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Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses are a religious group with more than eight million members around the world. They believe God, who’s name is Jehovah (Ps. 83:18), will end crime, violence, sickness and death by destroying all wickedness in the world. They say that God's Kingdom (mentioned (thy Kingdom come) in the Lord's prayer) will restore God's original purpose for the Earth: bringing about peace for all humans who live by Bible standards.

Jehovah's Witnesses
ClassificationMillenarian
OrientationRestorationist
StructureHierarchical
RegionWorldwide
FounderCharles Taze Russell (founded Bible Student movement)
Origin1876: Bible Students founded
1931: Named Jehovah's witnesses
Pennsylvania and New York, USA
SeparationsSee Jehovah's Witnesses
splinter groups
Congregations119,485
Members8.6 million
Official websitehttp://www.jw.org
Statistics from 2019 Service Year Report Includes Largest Baptismal Figure in 20 Years
Convention.
Meeting in Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Netherlands.

Their beliefs are based solely upon the Bible. These beliefs were taught by Charles Taze Russell, a preacher who started a Bible study group in Pennsylvania in 1876. The goal of Russell and other Bible Students, as the group was then known, was to promote the teachings of Jesus Christ and to follow the practices of the first-century Christian congregation. Since Jesus is the Founder of Christianity, they view him as the founder of their organization.—Colossians 1:18-20. They later started publishing a religious magazine called The Watchtower.

Some of their beliefs, especially about who God is and what his plans are for humans and the earth, are different from what is taught in most Christian churches. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven and that all the other people who obey God will live forever on a paradise Earth. They do not believe that God is a Trinity. They believe Jesus died on a pole (also called '[torture] stake') rather than a cross. They teach that when people die, they remain in the grave until God resurrects them after God's Kingdom, or government, is ruling over earth.

Jehovah's Witnesses are best known for preaching their beliefs from door-to-door and in other public places, and offering their magazines, The Watchtower and Awake! They are also well known for refusing to join armies and refusing blood transfusions.

History

In 1870 a young clothing shop owner named Charles Taze Russell heard an Adventist preacher speak. The preacher said the Bible contained clues that showed God was about to set up a kingdom, or government, over earth. He said the kingdom, which is mentioned many times in the New Testament of the Bible, would be based in heaven, and it would completely change the way of life for everyone in the world. Russell studied that preacher's teachings and looked through the Bible, and ended up with some new beliefs.

Beginnings

Using various Bible verses and events from history, Russell decided that God would soon call a group of "saints" to heaven to be kings there. Other faithful Christians who had since died would also make up a total of 144,000 kings in heaven. Churches at the time taught that humans were still waiting for Jesus to return to earth in his Second Coming, but Russell believed that clues in the Bible showed Jesus returned in 1874.[1] Russell believed part of God's plan was to start Armageddon, which he thought would be a complete breakdown of law and order on earth, when governments and people would fight among themselves. He believed that God would then end sickness and death and allow obedient Christians to live forever in perfect health.[2]

Russell believed it was very important that all Christians, including those who were attending churches, should learn those "truths". He believed these "truths" had been carefully hidden in the Bible for thousands of years. He started a publishing group called the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.[3][4] He wrote several books, set up some Bible study classes for people to study his teachings, and started a magazine, Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, which taught that Christ was already present. He wrote that God would bring about all those events by 1914.

A new president

By the time Russell died in 1916, he had written 50,000 pages, with almost 20 million copies of his books printed and distributed around the world.[5] Joseph Franklin Rutherford, one of his followers, took Russell's position as president of the Watch Tower Society.

Rutherford wrote many books as well. He made some changes to Russell's teachings and required all the study groups, or congregations, around the world to agree to the teachings and rules set by the Watch Tower Society in New York. He told all members to no longer celebrate all holidays, singing at religious meetings was strictly prohibited and preaching from door to door about God's Kingdom and to distribute Watch Tower Society publications so more people would hear the message was manadtory.[6] Many members did not agree with Rutherford's harsh changes, and some started their own groups. In 1931 Rutherford called his group "Jehovah's Witnesses" to tell it apart from the other groups. By the time Rutherford died in 1942, the religion had a worldwide membership of 115,000.

Punishment and discrimination

Some of the new teachings resulted in suffering for many Jehovah's Witnesses. Thousands were sent to prison, beaten or killed in several countries during World War II because they refused to fight.[7][8] In Germany, many were sent to concentration camps because they would not support the Nazi Party.[9] Later, in the United States, many of their children were expelled from schools because they refused to salute the flag, because they thought that God would not approve. Some countries still have laws against members practicing the religion.[10][11] By 1977 they had more than two million members around the world.

Armageddon expected in 1975

From 1966, the religion suggested that God could bring Armageddon in 1975, and that the Kingdom would be set up very soon after.[12] Some Witnesses sold businesses and homes, gave up jobs, delayed medical operations and decided against starting a family because they expected Armageddon to arrive.[13][14] Many members that assumed Armageddon would come in 1975 left at the time, but many other people joined and the group kept growing.

Beliefs

 
Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall in New Zealand.

One God

Like many Christian religions, Jehovah's Witnesses believe there is an all-powerful, all-knowing God who created everything. They also have some beliefs that are different from most Christians. They believe God calls himself Jehovah (a translation of the Hebrew letters "YHWH") and they believe it is important to use that name. In which, 'God' is a title, as to, daughter, mother, father, son and etc. This is why it is important to address our father by his name. They believe Jesus is God's son, the first angel, and that he is also called Michael the Archangel. They say the holy spirit is God's power rather than a person. They do not believe in the Trinity.[15] They believe the Bible is a book that God used humans to write and that it is completely true and the best guide for how people should live.[16]

Adam and Eve

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that God made Adam and Eve, the first humans, and put them in a garden called Eden. They believe that when Adam and Eve sinned, they no longer had God's approval so they began to get sick and die. They were not perfect any more and could not have perfect children. Because of this, humans could not remain sinless. They believe that Jehovah later sent Jesus to die (on a pole (stake), not a cross, as most Christians believe, which is known as 'Christendom') to forgive mankind's sins.

Heaven

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people, a number found in Revelation chapters 7 and 14, will go to heaven to be kings and priests with Jesus Christ. They say that God will start a worldwide war called Armageddon, and the people who do not obey God or worship him the way he expects will be killed. The people who he approves will survive and be given the opportunity to live forever. Then God will begin to turn Earth into a paradise without crime, sickness, pain, aging, wars or death. They say God will also resurrect (bring back to life) billions of people who died in the past so they can learn about God and have a chance to live in paradise as well.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe only their religion really obeys God's instructions and that God does not approve of any other religions (including Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and Muslims) because they do not follow the Bible the right way. They believe that Satan the Devil is the real leader of all other religions and makes them think they worship God the right way. (AKA: Satan the Devil is the ruler of this wicked world, but only for a short time).(1 John 5:19)[17][better source needed] So they believe that only Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved at Armageddon, but they say God will make the final choice.[18][19][20]

What they do

 
Jehovah's Witnesses offering their literature free of charge outside the British Museum in London, United Kingdom.

Door-to-door work

 
Jehovah's Witnesses preaching house to house in Lisbon, Portugal.

Jehovah's Witnesses are best known for their door-to-door preaching. They believe Jesus ordered them at Matthew 28:19 to "go make disciples of all the nations", warning people that the day of God's judgement, or Armageddon, will happen soon. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their preaching is a fulfillment of a prophecy at Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." All Witnesses are told to spend as much time as they can in public preaching work, usually offering The Watchtower and other Watch Tower Society publications. Since the Internet, Jehovah's Witnesses also preach online. They teach people their beliefs about Jehovah and his plans for the earth. Members are asked to give a monthly written report on how much time they have spent publicly preaching.

Meetings

The buildings where Jehovah's Witnesses meet to worship are called Kingdom Halls. Unlike many other churches, these halls do not have altars, statues, or symbols such as the Cross. Each congregation has three meetings each week:

  • The "Christian Life and Ministry" meeting midweek
  • A "Public Talk" and the "Watchtower study" (both on the same weekend day)

Members unable to attend in person can also listen to the meeting over the phone or by video streaming where available. They also attend one large regional convention and two circuit assemblies a year (some of them at hired sports arenas), where hundreds or thousands of members gather depending on the location.

Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) At these meetings, which are open to the public, they examine what the Bible says and how to apply its teachings in life. At some meetings, people in the audience, including children, are invited to answer questions and make comments. The religion has elders and ministerial servants who take the spiritual lead in their congregations, but they do not dress differently to other members and they are not paid. Most elders support themselves with jobs outside the religion.

Rules

Members of the religion are expected to live up to high moral standards. They are told they should always be honest.

Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to:

Jehovah's Witnesses are told to marry only other baptized Jehovah's Witnesses.[21] They believe God does not like married couples to divorce unless the husband or wife cheated. They can separate from a partner who hurt their family or refused to support them, but they would not be allowed to marry someone else.[22]

They also refuse blood transfusions because the Bible says not to eat blood or consume it in any other way, and they believe that putting blood in their veins is equivalent to consuming it .[23]

They are told not to make close friends with non-Witnesses because they could make their faith in God weaker, or possible sever their relationship with Him completely.[24][25]

Membership

Jehovah's Witnesses are quite strict about who can be a member.[26] Jehovah's Witnesses are only counted as members if they are baptized. Like other Christian groups, they believe baptism represents devotion to God and their promise to live by his teachings. Unlike some Christian groups, Witnesses are not baptized as babies. They believe baptism should be a choice made by someone who understands what it means.[27]

If the elders think a baptized Witness has willingly disobeyed direction set forth in the Bible, they will investigate. That investigation is called a "judicial committee". If the elders decide the person is 'guilty' and does not regret what they did, he or she might be "disfellowshipped". This means the person is no longer a member of the group. When that happens, no other Jehovah's Witnesses are allowed to talk to or interact with that person (except in some situations such as living or working together) unless the disfellowshipped person repents and is allowed back in. When such a person is allowed back in, they have been 'reinstated'.

Some people, including former Witnesses, have criticized this punishment as harsh and unfair.[28][29] The style of leadership of the group has also been described by some authors as autocratic and totalitarian, because members have to be completely submissive to the direction of Jehovah as found in the Bible to the greatest extent they possibly can.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "A sketch of the development of present truth", Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906.
  2. ↑ Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom. Watchtower. p. 42.
  3. ↑ Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses by George D. Chryssides, Scarecrow Press, 2008, page xxxiv, "Russell wanted to consolidate the movement he had started. ...In 1880, Bible House, a four-story building in Allegheny, was completed, with printing facilities and meeting accommodation, and it became the organization's headquarters. The next stage of institutionalization was legal incorporation. In 1884, Russell formed the Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society, which was incorporated in Pennsylvania... Russell was concerned that his supporters should feel part of a unified movement."
  4. ↑ Religion in the Twentieth Century by Vergilius Ture Anselm Ferm, Philosophical Library, 1948, page 383, "As the [unincorporated Watch Tower] Society expanded, it became necessary to incorporate it and build a more definite organization. In 1884, a charter was granted recognizing the Society as a religious, non-profit corporation."
  5. ↑ Penton, M. James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses (2nd ed.). University of Toronto Press. pp. 13–46. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3.
  6. ↑ Franz, Raymond (2007). "Chapter 4". In Search of Christian Freedom. Commentary Press. ISBN 0914675168.
  7. ↑ [1].
  8. ↑ Kaplan, William (1989). State and Salvation. Toronto: Univ. of Toronto Press.
  9. ↑ "Nazi Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses". www.ushmm.org. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  10. ↑ (in en-GB) Russia Jehovah's Witnesses ban in force. 2017-07-17. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40635267. Retrieved 2018-02-11. 
  11. ↑ (in en) Russia's ban is far from the only act of repression against Jehovah's Witnesses across the globe. 2017-05-05. http://www.newsweek.com/jehovahs-witnesses-russia-ban-oppression-594839. Retrieved 2018-02-11. 
  12. ↑ See "Witnessing the End" in the July 18, 1969 Time magazine. In the article it states,"Witnesses cautiously avoid a flat prediction linked to that year." Available online at: [2]. Retrieved March 20,2017.
  13. ↑ Raymond Franz. "1975—The Appropriate Time for God to Act". Crisis of Conscience (PDF). pp. 237–253. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-12-09. Retrieved 2006-07-27.
  14. ↑ Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. pp. 151–4. ISBN 0415266106.
  15. ↑ Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. p. 24. ISBN 0415266092.
  16. ↑ Penton, M. J. (1997). Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.). University of Toronto Press. p. 172. ISBN 0802079733.
  17. ↑ Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963). The Four Major Cults. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans. p. 286. ISBN 0802831176.
  18. ↑ "Remaining Organized for Survival Into the Millennium", The Watchtower, September 1, 1989, page 19, "Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the 'great crowd,'as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil."
  19. ↑ You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth,, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1989, pg 255, "Do not conclude that there are different roads, or ways, that you can follow to gain life in God's new system. There is only one … there will be only one organization — God's visible organization — that will survive the fast-approaching 'great tribulation.' It is simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. You must be part of Jehovah's organization, doing God's will, in order to receive his blessing of everlasting life."
  20. ↑ "Our Readers Ask: Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe That They Are the Only Ones Who Will Be Saved?", The Watchtower, November 1, 2008, page 28, "Jehovah's Witnesses hope to be saved. However, they also believe that it is not their job to judge who will be saved. Ultimately, God is the Judge. He decides."
  21. ↑ "Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Rules About Dating?" (in en). JW.ORG. https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jw-dating/. Retrieved 2018-03-03. 
  22. ↑ "What Does the Bible Say About Divorce and Separation? | God's Love". JW.ORG. Retrieved 2018-03-03.
  23. ↑ "Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Accept Blood Transfusions?" (in en). JW.ORG. https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jehovahs-witnesses-why-no-blood-transfusions/. Retrieved 2018-03-03. 
  24. ↑ "School Friendships—How Close Is Too Close? — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY". wol.jw.org. Retrieved 2018-03-03.
  25. ↑ "Watch Your Associations in These Last Days | Study". JW.ORG. Retrieved 2018-03-03.
  26. ↑ Stark and Iannoccone (1997), Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow So Rapidly: A Theoretical Application (PDF), Journal of Contemporary Religion, pp. 142–143, retrieved 2008-12-30.
  27. ↑ (in en) What Is Baptism? | Bible Questions. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-is-baptism/#?insight%5Bsearch_id%5D=7698e31d-b890-4391-8652-4d94dadec71c&insight%5Bsearch_result_index%5D=2. Retrieved 2018-02-11. 
  28. ↑ Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. p. 22, 163. ISBN 0415266092.
  29. ↑ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 50.
  30. ↑ Beckford, James A. (1975). The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. pp. 89, 95, 103, 120, 204, 221. ISBN 0631163107.

Other websites

Official

Jehovah's Witnesses' brochures about the name Jehovah


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