If you ask a Jehovah’s Witness, ‘How many Gods do you believe in?’, they will answer and say “One. We believe in the One true God, Jehovah.” And by that, they mean the Father. However, it quickly becomes apparent, once you start asking questions, that they actually believe in many gods. They don’t realize this because everything they believe is compartmentalized and they don’t compare and contrast what they believe. This is how they can believe contradictory ideas. When you show them this, it causes cognitive dissonance. Let me explain.

The conversation typically goes something like this:

Me: How many Gods do you believe in?

JW: We believe in the One true God, Jehovah.

Me: And by that you mean the Father?

JW: Yes, the Father. Do you know that God has a name? Do you know what the name of God is? (JW are very intent on focusing on the name of God. They often revert to this subject because they think Christians don’t know God’s name, which makes them feel superior and special. They like that).

Me: What about Jesus?

JW: Jesus is the Son of God. He is not God.

Me: Isaiah 9:6 and John 1:1 both say Jesus is God.

JW: Yes, but He is not the Father, He is not the Almighty God, He is only the mighty God.

Me: But Jehovah is called mighty God in Isaiah 10:21.

           Only a remnant will return, The remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God. NWT

So, you believe in two Gods?

JW: No

Me: Sure, you do. Let’s add this up. You have the Almighty uncreated Father, that’s one, and the little created god Jesus, that’s two.

JW: But we only worship the Father. And besides, the Bible says there are many gods, even Satan is called the god of this system of things.

Me: We weren’t talking about how many gods you worship; we were talking about how many gods you believe in. The Bible teaches there is only one true God. All others are false.

JW: No, the Bible says there are many gods, even Satan is called the god of this system of things:

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Cor. 4:4 NWT

Me: But Satan is not a true God, Satan is a fallen angel, a false god.

JW: Even Jesus said there are gods.

“Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said: “You are gods”’?* 35  If he called ‘gods’  those against whom the word of God came—and yet the scripture cannot be nullified— 36  do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?” John 10:34-36 NWT

Jesus is quoting from Psalms chapter 82 here and if we examine the next verse, the context becomes clear.

“I have said, ‘You are gods,

All of you are sons of the Most High. But you will die just as men do, And like any other prince you will fall!’” Psalms 82:6,7 NWT

Me: If you continue reading, in the next verse, we can clearly see since these so-called gods will die, they are not true Gods. And since Jehovah God states there is only One True God, these so-called gods must be false.

What kind of a god is Jesus? A true God or a false god?

And this is typically where the conversation ends and they suddenly have to leave. Or they might change the subject. Don’t fall for this!

In my last conversation with a JW, he tried to say there is more than one kind of a true god and go through the definitions of God in the dictionary. He then tried to explain the Son is a different kind of true God. This still leaves them with the belief in more than one God. Which makes them polytheists, or more accurately henotheists.

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t seem to know the difference between the One true God and the false gods mentioned in the Bible. The Watchtower does this by design since JW’s believe in more than one true God, which contradicts the Bible. This comes as a shock to both JW’s and the Christians who are trying to reach them.

I like to show them Isaiah 43:10,11 since this is their favorite scripture. Sadly, they never read past the first sentence. Discovering God said He created no other gods catches them by surprise.

“You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me, no God was formed, And after me, there has been none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me, there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:10,11

This is problematic for them. Here, their own Bible says Jehovah created no other God.

JW’s think it is perfectly acceptable to believe in more than one true God, because of their *altered* New World Translation. Because the Watchtower organization disagreed with the Bible, they translated their own Bible and proceeded to alter it, most notably in John 1:1 which reads:

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.

While the Bible is clear, that there is only one true God and JW’s believe in more than one God, I have never seen this work well with a JW. However, we never know what scripture will trouble a Jehovah’s Witness enough to research and start to question the Watchtower organization. And the last time they came to my door, this exact argument unexpectedly took place and their only response was “We have to leave now!” Apparently, it made quite an impact! So, we never know what will work. I always advise Christians who are reaching out to Jehovah’s Witnesses, to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. It’s amazing what happens!

Here is a list of some of the more common verses which clearly state there is only one God. All scriptures are taken from the New World Translation.

1. Deut. 4:35,39 You yourselves have been shown these things so you will know that Jehovah is the true God; there is no other besides him. Know, therefore, on this day, and take it to heart that Jehovah is the true God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. There is no other.
2. Deut. 32:39 See now that I—I am he, And there are no gods apart from me. I put to death, and I make alive. I wound, and I will heal, And no one can rescue from my hand.
3. 2 Sam. 7:22 That is why you are truly great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. There is no one like you, and there is no God except you; everything we have heard with our ears confirms this.
4. 1 Kings 8:60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Jehovah is the true God. There is no other!
5. Isaiah 44:6,8 This is what Jehovah says, The King of Israel and his Repurchaser, Jehovah of armies: ‘I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.
6. Isaiah 45:5 This is what Jehovah says, The King of Israel+ and his Repurchaser, Jehovah of armies: ‘I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.

Next up will be the biblical teaching that troubled this Jehovah’s Witness.