Are Jehovah's witnesses Catholic

Answer 1

While all Christians are called to love Jehovah's Witnesses as people, the Catholic view is the same as the whole of the Christian Church in that Jehovah's Witnesses as an organisation is classed as a sect (or even a cult) rather than a Christian Church.

The reason for this is simple. The Christian Church worldwide accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, Emmanuel, God with us, the Saviour of Humankind and God incarnate, as affirmed in scripture by the Gospel writers, St Paul, other New Testament writers, the prophets who foretold Jesus coming as God in human flesh, thousands of theologians over the two millennia since Christ's birth and billions of Christians over the last two thousand years who have accepted Jesus as Lord, and as God the Son, part of a Trinitarian God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as affirmed in the original Greek and Hebrew scriptures and the teachings of those who knew Jesus and their own disciples throughout the ages.

JW's believe that the bible teaches that Jesus is the subservient Son of God, not God. It says that he is the son of God in John 3:16. If you look at accurate translations, you can see we follow what they say. If you were to look up the meaning of the word 'God', it is defined as anyone who is worshiped. While Jesus is a mighty god, he is not the almighty God

ANSWER

Mainstream Christians have been unswerving in their animosity against the Jehovah's Witnesses and their ministry. From councelling their flock to not engage in conversations with the Witnesses to spreading online lies (such as the falsehood that Jehovah's witnesses do not accept " Jesus Christ as Lord, Emmanuel, God with us, the Saviour of Humankind") to subverting their work through mob violence and other illegal means, the churches have on the whole expresses a profound hatred for Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Jehovah's Witnesses continue to grow and are presently the fastest growing Christian denomination in America and one of the fastest growing Christian groups in the World.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church and the Christian denominations of the protestants worldwide (eg Anglicans, Methodists, Orthodox, Baptists and so on) are united in regarding the Jehovah's Witness organisation as ranging between two extremes. On the one end of the spectrum some regard the organisation as misguided theologically but basically harmless, whereas others at the other end regard it as a dangerous cult.

Although these viewpoints are two extremes, almost none of the denominations of the Christian Church - including Catholics - regards the JW organisation as a mainstream Christian Church, for several reasons, although space and time allow just a few illustrations. Firstly, the organisation refuses to accept a Trinitarian Godhead as described in scripture and by Jesus himself (eg at the end of Matthew's gospel). Second, they refute and reject the divinity of Christ that is held dear as a central doctrine in the Christian church worldwide and taught since the earliest Church fathers. Thirdly they reject the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a bodily resurrection, despite Jesus' own claims to the contrary - again a central Christian doctrine that is common to all Christian denominations. There are other JW doctrines that are contrary to the teachings of both scripture and the historical Church from the earliest times (eg regarding forgiveness of sin vs shunning, the end times, the exclusivity of JW salvation and so on. Of course, the mainstream denominations have differences too, but despite these peripheral differences, the man tenets of the Christian Faith hold firm. Thus, like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (mormons) the JW doctrine is so far removed from mainstream Christian belief that the Christian Church cannot regard it as being under both the authority of the Church nor, ultimately, of God.

It is fair, though, to add that the Christian Church worldwide - and in that we must include all Catholics of course - accept in love Jehovah's Witnesses themselves as brothers and sisters in Christ and would regard them (or should regard them) as beloved of God just as they are themselves. However, it is the teaching of the JW organisation that the Church has a real problem with as they see it as incorrect and based on just a few peoples' misinterpretation of scripture back in the 19th Century. Sadly JWs seem not to accept this, and regard any criticism of their doctrine as a personal attack on them as people - although nothing is further from the truth.

Answer 3

No, they completely separate themselves from other Christian denominations, or Christendom, and believe they are following the example of the first century Christians.