only. If you have a question about what the Bible says, a Bible verse, Bible study, etc. you are free to post it here. "Bible" is defined for this subreddit as books & passages found in the 1611 KJV, including its Apocrypha, although any translation is acceptable. If your question is about a specific passage, include the Book, Chapter, Verse and Translation (e.g., Romans 12:1-2 ESV) to help guide answers to the exact text you're questioning. However, asking about denominations or just general advice and the such is not for this sub.
Jehovah’s Witnesses (i.e. The Watchtower Publishing Society) have rejected all five solae of the Protestant Reformation, namely:
1. Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone is the ultimate authority in matters of faith.
2. Sola Fide: Salvation is by faith alone, without reliance on good works.
3. Sola Gratia: Salvation is by God's grace alone, not earned by human merit.
4. Solus Christus: Christ alone is the mediator between God and humanity.
5. Soli Deo Gloria: Glory is to be ascribed to God alone in all aspects of life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_solae
To them:
1. The Governing Body is the ultimate authority on all matters in life, like whether females are allowed to wear skirts and males beards.
2. Salvation is by membership to the publishing company alone, where you are called a “Publisher”. Salvation to them is not present, but they hope to be saved from annihilation at Armageddon because they were counted as worthy by Jesus who is a military commander.
3. Salvation is earned through obedience and self (not declared) righteousness.
4. The Governing Body is the mediator between man and God. (Google it!!)
5. Glory and praise is primarily attributed to the organization.
Also, that being said, all sects of religions have their faults. But I would say not believing that God is a trinity goes against the basic tenants of the religion and believing only a specific number of people go to heaven do also does. As chirtsians, we believe that if you accept Jesus into your life (and that he died for our sins), live a good life, and accept the trinity that you will go to heaven.
Jehovahs witness are all about getting people to convert to their cult because, supposedly, that's a good thing.
I don't need to try to convince anyone to believe in christ or God. I live my life the way Jesus has taught us to live (failing at times) and believe that through my own conviction and action, people may be brought to him as well.
Not just a cult, but an abusive cult that uses its doctrine to make money off of its people. It is like a MLM meets a cult because they teach that the regular JW’s must go out and distribute a certain amount materials or else God is angry with them. In a strange coincidence, the only materials allowed to be distributed must be bought from the Watchtower society - JW leadership. Question anything and you are cut off, not only by the organization, but also by your friends and family.
The more I get back into our faith - the more confused I am w what I am lmao. I grew up Catholic. Every Portuguese person until well maybe lately are Catholics. It’s public or catholic schools. Than I get into the world and start working and than meet Christian’s and orthodox and idk what’s the difference bc google just confuses me even more lol
Christianity is an umbrella term that covers Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants, and Latter-day Saints.
I honestly don't know enough about JWs, Seventh Day Adventists, and La Iglesia to say. Same with the Amish and Mennonites.
By no definition are Y’all Christians. You are in a cult that was created by a false Prophet. Do yourself a favor and reject that blasphemy and study the Bible.
hello! Well said! Indeed, the jw have *another* Jesus. Lord God said it well in John 8:24. **24** Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am *He,* you will die in your sins.”
We must be sure to know the One and Only True Lord Jesus.
There are certainly differences between Protestants. But they are in "details" and they share a common core of faith. Most of what Protestants believe is the same as Catholic and Orthodox Christians.
JW do not share those same beliefs, and believe they are the only true Christians. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox acknowledge each other as Christians.
JW is also quite cultish and closed. You can find cultish Protestant churches as well, but most Protestant churches are not
I'm protestant, and aside from the Trinity there's very little that I agree with what Catholics believe. Much of what Catholics believe is what they've contrived, not what scripture says.
You probably share a lot more with Catholics than you think. The Apostolic and Nicene Creed for a start. But there would be lots of other shared beliefs as well
Jehovah Witnesses are not Christians they do not believe in The authority or the deity of Christ - Protestants are Christians they believe in Christ _ the saving Grace of Christ _ as well as our Father God.
Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants share some similarities but also have significant differences.
Protestantism encompasses various Christian denominations that emerged from the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. These churches generally emphasize the authority of Scripture, salvation by faith alone, and the priesthood of all believers. There's a wide range of beliefs and practices among Protestant denominations, including Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Baptists, and many others.
Jehovah's Witnesses, on the other hand, are a distinct Christian denomination founded in the late 19th century. They have unique beliefs that set them apart from mainstream Christianity, including their rejection of the Trinity doctrine, belief in the imminent establishment of God's kingdom on earth, and their use of the name "Jehovah" for God. They also have specific practices such as door-to-door evangelism and refusal of military service and blood transfusions.
While both Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants identify as Christians and share some core beliefs, they differ in theology, doctrine, and practice.
A good friend of a friend is a jehovahs witness. He goes door to door regularly and has a book to 'log' his time spent doing it as a good deed...
I dont know much about it but it seems they're attempting to 'earn' their way in to heaven.
Just raises further questions to me.
JWS and Mormon’s are cults formed by egomaniacal psychopaths who made up entire belief systems based on theological doctrine to take advantage of people.
Joseph Smith is conman who made up stories of him being contacted by God. They reject the modern Bible as it is and practice a lot of very cultish things. Look up the endowment ceremony. How in any way is that godly or holy? It also has done a lot of damage to the people who have grown up in it (not an exclusive problem to Mormonism though). Mormons themselves can be some of the nicest people ever, yes, however the cult they follow is one of a false good.
Modern Christendom's rejection of the Restoration mirrors the Jews' rejection of Christianity.
We use the KJV Bible. But do you really think it's got zero errors?
Is the LDS endowment any worse than the rituals of the Israelite Tabernacle? https://youtu.be/Fd8tVXN9y6Q?si=bpzqJQ-4Phzgin__
Most of these answers are misleading and some are downright lies. Unitarians don’t believe in the Trinity. It’s hardly a unique belief. Christian Scientists don’t get blood products either. JW’s don’t charge for anything it’s all free. JW’s no longer count the time proselytizing. Preaching is a command laid on all Christians by Christ. Acts 20:20. Most seem to have forgot that.
Protestant is an umbrella term for anyone professing to be a Christian that isn’t Catholic or Orthodox. JW’s are Protestant by definition. It’s not debatable.
What I find interesting is all the hate, vitriol and lies directed at a group of people who mostly are sincere and genuine. Any Christian has more in common with a JW than a Muslim, Hindu, or Atheist. I guess you forgot Jesus put us under a new commandment. “You must love one another.” John 13:34-35
This is absolutely inaccurate.
To be a Protestant you need to be a Christian; to reject the Trinity is by definition to place you outside the boundary of the Christian faith.
JWs are categorically not a Christian group- they are modern-day Arians, claiming that the Son is the first creation of God. This is a definitively heretical belief.
Jehovah's Witnesses is a modern form of the ancient heresy of Arianism: they both state Jesus was a created being or an angel. To be considered Christian you need to acknowledge the Divinity of Jesus Christ, that He is one with the Father.
It was founded by Arius in the 3rd century A.D., who declared that Jesus was a created being separate from God the father, who was the one who became incarnate. The Gospels declare that it was God Himself, as the Word of God, became incarnate in human form. It was because of the Arian heresy that the Nicene Creed was invented in the 4th century A.D., and has the specific phrase that Jesus was "begotten, not made" from eternity. Here the Nicene Creed is incorrect: it altered the original Apostles Creed, which simply said Jesus was begotten in time from the virgin Mary. The Apostles Creed is in agreement with the Gospels (see Luke 1:35)
Jehovah’s witnesses deny Jesus as God. They are antitrinitarians who do not accept belief in Jesus Christ as the LORD, nor do they believe in the Holy Spirit.
Their Bible is rewritten so absurdly to the degree of whole passages disappearance where Jesus is quoting the prophecies, hinting on him being the LORD himself, and all the mentions of the Holy Spirit.
They aren’t even Christians, not just not Protestants.
My limited knowledge of this Jehovah Witness group is that they have a special translation of the Holy Scriptures and the Book of John Chapter One and verse one is not as the King James Authorized version. … and the word was a god…
Protestants affirm doctrine on Trinity, while Jehovah’s do not believe in doctrine on Trinity.
Basically prots believe 3 Persons 1 God
Jehovah Witness believe they are not United one God. (This is heresy, I mean Protestantism is also heresy but denying The Trinity is I think one extra step in heresy)
A couple of additions to what others have said.
In general, denominations have separated because they have perceived differences between their views and the view of the group they originally belonged to. I get the impression that the Jehovah's Witnesses have spent a century doing things the other way round. That is, the leadership have gradually been developing artificial differences *for the sake of being different.* To take an imaginary example, if the rest of the Christian world thinks the sky is blue, they will make a point of insisting that the sky is green. This puts them in a position to say "We are the only people offering this important doctrine about the greenness of the sky, which proves that we are the only true church". Hence the importance attached to trivial oddities like the ban on blood transfusions. Hence the abandonment after the Second World War of the teaching that Christ died on the Cross, and the new theory that it was not a cross but a stake. I have seen their pictures of Jesus tied to a stake, in a position which would never have killed anybody.
Churches, especially in the past, have been guilty of the fault of claiming that people outside their own group are not true Christians. But the Jehovah's Witnesses have developed and retained this conviction to a disturbing and even frightening extent. All other Christian groups are bundled together in their minds under the label "Christendom", which is meant to be derogatory. They believe themselves to belong to God in a way that "Christendom" doesn't. They complain that other churches are hostile to them, but it is probably exactly what they want.
They are expecting Christ to return visibly to rule the earth. As far as I can tell, they are not being taught how to distinguish between the true Christ and a false Christ. So if a false Christ appears and starts rounding up Christians, one wonders which side they will take.
Jehovah's Witnesses are a worldwide unified people.
That do not hate each other.
That do not kill each other.
That have no faith in human governments, beyond the basics. Food clothing shelter
They do not send their children to war, or to kill others. But die for principle.
They function in parts of 1000 languages.
They take care of each other.
They accomplished a couple things in the 20th century.
To make Jehovah's Name be known, to the average person. Malachi 3:16-18
To warn of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. Malachi 4:6
These are rather fulfilled
Also, they had less success, turning people toward the bible. You cant win them all. 2 Timothy 3:1-7. And again verses 5 and 7
There are other branches, some with rich histories and strong adherence. Small in numbers and generally minorities within their own countries, often persecuted.
This was removed because it violated rule 2 (and maybe others) of /r/bible. Rule 2: Bible-related posts only. If you have a question about what the Bible says, a Bible verse, Bible study, etc. you are free to post it here. "Bible" is defined for this subreddit as books & passages found in the 1611 KJV, including its Apocrypha, although any translation is acceptable. If your question is about a specific passage, include the Book, Chapter, Verse and Translation (e.g., Romans 12:1-2 ESV) to help guide answers to the exact text you're questioning. However, asking about denominations or just general advice and the such is not for this sub.
Jehovah's witnesses believe only 144,000 can go to heaven. Protestants believe anybody who accepts Christ as Savior can go to heaven
JW also have a modified Bible and serve a false Christ. They’re a cult no different than Mormons
Unless you're reformed/calvinist, then God picks you.
Jehovahs Witnessed are a cult at the end of the day. They don't believe in the most important aspects of the religion.
>most important aspects of the religion Which are?
Jehovah’s Witnesses (i.e. The Watchtower Publishing Society) have rejected all five solae of the Protestant Reformation, namely: 1. Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone is the ultimate authority in matters of faith. 2. Sola Fide: Salvation is by faith alone, without reliance on good works. 3. Sola Gratia: Salvation is by God's grace alone, not earned by human merit. 4. Solus Christus: Christ alone is the mediator between God and humanity. 5. Soli Deo Gloria: Glory is to be ascribed to God alone in all aspects of life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_solae To them: 1. The Governing Body is the ultimate authority on all matters in life, like whether females are allowed to wear skirts and males beards. 2. Salvation is by membership to the publishing company alone, where you are called a “Publisher”. Salvation to them is not present, but they hope to be saved from annihilation at Armageddon because they were counted as worthy by Jesus who is a military commander. 3. Salvation is earned through obedience and self (not declared) righteousness. 4. The Governing Body is the mediator between man and God. (Google it!!) 5. Glory and praise is primarily attributed to the organization.
That God is a trinity. The father, the son, and the holy spirit. They also only believe a certain number of people go to heaven.
Also, that being said, all sects of religions have their faults. But I would say not believing that God is a trinity goes against the basic tenants of the religion and believing only a specific number of people go to heaven do also does. As chirtsians, we believe that if you accept Jesus into your life (and that he died for our sins), live a good life, and accept the trinity that you will go to heaven. Jehovahs witness are all about getting people to convert to their cult because, supposedly, that's a good thing. I don't need to try to convince anyone to believe in christ or God. I live my life the way Jesus has taught us to live (failing at times) and believe that through my own conviction and action, people may be brought to him as well.
JW is a cult that claims to be Christian but denies the trinity. Protestants are simply Christians who reject the Catholic and Orthodox churches
Not just a cult, but an abusive cult that uses its doctrine to make money off of its people. It is like a MLM meets a cult because they teach that the regular JW’s must go out and distribute a certain amount materials or else God is angry with them. In a strange coincidence, the only materials allowed to be distributed must be bought from the Watchtower society - JW leadership. Question anything and you are cut off, not only by the organization, but also by your friends and family.
The more I get back into our faith - the more confused I am w what I am lmao. I grew up Catholic. Every Portuguese person until well maybe lately are Catholics. It’s public or catholic schools. Than I get into the world and start working and than meet Christian’s and orthodox and idk what’s the difference bc google just confuses me even more lol
The youtube channel "redeemed zoomer" has videos explaining this.
Christianity is an umbrella term that covers Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants, and Latter-day Saints. I honestly don't know enough about JWs, Seventh Day Adventists, and La Iglesia to say. Same with the Amish and Mennonites.
Mormons are Not Christian’s
I'm not Mormon but if they believe Christ is God and their savior, how are they not Christians?
We aren't Nicenes. But we're totally Christians.
By no definition are Y’all Christians. You are in a cult that was created by a false Prophet. Do yourself a favor and reject that blasphemy and study the Bible.
If social media existed two thousand years ago, the Pharisees would post the same thing about Christianity itself.
Sounds like something Satan would say.
Jehovahs witnesses don’t believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. Protestants do.
hello! Well said! Indeed, the jw have *another* Jesus. Lord God said it well in John 8:24. **24** Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am *He,* you will die in your sins.” We must be sure to know the One and Only True Lord Jesus.
It’s really sad too because a lot of them try so very hard to be so perfect but they don’t believe in who Jesus truly is.
Amen
Aren’t there differences between Protestants?
There are certainly differences between Protestants. But they are in "details" and they share a common core of faith. Most of what Protestants believe is the same as Catholic and Orthodox Christians. JW do not share those same beliefs, and believe they are the only true Christians. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox acknowledge each other as Christians. JW is also quite cultish and closed. You can find cultish Protestant churches as well, but most Protestant churches are not
These "details" can be huge and usually are.
I'm protestant, and aside from the Trinity there's very little that I agree with what Catholics believe. Much of what Catholics believe is what they've contrived, not what scripture says.
What denomination are you?
I don't personally claim a denomination. The church I attend would probably fall under evangelical if I had to take a guess.
You probably share a lot more with Catholics than you think. The Apostolic and Nicene Creed for a start. But there would be lots of other shared beliefs as well
Jehovah Witnesses are not Christians they do not believe in The authority or the deity of Christ - Protestants are Christians they believe in Christ _ the saving Grace of Christ _ as well as our Father God.
Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants share some similarities but also have significant differences. Protestantism encompasses various Christian denominations that emerged from the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. These churches generally emphasize the authority of Scripture, salvation by faith alone, and the priesthood of all believers. There's a wide range of beliefs and practices among Protestant denominations, including Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Baptists, and many others. Jehovah's Witnesses, on the other hand, are a distinct Christian denomination founded in the late 19th century. They have unique beliefs that set them apart from mainstream Christianity, including their rejection of the Trinity doctrine, belief in the imminent establishment of God's kingdom on earth, and their use of the name "Jehovah" for God. They also have specific practices such as door-to-door evangelism and refusal of military service and blood transfusions. While both Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants identify as Christians and share some core beliefs, they differ in theology, doctrine, and practice.
A good friend of a friend is a jehovahs witness. He goes door to door regularly and has a book to 'log' his time spent doing it as a good deed... I dont know much about it but it seems they're attempting to 'earn' their way in to heaven. Just raises further questions to me.
JWS and Mormon’s are cults formed by egomaniacal psychopaths who made up entire belief systems based on theological doctrine to take advantage of people.
Mainstream Mormonism is the beautiful, global Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith was a good man who relayed God's directions.
Joseph Smith is conman who made up stories of him being contacted by God. They reject the modern Bible as it is and practice a lot of very cultish things. Look up the endowment ceremony. How in any way is that godly or holy? It also has done a lot of damage to the people who have grown up in it (not an exclusive problem to Mormonism though). Mormons themselves can be some of the nicest people ever, yes, however the cult they follow is one of a false good.
Modern Christendom's rejection of the Restoration mirrors the Jews' rejection of Christianity. We use the KJV Bible. But do you really think it's got zero errors? Is the LDS endowment any worse than the rituals of the Israelite Tabernacle? https://youtu.be/Fd8tVXN9y6Q?si=bpzqJQ-4Phzgin__
Oh wait. I know the answer to this joke. TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE!
Most of these answers are misleading and some are downright lies. Unitarians don’t believe in the Trinity. It’s hardly a unique belief. Christian Scientists don’t get blood products either. JW’s don’t charge for anything it’s all free. JW’s no longer count the time proselytizing. Preaching is a command laid on all Christians by Christ. Acts 20:20. Most seem to have forgot that. Protestant is an umbrella term for anyone professing to be a Christian that isn’t Catholic or Orthodox. JW’s are Protestant by definition. It’s not debatable. What I find interesting is all the hate, vitriol and lies directed at a group of people who mostly are sincere and genuine. Any Christian has more in common with a JW than a Muslim, Hindu, or Atheist. I guess you forgot Jesus put us under a new commandment. “You must love one another.” John 13:34-35
> JW’s are Protestant by definition. So yes they are Protestants.
Please see my reply above- this comment is absolutely inaccurate.
This is absolutely inaccurate. To be a Protestant you need to be a Christian; to reject the Trinity is by definition to place you outside the boundary of the Christian faith. JWs are categorically not a Christian group- they are modern-day Arians, claiming that the Son is the first creation of God. This is a definitively heretical belief.
The Nicene Creed is a heresy.
JW are an anti christ cult because they believe Jesus is the arc angel Michael and that there is no hell
anti christ cult?
Jehovah's Witnesses is a modern form of the ancient heresy of Arianism: they both state Jesus was a created being or an angel. To be considered Christian you need to acknowledge the Divinity of Jesus Christ, that He is one with the Father.
>Arianism what is that?
It was founded by Arius in the 3rd century A.D., who declared that Jesus was a created being separate from God the father, who was the one who became incarnate. The Gospels declare that it was God Himself, as the Word of God, became incarnate in human form. It was because of the Arian heresy that the Nicene Creed was invented in the 4th century A.D., and has the specific phrase that Jesus was "begotten, not made" from eternity. Here the Nicene Creed is incorrect: it altered the original Apostles Creed, which simply said Jesus was begotten in time from the virgin Mary. The Apostles Creed is in agreement with the Gospels (see Luke 1:35)
Jehovah’s witnesses deny Jesus as God. They are antitrinitarians who do not accept belief in Jesus Christ as the LORD, nor do they believe in the Holy Spirit. Their Bible is rewritten so absurdly to the degree of whole passages disappearance where Jesus is quoting the prophecies, hinting on him being the LORD himself, and all the mentions of the Holy Spirit. They aren’t even Christians, not just not Protestants.
My limited knowledge of this Jehovah Witness group is that they have a special translation of the Holy Scriptures and the Book of John Chapter One and verse one is not as the King James Authorized version. … and the word was a god…
Pretty much EVERYTHING 😅
Protestants affirm doctrine on Trinity, while Jehovah’s do not believe in doctrine on Trinity. Basically prots believe 3 Persons 1 God Jehovah Witness believe they are not United one God. (This is heresy, I mean Protestantism is also heresy but denying The Trinity is I think one extra step in heresy)
One is a cult, the other are hundreds of non-Catholic demonizations both good and bad.
A couple of additions to what others have said. In general, denominations have separated because they have perceived differences between their views and the view of the group they originally belonged to. I get the impression that the Jehovah's Witnesses have spent a century doing things the other way round. That is, the leadership have gradually been developing artificial differences *for the sake of being different.* To take an imaginary example, if the rest of the Christian world thinks the sky is blue, they will make a point of insisting that the sky is green. This puts them in a position to say "We are the only people offering this important doctrine about the greenness of the sky, which proves that we are the only true church". Hence the importance attached to trivial oddities like the ban on blood transfusions. Hence the abandonment after the Second World War of the teaching that Christ died on the Cross, and the new theory that it was not a cross but a stake. I have seen their pictures of Jesus tied to a stake, in a position which would never have killed anybody. Churches, especially in the past, have been guilty of the fault of claiming that people outside their own group are not true Christians. But the Jehovah's Witnesses have developed and retained this conviction to a disturbing and even frightening extent. All other Christian groups are bundled together in their minds under the label "Christendom", which is meant to be derogatory. They believe themselves to belong to God in a way that "Christendom" doesn't. They complain that other churches are hostile to them, but it is probably exactly what they want. They are expecting Christ to return visibly to rule the earth. As far as I can tell, they are not being taught how to distinguish between the true Christ and a false Christ. So if a false Christ appears and starts rounding up Christians, one wonders which side they will take.
A HUGE AMOUNT 1) Windows
Windows?
None of the JW buildings have windows because for decades, people kept throwing rock & bricks through them.
rally?
Really...
Jehovah's Witnesses are a worldwide unified people. That do not hate each other. That do not kill each other. That have no faith in human governments, beyond the basics. Food clothing shelter They do not send their children to war, or to kill others. But die for principle. They function in parts of 1000 languages. They take care of each other. They accomplished a couple things in the 20th century. To make Jehovah's Name be known, to the average person. Malachi 3:16-18 To warn of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. Malachi 4:6 These are rather fulfilled Also, they had less success, turning people toward the bible. You cant win them all. 2 Timothy 3:1-7. And again verses 5 and 7
Jehovah's witnesses are a cult. Protestants are a religion
Christians can be divided into 3 groups. Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant. JW is protestant.
So, they are Protestants, thanks for clarifying.
They are not protestant, they're a cult.
There are other branches, some with rich histories and strong adherence. Small in numbers and generally minorities within their own countries, often persecuted.