Why would any person wont to join a religious group that teaches lies and twists scripture to maintain control

Jehovah's Witnesses study the bible more than any other group. Try to name another religion wherein 80%-90% of the congregation show up three times a week for five hours of bible education. Try to name another religion where even schoolchildren in the audience are expected to be personally find and read all the scriptural citations. Name another religion which requires baptism candidates to sit with three different elders at three different times and explain from the scriptures every major bible teaching before he/she is qualified for baptism.

Jehovah's Witnesses expect to hear all kinds of slanderous lies about them, just not ridiculous lies that even non-Witness householders around the world know to be untrue. Jehovah's Witnesses certainly know their bibles!

It is not wise to do your group at this stage. From what I read your question, you have a limited idea of your own to reach out or touch the emotion of an individual. The best way for you now is to lead as an example and walk the talk. You have to get attention first. There must be a difference in you. Should you succeed in forming a group than you are a leader and their soul is your responsibilities. If they are mislead by you because of your opinion or beliefs than you will have to bare the burden of their sins. I would advice you to explore more on other religion or cult, better still focus on the Four Gospel, before you even think of forming a group. There is no gain, this I can assure you, of your quest.

I grew up in the jw's and was lucky enough to escape the mind control and leave. Of course when I left (NOT Disfellowshipped..just left) I was shunned by all my former "Brothers and Sisters" and my family.

The JW's are not a Christian, loving organization ! They are a billion dollar publishing company that poses as not only "A" religion but "THE Only True" religion. LOL

They tear families apart with their shunning policy, they demand that their members commit suicide and kill their children by forbidding them from taking needed blood transfusions, they brainwash and control ther members by not allowing them to read anything but JW publications and telling them that anyone like me who disagrees with the "organization" is a liar and working for satan.

They catch people at weak moments and offer the chance to "live forever in paradise" and some people actually buy that crap. For those that are trapped on the inside I hope you can break free...for those that actually believe it...Don't drink the Kool-Aide !!

Well, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses myself, I am happy to answer your question.

I was not born one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and I did not take my choice of religion lightly by any means. I wish the one I studied with were on these message boards: he would tell you how I put the Watchtower's doctrine to the test, how I would have Jehovah's Witnesses come in on Tuesday, and another "Christian" religion on Thursdays how I continued to ask difficult questions that he sometimes didn't even understand. Often, the amount of handholding given by the Society was not enough and I had to search hard to verify the truthfulness of what I was being taught. I do not "follow the teach of the Watchtower" -- I base all my beliefs on the holy scriptures, and I defend my beliefs using the scriptures. When I find something I don't understand, I ask about it. I have carefully examined the history of the organization and many of the critical arguments against it. I have found that those critical of the organization are often the ones using lies, half-truths, distortions, and selective facts, while the society is candid and truthful about its own history and the mistakes it has made. I am not under the "control" of the Watchtower society because I make my own search and have my own relationship with Jehovah God -- and yes, the Holy Spirit does help me understand things. (A good example: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsnTY... But I also recognize the God-given place of organization in Jehovah's arrangements. (Matthew 24:45, Acts 15:1-35; Hebrews 10:24,25) In short, I chose to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses because I studied and examined and searched, and I believe in what I'm doing. I was certainly not in a "moment of weakness".

I would also like to answer some of your objections.

You assert that Jehovah's Witnesses "add to" the Bible by means of their New World Translation. I would like to point out, however, that this is not the only translation used by Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses have in the past published editions of the King James Version and the American Standard Version and have also used translations by Young, Leeser, Tischendorf, Murdock, and others. Insight on the Scriptures, an encyclopedia used by Jehovah's Witnesses, cites 45 bible translations and versions other than the New World Translation. Reasoning from the Scriptures uses 28. Many Jehovah's Witnesses have other translations in their personal libraries.

The rendering "a god" at John 1:1 is not out of harmony with the ancient Semitic and Biblical uses of the word "God", even if it sounds polytheistic to a modern audience. Satan is called "God of this world" at 2 Corinthians 4:4, according to the King James Version. In nearly every translation of the Bible in English, humans are called "gods" at Psalm 82:6, and Jesus cited this scripture in John 10:34, showing that "he [Jehovah] called 'Gods' those against whom the word of God came", adding that "the Scripture cannot be nullified". If humans and Satan the Devil himself can thus be labeled "Gods", which word means "mighty ones", certainly God's son, who sits at the right hand of the almighty, can be called "a god" at John 1:1.

Any argument that the scriptures knowingly attest to Jesus as God are fatally flawed because this teaching was completely unknown to first- and second-century Christians. History shows that trinitarian doctrine was not even conceived until the third century and not assimilated until the fourth century, when the church was adopting all manner of pagan customs into "Christianity". The trinity was based on, not scripture, but "philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men". (Colossians 2:8) The Christian trinity is simply a philosophical "Christianization" of the pagan triads found in countless ancient religions. Only later did the church begin trying to support the doctrine using scripture. The brochure "Should You Believe In The Trinity?" discusses this in more detail.

1 Corinthians chapter 5 is not the only basis for disfellowshipping in the Bible. Hymenaeus was disfellowshipped by the apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:20) for apostasy (2 Timothy 2:16-18), and this shows us the proper application is of Paul's instruction to "reject" someone promoting a sect in the congregation. (1 Timothy 5:19) Diotrephes was evidently abusing the disfellowshipping arrangement. (3 John 10) Jesus plainly said that persons must love him even more than close family to become his disciple. -- Matthew 10:34-38

In answer to his_lil_princess, Jehovah's Witnesses preach door-to-door because this activity was COMMANDED by Christ at Matthew 28:19,20. The mandative nature of this statement is made clear in verse 18, where, before giving the command to preach, Jesus reminds his followers that "all authority" had been given him "in heaven and on earth".

I hope this gives you more insight into Jehovah's Witnesses. Thank you for your question.

I am a christian and I live by the Bible but I do not feel like it is my place to judge others for their beliefs and practices.

But doesn't every religious group do that to some extent?

BECAUSE THOSE PPL MAKE THEM BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE SAVED & THAT ALL OTHER RELIGIONS ARE WRONG & WERE SINNERS & WERE GOIN TO HELL!!!

I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY KEEP GOIN DOOR TO DOOR PREACHIN TO PPL, LET EVERYONE CHOSE THERE OWN RELIGION DONT FORCE THEM

People in this world get brain washed...

they probably relate to it