Examining Watchtower Teachings - -Worship that God Approves # 15

“What does the Bible Really Teach?” (according to Jehovah’s Witnesses) 
Worship that God Approves -- #15

The book says;
“Are all religions pleasing to God?
How can we identify the true religion?
Who are God’s true worshippers on earth today?”
Jehovah wants us to be happy, benefiting from his loving direction. There are many religions claiming to worship God and teach the truth about him.
If you trying to identify counterfeit money, it would be better to learn about real money. Thus, “when we learn how to identify the true religion, we can recognise those religions that are false”.
“It is important that we worship Jehovah in the way that he approves….. It is not even enough just to claim to be a Christian…..we must learn what God requires of us and do it. …Like counterfeit money, false religion has no real value. Even worse, such religion is actually harmful”.
“Jesus said that the true religion would be evident in the lives of those who practise it…..by their beliefs and their conduct”
Now we are given six features which “identify those who practise true religion”.
God’s servants base their teachings on the Bible. 
“Jesus often said, “it is written”. Then he would quote a scripture. Similarly, God‘s people today do not teach their own ideas”
Those who practise the true religion worship only Jehovah and make his name known 
“ True worshippers today teach others about God’s name”
God’s people show genuine, unselfish love for one another.
“Godly love overcomes racial, social and national barriers and draws people together in an unbreakable bond of true brotherhood. Members of false religions…..kill one another because of national or ethnic differences. True Christians do not take up weapons….true Christians unselfishly use their time, energy and resources to help and encourage one another and “work what is good toward all“”.
True Christians accept Jesus Christ as God’s means of salvation.
Jesus is God’s appointed king and the ransom “and God requires that we obey Jesus and apply his teachings if we want everlasting life”
True worshippers are no part of the world.
“Jesus’ true followers are subjects of his heavenly kingdom and thus maintain strict neutrality in the world’s political affairs” but “Jehovah’s worshippers do not interfere with what others choose to do..…While God‘s true worshippers are neutral regarding politics, they are law-abiding….. Because God’s word commands them to be “in subjection to the governmental superior authorities””.
Jesus’ true followers preach that God’s kingdom is mankind’s only hope.
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not look to human rulers to solve mankind’s problems.

“Of all the religious groups on earth, which one meets all these requirements? The facts clearly show that it is Jehovah’s Witnesses”
Asking “What will You do?”, the book says it is not enough simply to believe in God. We must separate ourselves from false religions which are all part of “Babylon the Great”. Trinities of Gods were common in Babylon, as was the belief in life after death, so Christian teachings are criticised. Babylon the Great will soon be destroyed by God.
“As a result of your decision to quit practising false religion, some may choose to stop associating with you…. By serving Jehovah with his people, however, you will gain far more than you could ever lose…. You will become part of a large, worldwide family of millions of true Christians”
In the new, paradise world, there will be only one religion. The student is invited to “take the necessary steps to come into association with true worshippers right now”.

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If we are trying to identify counterfeit money, certainly it would be useful to know about real money. But we need to be taught by some reliable institution e.g. the Bank of England. So, what makes the Watchtower qualified to teach us anything about true religion or anything else? Even the Bank was around long before the Watchtower!
If I wanted to convince you that a certain religion is true, I could make an arbitrary list; e.g. we must wear uncut hair, carry a comb, wear a bracelet, carry a sword and wear shorts. Those are the hallmarks of being a Sikh. Or Buddhist monks might say we should renounce material possessions, take a vow of poverty and wear an orange robe. 
Jehovah’s Witnesses have picked six “trademarks” which virtually no other religious group follows. I wonder why?
The book is spot on right, when it says that false religion is harmful. Many former Witnesses can testify to how harmful the Watchtower religion is, especially when one tries to leave its crazy, ever-changing teachings, which are, indeed, false.

Basing teachings on the Bible.
The Watchtower likes to use the Bible to support its counterfeit teachings. As I’ve said before, there is a verse in the Bible to prove just about anything you want, if one reads it out of context. In the past, slavery, crusades, racism, the bad treatment of women by men and torture of anyone disagreeing with the Church have all been justified by texts in the Bible. So yes, it may “be written”, but “Is that actually what the person said?”, is the question you might ask. Familiarity with the context and the whole Bible will help you decide.
The teachings of the Christian Church have been established for two thousand years and it may come as a surprise to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who rely on the Watchtower publications for their education, that the essential teachings of Christianity are firmly based in scripture. Learned and devout men spent years in deciding what should be included in the Bible canon and counsels and assemblies debated what the approved teachings should be, based on scripture.
Jehovah’s name
Only a religion with the name “Jehovah” in its brand, could come up with this as a criterion for “the true religion”. If you have been reading the Bible, as I recommended, you may have come across Acts 1:8 which makes it clear that the name of Jesus should be preached, for he is our Saviour. A reading of the New Testament in a “proper Bible” should make this abundantly clear. It is only because the Watchtower has falsified the “Word of God” that “the name” of Jehovah appears 237 times in their version of the New Testament. Read the Bible and you will see that it is Jesus’ name that is preached by the apostles.
Showing love
On this one point, Jehovah’s Witnesses, as a group, may justify themselves, but it’s not quite so simple. In times of disaster, Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to send aid to other countries, but it is to their own followers first, second and third. Although they are a registered charity in U.K., their charitable donations extend only to other Witnesses. I have seen several years of British Watchtower branch accounts and I saw how their money is shuffled around between various Watchtower departments.
Collectively, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate in war and they will try to convince you that they suffered as badly as the Jews in Germany for refusing war service, but in fact, only about 200 Jehovah’s Witnesses were actually killed under the Nazis although many hundreds spent time in camps or, more typically, prison 
As a group, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate even in “the just war” (and Christians have agonised over this question for centuries). They will not even perform National Service in times of peace. I personally knew adult JW men as a child, who had gone to prison in U.K. for declining their two years’ service. 
If a Witness goes to his National Service, he will be deemed to have “disassociated himself”. Notice that, since the government has the right to have armed forces, the Watchtower does not disfellowship an individual for joining the Forces, otherwise their prohibition would bring them into conflict with the Law. Either way, a person is expelled, so it’s not really “a question of individual conscience” and it is a falsehood to state that “Jehovah’s worshippers do not interfere in what others choose to do“.
While many Christians participated in the two World Wars (and many gave their lives for our freedom, lest we forget), other Christians took an individual, conscientious stand. Most of them went to prison, while others chose to perform humanitarian service as ambulance drivers or stretcher-bearers (always a target for soldiers on the other side!). Personally, I have great admiration for those Conscientious Objectors who served in Bomb Disposal. Putting oneself voluntarily, in harm’s way, for the saving of the lives of others, truly is a Christian act.
But if everyone did not go to war, how wonderful the world would be! But it would not be the real world. There are always some people that insist on getting their own way by force. Therefore, it is necessary to oppose them and the State has Biblical authority to “carry the sword” of punishment.
We might ask Jehovah’s Witnesses what they would suggest as an alternative to war. Of course, they will say, “God’s Kingdom, coming “soon””. Well, that’s a lot of use! How long have we been waiting for this promised, magical event at Armageddon, ushering in the “paradise earth”? Meanwhile, what would be the state of our world if people did not oppose fascism, communism, terrorism, invasion, religious fanaticism? And what have Jehovah’s Witnesses done? Nothing!
Finally on this, notice that the great love of Jehovah’s Witnesses and their God does not extend to all humanity, for “soon”, their nasty war-god will massacre about 7 billion people to give them their paradise earth.
Accepting Jesus Christ for salvation
Yes, accepting Jesus Christ is essential for salvation according to the Bible, the favourite religious book of Western nations. But what about other religions in other lands? It is an accident of birth which gives most of us our religion. True Christians (and I don’t mean Jehovah’s Witnesses, who like using that phrase as code for themselves) will sometimes tell you that people will gain salvation only by “accepting Jesus”. 
The Witnesses meanwhile, put all their faith “in Jehovah”. If you ever hear a Jehovah’s Witness prayer, all the requests are made “to Jehovah”. Jesus Christ is simply the postage stamp at the end of what is usually an infomercial - “through Jesus Christ. Amen”.
Jesus commanded his followers to preach the good news in all the inhabited earth and people of all nations have come to Christ. Whether God is so unjust as to kill everyone who does not worship Him or His Son, you will have to decide for yourself, but the OT God doesn’t have a very good record.
Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to be the foremost preachers of God’s Kingdom as they distribute Watchtower publications. But what’s the point in preaching a fake gospel? And who is distributing Bibles worldwide to get the pure message across in many languages? The "worldly" Bible Societies.
No part of the world
“War is nothing more than the continuation of politics by other means” (Clausewitz)
If that is so, then it seems prudent to keep talking to avoid bloodshed. Most wars start when communication breaks down. 
Personally, I vote in General Elections, not because I have faith in politicians. To the contrary! But politics is our only temporary hope for peace and security in this world. To hope for any other immediate solution is fantasy, so once again, Jehovah’s Witnesses cop out and don’t take part, letting everyone do their imperfect best to make this world a better place, while standing on the sidelines carping and criticising and benefiting from their governments’ administrations.

So, is there “a true religion”? I’m not sure any more and I’m not sure if I’d be part of one. But what I think is very important, is faith, individual faith, rather than going along with an organisation. 
All of Jesus’ appeals in the Bible are made to individuals, to you and I. It is people who love to make clubs, groups and societies and these quickly take on a life of their own as they grow, until the organisation entity, the “Id”, itself rules the people.
Finally, notice how the carrot is again offered at the end of Chapter 15 and the warning again, that you will be persecuted by associates if you change your viewpoints or beliefs.