Jehovah's Witnesses are denominations of millenarian Christian denominations with nontrinitarian beliefs that are different from mainstream Christianity. The group reports worldwide membership of more than 8.45 million followers engaged in evangelism and the presence of annual Anniversaries of over 20 million. Jehovah's Witnesses are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of elders in Warwick, New York, who set all teachings on the basis of their interpretation of the Bible. They believe that the destruction of the current world system at Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth is the only solution to all problems faced by mankind.
The group emerged from the Student Bible movement founded in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell, who also founded the Zion Tractor Institute for Tractors in 1881 to organize and print the publications of the movement. A leadership dispute after the death of Russell resulted in some groups escaping, with Joseph Franklin Rutherford retaining control of the Watchtower Society and its properties. Rutherford made significant organizational and doctrinal changes, including the adoption of the name of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931 to distinguish them from other Bible Student groups and symbolized the break with the legacy of the Russel tradition.
Jehovah's Witnesses are famous for preaching from house to house, distributing letters such as Watchtower and Awake! , and refused military service and blood transfusion. They consider the use of God's name as essential for proper worship. They reject Trinitarianism, the inherent immortality of the soul, and the fires of hell, which they regard as unbiblical doctrines. They do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, birthdays or other holidays and habits that they consider to have pagan origins that are incompatible with Christianity. They prefer to use their own Bible translations, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, though their literature sometimes quotes and quotes other Bible translations. Adherents generally refer to the body of their beliefs as "truth" and regard themselves as "in truth". They regard secular societies as corrupt morally and under the influence of Satan, and most restrict their social interaction with non-Witnesses. Congregational disciplinary measures include dismissal, , their terms for formal expulsion and exclusion. Individuals who are baptized who are officially gone are considered separated and also shunned. Individuals who are dismissed and disassociated can eventually be recovered if they are considered converted.
The group's position of conscientious objections to the military service and the refusal to salute the national flag have made it at odds with some governments. As a result, some Jehovah's Witnesses have been persecuted and their activities are prohibited or restricted in some countries. The persistent legal challenges of Jehovah's Witnesses have influenced the legislation relating to civil rights in some countries.
The organization has received criticism of Bible translations, doctrines, and alleged coercion of its members. The Watchtower Society has made unfulfilled predictions about major biblical events such as the Second Coming of Christ, the rise of the Kingdom of God, and Armageddon. Their policy of dealing with child sexual abuse cases has been the subject of many formal questions.
Video Jehovah's Witnesses
History
Background (1870-1916)
In 1870, Charles Taze Russell and others formed a group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to study the Bible. During his ministry, Russel debated many beliefs of mainstream Christianity including the immortality of the soul, the fires of hell, predestination, the return of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and the burning of the world. In 1876, Russell met Nelson H. Barbour; later that year they together produced the book of Three Worlds, which combined the view of restitution with the end-time prophecy. The book teaches that God's dealings with humans are dispensational, each ending with a "harvest," that Christ has returned as an invisible spirit in 1874 inaugurated the "harvest of the Gospel age," and that 1914 will mark the end of a Period 2520-year-old called "The Gentile Times," at which time the world's people will be replaced by the full establishment of God's kingdom on earth. Beginning in 1878, Russell and Barbour together edited the religious journals, Herald of the Morning . In June 1879, the two divided into doctrinal differences, and in July, Russell began publishing the Watchtower of Zion and Herald of the Presence of Christ, stating that his aim was to show that the world was in the "last" day, "and that the new age of worldly recovery and humanity under the reign of Christ is imminent.
From 1879, Watch Tower Supporters gathered as autonomous congregations to study the Bible topically. Thirty trials were established, and during the years 1879 and 1880, Russell visited each to provide the format he recommended for a meeting. As the hearing continued to form during Russell's ministry, each of them remained self-administered, functioning under the style of congregational church government. In 1881, the Zion Watch Tower Tractor Institute was led by William Henry Conley, and in 1884, Russell included the public as a nonprofit business to distribute treaties and the Bible. Around 1900, Russell had organized thousands of part-time and full-time collectors, and appointed foreign missionaries and established branch offices. In the 1910s, the Russell organization retained nearly a hundred "pilgrims," ​​or traveling preachers. Russell was involved in significant global publishing efforts during his ministry, and in 1912, he was the most distributed Christian writer in the United States.
Russell moved the Watchtower Society's headquarters to Brooklyn, New York, in 1909, combining printing and corporate offices with houses of worship; volunteers stationed at the nearest residence which he named Bethel . He identifies religious movements as "Biblical Students," and more formally as the International Bible Studyers' Association. In 1910, about 50,000 people worldwide were associated with the movement and the sessions re-elected each year as their "ministers". Russell died October 31, 1916, at the age of 64 years on his return from a minister speaking tour.
Reorganization (1917-1942)
In January 1917, the Watchtower Society legal representative, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, was elected the next president. His election is disputed, and members of the Board of Directors accuse him of acting in an autocratic and confidential manner. The split between supporters and their opponents triggered a large turnover of members over the next decade. In June 1917, he released The Finished Mystery as the seventh volume of the Russell Study in the Scriptures series. The book, published as a posthumous work of Russell, is a compilation of his commentaries on Ezekiel and Revelation Bible books, plus many additions by Bible Students Clayton Woodworth and George Fisher. It strongly criticized Catholic and Protestant priests and Christian involvement in the Great War. Consequently, the director of the Watchtower Society was jailed for incitement under the Espionage Act in 1918 and its members were subjected to mass violence; directors were released in March 1919 and charges against them were dropped in 1920.
Rutherford controls the centralized organization of the Watchtower Society. In 1919, he inaugurated the appointment of a director at each hearing, and a year later all members were instructed to report their weekly preaching activities to headquarters in Brooklyn. At an international convention held at Cedar Point, Ohio, in September 1922, a new emphasis was made on house-to-house preaching. Significant changes in doctrine and administration are regularly introduced during Rutherford's twenty-five years as president, including the announcement of 1920 that the Hebrew ancestors (such as Abraham and Isaac) will be resurrected in 1925, marking the beginning of the millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth. Due to the disappointment of unfulfilled changes and predictions, tens of thousands of defections occurred during the first half of the Rutherford administration, leading to the formation of several separate Bible Study organizations from the Watchtower Society, most of which still exist. By the middle of 1919, as many as one in seven Russell Bible Students had stopped their relationship with the Society, and by as many as three quarters in the late 1920s.
On July 26, 1931, at a service in Columbus, Ohio, Rutherford introduced a new name - Jehovah's Witnesses - based on Isaiah 43:10: "'You are My witnesses,' says Jehovah, Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may know and have faith in me and understand that I am the same One before me there is no God established, And after me there is no God. "(The New World Translation of the Book Holy Edition 2013) - adopted by resolution. The name was chosen to distinguish his Bible Student group from other independent groups who have severed ties with the Society, and symbolized the encouragement of new insights and the promotion of new evangelistic methods. In 1932 Rutherford obliterated the system of locally elected elders and in 1938 introduced what he called the "theocratic" (literally, God-ordered) system of organization, in which the appointments in the congregation- trial around the world made from Brooklyn Headquarters.
From 1932, it was taught that the "small flock" of 144,000 would not be the only survivor of Armageddon. Rutherford explains that in addition to the 144,000 "anointed ones" who will be resurrected - or transferred at death - to live in heaven to rule over the earth with Christ, a separate class of members, "many," will live in a restored paradise on earth; from 1935, people who had just entered the movement were considered part of the class. In the mid-1930s, the beginning of Christ's presence (Greek: parousÃÆ'a ), his coronation as king, and the commencement of the "last days" were moved to 1914 respectively.
As their interpretation of the Bible evolved, the Witness's publication determined that saluting the national flag was a form of idolatry, leading to the recent outbreak of mass violence and government opposition in the United States, Canada, Germany and other countries.
Membership of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide reached 113,624 in 5,323 trials at the time of Rutherford's death in January 1942.
Advanced development (1942-present)
Nathan Knorr was appointed third president of the Biblical Institution and the Watchtower's Track in 1942. Knorr commissioned a new translation of the Bible, the New World Translation of Scripture , the full version released in 1961. He organized a large number of international assemblies, institutionalized a new training program for members, and expanding missionary activities and branch offices around the world. The Knorr presidency is also characterized by the increasing use of explicit instruction that guides Witnesses in their lifestyles and behaviors, and the use of greater congregational judicial procedures to enforce strict moral code.
From 1966, Witness publications and convention talks anticipated the possibility that Christ's millennial government might begin in late 1975 or shortly thereafter. The number of baptisms increased significantly, from about 59,000 in 1966 to more than 297,000 in 1974. In 1975, the number of active members exceeded two million. Membership declined during the late 1970s after expectations for 1975 proved wrong. Watch Tower The literature of society does not state dogmatically that 1975 will certainly mark the end, but in 1980, the Watchtower Society acknowledged its responsibility in building hope for that year.
The office of the elders and ministers was returned to the Witness's hearing in 1972, with designations made from the headquarters (and later, also by the branch committee). It was announced that, starting in September 2014, the appointment would be conducted by a traveling supervisor. In a major organizational overhaul in 1976, the presidency of the Watchtower Society was diminished, with authority for doctrinal and organizational decisions handed over to the Governing Body. Since Knorr's death in 1977, the president's position has been occupied by Frederick Franz (1977-1992) and Milton Henschel (1992-2000), both members of the Governing Body, and since 2000 by others who are not members of the Governing Body. In 1995, Jehovah's Witnesses abandoned the idea that Armageddon should occur during the lives of generations that lived in 1914 and in 2010 changed their teachings to "generation".
Maps Jehovah's Witnesses
Organization
Jehovah's Witnesses are organized hierarchically, in what leaders call "theocratic organization," which reflects their belief that it is God's "visible organization" on earth. The organization is headed by the Governing Body - an all-male group that varies in size, but since early 2014 it has seven members, all claiming to be an "anointed" class with the hope of a heavenly life. at Warwick Watchtower's headquarters. No membership election; new members are selected by the existing body. By the end of 2012, the Governing Body described themselves as representatives and "spokespersons" for God's "faithful and wise slave class" (approximately 10,000 "anointed Jehovah's Witnesses"). At the 2012 Annual Meeting of Watchtower Society, "faithful and wise slaves" are defined to refer only to the Governing Body. The Governing Body directs several committees responsible for administrative functions, including publications, assembly programs and evangelistic activities. It appoints all members of the branch committee and the traveling supervisor, after they are recommended by local branches, with the traveling supervisor overseeing congregations in their jurisdiction. The mobile supervisors appoint elders and servants of local ministry, and while branch offices may appoint regional committees on such matters as the construction of Kingdom Hall or disaster relief. Leadership and support staff live in properties owned by organizations around the world referred to as "Bethel" where they operate as religious communities and administrative units. The cost of their lives and those of other full-time volunteers is covered by the organization along with the basic monthly salary.
Each trial has a body of elder men and servants of unpaid service. Elders have a general responsibility for governing the congregation, setting meetings, selecting speakers and conducting meetings, directing public preaching work, and creating "judicial committees" to investigate and decide on disciplinary action for cases involving sexual offenses or offenders. The new Elder is appointed by the traveling supervisor after receiving a recommendation from the existing elders. Ministerial ministers - appointed in a manner similar to the elders - fulfill priesthood and auxiliary duties, but can also teach and hold meetings. Witnesses do not use elders as titles to signify the official lay-layer division, although elders may use the ecclesiastical privilege of confession.
Baptism is a condition to be regarded as a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses do not practice infant baptism, and previous baptism by other denominations is not considered valid. Persons undergoing baptism should publicly affirm that dedication and baptism identify them "as one of Jehovah's Witnesses who cooperate with God-directed organizations," although the Witness's publication says baptism symbolizes a personal offering to God and not "to man , work or organization. " Their literature emphasizes the need for members to be obedient and faithful to Jehovah and to his "organization," which states that the individual must remain part of it to receive God's help and to survive Armageddon.
Publish
The organization produces a large number of lectors as part of its evangelistic activities. The Watchtower Society has generated over 220 million copies of the New World Translation in whole or in part in over 160 languages. Watchtower and Awake! is the most distributed magazine in the world. The Witness's publication translation was conducted by over 2,000 volunteers worldwide, producing letters in over 950 languages. Publications are also available online on the organization's official website.
Funding
Most of their funds are provided by donations, especially from members. No tithe or collection. In 2001 Newsday enrolled the Watchtower Society as one of the 40 richest companies in New York, with revenues exceeding $ 950 million. The organization reported that same year that "spent more than $ 70.9 million in the care of special pioneers, missionaries and mobile supervisors in their fieldwork duties."
Confidence
Doctrine sources
Jehovah's Witnesses believe their denomination is the restoration of Christianity in the first century. The doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is formed by the Governing Body, which assumes responsibility for interpreting and applying the scriptures. The Regulatory Body does not issue a comprehensive "statement of faith," but rather reveals its doctrinal position in various ways through publications published by the Watchtower Society. Their publications teach that doctrinal changes and improvements result from the process of progressive revelation, in which God gradually expresses his will and purpose, and that the new enlightenment or light is produced from the application of reason and study, the guidance of holy spirit, and the direction of Jesus Christ and the angels. The Society also teaches that members of the Governing Body are assisted by the holy spirit to distinguish the "deep truth", which is then considered by the entire Governing Body before making the doctrinal judgments. The leadership of the group, while rejecting divine inspiration and infallibility, is said to provide "divine guidance" through its teachings described as "based on God's Word thus... not from men, but from Jehovah."
The entire canon of Protestant Scripture is considered an inspired and indecent word of God. Jehovah's Witnesses consider the Bible scientifically and historically accurate and reliable and interpret many things literally, but accept their parts as symbols. They regard the Bible as the ultimate authority for all their beliefs, although the sociologist Andrew Holden's ethnographic study of the group concludes that the Regulatory Body's statements, through the publication of the Watchtower Society, carry nearly the same weight as the Bible. Regular private Bible readings are often recommended; Witnesses are not advised to formulate doctrines and "personal ideas" achieved through biblical studies that do not depend on the publication of the Watchtower, and are warned to read other religious literature. Followers are told to have "full confidence" in leadership, avoiding skepticism about what is taught in the Watchtower Society literature, and "not advocating or imposing personal opinions or storing personal ideas when it comes to biblical understanding." The organization makes no provision for members to criticize or contribute to the official doctrine and all Witnesses must comply with the teachings and requirements of their organization.
Jehovah and Jesus
Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize the use of God's name, and they prefer the form of Jehovah - a vocalization of the name of God based on the Tetragrammaton. They believe that Jehovah is the one true God, the creator of all things, and the "Universal Authority". They believe that all worship should be directed to him, and that he is not part of the Trinity; consequently, the group is more emphasis on God than on Christ. They believe that the Holy Spirit is a force applied by God or "active force", not as a human being.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is the only direct creation of God, that all things are created through Christ through the power of God, and that the act of creation without initial aid uniquely identifies Jesus as "the only begotten Son of God." Jesus serves as a redeemer and a ransom sacrifice to pay for human sin. They believe that Jesus died on a straight post and not a traditional cross. Biblical References to Archangel Michael, Abaddon (Apollyon), and the Word are interpreted as names for Jesus in various roles. Jesus is considered to be the only mediator and high priest between God and man, and appointed by God as king and judge of his kingdom. Its role as mediator (referred to in 1 Timothy 2: 5) is applied to the 'anointed' class, although other 'sheep' are said to also benefit from the arrangement.
Devil
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan was originally a perfect angel who developed a sense of selfishness and longed for worship. Satan influenced Adam and Eve to disobey God, and humanity later became a participant in a challenge involving the competing claims of Jehovah and Satan with universal sovereignty. The other angels who sided with Satan became demons.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Satan and his demons were thrown to earth from heaven after October 1, 1914, at which point the end of the world begins. They believe that Satan is the ruler of the present world order, that human society is influenced and misled by Satan and his demons, and that they are the cause of human suffering. They also believe that human rule is controlled by Satan, but that he does not directly control every human ruler.
Life after death
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that death is a state without existence without consciousness. There is no burning torment; Hades and Sheol are understood to refer to the condition of death, called public grave . Jehovah's Witnesses consider the soul to be a living or living body that can die. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that humanity is in a sinful state, from which liberation is made possible only by the blood of Jesus being poured out as a ransom, or atonement, for the sins of mankind.
Witnesses believe that the "little flock" goes to heaven, but the hope for life after death for the majority of the "other sheep" involves being resurrected by God into the cleansed ground after Armageddon. They interpret Revelation 14: 1-5 meaning that the number of Christians who go to heaven is limited to exactly 144,000, who will rule with Jesus as king and priest on earth. They believe that baptism as one of Jehovah's Witnesses is essential to salvation and that only those who fulfill the scriptural requirement to survive from Armageddon, but that God is the last judge. During the millennial reign of Christ, most people who died before Armageddon will be resurrected with the prospect of life forever; they will be taught the right way to worship God to prepare them for their final test at the end of the millennium.
Kingdom of God
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Kingdom of God is a literal government in heaven, ruled by Jesus Christ and 144,000 "spirit-anointed Christians" drawn from the earth, which they associate with Jesus' reference to the "new covenant." The kingdom is seen as the means by which God will attain its original purpose for the earth, converting it into a paradise without disease or death. It is said to be the focal point of Jesus' ministry on earth. They believe that the kingdom was established in heaven in 1914, and that Jehovah's Witnesses serve as the king's representative on earth.
Eschatology
The main teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses is that the current world era, or "system of things," entered the "last days" in 1914 and faced an imminent destruction through intervention by God and Jesus Christ, leading to liberation for those who worship God properly. They consider all other religions today wrong, identify them with "Babylon the Great," or "whore," of Revelation 17, and believe that they will soon be destroyed by the United Nations, which they believe are represented in the scriptures by the colored beasts red from Revelation chapter 17. This development will mark the beginning of the "great tribulation". Satan will then use the world government to attack Jehovah's Witnesses, an act that will encourage God to start the war of Armageddon, in which all forms of government and all those who are not counted as "sheep" of Christ will be destroyed. After Armageddon, God will extend his heavenly kingdom to encompass the earth, which will be transformed into a paradise similar to the Garden of Eden. Most of those who have died before God's intervention will gradually be resurrected during the thousand-year "judgment day". This judgment will be based on their actions after the resurrection rather than the deeds of the past. At the end of a thousand years, Christ will surrender all authority back to God. Then the final test will take place when Satan is released to mislead the perfect man. Those who fail will be destroyed, along with Satan and his evil spirits. The end result will be a human race that is fully tested and glorified on earth.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ began to reign in heaven as king of God's kingdom in October 1914, and that Satan was later overthrown from heaven to earth, resulting in "woe" to mankind. They believe that Jesus reigns invisibly, from heaven, which is only considered a series of "signs". They base this belief on the Greek translation of parousia - usually translated as "coming" when referring to Christ - as "presence." They believe that Jesus' presence included an unknown period beginning with his inauguration as king in heaven in 1914, and ending when he came to bring the final judgment of the people on earth. They thus depart from the mainstream Christian belief that the "second coming" of Matthew 24 refers to a moment of arrival on earth to judge a human being.
Practice
Worship
Meetings for worship and study are held at Kingdom Hall, which is usually functional, and contains no religious symbols. Witnesses are assigned to a hearing in the "territory" to which they normally reside and attend the weekly service they refer to as "meetings" as scheduled by the council presbyters. The meeting was largely devoted to the study of the Watchtower Society and Bible literature. The meeting format is set by the group headquarters, and the subject matter for most of the meetings is the same all over the world. Sessions meet for two sessions each week consisting of four different meetings totaling about three and a half hours, usually midweek meetings (two meetings) and on weekends (two meetings). Prior to 2009, the hearing met three times each week; these meetings are solidified, with the intention that the members dedicate the night to "family worship". The meeting was opened and closed with a royal song (singing) and a short prayer. Twice each year, Witnesses from the various assemblies that form the "series" gather for one day service. Larger trial groups meet once a year for a three-day "regional convention", usually in stadiums or rented auditoriums. Their most important and serious events are the warnings of "Lord's Supper", or "Commemoration of the Death of Christ" on the date of the Jewish Passover.
Evangelism
Jehovah's Witnesses are perhaps best known for their efforts to spread their faith, especially by visiting people from house to house, distributing letters published by the Watchtower Society in 700 languages. The goal is to start a regular "Bible lesson" with anyone who is not yet a member, with the intention that the student be baptized as a member of the group; Witnesses are advised to consider discontinuing Bible studies with students who are not interested in becoming members. Witnesses are taught that they are under biblical command to engage in public preaching. They are instructed to devote as much time to their service as possible and are required to submit individual monthly "Field Service Reports". Members who are baptized who do not report a month of preaching are called "disorganized" and can be counseled by the elders; those who do not submit reports for six consecutive months are called "inactive".
Ethics and morality
All sexual intercourse outside of marriage is the reason for expulsion if the person is not considered to be converted; homosexual activity is considered a serious sin, and same sex marriage is prohibited. Abortion is considered a murder. Suicide is considered a "self-murder" and a sin against God. Simplicity in dress and grooming is often emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are prohibited. Drinking alcoholic beverages is allowed in moderate amounts.
The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered to have authority over family decisions, but is encouraged to ask for the thoughts and feelings of his wife, as well as his children. Marriage must be monogamous and legally registered. Marrying unbelievers, or supporting such unions, is desperate and takes religious sanctions.
Divorce is not recommended, and remarriage is prohibited unless divorce is obtained on the basis of adultery, which they refer to as "biblical divorce". If a divorce is obtained for another reason, remarriage is considered an adultery unless the previous partner has died or is considered to have committed sexual immorality. Extreme physical harassment, deliberately not supporting one's family, and what the term denominational "endangers absolute spirituality" is considered an excuse for the separation of the law.
Disciplinary Acts
Formal discipline is administered by elders of the session. When a baptized member is accused of a serious sin - usually cases of sexual offenses or alleged apostasy for debating the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses - court committees are formed to determine errors, provide assistance and perhaps exercise discipline. Dismissal, a form of excommunication, is the strongest form of discipline, given to an offender considered unrepentant. Contacts with isolated individuals are limited to direct family members living in the same house, and with counsel elders who may invite dismissed persons to apply for remedies; formal business transactions may continue if contractually or financially required. Witnesses are taught that avoiding social and spiritual interactions with ostracized individuals leaves the congregation free from immoral influence and that "losing a valuable fellowship with a loved one can help [the shunned individual] to come 'to his senses,' see the seriousness of his mistake, and take steps to return to Jehovah. "The practice of ostracism can also serve to deter other members of the dissident's behavior. Members who terminate the relationship (formally resign) are described in the Watchtower Society's literature as evil and also shunned. Those who are expelled may eventually be reinstated to trial if they are considered converted by the elders at the hearing in which the dismissal takes effect. Reproof is a lower form of discipline officially given by the judicial committee to a baptized Witness who is considered repentant of serious sin; people who are reviled while losing the striking privileges of service, but not suffering from social or spiritual covenants restrictions. Marking, limiting social alliances but not spiritual, is practiced if a baptized member persists in an act that is considered a violation of biblical principles but not a serious sin.
Severability
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Bible condemns the mixing of religions, on the basis that there is only one truth from God, and therefore rejecting the interfaith and ecumenical movement. They believe that only Jehovah's Witnesses symbolize true Christianity, and that other religions fail to meet all the requirements set by God and will soon be destroyed. Jehovah's Witnesses are taught that it is important to remain "apart from the world." Witness literature defines "the world" as "a collection of human beings separate from Jehovah's approved servants" and teaches that it is morally contaminated and ruled by Satan. Witnesses are taught that relationships with "worldly" people represent a "danger" to their beliefs, and are instructed to minimize social contact with non-members to better defend their own standards of morality. Attending university is not recommended and trade school is suggested as an alternative.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their highest allegiance belongs to the kingdom of God, which is seen as a real government in heaven, with Christ as king. They remain politically neutral, do not seek public office, and are not advised to vote, although individual members can participate in uncontroversial community improvement issues. Although they do not take part in politics, they respect the authority of the government in which they live. They do not celebrate religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter, nor do they celebrate birthdays, national holidays, or other celebrations that they consider to honor anyone other than Jesus. They feel that these and many other habits have pagan origins or reflect nationalistic or political spirit. Their position is that this traditional holiday reflects Satan's control over the world. Witnesses were told that spontaneous giving at other times could help their children not to miss birthdays or other celebrations.
They do not work in military-related industries, do not serve in military service, and reject national military service, which in some countries may lead to their arrest and imprisonment. They do not salute or promise faithful to the flag or sing the national anthem or patriotic songs. Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as a worldwide brotherhood that transcends national boundaries and ethnic loyalties. Sociologist Ronald Lawson has suggested intellectual isolation and group organization, coupled with strong indoctrination of adherents, rigid internal discipline and substantial persecution, has contributed to the consistency of his sense of urgency in his apocalyptic message.
Rejection of blood transfusion
Jehovah's Witnesses reject the blood transfusion, which they consider to be a violation of God's law based on their interpretation of Acts 15: 28, 29 and other scriptures. Since 1961, the acceptance of a blood transfusion by an unconverted member is the reason for the expulsion of the group. Members are directed to refuse blood transfusions, even in "life or death situations". Jehovah's Witnesses accept non-blood alternatives and other medical procedures in place of blood transfusions, and their literature provides information on non-blood medical procedures.
Although Jehovah's Witnesses do not receive blood transfusions from whole blood, they can receive several blood plasma fractions at their own discretion. The Watchtower Society provides the strength of preformatted lawyer documents that prohibit major blood components, in which members can specify the fraction and the permissible care they will receive personally. Jehovah's Witnesses have established Hospital Liaison Committees as an arrangement of cooperation between individual Jehovah's Witnesses and medical professionals and hospitals.
Demographics
Jehovah's Witnesses have an active presence in most countries, but do not form a large proportion of the population of any country.
For 2017, Jehovah's Witnesses reported more than 8.45 million publishers - a term they used for members who were actively engaged in preaching - at 120,053 hearings. For the same year, they reported over 2 billion hours spent in preaching activities, and conducted Bible studies with over 10.1 million people (including those of Witness parents with their children). Jehovah's Witnesses estimate their annual growth worldwide since 2016 to 1.4%.
Official-issued membership statistics, such as those mentioned above, only include those who submit reports for their personal service; Official statistics do not include individuals not and fired or others who may attend their meetings. As a result, only about half of those who identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses in independent demographic studies are considered active by faith itself. US Pew Forum for Religion & amp; The Public Life Survey discovers low retention rates among denominational members: about 37% of people raised in groups continue to identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses. The study also found that 65% of adult Jehovah's Witnesses in the US are converts.
Sociological analysis
Sociologist James A. Beckford, in his 1975 study of Jehovah's Witnesses, classifies the group organizational structure as Totalization, characterized by firm leadership, specific and narrow goals, control over competing demands on time and energy members. , and control over the quality of new members. Other characteristics of the classification include the possibility of friction with secular authorities, reluctance to cooperate with other religious organizations, high membership turnover rate, low doctrinal level change, and uniform beliefs among members. Beckford identifies the main characteristics of the group as historicistism (identifying historical events related to the execution of God's purpose), absolutism (the belief that the leaders of Jehovah's Witnesses provide absolute truth) , activism (the capacity to motivate members to perform missionary tasks),
Sociologist Bryan R. Wilson, in his consideration of the five religious groups including Jehovah's Witnesses, noted that each denomination:
- "is in tension with the wider community;"
- "applying a feasibility test to a prospective member;"
- "exercises strict discipline, regulates the stated beliefs and habits of members and prescribes and imposes sanctions on those who deviate, including the possibility of expulsion";
- "demands a sustained and total commitment from its members, and subordinates, and may even rule out all other interests."
A sociological comparative study by the Pew Research Center found that Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States ranked highest in statistics for no more than high school graduation, trust in God, the importance of religion in one's life, the frequency of religious presence, the frequency of prayer, the frequency of Bible reading in beyond the religious service, their prayer beliefs are answered, the belief that their religion can only be interpreted one way, the belief that their religion is the only true faith that leads to eternal life, opposition to abortion, and opposition to homosexuality. In the study, Jehovah's Witnesses ranked lowest in statistics for having an interest in politics. It is also one of the most racially and ethnically diverse religious groups in the United States.
Opposition
The controversy surrounding the beliefs, doctrines and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses has led to opposition from government, society and religious groups. Religious commentator Ken Jubber writes that "Globally viewed, this persecution is so persistent and has such intensity that it would not be accurate to regard Jehovah's Witnesses as the most persecuted Christian group in the 20th century."
Persecution
Political and religious hostility to Jehovah's Witnesses sometimes leads to mass action and government repression in various countries. Their attitude about political neutrality and their refusal to serve in the military has led to the imprisonment of members who refused conscription during World War II and at other times where national service was required. Their religious activities are currently banned or restricted in some countries, including China, Vietnam and some Islamic countries.
- In 1933, there were about 20,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Nazi Germany, of which about 10,000 were imprisoned. Of that number, 2000 were sent to Nazi concentration camps, where they were identified by a purple triangle; as many as 1,200 people died, including 250 executed.
- In Canada during World War II, Jehovah's Witnesses were interned in camps along with political dissidents and Chinese and Japanese descendants. Jehovah's Witnesses face discrimination in Quebec until the Calm Revolution, including the prohibition of distributing letters or holding meetings.
- In 1951, about 9,300 Jehovah's Witnesses in the Soviet Union were deported to Siberia as part of the Northern Operation in April 1951.
- In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court labeled Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist organizations, banned its activities in Russia and issued orders to seize organizational assets.
Authors including William Whalen, Shawn Francis Peters and former Witness Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Alan Rogerson and William Schnell have claimed the mass arrests and violence in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s are a consequence of what appears to be a deliberate provocation of authority and other religious groups by Jehovah's Witnesses. Whalen, Harrison and Schnell have advised Rutherford to invite and foster disagreements for publicity purposes in an attempt to attract displaced members of society, and to convince members that persecution from the outside world is a testament to the truth of their struggle to serve the Lord. Watch Literature The literature of the community during that period directed the Witnesses "to not seek controversy" or to refuse arrest, but also advised members not to cooperate with police officers or courts who ordered them to stop preaching, preferring prisons rather than paying fines..
Legal challenge
Some cases involving Jehovah's Witnesses have been heard by the Supreme Court throughout the world. Cases are generally associated with their right to practice their religion, displaying patriotism and military service, and blood transfusion.
In the United States, the legal challenge by Jehovah's Witnesses encourages a series of state and federal court rulings that strengthen the legal protection of civil liberties. Among the rights reinforced by the Witnesses triumph in the United States is the protection of religious conduct from federal and state intervention, the right to distance themselves from patriotic rituals and military service, the right of patients to refuse medical care, and the right to engage in discourse public. A similar case in their favor has been heard in Canada.
Criticism and controversy
Jehovah's Witnesses have received criticism over issues surrounding Bible translations, doctrines, handling sexual harassment cases, and alleged coercion of its members. Many claims are rejected by Jehovah's Witnesses and some have also been debated by scholars.
Speech and free thinking
The doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is formed by the Governing Body. Denominations do not tolerate disagreements about doctrine and practice; members who openly disagree with the group's teachings are expelled and shunned. The publication of witnesses strongly discourages followers from questioning the doctrine and counsel received from the Governing Body, arguing that it must be trusted as part of the "organization of God". It also warns members to "avoid independent thinking", claiming such thoughts are "introduced by Satan the Devil" and will "cause division". Those who openly disagree with official doctrine are condemned as "mentally ill" apostates.
Former members Heather and Gary Botting compared the denominational cultural paradigm to George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-four, and Alan Rogerson described group leadership as totalitarian. Other critics allege that by belittling individual decision-making, group leaders grow a system of unquestioning obedience in which the Witness cancels all responsibility and rights to their personal lives. Critics also accused the group's leaders of "intellectual domination" of Witnesses, controlling information and creating "mental isolation," which former Board member Raymond Franz argued were all elements of mind control.
The publication of Jehovah's Witnesses states that the consensus of faith helps unity, and denies that unity limits individuality or imagination. Historian James Irvin Lichti denies the denominational description as "totalitarian".
Sociologist Rodney Stark states that the leaders of Jehovah's Witnesses "are not always very democratic" and that members "are expected to meet rather strict standards," but add that "enforcement tends to be very informal, sustained by close friendship ties in groups, and that Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as "part of the power structure rather than subject to it." Sociologist Andrew Holden states that most members who join the millenarian movement such as Jehovah's Witnesses have made informed choices. However, he also stated that the defectors "rarely allowed out the authoritative", and described the administration as autocratic.
New World Translation
Various Bible scholars, including Bruce M. Metzger, former Professor and editor and Bible translator at Princeton Theological Seminary, have said that the translation of the New World ' of a particular text is inaccurate and bias support Witnesses' practice and doctrine. Old Testament scholar and biblical editor Harold H. Rowley, in a November 1953 review, criticized the first volume as "a brilliant example of how the Bible should not be translated," adding in the next review that "The second volume shows the same error.. "
Biblical scholar, Jason BeDuhn, Professor of Religious Studies at Northern Arizona University, in a New Testament study writes: "The NW [New World Translation] appears as the most accurate of translations." BeDuhn states that although the general public and "some important biblical scholars" assume that the differences in the New World Translation are the result of religious bias on the part of the translator, "Most of the difference is due to the greater accuracy of the NW as a literal and conservative translation of the original expression of New Testament writers. "However, he added that the insertion of the Jehovah's name in the New Testament" violates the precision in favor of the preferred denominational expressions for God ". According to the Watchtower Society, the Hebrew scholar Benjamin Kedar-Kopfstein argues that the Old Testament works "reflect the honest effort to achieve the most accurate textual understanding possible" adding that he never found "the biased intention to read anything into the text does not contain. "
Unfulfilled forecast
The Society Watchtower Society has claimed that God has used Jehovah's Witnesses (and earlier, International Bible Students) to declare his will and have given prior knowledge about Armageddon and the establishment of the kingdom of God. Some publications also claim that God has used Jehovah's Witnesses and International Bible Students as a modern-day prophet. George D. Chryssides states, "while predictions can be part of the role of the biblical prophet, the central meaning of prophecy is to proclaim the word of God." He goes on to say that, "Jehovah's Witnesses... are recipients of prophecy, who consider themselves as being invested with the interpretation of biblical writings." With this interpretation, the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses has made predictions about world events that they believe have been prophesied in the Bible. Failed predictions have caused some doctrinal changes or neglect. Some of the failed predictions have been presented as "without doubt" or "approved by God".
The Watchtower Society rejected the accusation that it was a false prophet, stating that his teachings were not inspired or incorrect, and that it did not claim his prediction was "the word of Jehovah." Chryssides has stated that with the exception of statements about 1914, 1925 and 1975, the change of view and date of Jehovah's Witnesses was largely due to changes in understanding of biblical chronology rather than failing predictions. Chryssides further states, "Therefore, it is very simple and naive to view the Witnesses as a group that continues to establish a failed ending date and then to plan a new one, as did many cult." However, sociologist Andrew Holden stated that since the founding of the movement about 140 years ago, "Witnesses have declared that we live on the cliffs of the end times."
Handling sexual harassment cases
Jehovah's Witnesses are accused of having policies and culture that help hide cases of sexual abuse within the organization. This group has been criticized for the "two rules of witness" for church discipline, based on the application of the scriptures in Deuteronomy 19:15 and Matthew 18: 15-17, which requires sexual harassment to be proved by secondary evidence if the defendant denies it. There is a mistake. In cases where the evidence is lacking, the Watchtower Society's teaching is that "the elders will leave this matter in the hands of Jehovah". A former member of the headquarters staff, Barbara Anderson, said that the policy effectively required other witnesses to the act of persecution, "which is impossible". Anderson says the policy of "protecting pedophiles rather than protecting children." Jehovah's Witnesses state that they have a strong policy to protect children, adding that the best way to protect children is to educate parents; they also state that they do not sponsor activities that separate children from parents.
The group's failure to report allegations of abuse to authorities has also been criticized. The Watchtower Society's policy is that the elders inform the authorities when required by law to do so, but instead submit the action to the victim and his family. The Royal Australian Commission on Institutional Response to Child Sexual Harassment found that of the 1006 suspected child sex offenders identified by Jehovah's Witnesses in their organization since 1950, "nothing is reported by the church to secular authorities." The Royal Commission also found that the Watchtower Department's legal department regularly misinformed parents based on a false understanding of what constitutes a legal obligation to report crimes in Australia. William Bowen, a former Jehovah's Witness elder who founded the Silentlambs organization to help victims of sexual harassment in denominations, has claimed that Witness leaders prevented followers from reporting incidents of sexual offenses to authorities, and other critics claimed that the organization was reluctant to alert authorities protecting its "crime-free" reputation. In court cases in the United Kingdom and the United States, the Watchtower Society has proven to be negligent in its failure to protect children from known sex offenders in the congregation, and the Institute has settled other child abuse lawsuits out of court, reportedly paid as much as $ 780,000 to one plaintiff without admitting his guilt.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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