Some religious groups - such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Worldwide Church of God splinter groups, Christedelphians, and some Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists - like to criticise the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which describes the nature of One God in Three Persons.

Usually, just by listening to their arguments or reading what they write, it is clear that they do not understand what the Trinity is all about.  Certainly that is true of the Watchtower, the Church of God collection, and the Christedelphians.  In fact, the Worldwide Church of God preached for many years against the Trinity ... and when they finally got to review their teachings, after their leader (?dictator) died, they actually stumbled across real explanations of the Trinity - not those they had been previously led to believe were true.  Surprise ... they eventually got to the point where it made sense.  Sadly, most of the offshoots still reject the Trinity - because none of their literature actually explains what it really means.

Of course the Trinity makes no sense when explained in the terms of Armstrong, the Watchtower, and other such people.  I challenge the WT and the followers of the Armstrong splinter groups to show me in their churches' literature where they accurately describe the Christian doctrine, instead of misrepresenting it.

As Vincent McCann says in his article, Misrepresenting the Trinity, on the website of Spotlight Ministries:

I think it is a serious misrepresentation of the beliefs of Trinitarians for the Watchtower to say what it has said throughout the years. I also think that it is done deliberately to confuse the rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses, and to make Trinitarians seem confused and unreasonable. Obviously, those at Watchtower Headquarters, either do not know what the Trinity is (if this is the case they should not comment on what they do not know), or (and it seems to me that this is the more likely) they have maliciously misrepresented the Trinity for their own purposes.

I recommend his article, and another one by Kevin Deegan at Berean Christian Ministries' website.

What McCann describes is absolutely correct - the Watchtower and Armstrong's followers are either arguing against a teaching they haven't even looked up in a dictionary, or they are being deliberately dishonest.

Karl Keating's e-Letter has recently had an interesting bit of info about the Jehovah's Witnesses.

There is a website that lists a large number of absurd quotes from the Watchtower's publications.

These quotations come directly from original Watchtower publications.  If Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to read them, they are admitting, if only to themselves, that the Watchtower is wrong.

Note: the Watchtower is persecuting this site, and whatever happens, it would be good to download the entire thing for future reference.  I'll be doing this.  I recommend you do the same.

Remember that the Watchtower says that God never changes his truth, and so the truth of the Watchtower, no matter how old, is still truth, and always will be:

If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now; But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "New light" never extinguishes older "light," but adds to it ... - Zion's Watch Tower, Feb, 1881, p.3

So let's take a look at some of their more ridiculous truths:

It is known that only about three out of every one hundred operated upon for appendicitis really have a diseased appendix needing removal. We give below a simple cure for appendicitis symptoms. The pain in the appendix region is caused by the biting of worms near the junction of the transverse colon with the small intestines, low down on the right side of the abdomen. This remedy is recommended also for typhoid fever, which is also a worm disease. - Watchtower Jan 15 1912 (reprints p.4963)

THE subject of gravitation is a very interesting one, especially as it relates to attraction between heavenly bodies. "Attraction of Gravitation Not Universal" (Golden Age, No. 314) seems to be well and truthfully thought out. Therefore, Newton's "universal law of gravitation", that "every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely as the squares of their distance apart", is not true. The variableness of the planets in their orbits proves that the "constant attractive force", necessitated by the universal gravitation theory, is based upon a false premise. ... - The Golden Age 1932 August 17, pp.707-710

The electronic energy of the sun makes impingements against the electronic content of our air, and this friction causes light. ... - The Golden Age 1932 August 17, pp.707-710

The moon, made up of materials something like our earth, is also a magnet, and has an attraction for the earth, and the supercharge is in the pointed end, which faces the earth, which charge is so heavy that the moon will not rotate, the moon's speed and the centrifugal force of the earth keeping the moon at a respectful distance. The magnetic power of the moon is sufficient to influence not only the earth's air volume, but also the ebb and flow of the mighty tides in our oceans. ... - The Golden Age 1932 August 17, pp.707-710

It seems reasonable that each planet should have its own gravitational law, according to density and valency, reaching only to its atmospheric boundary. The moon, having no atmosphere, would, therefore, have no gravitational pull, and a loose object, unmagnetized, could not adhere thereto. - The Golden Age 1932 August 17, pp.707-710

Parkersburg, W. Va., Sept. 8. It has fallen to the lot of the Rev. William H. Draper, pastor of the Logan Memorial church, of Washington Conference, A.M.E. church, of this town, to give a living affirmative answer to the famous Biblical question, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?" Though once as black as charcoal, the Rev. Mr. Draper is now white. His people say that his color was changed in answer to prayer. Many years ago Draper was employed by a fair-skinned man, and he was often heard to remark that if he could only be white like his employer, he would be happy. While in the white man's service Draper `experienced' religion. - The Watchtower Reprints 1900 October 1 p.2706; Zion's Watch Tower 1900 October 1 p. 296-297

It has never been proven that a single disease is due to germs. - The Golden Age 1924 Jan 16 p.250

Prevalence of Cults: A Review of Empirical Research in the U. S. A.
International Cultic Studies Association, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, July 14, 2005 Edward A. Lottick, M. D.

Originally pulished in the Salt Lake Tribune, this article has some interesting insights into the commonly helf myth about the rapid growth of the Mormon (LDS) church.

Keeping members a challenge for LDS church
Mormon myth: The belief that the church is the fastest-growing faith in the world doesn't hold up.
The claim that Mormonism is the fastest-growing faith in the world has been repeated so routinely by sociologists, anthropologists, journalists and proud Latter-day Saints as to be perceived as unassailable fact.

Mormon portion of Utah population steadily shrinking
Within the next three years, the Mormon share of Utah's population is expected to hit its lowest level since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started keeping membership numbers. And if current trends continue, LDS residents no longer will constitute a majority by 2030.

Could this be the reason:

Unintended consequence of church's 'raising the bar'
In October 2002, LDS Apostle M. Russell Ballard told thousands of Mormons at the church's General Conference that the faith was "raising the bar" on missionary standards.
He said nothing about sacrificing quantity for quality.
But two years after that speech, the church's global missionary force has dropped from near 62,000 to about 51,000, a fact that may have contributed to the declining number of new LDS converts from around 300,000 to 241,000 in 2004.

Utah's LDS population shrinking

And finally, maybe a solution would be to marry more wives?  See "Meet the New Neighbors."

On his satirical blog, "Father Dan" has a video file on Scientology. entitled "What is Scientology?"

In the latest Journal of Clinical Investigation, there is an interesting article on Tom Cruise - abstract and one quote below; the full text in html or pdf is free - see reference.

Reference + link:
Neill, Ushma S.
Tom Cruise is dangerous and irresponsible
J. Clin. Invest. 2005 115: 1964-1965

Abstract:
Yes, even the JCI can weigh in on celebrity gossip, but hopefully without becoming a tabloid. Rather, we want to shine a light on the reckless comments actor Tom Cruise has recently made that psychiatry is a "quack" field and his belief that postpartum depression cannot be treated pharmacologically. We can only hope that his influence as a celebrity does not hold back those in need of psychiatric treatment.

[ ... ]

Throughout these and other interviews, Cruise spewed a number of irresponsible statements, attempting to pass them off as facts. However, several of Cruise’s statements are very easy to dispel as false.

Pick one faith and stay with it. Dilettantism is the mark of an amateur.

Familiarize yourself with the specifications for sacrificial victims, and ensure that unacceptable substitutes cannot be unexpectedly introduced into the ceremony. If the penalty for not-to-specs work is death and/or mutilation, consider working for a more fault-tolerant deity.

Avoid needless embarrassment. Practice the correct pronunciation of your deity's name in the privacy of your own room before chanting it in public. Flash cards are often helpful.

Before agreeing to impregnation by a supernatural being, investigate the survival rate of the other women who have undergone the procedure.

Never invoke anything bigger than your head.

Eschew deities whose followers are all young; such faith groups usually employ an unpleasant retirement procedure.

Avoid all cabalistic jewelry over ten pounds in weight -- it attracts unwelcome attention from tourists, policemen, various supernatural creatures, and can be downright dangerous during thunderstorms. Its jingling also tends to warn the hero of your approach.

Citronella candles may not be used in rituals. I cannot stress this enough. Pastel colored candles in the shape of cute animals are like direct sunlight to the Powers of Darkness.

If the spirit contacted during a seance begins offering financial advice, you're dealing with a con artist, and not a genuine medium.

Always keep your kit with you: candles, chalk, incense, silver knife, Thuggee cord, service revolver, garlic, and cab fare. Fluorescent lighting is very annoying to most netherworldly creatures.

When the Black Mass goes awry, stay away from the Evil Priest. Enraged demons always go for the pompous.

When a religious artifact begins emitting light, CLOSE YOUR EYES. Thousands of cult members could be saved every year if they followed this simple safety tip.

When mutilating cattle, avoid the ones with testicles.

During ritual sacrificing, taking bits home for later is now generally considered "bad form."

Contrary to historical belief, drugs and invocations do not mix. When the ritual goes awry, it is vitally necessary to be able to discern between the gibbering monstrosity to pump full of silver bullets and the gibbering monstrosity that will fade away after a few hours, some B complex, and a good hot bath.

Piety and belief are powerful things, and few forces in nature, can stand against one who is true to his faith, his god/goddess, and the deal made in exchange for the soul. However, it is also true that gods tend to side with the heaviest artillery, so be prepared to change sides at the drop of a hat.

For those situations where a fresh, living, sacrifice is not available, the lower ranks of demons can be fooled by microwaving a previously frozen chunk of ex-victim and cleverly jiggling it. However, a mock victim sculpted from SPAM is unacceptable.

Instead of picking human victims who are young, virginal and innocent (and tend to turn out to be the Hero's girl/boyfriend), see if you can substitute mass murderers, lawyers, or other people who won't be missed.

This is a link I found on the 'Not So Quiet' Catholic Corner to a website by a Catholic who was once a Jehovah's Witness.
http://www.catholicxjw.com/index.html

In the July 29 2005 edition of The Salt Lake Tribune, there is an article on reincarnation in the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as LDS or Mormonism.  Very interesting reading - not an official belief, but it certainly reveals their heritage.  It can be found here in the archives of ReligionNewsBlog.com

A few noteworthy quotes:

[W]ouldn't Smith know if reincarnation was central to his own revelations?  Not necessarily, says Beckstead, quoting Brigham Young University anthropologist John Clark, who "suggested in a recent symposium at the Smithsonian Library that Joseph Smith was the translator, not the author, of the Book of Mormon, and consequently 'did not fully understand' its contents." ...

In April 1843, for example, Smith taught that "the purpose of successive probations or 'worlds' was to permit the gradual accumulation of intelligence and knowledge," Beckstead says. ...

"Mary Elizabeth Rollins, who wed Joseph in February 1842, claimed that he suggested to her they had an intimate relationship before they met," Beckstead says. ...

LDS apostle Bruce R. McConkie attacked reincarnation theology more directly, ridiculing the idea of plural probations. "There is no such thing as a second chance to gain salvation," he said in a 1980 church address titled "The Seven Deadly Heresies."  "This life is the time and the day of our probation. After this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."

I have followed the antics of the House of Yahweh for a few years, and have read several of their publications, and heard several of their sermons.  A very strange group, in my opinion.  One of the stranger groups that have their roots with Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God.  Most of the offshoots are relatively mild, albeit strange in doctrine.  This one is extreme in many ways.

Woman accused of performing surgery on girl

A woman with alleged ties to the House of Yahweh, a religious cult in Abilene, faces extradition as early as today from the Jack County Jail to Callahan County to face felony injury to a child charges, according to Callahan County Attorney Shane Deel.

The House of Yahweh in Abilene was established by a former Abilene police officer, Bill Hawkins, in December of 1980. Hawkins changed his name to Yisrayl and claims he and his late brother Yaaqob are the two witnesses prophesied in Revelations Chapter 11.

...

The sect theology is a mixture of Sabbatarian (Sabbath is Saturday), Sacred Name and Anglo-Isreal teachings. The House of Yahweh does not believe in the Trinity and denies the pre-existence of Christ. They celebrate major Jewish holidays such as Passover, along with three additional feasts during the year, each celebration lasting about one week at a time. In 1987, the cult reported seven congregations served by 35 ministers. One hundred followers were said to live in the Abilene headquarters.

The sect received media attention in 1996 when several hundred followers changed their last names to "Hawkins" after their leader.

See this story as well.  And this one.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — A judge has overruled a mother's religious objections and ordered a blood transfusion for a 12-year-old boy who is battling sickle cell anemia.

For the full story, click here ...