Why is there so much bashing of Jehova's Witnesses?

Question

Is it because they go door to door? Think about it...would you have the nerve to go up to strangers and preach to them about your faith? I dare say not. To me, they seem like very decent, law abiding citizens who really know their Bible, and that's a lot more than can be said for a lot of people.

Answer 1

Thank you.I very much agree.It is very unnerving to go and knock on a strangers door and talk about of all things religion and faith in God.However,we do this out of love for Jehovah God and in obedience to Jesus' command found at Matt.28:19,20 where Jesus says to "go and make disciples of people of all the nations,....teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.."
If it wasn't for their obedience to this command I today would probably still been an inactive spiritually dead Catholic.
Jesus warned that his followers would be hated.-John 15:18-20.Where in part Jesus says "...If the world hates you,you know that it has hated me before it hated you..."
And at Matt.10:22 Jesus again said of his disciples "You will be objects of hatred by all people, on account of my name..."
So as Jehovah's Witnesses we know we will be persecuted and despised but the reward for endurance and loyalty to our God,Jehovah far out-ways the present disadvantages.- Matt. 24:13

Answer 2

they are teaching falsely. this is why...What do the Jehovah's Witnesses Teach?
There is one God in one person, Make Sure of All Things, p 188.
There is no Trinity, Let God be True, p. 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p.386.
The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp.
406-407.
The Holy Spirit is God's impersonal active force, The Watchtower, June 1, 1952,
p. 24.
Jehovah's first creation was his 'only-begotten Son'. . . was used by Jehovah in
creating all other things", Aid to Bible Understanding, pp. 390-391.
Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man, The Watchtower, May 15,
1963, p. 307; The New World, 284.
Jesus was only a perfect man, not God in flesh, Reasoning from the Scriptures,
1985, pp. 306.
Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body, Awake! July 22, 1973, p. 4.
Jesus was raised "not a human creature, but a spirit." Let God be True, p. 276.
Jesus was born again, The Watchtower, Nov. 15, 1954, p. 682.
Jesus did not die on a cross but on a stake, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985,
pp. 89-90.
Jesus began his invisible rule over the earth in 1914, The Truth Shall Make You Free,
p. 300.
Jesus' ransom sacrifice did not include Adam, Let God be True, p. 119.
Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God, The Watchtower, April 1,
1972, p. 197.
They claim to be the only channel of God's truth, The Watchtower, Feb. 15,
1981, p. 19.
Only their church members will be saved, The Watchtower, Feb, 15, 1979, p. 30.
Good works are necessary for salvation, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1,
pp. 150, 152.
The soul ceases to exist after death, Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67.
There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished, Let God be True, p. 79, 80.
Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witness go to heaven, Reasoning from the Scriptures,
1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121.
Only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witness are born again. Reasoning from the
Scriptures, 1985, p. 76.; Watchtower 11/15/54, p. 681.
Only the 144,000 may take communion,
Blood transfusions are a sin, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72-73.
The Cross is a pagan symbol and should not be used, Reasoning from the
Scriptures, 1985, pp. 90-92.
Salvation is by faith and what you do, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp.
150,152.
It is possible to lose your salvation, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp.
358-359.
The universe is billions of years old, Your will Be Done on Earth, p. 43.
Each of the 6 creative days of God in Genesis 1, was 7000 years long.
Therefore, Man was created toward the end of 42,000 years of earth's
preparation, Let God be True, p. 168.
They also refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the "Star Spangled Banner," or
celebrate Christmas or birthdays. They are not allowed to serve in the armed
forces.
Satan was entrusted with the obligation and charged with the duty of
overseeing the creation of the earth, Children, p 55

Answer 3

I'm not sure IA completely agree fully with any of the answers, so will add my grain of salt:
There is nothing wrong with their going door to door to talk about their faith. There is nothing wrong with their 'witnessing'. (I believe their message is totally wrong, but they'll have to deal with God about that one - it's alright to share it).
What has put people's backs up is that historically they have been very agressive, not listening to people and not respecting the right of people to say 'no'. They used to actually put their foot in the door when people opened to them.
I believe this has changed in most cases. My experience in the past years has been with polite Jehovah's Witnesses, who seemed to be able to take no for an answer. - Perhaps they could be a little less agressive (I mean a little quicker to understand that 'no' means 'no') but it is much more tolerable. However their reputation has been made for them, and they are suffering for the sins (lack of wtiquette) of those who preceeded them.
As for those who say they are the only religion that goes according to the whole Bible - I beg to differ. They are very far from what the Bible teaches on the person of Jesus Christ, on God, on God's plan of salvation, on God's law.... Also, in general they don't know their Bibles very well - they seem to, but what they know is a series of verses taken out of the Bible. They have their own translation of the Bible, because with all the other translations it was too easy to contradict them. However even with their New Worls mistranslation I habve been able to show them where they are wrong. They are not persecuted 'for righteousness' sake' as they claim.
Decent law abiding citizens, yes, I believe they are today. In the beginning, that was not always te case, but today it is.
We should treat them with respect, and we should insist aalso on being treated with respect.

Answer 4

It is true that Jehovah's Witnesses are not loved by everyone.
http://jw-media.org/newsroom/human_rights.htm
Some people hate Jehovah's Witnesses out of ignorance, or over some misunderstanding. A few may have had a bad personal experience with an individual who claimed to be a Jehovah's Witness, and prejudicially extended their animus to this entire Christian religion.

However, it seems that the majority of anti-Witness hatred is motivated by religious intolerance and bigotry. A few may even be motivated against their Christian worship by the unseen 'god of this system of things', Satan the Devil.

(2 Corinthians 4:4) the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers

Interestingly, such "hatred" should be expected by true Christians in this time of the end, and it actually helps identify Jehovah's Witnesses as Christ's true disciples:

(John 15:19) If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.

(Luke 6:22) Happy are you whenever men hate you, and whenever they exclude you and reproach you and cast out your name as wicked for the sake of the Son of man.

(1 Peter 4:4) Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

It seems signficant that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are the ones best known for their worldwide preaching work. Yet Jesus commanded that ALL who would call themselves "Christian" perform this public work:

(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2003/3/1/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2002/4/1/article_01.htm

Answer 5

People bash religions that go door to door because if people were interested in that religion they would probably be going to that church now wouldn't they. I disagree with both jehovah's and mormons but they still knock on the door don't they, well not since I got the bumper sticker that reads "Lord please protect me from your followers" not a knock on the door since. hehehe. By the way, I believe in God. and I don't need someone at my door trying to sway me to there beliefs its like advertising.

Answer 6

You know, in this day and age it takes a lot of guts to go door to door preaching; Personally, if I didn't know them, I would very quickly, but politely say, no thank you and God bless and shut the door; I mean, just because they're dressed in suits or their "Sunday Best" doesn't make them safe....

Answer 7

I agree w/ you. They are the only religion out there that does follow the entire bible and actually live in accord w/ it. They do practice what they preach.
There are rude people in every religion but Jehovah's witnesses are the only ones that stand out. Maybe its b/c “All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.”

Answer 8

I'm sure they are law abiding people, but I find it very rude when I politely tell them I'm not interested in their publication and I'm very happy with my church and they continue to bother me. I'd be a lot more impressed if after I said I wasn't interested they said "Thank you for your time" and left.

Answer 9

You don't find the door-to-door business intrusive? How about their refusal to allow blood transfusions? Don't get me wrong, I have met some and liked them as people, but their take on Christianity is hardly attractive if you are a moderate, ordinary, decent person yourself. I don't need to be converted either, thanks.

Answer 10

The answer is in the bible ‘Christ’s true followers to be objects of hatred by all nations on account of his name’ (Matt. 24:9)

This persecution is not because of political meddling but ‘on account of the name of Jesus Christ,’ because his followers adhere to him as Jehovah’s Messianic King, because of their obeying Christ ahead of any earthly ruler, because of their loyally adhering to his Kingdom and not becoming involved in the affairs of human governments. As modern-day history testifies, that has been the experience of Jehovah’s Witnesses in all parts of the earth.

‘This good news of the kingdom preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness’ (Matt. 24:14)

The message that would be preached is that God’s Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ has begun to rule in the heavens, that soon it will put an end to the entire wicked system of things, that under its rule mankind will be brought to perfection and earth will become a paradise. That good news is being preached today in over 200 lands and island groups, to the most distant parts of the earth. Jehovah’s Witnesses devote hundreds of millions of hours to this activity each year, making repeated house-to-house visits so that everyone possible is given the opportunity to hear.

luke 10:19 However, when they deliver YOU up, do not become anxious about how or what YOU are to speak; for what YOU are to speak will be given YOU in that hour; 20 for the ones speaking are not just YOU, but it is the spirit of YOUR Father that speaks by YOU. 21 Further, brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death. 22 And YOU will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name; but he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.

Jesus fortold that his people would be hated because they speak the truth people just dont want to hear it. the bible also states that the world loves its own.