Recently in Cults and Sects Category

The oddest offshoots of the protestant revolution are the churches that simply invent a religion and try to tie it to Christianity. The theology has very little to do with true Christian worship, but by including "Christianity" in part of the name, they can attract a following of believers - sometimes a huge following.

If you look at the timeline since the protestant "reformation" there is a clear trend. You start with one offshoot from the Catholic Church: the Anglicans. From there division begins to shatter the Anglican communion into two, then five, then hundreds of churches, all with a slightly different theological bent. As the division increases, these small churches get further and further from the Truth. In our day we have the "non-denominational" church, which basically means the pastor is following whatever whim moves him this week, so the theology becomes changeable and unclear. I read this definition of a system of theology recently:

Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community. . . . Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love.

This is "black liberation theology" and is followed by "Christian" leaders, typically in non-denominational (from what I can gather) churches, but also in at least one very large church. Ask yourself one question: What exactly about the definition is Christian?

The answer is simple: nothing. In fact, this definition is a form of self-worship, since the minister and followers attempt to "kill Gods who do not belong to the black community." First, this implies that either there are many "gods" or none (God is an illusion that we shape). Second, it implies that we have control over God, rather than the other way around. Third, if Christ died today (Good Friday), this definition accepts that God only died for black people, not for white.

Don't get stuck on this definition: there are white racist churches out there as well. The point is that without explicit protection from Jesus Christ, theology tends toward a god that we control. A god that is small, obedient, and doesn't ask the hard things from us. Thankfully I'm Catholic and I have the promise of Jesus Christ that my Church will never fall into this trap and never fail. But I have to pray for those who invent their own religion: may the scales of arrogance fall from their eyes. And may they accept in faith that God is real and Jesus loves every single one of us.

My prayers are with you on Good Friday.

God bless,
Jay

Are you sure you want 40 virgins in heaven?

Try not to laugh. Really . . .

God bless,
Jay

I couldn't pass this Newsweek story up, China bans reincarnation:

China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation."

But it's okay, the Dalai Lama refuses to "refuses to be reborn in Tibet so long as it's under Chinese control."

But inside the humor is a serious shocker:

According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 20 percent of all U.S. adults believe in reincarnation. Recent surveys by the Barna Group, a Christian research nonprofit, have found that a quarter of U.S. Christians, including 10 percent of all born-again Christians, embrace it as their favored end-of-life view.

20%? That sounds absurdly high to me. There's one question I've always wanted to ask someone who actually believes in reincarnation: how is our population increasing? World population has boomed in the last 500 years - where do the new souls come from? To me, reincarnation is among the more absurd theories of spirituality.

God bless,
Jay

The yearly gathering of Witnesses, a Christian faith founded in Pittsburgh 136 years ago, is a huge worship celebration. This year, it has special significance because Witnesses are seeking to get out the word to millions of households that Armageddon, or the end of the world, is imminent. Or, as the invitation says: Deliverance at Hand.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are out in force to convince you the world is ending and to drum up support for their annual meeting. If you are approached, start with a few of our articles:

• Watch Out! The Jehovah's Witnesses are Coming
• Jehovah's Witnesses and the 144,000 Elect: A Catholic Response
• Jehovah's Witnesses Don't Like the Truth

Basically the Jehovah's Witnesses' are convince (again) that the world is ending. Don't be too concerned - they have claimed this a time or two before. Don't believe the hype, be sure to check into their beliefs before being drawn into this cult. The article also points out:

They've reached millions, but many still view them with doubt. Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves Christian but are not regarded as such by Catholics, Protestants or Orthodox, who say that a co-equal Trinity is a key component of Christian belief.

God bless,
Jay

Polygamy is an interesting topic when it comes to the Church of Latter-day Saints. There’s a clear tension in the air when the topic comes up with Mormons, but do they have a valid reason for adding and then dumping polygamy?

The Beginning of “Celestial Marriage”
To understand the position, it’s important to start at the beginning. Joseph Smith founded the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) while married to one woman, Emma. As I pointed out in this article on Mormonism, the Church of Latter Day Saints is actually based upon two important documents: the Book of Mormon and the Doctrines and Covenants (D&C). The Book of Mormon was finished at the time the Mormon church was founded, however the D&C continued to grow as Joseph Smith and his successors like Brigham Young had additional visions. So initially, the LDS did not promote polygamy.

However on July 12, 1843 this all changed when Joseph Smith penned section 132 of the Doctrines & Covenants. Up until this point, Joseph had been caught several times in adulterous relationships, often with those employed as maids in his home. One of the odd things about this is that Joseph had been taking these women in “celestial marriage” – basically making them additional wives. However, he publicly continued to deny any charges that he was taking additional wives. This always struck me as odd, since if he really believed this was a revelation from God, why would he be scared to announce it?

The official D&C 132 is extremely clear on the matter of polygamy (keep in mind that this is essentially scripture for Mormons):

61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
62 And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
63 But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be be glorified.

Here is the full text of D&C 132. This is the passage that made polygamy a part of Mormonism. Interestingly, it seems to suggest that the wife must “approve” of polygamy, however Joseph Smith took over 40 wives in his lifetime and his wife never approved of the practice (and fought it). In fact, the argument has been made that the reason Joseph Smith wrote this as D&C 132 was to keep his wife quiet – near the end it expressly forbids Emma from taking additional husbands to retaliate against her husband’s infidelity.

Reinforcing the Teachings of Polygamy
Ultimately, this is the commandment that led to Joseph Smith’s death. Needless to say the non-Mormons around him were stunned by the revelation of polygamy. They arrested Joseph Smith and a mob executed him that very night. But how important was “spiritual wifery” to Smith? Believe it or not, it was very important:

Pologamy was, in fact, one of the most sacred credos of Joseph’s church – a tenet important enough to be canonized for the ages as Section 132 of The Doctrine and Covenants, one of Mormonism’s primary scriptural texts. The revered prophet described plural marriage as part of “the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on earth” and taught that a man needed at least three wives to attain the “fullness of exaltation” in the afterlife. He warned that God had explicitly commanded that “all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same . . . and if ye abide not that covenant, then ye are damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.” - - Jon Kraukhauer Under the Banner of Heaven

Just to restate, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Latter-day Saints and the one that gave them virtually all of their doctrines, felt that polygamy was required in order to “enter into [God’s] glory.”

Those who followed in Joseph’s footsteps as the leaders of the Mormon church felt the same. Brigham Young was the next leader and he also had multiple wives. Brigham Young was the first to openly share the doctrine of polygamy with the Mormon followers and threatened damnation on those who “deny the plurality of wives.”

At this point the federal government began putting substantial pressure on Utah and the Church of Latter-day Saints to stop the practice of polygamy. President Hayes in the late 1800’s saw it as a way to unite the nation against a common evil that wasn’t as divisive as slavery. After Brigham Young died, John Taylor was named the new “president, prophet, seer, and revelator” and he refused to back down. Because of the pressure, he issued this charge from the pulpit:

God is greater than the United States, and when the Government conflicts with heaven we will be ranged under the banner of heaven and against the Government. The United States says we cannot marry more than one wife. God says different . . . Polygamy is a divine institution. It has been handed down direct from God. The United States cannot abolish it. No nation on earth can prevent it . . .

The Mormon church has always fascinated me because of their odd beliefs. For those who aren’t aware, the Church of Latter Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. The beliefs are based upon two main documents: the Book of Mormon and the Doctrines and Covenants (D&C). Mormons would also say they accept the Bible, however much of the Book of Mormon and D&C contradicts the Bible and they always accept these two at the Bible’s expense.

The Beginning of Mormonism
To understand anything about the Church of Latter Day Saints, you must start at the beginning (which is true of almost any church). In the beginning was Joseph Smith:

The Book of Mormon relates the history of a group of Hebrews who migrated from Jerusalem to America about 600 BCE, led by a prophet, Lehi. They eventually split into two groups. One group, the Lamanites, forgot their beliefs and were the ancestors of the American Indians. The other group, the Nephites, developed culturally and built great cities but were eventually destroyed by the Lamanites about 400 CE. Before this occurred, however, Jesus had appeared and taught the Nephites (after his ASCENSION). The history and teachings were abridged and written on golden plates by the prophet Mormon. His son, Moroni, made additions and buried the plates in the ground, where they remained about 1,400 years, until Moroni, a resurrected being or ANGEL, delivered them to Joseph Smith, subsequently Smith returned them to Moroni.
- - from Encyclopedia of World Religions

The short story is that the angel Moroni gave Joseph Smith some golden tablets written in a language similar to Egyptian. Moroni also gave Joseph some special glasses to read the tablets. So he translated them into the Book of Mormon and created the Church of Latter Day Saints.

The Occult and Joseph Smith
So where does the occult come into play? Actually very early. Joseph Smith was involved in occultist practices from a young age:

The line separating religion from superstition can be indistinct, and this was especially true during the theological chaos of the Second Great Awakening, in which Joseph came of age. The future prophet’s spiritual curiosity moved him to explore far and wide on both sides of that blurry line, including an extended foray into the necromantic arts. More specifically, he devoted much time and energy to attempting to divine the location of buried treasure by means of black magic and crystal gazing, activities he learned from his father. Several years later he would renounce his dabbling in the occult, but Joseph’s flirtation with folk magic as a young man had a direct and unmistakable bearing on the religion he would soon usher forth.
- - Jon Krakauer Under the Banner of Heaven

In fact, Joseph Smith even went to trial (People of the State of New York vs. Joseph Smith) when a man who employed him to find some silver wasn’t happy with the results.

The Occult and the Church of Latter Day Saints
The story goes that Joseph Smith was visited by the angel Moroni one night who told him about the golden plates. However the angel also told Joseph that he could not have the plates yet. When Joseph went to retrieve them the next day, they disappeared. This is where some more of the occult creeps into the story: three years later Joseph Smith learned by looking into his “peep stones” that he had to marry a girl named Emma Hale before Moroni would give the plates back to him.

In the end, Joseph did get the plates back along with some magical glasses that enabled him to read the “reformed Egyptian” writing. He translated the book to a neighbor, but unfortunately the neighbor’s wife burned it when she heard the story from Joseph Smith. Since the plates had already been returned to Moroni, Joseph had to plead with him to get them back. Eventually Moroni gave them back, but did not give Joseph the magic glasses. So instead:

Joseph relied instead on his favorite peep stone [to translate the book]: a chocolate-colored, egg-shaped rock that he had discovered twenty-four feet underground, in the company of Sally Chase’s father, while digging a well in 1822.
Day after day, utilizing a technique he had learned from Sally, Joseph would place the magic rock in an upturned hat, bury his face in it with the stack of gold plates sitting nearby, and dictate the lines of scripture that appeared to him out of the blackness.
- - Jon Krakauer Under the Banner of Heaven

And thus, through the occult, the Book of Mormon was written.

But is Mormonism True?
The Church of Latter Day Saints is growing rapidly. The Mormons have thousands upon thousands of missionaries throughout the world converting others to their religion. And people are converting despite the evidence that Mormonism is not true:

As history, moreover, The Book of Mormon is riddled with egregious anachronisms and irreconcilable inconsistencies. For instance, it makes many references to horses and wheeled carts, neither of which existed in the Western Hemisphere during the pre-Columbian era. It inserts such inventions as steel and the seven-day week into ancient history long before such things were in fact invented. Modern DNA analysis has consistently demonstrated that American Indians are not descendants of any Hebraic race, as the Lamanites were purported to be. Mark Twain famously ridiculed The Book of Mormon’s tedious, quasi-biblical prose as “chloroform in print,” observing that the phrase “and it came to pass” is used more than two thousand times.

The Church of Latter Day Saints is not Christian and not true using almost any metric of truth. We have an obligation to inform those around us so they are not pulled into this cult, which began with a charismatic leader dabbling in the occult and is now growing faster than most of the religions in the world.

I’ll be writing more on Mormonism in the coming weeks, since I think it’s important to address the problems and errors of the LDS church. However for more information you can also read Jon Krakauer’s excellent book Under the Banner of Heaven, which focuses on a murder but in the process analyzes the entire history of Mormonism with insight and honesty.

God bless,
Jay

In a case I brought up this weekend, Abdul Rahman was arrested in Afghanistan for converting from Islam to Christianity. However, it was announced yesterday that Mr. Rahman will be released from prison, probably today. I haven't seen a full explanation of why he was released, but I did read earlier that Afghani authorities were suggesting he was "mentally ill" and not fit to stand trial. Perhaps this was the reason. In that same article is a powerful quote:

I am serene. I have full awareness of what I have chosen. If I must die, I will die. Somebody, a long time ago, did it for all of us. - - Abdul Rahman

Now the problem is with Muslim clerics who have called for his murder even if he is released (and probably will so in stronger terms now). What astonishes me is the lack of Muslim clerics calling for moderate Muslims to leave him alone and/or help him escape. If a crazy Christian sect called for a man's murder, we would see dozens of Christian leaders on television explaining why that person was wrong. Where are these moderate leaders?

Let's continue praying for Mr. Rahman's safety as he leaves the country. This publicity could give him a special place to speak directly to Muslims about Christianity and provide a door that most Christians don't have.

God bless,
Jay

Sorry for the sarcasm, but when I read stories like Abdul Rahman it makes me wonder how blind you have to be to miss the incompatibility between the Muslim faith and any other religious belief.

In short, Mr. Rahman, a citizen of Afghanistan, converted from Islam to Christianity, so he was arrested. The courts are deciding whether he should receive the death penalty for leaving Islam. However at least four clerics have publicly stated that Rahman should die even if the courts let him go. Mr. Rahman has rejected any conversion back to Islam in exchange for his life.

This is a clear picture of the state of Christianity and Islam today. If a Christian converts to Islam in a Christian country, he is free to do so. However, Muslims converting to Christianity in Muslim countries are given the death penalty almost immediately. At this point the historical Crusades start making more sense - remember they were a defensive action against Muslim agression no matter what you may have been told.

Much prayer is needed - both for Mr. Rahman and for our world.

One interesting note: Can you imagine the witness of this man who has chosen death over conversion back to Islam? Martyr's blood is the seed of conversion and provides a powerful example for non-believers. He has already said he received numerous requests for Christian Bibles from other Muslims. The publicity of his action underlines the strength of his belief.

God bless,
Jay

Our culture seems to be embracing the occult more and more these days. From television shows about witchcraft and mediums to children’s books that embrace magic in a dangerous way, the occult has become a pervasive influence in our lives. More and more people are being suckered into fake pagan religions. Why?

Examples of the Occult in our Culture
Recently, I stopped in at McDonalds for some Happy Meals (I have four children who aren’t allowed to eat McDonalds, unless of course we don’t have an option . . . ). Once our food arrived, I drove away. It wasn’t until later that I realized the Happy Meal contained a W.I.T.C.H. doll and a story to go with it. This, in my mind, is completely unacceptable from a company like McDonalds (just another reason to stay away).

In addition, there’s a full range of television programming around the occult from shows like Medium and Ghost Whisperer. Children’s books are going the same direction. No matter your stance on Harry Potter, use of occultic magic is clear in the books and we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in witchcraft by children since the books were printed. Other books – in particular His Dark Materials - make Harry Potter look timid in comparison. And His Dark Materials is becoming a major motion picture to bring what is essentially Satanism to the masses.

Where is this obsession (and acceptance) coming from?

The nature of the problem
I strongly believe that this problem stems from one place: ignorance. Ignorance, they say, is bliss, but in some cases it can lead you to believe silly things. Nature religions have been around a long time, but it takes a decent amount of ignorance to fall for the claims they make. In addition, as a Christian, you must be ignorant of Christian truths to allow yourself to be taken in by these occultist offerings. Or to allow, for instance, your children to play with W.I.T.C.H. dolls or read books like His Dark Materials.

Of course, that’s a simple answer to a more complex problem. People have a “God-sized hole” in their heart. A hole that we struggle our entire lives to fill. Often those who have not accepted the reality of God seek out other types of spirituality in order to fill this very human need – a need given to us by our creator to keep us seeking Him. Often these nature religions and occultist entertainment give us a non-threatening spiritual experience. By that I mean, we can experience an empty spirituality in our lives without actually attempting to conform our lives to God’s design. Sin? With a nature-based religion we can pretend that sin doesn’t exist in any real way. We can continue doing those selfish things that keep us from accepting the truth of God. In other words, it’s much easier to accept a religion that requires nothing of you.

What does the Bible say?
As Christians, we should look to the Bible for guidance in our lives. And the Bible is very clear on the occult. In fact, the words should scare us considering the culture we live in:

Revelation 21:8. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the sourcerers, idolators, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Sorcery is mentioned many times in Scripture as a terrible evil and virtually all occultist practices can be viewed as sorcery. One other example is Galations 5:20-21. Several types of sorcery is also broken out and specifically condemned: astrology (Isaiah 47:10-14), mediums (Isaiah 44:25, 1 Chronicles 10:14-15).

What can we do?
As Christians, we must speak out against this pollution of our culture by the occult. Don’t go to McDonalds or other places that push this garbage – particularly if it’s on our children. Speak up to your friends and family about the problems inherent in accepting this type of error. Fundamentally, by opening ourselves to occultist practices, we open ourselves to demons. Christians have always believed that this type of participation enables possession.

If you are currently involved in the occult, look to Acts 19:19. The new Christians who practiced magic got together and burned the books that they now deemed worthless and sinful. It is never too early to come back to God, who will always accept you with tears of joy.

God bless,
Jay

It's that wonderful time of the year...the Christmas season. We busy ourselves with various church events, family get-togethers, and, of course, shopping (the "great" American pasttime). I could write a book on the abuse of this last aspect, but I have decided to leave consumerism and materialism behind for the moment to focus on the man (or woman) at the mall door beside that familiar red donation "kettle" ringing his (or her) bell. The Salvation Army, those good men and women who collect money for the poor and needy. How many of us throw our loss change into the kettle and wish the smiling bell ringer a "Merry Christmas" as we bustle into the crowded mall? It seems like a worthy cause right?

Although the Salvation Army does contribute to various relief efforts they are a denomination or church so part of your donation is supporting their local community. When I learned this I decide to take a closer look at exactly what they did or didn't believe. What I found was a "church" that has reject the two most fundamental sacraments: Baptism and Communion. For any group of "believers" to reject baptism means that they cease to be Christian for baptism is, biblically, mandated by Christ Himself. Yet the Salvation Army's mission is directly tied to the promulgation of this false doctrine....and our spare change is supporting them in this effort.

So the next time you pass by the smiling man or woman ringing the bell wish them a Merry Christmas and pray for them, but keep your money and contribute to a local "Christian" charity instead.

In Christ,
Joe

The Jehovah's Witnesses apparently don't like the Truth! They have filed suit against Peter Mosier for his website, Quotes.Watchtower.ca, which simply presents actual quotes from the Watchtower Society.

To explain how interesting this is, Mr. Mosier is simply printing direct quotes from Watchtower publications without comment and citing his sources. In other words, he's just presenting the "truth" that the Jehovah's Witnesses have pushed out for years. Since they rely on ignorance, they don't like it.

Perhaps the most surprising (and scary) quotes involve children:

*** FACE THE FACTS (book), pp. 46, 49-50 ***
Would it be Scripturally proper for them to now marry and begin to rear children? No, is the answer, which is supported by the Scriptures. […] Those Jonadabs who now contemplate marriage, it would seem, would do better if they wait a few years, until the fiery storm of Armageddon is gone…

As many of you probably know, the JW's have repeatedly predicted the end of the world, so I'm not sure who they expect followers to rely on for an accurate prediction. Also, wouldn't God prevent the faithful from getting pregnant if He needed them for some other purpose?

Here's hoping Mr. Mosier stands firm - and praying that Jehovah's Witnesses look a little more into their faith.

Hat tip to Karl Keating's Email newsletter.

God bless,
Jay

For "moderate" Muslims (sometimes called "true Muslims") to condemn the murder of innocent citizens to achieve political objectives.

Where is the outrage?

God bless,
Jay

PS - Our prayers are with all of those in London.

The following was a response written by one of our commentors under the Entry: DeoOmnisGloria.com Suggestion Box. It is an excellent response to this "important" doctrine held by Jehovah Witnesses. Enjoy!

I could not help but focus in on your third question in regards to the Book of Revelation and the elect 144,000, a passage that your religion holds to the letter. First of all, there are three facts about the elect 144,000 that Jehovah Witnesses are always silent about and to which I would like to bring into the light. The first of these is Revelation 7: 4-8,

“I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites: twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Benjamin.”

This passage with utmost clarity attests that the 144,000 are all Jews. Therefore, this first detail alone of the elect 144,000 found in Revelation raises serious questions in regards to your religion, since, I would venture to guess, most Jehovah Witnesses are not former Jews. If taken literally, Revelation 7: 4-8 clearly excludes the majority, if not all Jehovah Witnesses from being included among the elect 144,000. Why would anyone who only accepts Revelation 7: 4-8 in a literal sense want to be a Jehovah Witness if they are guaranteed to be excluded from that very same 144,000? Instead, why wouldn’t they flock to Judaism or become Jews for Jesus?

Just wanted to point out an interesting story about the murder of someone criticizing Islam. The article isn't complete, but apparently the guy was pointing out the problems of Islam on a message board. He received death threats, but continued his criticisms. They found his family murdered in their own home last week.

I'm one of those who believes this is more than a fight against a few extremists - I still have heard very little criticism of 9/11 terrorists from any mainstream Muslim leaders. This is ultimately a clash of civilizations or cultures. The difficulty lies in the refusal of Muslims to allow discussions; in fact, they won't allow any opposition to their beliefs as this story shows.

Please pray for the family and for the world.

God bless,
Jay

You look out your window and see two strangers walking down your driveway...the doorbell rings...you open the door...one of the strangers smiles and asks you if you know "God's name?" Most of us have experienced this...and if we haven't we should count ourselves among the lucky. The Jehovah's Witnesses are notorious for their door-to-door evangelization. They are quick to tell you how they have come to reveal to you "God's real name" and to "show you the truth"...the only problem is do they really know the truth....

In order to write this article I had to create a new category which I have labeled "Cults and Sects" due to the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses don't actually acknowledge Jesus Christ as God, nor the Holy Spirit for that matter. Sad but true, this is one of the most rapid growing movements in this country....another ramification of "personal interpretation of Scripture," a direct result of Protestantism. Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, started as a Presbyterian, then joined a Congregational church, and finally, influenced by the Adventists, founded his "own" church...except he wouldn't refer to it as such.

The main reason for this post is to provide all of you with valuable resources in combating this "delusional" sect. They hold to such things as: the belief that Jesus isn't God, the belief that hell doesn't exist, the belief in the annihiliation of "unsaved" people, the belief that Jesus and St. Michael the Archangel are one-in-the-same, the belief in the "mortality" of the soul, and the ongoing alteration of the actual year in which Jesus will return (they initially predicted that year to be 1914, but afterwards altered that year to 1918, and then 1925. There are many other oddities about this sect. Below I have provided links to outstanding articles that I recommend printing out and using when that all too familiar knock at the door comes again. Make sure to lead the discusion with Jehovah Witnesses, I have found that the best approach is to put them on their heels quickly. They use a misinterpreted bible, the New World Translation, and have little knowledge of Church history. We have a theological obligation to help them realize the fundamental errors of their religion.

The links are as follows:

The History of the Jehovah's Witnesses

The God of the Jehovah's Witnesses

Strategies of the Jehovah's Witnesses

The Distinctive Beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses

Stumpers For Jehovah's Witnesses

More Stumpers For Jehovah's Witnesses

The Stumpers are excellent tools for both Protestants and Catholics when dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses when they come to our doors. I highly recommend taking the time to read through these articles. We must keep ourselves informed, especially about those that hold to such erroneous teachings as those of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

In Christ,
Joe