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Beliefs and
practices of Jehovah's Witnesses
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's WitnessesThe entire Biblical canon, excluding the
Apocrypha, is considered the inspired word of God. A literal interpretation of
the Bible is followed, though it is acknowledged that biblical writers and
characters also employed symbolism, parable, figures of speech, and poeticism.
Only the Bible should be used for determining issues of doctrine. Interpretation
of scripture and codification of doctrines is the responsibility of the
Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Tetragrammaton God is the creator and supreme being, sovereign of the
universe. Using God's name, Jehovah (a derivative of the Tetragrammaton), is a
requirement for true worship. Jesus is God's first creation, used by God to
create everything else. Jesus is literally the only begotten Son of God, and
received his life from God. He is the means through whom to approach God in
prayer, and is also the means of salvation for all worthy mankind. His role as
mediator of the "new covenant" is limited to those going to heaven, whose number
totals 144,000. The vast majority of Jehovahs' Witnesses will live on a renewed
paradise on Earth. They believe that Jesus did not die on a cross but on a
"torture stake". The holy spirit is not a person but is God's active force. Mary
was not perpetually a virgin, but bore more children after Jesus. The soul is
the person itself, not an immaterial entity that dwells inside the body. Death
is a state of non-existence with no consciousness. Hades or Sheol is the
designated common grave of all mankind. They do not believe in any Hell of fiery
torment. The "last days" began in 1914 and Armageddon is imminent. All other
religions are false and they will shortly come under attack by governments
worldwide. After false religion is destroyed, governments also face
destruction.Any who are not deemed faithful by God will be destroyed with no
hope of resurrection.[88] The fate of some, such as small children or the
mentally ill, remains to be decided by God. After Armageddon, an unknown number
of people, both righteous and unrighteous, who had died (prior to Armageddon)
will be resurrected, with the prospect of living forever in paradise.
Their view of sexual behavior reflects conservative Christian views.
Homosexuality and premarital sex are considered sins. Abortion is considered
murder.Blood is not to be eaten or transfused.Modesty is heavily encouraged in
dress and grooming. Gambling is strictly forbidden. Practices that connote
nationalism or false religion are avoided. Weddings, anniversaries, and funerals
are typically observed; however, common celebrations and religious or national
holidays such as Birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are regarded as
unchristian and are not celebrated.he family structure is patriarchal. The
husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is strongly
encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings. Marriages are required
to be monogamous. Vigorous efforts are made to spread their beliefs by all
members throughout the world in a variety of ways, with particular emphasis on
the Watchtower publications. Literature is published in many languages through a
wide variety of books, magazines and other publications, with a small number
being available in as many as 410 languages.
Jehovah's Witnesses are politically neutral.
They feel that their allegiance belongs to God's Kingdom, which is viewed as an
actual government. Thus they refrain from saluting the flag of any country or
singing nationalistic songs. They believe that such an act would be tantamount
to worshipping an idol. Members are expected to obey all laws, including the
paying of taxes, of the country in which they reside, so long as these do not
violate what they view as God's law.[99] The political neutrality of Jehovah's
Witnesses is also expressed by their refusal to participate in military service,
even when such is of a compulsory nature, and by their detachment from secular
politics. Before 1996, Jehovah's Witnesses also refused alternatives to military
service. Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged, but not prohibited under all
circumstances, from voting in elections. They believe voting or elections in
themselves are harmless, for example, although they would not generally vote to
elect a political leader, they would have no problem voting on a trivial issue
such as what color balloons to buy for a party. They do not stand for any
political office.
Aid work after large natural disasters is considered an important part of their
work. Large sums of donated money are used in the affected areas to rebuild
communities and provide aid. The focus of relief efforts is primarily on helping
fellow members, while providing assistance to others in need near the area in
which they are working. Examples of relief work include that provided to Hutu
and Tutsi victims during the Rwandan genocide, as well as to Congo refugees.
Witnesses have also had an active share in the relief work of hurricane Katrina
in the United States of America. However, on-going aid work as provided by some
other religious groups, such as soup kitchens, clothing donations, or building
homes for the homeless is not practiced. The preaching work is regarded as a
form of humanitarian effort by giving people hope for the future.
The most important annual event is the commemoration of Jesus' death (referred
to as "the Memorial") held after sundown on the date corresponding to Nisan 14
on the Hebrew calendar. Onlookers do not partake of the emblems representing
Christ's flesh and blood unless they feel they have the heavenly hope.
Typically, in most congregations no one partakes since almost all Witnesses
believe their hope is to live on a paradise earth. Weekly meetings are also
held, featuring a variety of discourses. Elders and ministerial servants deliver
the majority of these, with some student discourses being given by women and
men. Certain segments also feature audience participation.
Congregational discipline
Congregational discipline is administered by congregation elders through a
'judicial committee'. When an accusation is made concerning a baptized member,
and there is sufficient evidence, a tribunal or judicial committee (usually of
three elders) is formed to administer counsel and discipline. Marking is
employed when a member persists in conduct that is ill-considered from a
doctrinal standpoint, but not in a manner for which disfellowshipping would
apply. If a member does not respond to repeated counseling from the elders, a
talk may be given regarding the conduct (without naming the individual),
'marking' the member in the minds of those who know of the conduct. Though such
a person would not be shunned, social interaction outside of formal worship
settings would generally be discouraged. Reproof involves sins which are more
serious than those for which one would be "marked". Reproof is given before all
who have knowledge of the transgression. The most severe discipline administered
is disfellowshipping. The standard for determining whether one should be
disfellowshipped is the judicial committee's estimation of the accused's
repentance. Members of the judicial committee ask detailed questions and review
actions of the member being considered, in consultation with guidelines as set
forth by the Governing Body. Baptized members who reject essential doctrine can
be disfellowshipped for apostasy. Once the decision to disfellowship has been
made, a person has seven days to appeal. If no legitimate appeal is made, the
disfellowshipping will be announced to the congregation by letting them know
that the person "is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". After one is
disfellowshipped, all baptized members cut off all association with that person.
Exceptions are made in business and family household situations. If the
disfellowshipped person is living in the same home with other baptized family
members, religious matters are not discussed. Disfellowshipped family members
outside the home are shunned. Disfellowshipped members are still permitted to
attend Kingdom Hall meetings, but are not allowed to take an active part in
meetings or the ministry Members can officially leave the religion by writing a
letter requesting to be "disassociated". Alternately, elders may also determine
a member has disassociated themself by their actions. Both result in shunning.
If a disassociated individual announces that they wish to reassociate, they are
shunned by congregation members and may not participate in meetings until the
elders announce them as an approved associate. A disfellowshipped individual may
return to the congregation if they are deemed sincerely repentant by the
congregation elders. The congregation elders that made up the original judicial
committee will allow a period of time for the individual to demonstrate their
repentance. During this period, congregation members ignore the individual, and
the individual is not permitted to comment at congregation meetings. Once a
decision is made to reinstate, a brief announcement is made to the congregation
that the disfellowshipped member is once again an approved associate of the
congregation and one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Critical views
One of the most outspoken critics of Jehovah's
Witnesses is Raymond Franz, a former third-generation
Jehovah's Witnesses. Franz, who served nine
years on the Governing Body, uses Galatians 1:16–20 to support his claim that
Paul of Tarsus did not view the apostles in Jerusalem as a governing body. He
further contends that the council of Jerusalem was an isolated event, and that
the creation of a central authority in Christianity was a 4th century
development. As well, he argues a sense of guilt is imposed on those not
complying with organization arrangements for field service. Further, he contends
that engaging in this formal activity became an extra-scriptural requirement
placed upon those wanting to qualify for eldership. He claims in addition that
an individual's spirituality is judged by the elders on this basis. Further, he
is critical of the application of the phrase "house to house" (gr. "kat' oikon")
found at Acts 5:42, stating it does not require the idea of consecutive
door-to-door visitation. He compares 27 Bible translations, for Acts 2:46, Acts
5:42 and Acts 20:20 showing phrases such as "at home", "at your houses" and "in
your homes" are used more often than "house to house". He also maintains that
fear of being shunned and/or family break-up/loss causes people to nominally
remain members rather than formally disassociate themselves. Also, Franz asserts
that the judicial process itself, due to its private and nearly autonomous
nature, directly contradicts the precedent found in the Bible and the
organization's own teachings, and can be used in an arbitrary manner.
Criticism regarding the procedures on reporting child abuse has also occurred.
The current procedure that is followed when allegations of abuse are reported is
based on a strict application of the principle at Deuteronomy 19:15: "No single
witness should rise up against a man respecting any error or any sin, in the
case of any sin that he may commit. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the
mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good" (New World Translation).
If an allegation of child abuse is made, and the alleged perpetrator denies it,
the local congregational elders will investigate to see if there can be any
others who can substantiate the claim. If there are none, the elders do not
disfellowship the accused individual, since the accusation may have no merit.
However, according to the Jehovah's Witness office of Public information: "Even
if the elders cannot take congregational action, they are expected to report the
allegation to the branch office of Jehovah's
Witnesses in their country, if local privacy laws permit. In addition to
making a report to the branch office, the elders may be required by law to
report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. If
so, we expect the elders to comply. Additionally, the victim may wish to report
the matter to the authorities, and it is his or her absolute right to do so." In
1997 it was also stated that, "For the protection of our children, a man known
to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the
congregation." (e.g. serving as elders or ministerial servants) This would be
upheld even if the crime was committed years before, or prior to the person's
becoming a Witness. The general policy is not premised as punishment to the
offender, but seen rather, by the religion, as a means of protecting the
congregation's members.
Controversy
Witnesses teach that after the death of the last apostle, the Church gradually
diverged, in a Great Apostasy, from the original teachings of Jesus on several
major points. Thus a number of the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses differ from
those of mainstream Christianity and are considered heresy by some members of
these other denominations. Possibly the most controversial doctrinal differences
relate to the nature of God and of Jesus, particularly the Jehovah's Witnesses'
rejection of the Trinity doctrine. The Encyclopedia Britannica states, "To some
Christians the doctrine of the Trinity appeared inconsistent with the unity of
God....They therefore denied it, and accepted Jesus Christ, not as incarnate
God, but as God's highest creature by Whom all else was created....[this] view
in the early Church long contended with the orthodox doctrine." whereas others
have criticized the New World Translation, the translation of the Bible
published by Jehovah's Witnesses, stating that the group has changed the Bible
to suit their doctrine and that the translation contains a number of errors and
inaccuracies.
A large number of books have been published that are critical of the Watchtower
Tract & Bible Society. Critics state that the Watchtower Society has made a
number of unfulfilled predictions and doctrinal changes over the years, while
claiming that it is the "one and only channel"[124] used by God to continually
dispense truth.
Critics have also challenged the Witnesses' policies on blood transfusions,
stating that their requirements are inconsistent and contradictory.Witnesses
respond that blood as the fluid per se is not the real issue. They say the real
issue is respect and obedience for God’s personal property- blood. That the
matter blood is not at stake, is seen in the fact that members are allowed to
eat meat which will still have some blood left in it. As soon as blood is
drained from an animal, the respect has been shown to God and then a person can
eat the meat even though it will contain a small amount of blood.
Critics have also argued that various Witness policies and practices — including
the treatment of members who dissociate or are disfellowshipped, limiting of
external information about the group from former members, and the regulation of
members' lives — limit the ability of members to exercise personal freedom.
Witnesses teach that “freedom to make decisions [is] to be exercised within the
boundaries of God’s laws and principles.” And that “only Jehovah [is] free
to set the standard of what is good and bad.”
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's former affiliation with the Department
of Public Information of the United Nations has been controversial. Also
controversial has been the view of Jehovah's Witnesses towards other religions.
Some countries such as Uzbekistan, Cuba, Belarus, and the city of Moscow have
opposed the building of facilities (such as Kingdom Halls) and the holding of
large conventions in their territory. Though such opposition is at times
specifically directed at the religious group, at other times more mundane
concerns are involved, such as traffic congestion and noise. In some legal
cases, (such as Congrégation des témoins de Jéhovah de St-Jérôme-Lafontaine v.
Lafontaine (Village)), disputes that have been about appropriate land use have
been claimed by the Witnesses to have come out of religious bias.
Organizational structure
of Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's
Witnesses and blood
Beliefs and practices of
Jehovah's Witnesses
Beliefs and practices of
Jehovah's Witnesses
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