Jehovah's Witnesses: Has the name "Jehovah" become (unwittingly) a form of idolatry?

yes

They claim to exalt the name Jehovah (when the real name is Yahweh). Then they deny the name of Jesus.

Phl 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Phl 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;

Phl 2:11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jehovah's Witnesses are aware that the pronunciation of God's name isn't known.

What we do know is that the Tetragrammaton is YHWH. This leaves for quite a bit of room considering there is no vowel marks.

But, most Bible scholars will agree that the name that "YHWH" represents was more likely to be three syllables than two, with three vowels instead of two. You're correct that "Yahweh" is favored by Hebrew scholars, but they also agree that "Jehovah" is the best known English pronunciation of the name.

This conclusion also leaves much room for questioning. "Yehowah," and "Yehowih" have both been common renderings of the divine name.

What Jehovah's Witnesses believe is the most important thing about God's name is not how to pronounce it, but what the meaning is behind the name. The Hebrew ha‧wah′ is a verb that means "become." This is the verb God's name comes from. His name really means "He Causes to Become."

Jehovah's Witnesses recognize this meaning as the way Jehovah fulfills his purpose. We believe that he caused all of the things that are here to become and we believe that he will cause his purpose to become as well.

As you showed, while the name "Jehovah" or "Yahweh" is important to know, it isn't the most important thing for us to focus on right here and now. We need to recognize what our God, Jehovah or Yahweh, represents.

Throughout the Bible, the true God has shown himself to be just, kind, merciful, forgiving and perfect in everything. Really, knowing his name allows us to understand his faithfulness in regard to what he has written to us through the Bible.

EDIT:

1 Corinthians 8:5 says "For even though there are those who are called 'gods,' whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many 'gods' and many 'lords...'"

The name "Jehovah" makes it known that he is distinct from other "gods." There are many gods, but there is only one Jehovah.

That's why it's important.

EDIT:

They always used God's name. From the Bible, Eve is the first person that used God's personal name. God's name was always unique. Today, the English translation is "Jehovah," the Hebrew is "Yahweh," the Spanish is "Jehová." Every language has different translations.

However Adam and Eve said it is unknown, but the meaning of the name has stayed the same throughout time.

" The title "Jehovah's Witnesses", headquartered on Isaiah forty three:10, used to be followed at a 1931 conference of Bible pupils whilst underneath the management of Joseph Franklin Rutherford." They have been at first referred to as "bible pupils" Following Rutherford's loss of life, Nathan Knorr took over the presidency of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Later, 1975 used to be closely harassed as a feasible date for Armageddon. In 1976, management of the Jehovah's Witness motion started to be directed through a "Governing Body".

Idolatry? No.

The Bible constantly uses God's name. Faithful servants of God used God's name. They were not idolators.

The pronunciation of God's name is irrelevant. JWs use a correct English pronunciation. In some lands, JWs use a form of God's name that more closely resembles 'Yahweh.'

Greetings,

Actually, a better argument can be made for Christendom’s making the name Jesus into a form of idolatry! Witnesses do not write the name Jehovah all over their cars, carry it hanging around their neck or bow down to images of Jehovah. Yet, all these are things members of Christendom do.

In fact, the Witnesses’ literature has warned about using the Tetragrammaton or the name Jehovah in these ways! So it is obvious that the name Jehovah has not become a form of idolatry for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

However, Witnesses honor and hold the name Jehovah to be sacred just as the Bible commands us (Mt.6:9; Lk.1:49). Something that is “hallowed” or “sanctified” means that it is “holy, set apart or held as sacred,” and therefore is not to be viewed as common, or ordinary. Care should be shown to not “profane” that name because of who it represents (Lev. 21:6; Ps.111:9).

Psalm 145:21: “The praise of Jehovah my mouth will speak; And let all flesh bless his holy name to time indefinite, even forever.”

There is certainly no idolatry promoted in the words of the “Bible Teach” book nor is it inaccurate regarding the pronunciation of the Divine Name. “Jehovah” is the most recognized English pronunciation of God’s name and is a perfectly accurate pronunciation of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton. Since every language has slightly different pronunciations of the Divine Name the exact pronunciation is irrelevant. However, it is better and shows respect if we use a pronunciation that is as close to being accurate as possible for our language.

What is relevant is that we use some accurate form of that Name such as Yahweh or Jehovah. While Yahweh is OK modern scholarship recognizes that the Divine Name was most likely pronounced with three syllables rather than with two. So, Yehowah in Hebrew and Jehovah in English are actually more accurate.

(See George Wesley Buchanan; "How God's Name Was Pronounced", Biblical Archaeology Review Mar./Apr. 1995 Volume 21 Number 2; page 30. Harris, Archer, Waltke; "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament" #484. James Trimm; "Nazarenes and the Name of YHWH," and "In Fame Only? A Historical Record of the Divine Name," by Gerard Gertoux)

When we accept the overwhelming evidence for a tri-syllable pronunciation, the acceptable vocalizations vary relatively little in their pronunciation from the sound of "Jehovah."

We can properly render the Hebrew "tetragrammaton" YHWH/JHVH as Yehowah, Yahweh or Jehovah which are all real translations, but removing that Divine Name by replacing it with a completely different word such as "LORD" would elicit the strongest of condemnation (Rev. 22:18,19). This would be the most blatant of blasphemies. It is imitating Satan, who refused to used that Name, and it is a refusal to imitate Jesus who "made that name known" to all his followers and placed it first, of primary importance, in his model prayer (Jn.17:6,26; Mt.6:9).

Your view that the form Jehovah came about because of the Masoretes combined the vowels of Adonay and Elohim is a common and old assertion but it is not supported by sound evidence. On the other hand, modern scholars recognize that the form Jehovah can be verified as an accurate rendering for YHWH by examination of theophoric names (names which contain God’s name).

For example, the original Hebrew name for God's son is a theophoric written YHWSA meaning "Jehovah is salvation." No one knows exactly how it was pronounced but either Yeshua or Yehoshua are valid. Since Je– or Jeho- is the proper prefix for Christ's name and other names give us the final sound of “ah” we thus have solid evidence for the accuracy of the pronunciation "Jehovah" in English. If you accept "Jesus" as correct, then you have to accept Yeh(o)-/Jeh(o)- as the first part of the Divine Name. Other theophoric names in the Bible also give evidence for The Name having three syllables. (See the works by the above cited scholars.)

It is incontestable that the Divine Name occurs in the original Hebrew text of the Bible almost 7,000 times. This emphasizes how important that Name should be to Christians.

God made it clear that Jehovah would be his Eternal Name (Ex. 3:15, Mic. 4:5; Jer.23:27). It was manifestly Christ's determination to make Jehovah's name known to Christians (Jn. 17:6, 26 (Cf. Jn. 12:28; 17:4, 26; Rev. 1:5).

In the end times True Christians would be associated with the Father's Name (Acts 15:14; Amos 9:11, 12). Refusal to use some proper form of that Name would therefore be a denial of being truly Christian.

Hope that helps,

BAR-ANERGES

EDIT,

GP, you are avoiding the evidence which shows that both Protestants and Catholics idolize the name Christ by using it and the cross as a talisman.

Further, you are correct that the token of True Christians lies in your citations "Why call me Lord, and do not the things that I say?" And: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." However, this only proves that there is no church of Christendom which meets the requirements of being Christian. Almost without exception they are all willing to go to war and kill members of their own religion. Others ignore Christ’s commands regarding morality. So this disproves all their claims of being Christians.

Exalting the name Jehovah above every other name and title in our songbook and other literature is manifestly not idolatry. Haven’t you read the Bible book of Psalms (songs) lately? In fact, you have ignored the evidence I mentioned which shows that the Bible explicitly commands us to exalt God’s name above every other name. The Divine Name appears in the Bible more than any other three names or titles combined. If you criticize us for this then you blasphemously condemn the Author of the Bible Himself! You also condemn Christ who commanded us to view that name as sacred (Mt.6:10) and thereby prove that you are not following Christ’s commands.

Yes, the evidence is that Yehowah in Hebrew and Jehovah in English are actually more accurate. My evidence is clearly presented. While you wish to ignore the evidence in the theophoric names, they irrefutably prove that the pronunciation of Jehovah accurately transmits the original Hebrew and any valid alternative varies little from this pronunciation. This is supported by modern non-Witness scholarship.

Nope.

no & im methodist...their problem is they deny THE TRINITY...

SEE MATT 28:19