I was searching different blogs concerning ex-Jehovah Witnesses and was struck by the numerous similarities they had with mormonism. I found Melissa Karmaze's blog, "Dysfunctional Beliefs of a Jehovah Witness Apostate" particularly eye opening.

Following are some excerpts from Melissa's blog of what Jehovah Witness' believe. It's considerably less than 10% of her blog so hopefully Susan won't cast my thread into "outer darkness." To save time and space I'm going to abbreviate Jehovah Witness with "JW." I think many of you will find them to be farmilar.

1) JWs are the ONLY ONES who know God, he has shown them the truth about the world... (my emphasis)
3) The Governing Body of JW in NY (Brooklyn, I think) ARE GOD'S CHANNEL OF TRUTH, LIKE MOSES WAS. (my emphasis)
6) (JWs) should not trust (themselves). 7) THINKING INDEPENDENTLY FROM (the) JWs IS EVIL. (my emphasis)
9) People who (have)...understood the truth as taught by the JWs but rejected it are even worse than those who never know. (They are) apostate.
11) (Those who)...have left the JWs...will be led...into suffering and destruction. 12) ...the devil will bless (them) with abundance and prosperity, but it will only be temporary...
19) The only way to know the truth is through the Holy Spirit. ONLY THE JWs REALLY HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT...(my emphasis)
29) Not going to JW meetings or door-to-door is dangerous to (your) spiritual health.
36) The only explanation for...leaving the JWs, if (you're) not evil, is that (you are) crazy.
39)...There are only two sides, Satan's and Jehovah's. Satan...convinces (people) TO DECIDE FOR (THEMSELVES) WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG. (my emphasis)
42) Any sexuality of any kind outside of a legally recognized marriage, INCLUDING MASTURBATION, deserves the punishment of death for the unrepentant. (my emphasis)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2012 01:55PM by heretic.

I know. I am a never-mo but I grew up a witness. It's been a staggering eye-opener how closely the two cults resemble each other. Did you know that both Charles T Russell and Joseph Smith were also Freemasons?

Another similarity is that they're both extremely insular and cagey about their doctrine and beliefs. Nowhere in their own published literature or public relations do you find the above list, which would immediately characterize the religion as being dramatically different from mainstream American Christian faiths.

RG

"Another similarity is that they're both extremely insular and cagey about their doctrine and beliefs. Nowhere in their own published literature or public relations do you find the above list, which would immediately characterize the religion as being dramatically different from mainstream American Christian faiths. RG"

I think the OP list is inaccurate and misleading of what the JWs believe. Maybe it's not in their own published literature because the list is false.

I think they're a cult similar to the Mormons but let's try to be a little bit accurate about them.

"I think the OP list is inaccurate and misleading of what the JWs believe. Maybe it's not in their own published literature because the list is false."

Would you care to share, with all of us, which part (or the whole list) is false? If you'll do that, I'll find where their own published literature proves the above list is 100% complete and accurate.

I'll do it on one condition, that you'll admit you were wrong without any weasel wording in your mea culpa. Is it a deal?

OK, I'll be glad to agree with your stipulation and admit I'm wrong, however most statements are very vague and allow for a lot of explanation. Let's work on:

11) (Those who)...have left the JWs...will be led...into suffering and destruction. 12) ...the devil will bless (them) with abundance and prosperity, but it will only be temporary...

19) The only way to know the truth is through the Holy Spirit. ONLY THE JWs REALLY HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT...(my emphasis)

36) The only explanation for...leaving the JWs, if (you're) not evil, is that (you are) crazy.

42) Any sexuality of any kind outside of a legally recognized marriage, INCLUDING MASTURBATION, deserves the punishment of death for the unrepentant. (my emphasis)

If you're still following this thread I wanted you to know I haven't forgotten you. My thread has obviously fallen off the first page into oblivion, but if you insist I'll still live up to my word and do the research necessary.

Or, if you'll kindly save me all the research I'd have to do, and accept my humble apology for not citing specific sources to each reference, it would be appreciated.
Along, with a promise to try and include referenced sources in the future. heretic

Well glad you're back. We could save a lot of effort and time if we agree with one issue. The JWs follow the bible according to their interpetation. If it cannot be proven by the bible then it's not official or not doctrine, at least generally.

Mormonism claims as doctrine whatever the prophet dreams up or can imagine and in Joe Smith's case whatever fulfilled his desires and is in constant change. The bible had very little to do with their doctrine.

I still think JWs are kooks but I think any statments about them should be somewhat true. There are a few of them I like and we camp with them.

In comparing the two faiths, I have to give a little credit to Mormons: both JW and LDS missionaries frequent our neighborhood, but it has been at least three or four years since any Mormon missionaries have knocked on our door. I'm always very polite to missionaries from any religion, but as soon as I make it clear that we are not interested, Mormons tend to leave it at that. We maybe had three visits from diferent sets of missionaries in over 10 years--no biggie in my book.

By contrast, my husband was once polite (or foolish) enough to take a copy of "The Watchtower" from some JWs, although he also told them that he is Catholic and had "zero" interest in converting to a different faith. After that, JW missionaries bugged us for years; it didn't cease until we moved to a different address within the same neighborhood. They even turned up shortly after 9/11, asking if they could pray with us "for comfort" and give us a Bible (we declined), which really angered me, as I saw it as a very cynical way of capitalizing on such a huge tragedy. Anyway, it didn't matter what we said; they never, ever gave up. Not sure why JWs don't seem to hit our new address here, but I'm relieved.

It pains me to say this but if forced to choose between being raised in the Morg and in the JW, I would choose the Morg.

At least I'd get to celebrate my own birthday. Haha.

I concur with the list that heretic listed from Melissa Karmaze's blog. I was raised a JW from the age of 6 until I finally knew I had to leave when I was 22. I am more recently an ex-mormon.

There are a lot of similarities;

Both religions do claim they are the ONLY TRUE religion and that the Holy Spirit is only with their religion.

As a teenager that spent a lot of time in the libraries, I used to ask many questions which constantly got me sent to meet with the "Elders," (JW equivalent to the Bishopric), to be scolded and told not to question, but just have faith that the Governing body had direct communication with God.

Being led away is likened to Jesus 40 days in the wilderness where the Devil showed and promised Jesus riches if he would bow down to him.

Because I was not only raised in the JW religion, but got baptized, I am considered very evil. I have been shunned by family, (all of my Mom's side whom I was raised with), and childhood friends I knew most of my life. It's been over 30 years now and they wouldn't even except a call from me when my cousin died this year. Per one of my brothers, I'm "in permanent exhile." I'm considered dead. (yeah, that's a loving religion, not)

All other sexuality but hetero is considered evil and of Satan. When my gay Brother died, their attitude was that he deserved it. Not one of them called or came to his funeral.

JW literature is highly studied and adhered to. We went to meetings three times a week. One of those meetings always covered a book printed by the JW's which was studied front to back.

The JW Bible has been altered to suit the JW's. (One of the many things I brought up and questioned when I was comparing the Greek translation to the JW Bible). A Huge, huge thing about their Bible is where punctuation is. As most of us know, punctuation influences the meaning of a sentence. And for those of us that studied Greek, there was no punctuation in the original Greek. For Hebrew, there were no vowels, so the JW's inserted their own to Create words.

I was a very devout JW; went to all three meetings weekly, door-to-door 6-8 hours each Saturday and Sunday. Held 1-3 Bible studies with new potential converts and gave hundreds of talks with the highest scores, (yes, they grade your talks). And I was suicidal from the age of 13 until I was 22 due to; everything I wanted to do being evil, The constant expectation of Armageddon, (which the years kept changing), Sexual repression, The only girl I wanted to marry at that time, married someone else, (You only date to marry), The hatred spewed on my gay brother, hypocrisy and so much more.

It's been 30 years and they still shun you??? That's insane! What a crazy and toxic religion indeed.

I have some JW patients, and they usually give me one of their magazines, which I accept and thank them for, but toss it in the trash. In one of their last visits, the mother of a teenage patient had the nerve to ask me if I had read it! I told them bluntly that I hadn't, but didn't say the reason. If they keep insisting, I'll be forced to tell them that their last magazine attacked directly my own religion (Spiritism), and that I would never read it. Here in Brazil, Spiritism is growing slowly but steadily, and it bugs the hell out of evangelicals, Jws, and other fundies. To them, we are devil worshippers... So much ignorance...

The sign at our front gate reads:

"NO DOOR TO DOOR SALES OR RELIGIONS"

It was installed in September. Haven't had the doorbell ring since that day...

seriously, scarily crazy as Mos...