Adventists, Mormons, and JWs (Beginning Apologetics Series)

[Maria1212]

I have been doing some reading on Jehovah`s Witnesses and Mormons and was struck by how much they have in common with Adventism. I also never realized they were founded around the same time. Mormons were founded in 1839, Seventh Day Adventists in 1831, and the JWs began as Adventist religions. Moreover, all three of these religions claimed to know the exact date of the Second Coming, and all were discredited when their predictions failed to come true.

Adventists taught that a man does not have a soul, that is is a soul, and at death, the soul goes into a “sleep” until the second coming. They also taught that hell is not eternal and that at the Second Coming all the wicked will be annihilated. The JWs borrowes thises two beliefs with a few changes.

Adventists and Mormons both believe that hell is termporary.

All three religions today have removed doctrine that their church used to teach.

As many of you know from my previous posts, I enjoy (and highly recommend) the Beginning Apologetics Series by San Juan Catholic Seminars. I have been reading the How to Answer Jehovah`s Witnesses and Mormons (by Father Frank chacon and Jim Burnham) and noticed how Adventism has many similiarities. But when I look at the dates when these religions were “founded” it makes sense.

Jesus taguht us “Behold, I am with you always” and said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. It seems that all of the above groups teach that Jesus was lying.

The more I read the Bible, the more I realize how many religious groups founded in the past couple hundred of years really deviate from the Gospel. I wish more people would read the Bible and the Early Church Fathers. It is funny how so many religious groups claim to believe in the Bible, but believe the Church was corrupted even before the New Testament was compiled. If you believe the Church was corrupt, than how can one believe the Bible has any authority, since there is no way to know the Bible has not been corrupted?

If anyone would like to discuss this Beginning Apologetics #2, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[PaulDupre]

I have been doing some reading on Jehovah`s Witnesses and Mormons and was struck by how much they have in common with Adventism. I also never realized they were founded around the same time.

All three of those religions (and many others) grew out of the “restorationist movement” of the early 1800’s.

 

[Maria1212]

All three of those religions (and many others) grew out of the “restorationist movement” of the early 1800’s.

It is ironic since these religions claim to “restore the truth” when it comes to Jesus and his teachings. In reality they distort Christian teachings by “adding” to what Jesus taught. Catholics, and most orthodox Christians believe that public revelation ended with the death of the last apostle at about 100 AD. Mormons and Adventists, however, claimed to have prophets who can communicate divine revelation and reveal new doctrines.

New religious groups such as the Adventists and Mormons teach new doctrine that was never a part of what Jesus taught. The Catholic Church, whether one believes it is the true church founded by Christ or not, has historically defended Christianity against heresy and false teachings.

The more I read the writings of the early Christians and early Church Fathers, the more I am struck by how the Catholic Church today mirrors their writings.

The more I read the Bible and the writings of the early Church Fathers, the better I understand my own faith. It has really helped me be able to better explain my faith to others.

I really recommend all of the San Juan Catholic Seminars materials. They really present a lot of material in a very easy to understand way. They (and CAF!) also point you in the right direction for a lot of other great resources.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[TraditionalCath]

jw’s also had their beginning in the late 1800’s. i am a former jw myself. ( note, former ) they have absurd teachings. for one, they have predicted the end of the world many times and failed. the point they seem to not get is that there is NO untruth with God. none. He states in the Bible that no man knows the hour or the day when the end will come, not the Son or even the angels in heaven know.

so their ridiculous claims that the end was to come at such and such a time was proven false over and over and over again. they really really try to dupe the world into thinking how “right” they are. they are a false belief and they teach heresy. such beliefs are to be avoided.

their own president, rutherford built a house in California to welcome back some of the prophets of old. well, those prophets did not come back when rutherford thought they would. that was an embarassment to the society. also, charles taze russel, their founder, sold “miracle wheat” making claims that it would help people’s crops produce more. he ended up in court over that. he also has a pyramid on his tomb. so go figure. ( like an egyptian pyramid)

they also lie about the blood doctrine as well. for one, blood transfusions were not invented thousands of years ago. God never forbid us to receive a transfusion. what He did forbid us from doing was drinking blood by mouth. no one would take blood by mouth anyhow because that is revolting and disgusting. what is the difference between drinking blood by mouth and receiving a transfusion? big difference. transfusions are sent via the vein and are not absorbed by the body as food as the witnesses would try to have you falsely believe.

the blood sent via the vein does is not sent to the stomach and excreted through your internal systems as waste. it replaces the hemoglobin that you lost.

that is also not the only thing about the blood transfusions either. they use tactics to enforce their hold over their members that is seen as control and brainwashing. how do they do this? take for instance a person who is in a hospital, and is a witness. the doctor comes and tells him he needs blood in order to survive. this witness is in a dilema. why? because he is told that in order to survive, he needs blood. he has been brainwashed by the society that if he takes a blood transfusion it goes against what the society teaches, and that he might face eternal annihilation by God for taking a blood transfusion. ( emotional blackmail ) not just that, the witness faces being kicked out of the hall, and his loved ones and friends turn against him because he dared to take a transfusion.

so, alot of witnesses needlessly die because of their indoctrination in the falsetower because they did not receive a life saving blood transfusion. the elders tell that person, you take that transfusion, you will be booted out, your family wont speak to you, and your on your own buddy, and oh by the way, God will terminate you forever if you take that there blood transfusion. ( either God will terminate them at armageddon, or they wont be resurrected when the end comes if they do die before armageddon ) they will just cease to exist. that is the worst form of emotional blackmail i ever had to experience as a jw!

if you want to know more, i’ll be glad to point you in the direction of one member here who is an expert on jw’s, jeff schwehm! he has more knowledge and insight than i will ever have. he is now a Catholic. when i left the falsetower, the scales in my eyes literally dropped off. it took awhile, but eventually the scales of false doctrine and lies fell out of my eyes and i was able to see the governing body for what they are, liars and perpetuaters of the lies they teach.

praise God Almighty that i am out of that deceitful lying organization! praise God! recommended reading: answering jehovah’s witnesses by jason evert. fantastic book!!! it really opened my eyes in regards to the falsetower!

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

The Christian Connection movement influnced both the Restorationist movement and Adventist Movement. These later two movements are not the same, but are in fact different. Seventh Day Adventists directly influnced Charles Taze Russell the founder of International Bible Students which the Jehovah’s Witnesses split off from.

 

[TraditionalCath]

The Christian Connection movement influnced both the Restorationist movement and Adventist Movement. These later two movements are not the same, but are in fact different. Seventh Day Adventists directly influnced Charles Taze Russell the founder of International Bible Students which the Jehovah’s Witnesses split off from.

that’s true about russel. what is also true is that witnesses don’t like to admit that fact.

 

[PaulDupre]

Wikipedia has a good article with diagrams and links to the various Restorationist churches here.

It lists 5 branches of restorationists:

Christadelphians
Iglesia Ni Cristo
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Mormons
Seventh-Day Adventists

All of these share certain characteristics, chief among them is a denial of the trinity and denial of the divinity of Jesus, making Him a creature (an angel, spirit child of God, etc.).

Paul

 

[TraditionalCath]

yes, the one thing they do all do have in common, denial.