Questions From Readers

● Why do Jehovah’s witnesses so strongly condemn other religions? Do they not believe that there are good people in all faiths?

What Jehovah’s Christian witnesses say about the religions of this world is not for the purpose of condemning people. They are making known what God himself has set forth in his Word. Their exposure of religious error, hypocrisy and bloodguilt serves to help honesthearted people to forsake the world empire of false religion, “Babylon the Great,” and to escape God’s adverse judgment. This exposure is in harmony with the Bible command: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.”​—Rev. 18:4, 5.

Hence, in pointing out the failures and sins of false religions, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses are working for the eternal interests of sincere people. Jehovah’s witnesses are also imitating Jesus Christ. Note the strong words that he directed against Jewish religious leaders because of their wrong practices and false teachings: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you, when he said, ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me.’” (Matt. 15:6-8) “Look out for the scribes who desire to walk around in robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and front seats in the synagogues and most prominent places at evening meals, and who devour the houses of the widows and for a pretext make long prayers.” (Luke 20:46, 47) “They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.” (Matt. 23:4) “Outwardly indeed [you scribes and Pharisees], appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”​—Matt. 23:28.

Like their Exemplar Jesus Christ, Jehovah’s witnesses call attention to unscriptural religious traditions and teachings, hypocritical actions and religious exploitation and oppression. At the same time, deep love for their fellowmen moves them to point all to the way of salvation, a way that includes cutting off association with “Babylon the Great” so as not to share with her in her sins and her disastrous end.