Bridge of Reason

  In Questions from Readers, the Watch Tower Society addresses the question: ‘ Does Stephen’s prayer to Jesus, as found in Acts 7:59, show that he understood Jesus to be Jehovah?’ The New World Translation gives us: ‘ And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal, and said: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: ‘Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.’ And after saying this he fell asleep in death.’ vv 59,60 They put the name Jehovah in the text where the Westcott and Hort Greek text has the word Lord translating the Greek kurios. Their own Kingdom Interlinear also translates Lord. The article they use is from a 1959 Watchtower: ‘The prayer offered by Stephen when he was being martyred is recorded at Acts 7:59, 60, which says: “And they went on casting stones at Stephen as he made appeal and said: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then, bending his knees, he cried out with a strong voice: ‘Jehova...

  The Watch Tower Society identify their followers as Jehovah’s Witnesses. By what name did early Christians identify themselves? Were they known as ‘Jehovah’s,’ or ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’? Even Jehovah’s Witnesses admit, ‘ We simply do not know how God’s ancient servants pronounced this name in Hebrew,’ saying their pronunciation is mere convention. - The Divine Name in Hebrew Scriptures . See also The Name: it isn't Jehovah  on the Reachout website. If it’s so very important, why hasn’t the pronunciation been preserved, alongside the name? Followers of the Way The earliest Jesus followers were followers of ‘the Way.’ Paul, in his defence before the governor Felix, confessed to being one of their number (Acts 24:14; cf. Acts 9:1,2; 19:9,23; 22:4;24:22) This name and title comes from Jesus’ own teaching, ‘I am the Way…’ (John 14:6) The Bible tells us, ‘in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.’ (Acts 11:26) This reflects their beginning to have a distinct identi...

The Witnesses conclude that there is no immortality of the soul, no consciousness after death. To find the truth we must be acquainted with the Greek and Hebrew words. The Hebrew word nephesh literally means 'a breathing' creature but is used widely. Psykhe is the Greek word denoting the breath, the breath of life, then the soul in all its meanings. The literal meaning of the Hebrew word ruach is 'wind' and by resemblance breath. Primarily the Greek word pneuma denotes the wind, but also breath and then especially the spirit which like the wind is invisible, immaterial and powerful. The Society says that the word can mean the person or the life of the person, and take no account of the other different meanings that many Biblical Greek and Hebrew scholars are aware of. They conclude from Joshua 11:11 that the soul cannot be the part of man that survives death because it is struck by the sword. However, the word nephesh is used here as the person and so no evidenc...

  The Watchtower Society teaches that when a person dies they simply cease to exist. There is not a part of man that separates from the body at death and goes to another place. This means there is no fiery hell of torment but simply the common grave of mankind. WATCH TOWER TEACHING ‘ The Hebrew sheohl’ and its Greek equivalent haides , which refer, not to an individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind; also the Greek geenna, which is used as a symbol of eternal destruction.’ - Reasoning from the Scriptures, WBTS, 1985, p.169. Matthew 25:46 - This verse, they insist, simply means the righteous go to life, the wicked to the cutting off from life, or death. Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10 - These verses, they say, cannot refer to conscious torment after death because ‘ the dead know not any thing.’ (Ecclesiastes 9:5). It is the proclamation by God's servants that worshi p pers of the "beast and his image" will experience second death that causes th...

  Jesus, Moses, and Elijah Death The Watchtower Society teaches that at death a person goes into a state of ‘non-existence’ and those opposed to Jehovah will be annihilated. “ Death Definition: The ceasing of all functions of life. After breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity stop, the life-force gradually ceases to function in body cells. Death is the opposite of life.” - Reasoning from the Scriptures, WBTS, 1985, p.98. “ Paul speaks of those who have known the truth, have been partakers of holy spirit, and then have fallen away .The ransom could no longer help them; hence they would receive no resurrection .This illustrates the future before them: complete annihilation.” - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol.2, WBTS, 1988, p.792. Genesis 2:17 – They argue Jehovah warned Adam against disobedience, which would lead to death. Ecclesiastes 9:5 – Insist the dead are conscious of nothing. Resurrection The personality and character, of a person worthy of resurrection, are in Go...

  Last time we saw that only 144,000 have a heavenly hope. Where does that leave the rest of the millions of faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses, the great crowd? “ The key to the identification of the ‘great crowd’ is found within the description of them in Revelation chapter 7 .The vision there presented is concerning persons not in heaven, from where the 'New Jerusalem comes down,' but on earth, among mankind .If the ‘great crowd’ are persons who gain salvation and remain on earth, how could they be said to be 'standing before God's throne and before the Lamb?' (Re 7:9) The position of 'standing' is sometimes used in the Bible to indicate the holding of a favored or approved position in the eyes of the one in whose presence the individual or group stands .It thus appears that the "great crowd" is formed of those persons who have been preserved during that time of wrath and who have been able to "stand" as approved by God and the Lamb.” - I...

  The ‘good news’ of the Watch Tower kingdom is not the Gospel that evangelicals see in the Bible. A fact the Society readily admits: ‘ But the Kingdom witnessing of Jehovah's Witnesses since 1914 has been something far different from what Christendom missionaries have published both before and since 1914.’ - The Watchtower, 1 October 1980, p.28 Of course, the only Gospel is the gospel proclaimed by Jesus in Luke 24:45-48 and Paul at 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. It concerns Jesus' death, his sacrifice for the sin of mankind, his burial and his resurrection. THE WATCHTOWER'S 'GOOD NEWS' According to the Watch Tower interpretation of Luke 12:32 , o nly a 'little flock' inherit the kingdom. Their understanding of Revelation 7:1-8 and Revelation 14:1-5 , limits this little flock to 144,000 who are ‘spiritual Jews.’ ‘ The 12 tribes mentioned in Revelation chapter 7 must refer to this spiritual Israel for several valid reasons. The listing does not match that...

The Watch Tower Society's definition of salvation is: “ Preservation or deliverance from danger or destruction. That deliverance may be from the hands of oppressors or persecutors. For all true Christians, Jehovah provides through his Son deliverance from the present wicked system of things as well as salvation from bondage to sin and death. For a great crowd of faithful servants of Jehovah living during 'the last days', salvation will include preservation through the great tribulation.” - Reasoning from the Scriptures, WBTS, 1985, p.356. This, at first glance, seems right but when you look further qualifications begin to appear. “ Remember, though, that you must work hard to receive these blessings. It will cost you time and effort ...We therefore urge one and all to lay hold on God's promises and to trust him fully. By continued diligent study of the Bible and by application of its wise counsel you may attain to the grandest of blessings, including everlasti...