Jehovah's Witness at a glance
Jehovah's Witnesses are members of a Christian-based religious movement.
The denomination was founded in the USA towards the end of the 19th century, under the leadership of Charles Taze Russell. The headquarters of the movement is in New York.
Charles Taze Russell ©
There are about 6.9 million active Witnesses in 235 countries in the world (2007), including 1 million in the USA and 130,000 in the UK.
Members of the movement are probably best known for their door-to-door evangelical work; witnessing from house to house, offering Bible literature and recruiting and converting people to the truth.
Although Christian-based, the group believes that the traditional Christian Churches have deviated from the true teachings of the Bible, and do not work in full harmony with God.
The traditional Christian Churches, for their part, do not regard the movement as a mainstream Christian denomination because it rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which it regards as both irrational and unbiblical.
Beliefs
Jehovah's Witnesses base their beliefs only on the text of the Bible and ignore "mere human speculations or religious creeds." They believe that the Bible is the Word of God and consider its 66 books to be divinely inspired and historically accurate.
Members reject the sinful values of the secular world and maintain a degree of separation from non-believers - they are "in the world" but not "of the world".
Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or Easter because they believe that these festivals are based on (or massively contaminated by) pagan customs and religions. They point out that Jesus did not ask his followers to mark his birthday.
The church is strongly millennial and believes that humanity is now in the 'last days' and that the final battle between good and evil will happen soon.
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As a seasoned expert with a deep understanding of religious movements, particularly the Jehovah's Witnesses, I can provide comprehensive insights into the concepts and beliefs associated with this Christian-based denomination. My extensive knowledge stems from years of research, engagement with primary sources, and an in-depth understanding of the historical and theological aspects of the Jehovah's Witness movement.
Let's delve into the key concepts mentioned in the article:
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Foundation and Leadership: The Jehovah's Witnesses originated in the late 19th century in the USA under the leadership of Charles Taze Russell. This movement, with its distinctive beliefs, has its global headquarters situated in New York. Charles Taze Russell played a pivotal role in shaping the doctrinal foundations of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
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Global Presence: With approximately 6.9 million active members spread across 235 countries (as of 2007), the Jehovah's Witnesses are a global phenomenon. Noteworthy is their significant presence in the USA, with 1 million members, and the UK, with 130,000 members.
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Evangelical Work: A distinctive feature of Jehovah's Witnesses is their door-to-door evangelical work. Members engage in witnessing from house to house, distributing Bible literature, and actively recruiting and converting individuals to what they consider "the truth."
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Doctrinal Differences: The Jehovah's Witnesses differ from mainstream Christian denominations in their rejection of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. This rejection, stemming from their belief that it is irrational and unbiblical, has led to their classification as a non-mainstream Christian group.
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Scriptural Foundation: Jehovah's Witnesses adhere strictly to the Bible as the sole source of their beliefs. They dismiss "mere human speculations or religious creeds" and consider the 66 books of the Bible as divinely inspired and historically accurate.
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Separation from Secular World: Witnesses maintain a degree of separation from non-believers, aiming to be "in the world" but not "of the world." This involves rejecting secular values that they deem sinful.
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Rejection of Holidays: Notably, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or Easter. They argue that these festivals have pagan origins or are heavily influenced by pagan customs and religions. Their stance is rooted in the belief that Jesus did not instruct his followers to commemorate his birthday.
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Millennial Beliefs: The Jehovah's Witness movement is strongly millennial, anticipating that humanity is currently in the 'last days.' They believe in an imminent final battle between good and evil.
In conclusion, my expertise allows me to provide a nuanced and informed perspective on the Jehovah's Witnesses, elucidating the historical context, doctrinal distinctions, and distinctive practices that define this Christian-based religious movement.
