mz.rae and @
TraciChanel - Do they believe in the Trinity?
nappygirl, as HWAY said, no they don't believe in the trinity at all.
They do teach that:
- Jehovah is the only true God
- Jesus is His "only-begotten" son that was sent to earth as a sacrifice for atonement of mankind's innate sins.
But, most importantly, they insidiously teach that the Watchtower Society is God's mouthpiece on earth to give his servants ( JW's) their spiritual "food at the proper time". **Herein lies the problem**
Basically, this means that the Watchtower Society receives direct instruction from God by means of His holy spirit how the bible should be interpreted. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is the version they use that is translated/interpreted by the Watchtower Society. They will quote from other bibles, but don't dare bring a KJV or other translation to the Kingdom Hall, you will get disapproving looks and you may get "counseled" that it is too worldly. My great aunt who was a JW passed away a few years ago (2007). Another relative (not a JW) wrote her obit and on the outside there was a beautiful scripture that happened to be quoted from the KJV. We were promptly told to either remove it because it was too worldly OR to change the quote to the New World Translation version if we wanted a JW elder to preside over her funeral.
It goes much deeper than that....Lord, I could write a book. But, I'll stop here. Typically, I hold a lot back because I don't want to potentially offend anyone. But I had to speak up on this topic because I don't want anyone to fall prey to what I know is a cult.
I will say this: it is important to focus on and build a strong relationship with God first and foremost. Although I don't negate the fact that we need fellow believers for encouragement, and fellowship and edification, our personal relationship with God should never be forsaken. If you have a strong relationship with God, you know that you don't need an "organization" to be a mediator between you and the Father, or to interpret the bible for you, or dictate to you how God wants you to live your life. God's Holy Spirit is readily available to all of us as believers. Jesus says:
John 14:15-21, 26:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. 26 ”But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
God bless. Now I have to get back to studying. I have finals next week! LOL