Who founded it, when, where, why? The historical perspective only please. I've been talking to some volunteers, and want to know the origins of your religion. And why call it "Kingdom Hall", why not a "church'
2006-10-12 07:50:53 · 11 answers · asked by ? 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This is an objective inquiry. People who bash any religion who are not willing to learn about others, please keep your ugly opinions to yourself.
2006-10-12 07:57:41 · update #1
Jehovah's Witnesses consider their founder to be Jesus Christ. Their modern organization was begun by Charles Taze Russell in the 1870's near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A truly small group of sincere bible students discussed the Scriptures alone, attempting to derive true bible teachings independent of their preconceptions from Christendom. 1879 saw the inaugeration of the magazine "Zion's Watchtower", now the largest circulation religious magazine in the world by far.
Jehovah's Witnesses have no objections to the word "church" and freely apply the term to their houses of worship when discussing them for purposes of zoning or building codes. The term "Kingdom Hall" is simply a tradition established by Joseph Rutherford upon the dedication of a new house of worship in 1935; the term reflects the Jehovah's Witness interest in clear distinction from Christendom and the Witnesses' strong emphasis on God's Messianic Kingdom.
Learn more:
http://jw-media.org/people/who.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/worship.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm
2006-10-12 20:00:16 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first witness dates all the way back to Abel. See Hebrews 11:4. Where? Since Abel lived outside of Eden, it would have been founded around there. Why were Jehovah's Witnesses formed? It's a bit of a legal matter - dating back to Job. No, really.
But you are asking about the modern-day start. Well, that was back in the 19th century by a man named Charles Taze Russell who formed a group for Bible study in Pennsylvania. Their beliefs and practices are a restoration of first-century Christianity.
Why not church? The Greek word translated church refers to the people - not the building. Thus, all 98,000 congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses are themselves named much like in the first century. For example: Hyde Park East Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Thessalonian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. As for kingdom hall, it refers to the building where they meet - since their primary focus is on God's kingdom, they just named the buildings . . . kingdom halls.
Truly, however, the origins of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses are biblical. For more information, I would go to their official website: www.watchtower.org
Hannah
2006-10-12 08:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Historically speaking, Jesus is called "Faithful Witness" in Revelation.
Hebrews chapter 12 calls all true worshipers from Abel to John the Baptist witnesses.
The word church in the bible really means people or congregation, not a building.
Kingdom Hall originated in Hawaii, (don't remember the date)
Hall is appropriate because it's a large building designed for bible study, and what we study about is the Kingdom of God.
The modern day started with C.T. Russell in the late 1800's.
He and a group sat down with the bible, and threw out all preconceived ideas and doctrines and started fresh.
Over the years due to better translations of the bible and a better understanding of archeology of bible times,
some of our bible understandings have changed.
You will get a lot of misquotes, misrepresentations, and even some lies about who we are and what we believe.
Some of my personal favorites are:
We don't believe in Jesus.
We earn salvation.
Our translation is full of errors.
For accurate information please go to:
http://www.watchtower.org/
2006-10-12 08:16:05 · answer #3 · answered by TeeM 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that it was founded in the late 1800 (around 1890) to be exact. They are people that had to write their own version of the Bible because it (the actual Bible) does not say what they need it to in order to believe the way they do.. you should think about that before you join their cult... (the translation of the Bible that they wrote is the New World Translation (1953) it is so far from the original text that most (legitimate) New Testament scholars do not recognize it as a translation...)
2006-10-12 07:55:41 · answer #4 · answered by 57chevy 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses had their beginning starting with Abel. He was the first Witness (Hebrews Chapter 11 and Hebrews 12:1) Anyone today who makes a lifelong dedication to do Jehovah's will, who witnesses the truth about Jehovah's righteous heavenly government to others,who separates themselves from Christendom and who rufuses to take up arms against their fellowman can be one of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses. For hundreds of years, following the death of the apostles, false religion,including Christendom proved itself to be a major part of Babylon the Great. Jehovah's people are told to "get out of her" if we do not want to share in her fate.( Revelation 18:4,5)
"And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." (She is bloodguilty due to wars fought in the name of religion) For this reason Jehovah's people do not go to war. We love our enemies and pray for those who hate and persecute us, just as Jesus commanded us to do.
The reason we call our place of worship a Kingdom Hall is because that is what our entire worship is based upon--preaching the good news of God's Kingdom to the entire inhabited earth, thereby fulfilling the prophecy found at Matthew 24:14-"And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come."
If you would like to know all of our beliefs and the Scriptural reasons they are based on, please go to our official website at: http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm and all your questions will hopefully be answered.
2006-10-12 08:41:37 · answer #5 · answered by Micah 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Trust me, I'm all for your questions... but I honestly don't even know who put a pen to the bible. I know that John & Paul & Nehemiah wrote some books in there and etc. So, before we go jumping down the JW's throats - which like I said, I'm all for it - uh, let's research our own religion. To God be the glory, man! It doesn't matter. Antichrist folks always give themselves away!
2006-10-12 07:56:23 · answer #6 · answered by Light 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Go to the library and look it up. Or, better yet, just Google it on your computer.
2006-10-13 10:53:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i think you should go to watchtower.org and that site only b/c the other sites have false info bout Jehovah's witnesses and the watchtower.org site is legit
2006-10-13 07:49:26 · answer #8 · answered by calientechickspicy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a good site for honest JW info
http://www.freeminds.org/
I used to be one for over 30 years
2006-10-12 08:02:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
Do you have Google on your computer?
2006-10-12 07:53:44 · answer #10 · answered by Roxton P 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋