In 1869 Charles Taze Russell heard a preacher say that the Bible did not teach eternal punishment. He became a believer, formed a Bible study group, and came to numerous unorthodox conclusions. In 1879 he began publishing Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence. He taught that Christ had been present on earth since 1874, and that his presence would climax in 1914.

Russell died in 1916 and "Judge" Joseph Rutherford, the Society's lawyer, became leader. The name Jehovah's Witnesses was approved in 1931; in 1939 the magazine was named The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom. They taught that Christ's presence had begun in 1914, and "the end" would come before that generation died out.

Nathan Knorr was president from 1942 to 1977. Under his leadership they made their own version of the Bible, The New World Translation. In 1975, many members were disappointed when Armageddon did not occur. Milton Henschel is now president. They no longer tie the end times to 1914; the end-time generation includes all "who see the sign of Christ's presence."

There are about 1 million JWs in America, 5 million in other nations. Magazine circulation is over 20 million, in over 100 languages. The average JW spends about 200 hours each year witnessing, but it takes about 3,500 hours of witnessing to get one conversion. Result: About 300,000 are baptized each year.

There is only one legitimate religious organization, and members must submit to it.

The Trinity is a satanic, pagan doctrine. Jesus is a created being, the first of God's creations. He is only "a god." The Holy Spirit is an impersonal energy or force by which God works.

Death ends a person's existence; there is no "soul" that remains conscious until resurrection.

There is no eternal conscious punishment of the wicked -- no eternal hell.

Jesus was resurrected a spirit being; his human body was somehow vaporized.

People are saved through faith and hard work. Forgiveness is provisional and may be lost if a person does not prove to be worthy.

Only 144,000 believers are born again; they will be spirit beings in heaven. Other believers will live on earth and be given eternal life if they are faithful throughout the millennium.

Christ is invisibly present on earth; he will never return physically or visibly.

Members may not observe birthdays, Christmas, Easter, and national holidays.

Members may not receive blood transfusions, due to biblical laws against eating blood.

Members may not use the cross as a symbol of Christianity.

Members may not vote, salute a flag, serve in the military, or hold government office.

They attend several meetings and read about 60 pages of Watchtower literature each week. They are taught loyalty, warned about apostasy, and questions are discouraged.

They are forbidden to read anything written by an ex-Witness or an "opposer."

"Jehovah's Witnesses are normal: they `become associated' (as they like to put it) with their religion and stay with it for much the same reasons as most people--the members are friendly, they seem to have answers, and the religion gives them a sense of purpose. Jehovah's Witnesses have feelings like other people: they want to be treated with respect, they like to think they are right, and they have doubts and insecurities that they hide from others... Some like to think for themselves, others like to be told what to think; some are good listeners, others are not.... They seek a God they can comprehend" (Bowman, p. 71).

Different people are attracted by different things: the desire to serve God in tangible ways, the desire for order and structure, the desire to have exclusive knowledge, to be special, a distrust of other denominations, dislike of the doctrine of hell.

Some of their theological errors are relatively harmless, but their dogmatism about them is divisive; claiming to be the only true church amounts to condemning people who are Christians.

The doctrine of the Trinity seems to be resisted with unusual emotion. Perhaps it is associated with churches that are disliked for other reasons, such as lukewarmness.

JWs vigorously deny the deity of Jesus Christ and his return.

They view salvation as dependent on works.

It is difficult to discuss doctrine with them, because they change the definition of words, insist on a different translation for many of the key verses, and have memorized arguments for their distinctive doctrines.

1. Be courteous and respectful. Do not reinforce their stereotype that traditional Christians are hostile, rude, and afraid to discuss the Bible. Know the Bible.

2. If you make accusations and attack their doctrines, they may decide that you are an "opposer" and leave. It may be better to ask questions, to encourage them to think about the context of the scriptures, to ask them to deal with any inconsistencies in their argument.

3. They may be better prepared for arguments about the Trinity, the deity of Christ, or hell; they may be less prepared for questions about Christ's resurrection or his (non)return.

4. We may ask about the changes in JW doctrines concerning 1914: Was the Society wrong to require members to believe something that they later admitted was not right? Is the Society infallible? Which is more authoritative -- Scripture, or the Watchtower?

5. Ask: If you are willing to read their literature, are they willing to read yours? Are they willing to study the Bible without the aid of their literature?

The deity of Jesus: There is only one God; all others are falsely called gods (Isa. 43:10-11; 1 Cor. 8:5). Jesus is called Mighty God (Isa. 9:6 cf. 10:21). We should honor Jesus as God (John 5:23; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8). We do not worship a created being.

The resurrection of Christ: Jesus said he was not just a spirit (Luke 24:39). Jesus, speaking of his body, said he would raise the same temple as the Jews destroyed (John 2:19-21). The resurrected body is changed and given immortality, not destroyed (1 Cor. 15:51-54). Question for JWs: Was there a nonphysical aspect to Jesus' human life? What was resurrected?

The return of Christ: Jesus will not only be present, he will "appear" (Col. 3:4) and "come" (Acts 1:11) and be revealed (1 Cor. 1:7) and be seen (Rev. 1:7). His kingdom began at his resurrection (Matt. 28:19), not 19 centuries later.

Robert M. Bowman, Jr. Jehovah's Witnesses. An 85-page booklet in the series titled Zondervan Guide to Cults & Religious Movements. Zondervan, 1995.

Walter Martin. The Kingdom of the Cults, 4th edition, pp. 79-178. Bethany House, 1997. There is much of value in these 100 pages, but it often insults, accuses and belittles JWs.