Bridge of Reason

A familiar Watch Tower teaching is that there are two groups of people after judgement, one in heaven and one on earth (a third if you count the ones that don’t make it). A good question we should always be prepared to ask is, ’Where does the Bible say that?’ Of course, they usually have an answer. They say on their website : ‘Those “who are called and chosen” to rule with Christ in the Kingdom are referred to as a “little flock.” ( Revelation 17:14; Luke 12:32 ) This shows that they would be relatively few in comparison with the complete number of Jesus’ sheep.​— John 10:16 .’ This is where you ask the second question. Who in the Bible makes those links? Who in the Bible talks like you? As far as they’re concerned it jumps off the page, but it really doesn’t. They believe they alone have the explanation, often thinking we are puzzled by such questions. None of this is true. In Luke 12 Jesus, addressing his disciples, tells them they are to acknowledge him before men (8-12). The...

   Today I listened to a JW video with GB member David Splane talking about the book of James and chapter 2 v 17 in particular . The video is a textbook monologue by the Governing Body, telling people what they “ know ” (a form of ‘gaslighting’), contradicting what the Watchtower actually teaches, and criticising “ Evangelicals ”. He mimicked people JWs meet who say that JWs believe they will earn their salvation by going door-to-door and then tells us that “ you know that’s not true ” (Min 2:15) Do we know that? Let’s check the evidence (Emphasise are mine); “The fourth requirement [to reside in paradise] is connected with loyalty. God requires that prospective subjects of the Kingdom support his government by loyally advocating his kingdom rule to others… will you meet this requirement by telling others about God’s kingdom ?” Watchtower 15 Feb 1983 p12-13 “Twelve Reasons for Preaching…7. It is a requirement for our own salvation ” Our Kingdom ministry No 6 June 2012....

  Perhaps a core aim of Reachout Trust is to help those caught up in the cults to successfully exit the group and come to a faith in the Lord Jesus as their saviour. But what is the best way to do that, is there a silver bullet or a holy hand grenade that instantly brings the cult member into the truth? I have come to use AI more in my research and found it very useful and insightful in its responses. It does always warn that it can make mistakes so one has to be careful in trusting it too blindly. I asked it what the most effective strategy would be to bring someone out of the Watchtower Society and here is its answer. The Core Problem: Why Direct Approaches Fail The instinct is to confront — to present the failed prophecies, the blood transfusion deaths, the NWT translation issues. This almost always backfires. The Watchtower has pre-inoculated members against exactly this: outside criticism is framed as Satanic attack, which *confirms* the member's worldview rather than ch...

  This Contribution by Robin McEwen Common questions that Jehovah's Witnesses often employ on hearing criticism of their religion/organisation are ‘Where else would I go?’ and ‘which other religion is as close to early Christians as ours?’ I get the impression that JWs think in terms of groups, denominations, and organisations. I believe this stems from the fact that they are taught that their own group is ‘the truth’, and all other groups or churches as false. O n finding out you are a Christian, a Jehovah’s Witness will want to know which church or denomination you belong to, as they seem to have a set opinion on each church group. What they are unaware of, is that within the rich tapestry of Christian cultures/denominations there is a unity which arises out of the fellowship that all born again believers share. We may worship in varied ways organise our churches slightly differently etc., but generally speaking, we have unity. He who unites us, Jesus Christ, is infinitely g...

  Reachout Trust recently had a stand at the New Wine Leaders’ Conference (NWLC) in Harrogate, UK, and I was amazed at the number of organisations represented on other stands, all working to promote Jesus and His Father to the world. There were some 76 stands covering almost every niche of society and its need for Christ. People providing worship needs for the elderly, for the disabled, for families. Book shops providing a huge variety of literature on almost every subject about Christianity from a wealth of different authors. Tearfund was there, bringing physical support to impoverished peoples along with the word of Christ into foreign lands. Church website experts, sound engineers, our stand was bracketed by Christian solicitors on one side and a Christian Insurance broker on the other. Then, of course, there was us, working with the cults to help those lost sheep to find the Lord. The leaders of the Watchtower organisation, their Governing Body, claim that Jehovah has only ...

Isaiah 43:10 is a familiar text in this ministry. It is routinely misused by Jehovah’s Witnesses as an apologetic for their use of ‘the name’ It is not, however, a call to use God’s name, but a call to witness before a world full of gods the character and works of God, his sovereignty, aseity. He alone is God and his people are called to witness to these things. You Will be my Witnesses God demonstrates his determination to be glorified in his works, his delivering of Israel out of bondage in Egypt: ‘ For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you, peoples in exchange for your life.’ Isaiah 43: 3,4 Isaiah paints a picture of a great trial in which these other gods are openly challenged: ‘ Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the people assemble. Who among you can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them brin...

  I recently spent a day in London as a tourist. I had come down to spend time with my son who works in London and lives just inside the M25 ring. During the day I had the opportunity to interact with a number of Jehovah’s Witness teams on their carts. The conversations went much like I expected, having had many such conversations, but there were a few points that stood out for me. The first team I noticed were outside the tube station in Theydon Bois where my son lives. This was at 7:30am, just as the morning commuter rush hour was getting going. This cart couple were well dressed, as always, and made no attempt to interact with us as we passed, as always. My immediate thought was why were they there at that time and place bearing in mind that no one had the time to stop and chat at that point in their days?  I think the most likely reason was that they didn’t expect anyone to  stop, which was the whole point of choosing that time and place. Many former-Jehovah...

  The above title comes from a jw.org article as an answer to one of their Frequently Asked Questions .   This is of particular interest around this time as they have just celebrated their annual memorial of Christ’s death.   I have to say, for full disclosure, that I have never attended one of these memorial meals despite having been invited several times.   I just don’t think I could manage to bite my tongue hard enough not to respond to the talks being made.   However, I have read and listened to a number of accounts from non-Jehovah’s Witnesses who have attended, some repeatedly over many years.   The Memorial Meal , as Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to their version of communion, only takes place once a year and is always regarded as a very special event.   As they do not celebrate any other event, such as Easter, Christmas, birthdays, Pentecost, and so forth, they do make a big thing of it. Potentially millions of invites are handed out around the...

  Jehovah’s Witnesses were originally members of Charles Russell’s Bible Student Movement . It was in 1931, under the leadership of Joseph Rutherford, who had seized control of the movement, that they became Jehovah’s Witnesses. Isaiah 43:10 is the organisation’s apologetic for being Witnesses of Jehovah: “ You are my witnesses,’ declares Jehovah, ‘Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and have faith in me…’ On the face of it that seems reasonable enough. However, the Watch Tower Society is a Restorationist as well as an Adventist movement and claim to have restored Jehovah’s Organisation of the 1 st Century. While they emphasise how the early church was organised, they seem to have misunderstood what they were organised to do. In the above linked article, they write: ‘ Jesus made God’s name known.   In prayer to his heavenly Father, Jesus said: “I have made your name known.” ( John 17:26 ) In line with Jesus’ example, Jehovah’s organization does eve...