What is jehovah's witnesses?

Question

I'm wondering, I have a lot of friends who are, and for all I know is that they can't celebrate traditions like Birthdays or Religious holidays. I'm very clue less because I am Agnostic. (Don't go to church, don't have a religion)

I would like to know about if they have any rules about Dating, things that offend them, and basically any info you can share! Thanks!

Just to let you know, I am, and forever will be Agnostic, so please don't try to convert me. I would just like to know some basic facts. I didn't ask my friends because I didn't know if it'd offend them.

Again, I will not be converted, so please DO NOT E-MAIL ME, UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME INFO ABOUT THE STUFF I ASKED ABOUT: DATING, HIGH SCHOOL RULES, AND THINGS THAT WILL OFFEND THEM! THANK YOU!

Answer 1

I can sort of answer that for you; basically, they are a a group that believes in pure worship that's strictly by what the bible says. All of their literature points back to it and all their teachings are based on it. You could ask your friends for a little tract that tells a bit about them and you'd be free to attend a meeting if you'd like if you wanted to ask them to take you to one.

They don't celebrate the holidays because most of those are based on pagan traditions with christian overtones. Since they don't believe in mixing beliefs, that is why they don't celebrate. That is also why they are encouraged to only date within their own religion.

A documentary called "Knocking" was recently released by a man who is NOT a Jehovah's Witness himself, but it is a VERY good film.

There's a lot to it, but if you read the bible fairly literally (except where its an obvious illustration, prophesy, vision, etc.), you'll get an idea of what they are about. Every Jehovah's Witness is incouraged to persue their own personal study of the bible and make their own decisions about the teachings and to ask questions if something doesn't make sense. So, if you read the bible, you'd be doing a bit of what they do on a day to day basis.

It's all about being a generally good person and making others as happy as they can while still putting God first in their lives.

Answer 2

If you would like to know the truthful and accurate information regarding Jehovah's Witnesses, you can visit their official web site - http://www.watchtower.org

If you still have more questions, feel free to contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. They will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Answer 3

This is our website. http://www.watchtower.org/ Please click the link and find out for yourself about us. It would be long and hard to tell you everything about us right here, there are many details to back-up our very simple belief that the bible is right and must be followed being as it’s the only source of guidance for mankind. In a nut shell, Jehovah’s people believe in what He say’s in the Bible and don’t confuse it with mankind’s doctrines.

You will hear a lot of bad things about Jesus’ true followers but that is what he said would happen as it happened to him. (John 15:20) 20 Bear in mind the word I said to YOU, A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute YOU also; if they have observed my word, they will observe YOURS also.

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses are an religious organization which is world wide. They believe that they are the continuation of first-century Christianity. The preaching, evangelistic and publishing activities of Jehovah's Witnesses are extensive, and congregations have been established in most parts of the world. Their most widely-known publications are the religious magazines, The Watchtower and Awake!. The international headquarters, located in Brooklyn, New York, is directed by a Governing Body. Each congregation is overseen by a group of elders, which is appointed by representatives of the Governing Body. Official membership of the organization is over 6.7 million.

The teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses are largely focused on the Kingdom of God and what they call the "presence" of Christ, analogous to the Second Coming. Early in their history, this second coming of Christ was believed to have occurred invisibly in 1874, but this was later revised to 1914. Jehovah's Witnesses initially held many views similar to other 19th century Adventist groups, such as the Millerites; they have since developed a unique eschatology. The Bible is considered by Jehovah's Witnesses to be the inspired word of God. They produced an independent translation, completed by 1961: the New World Translation. They believe that the recognition and use of God's personal name, יהוה‎ (or YHWH, translated as Jehovah in English - an anglicized rendering of the original Hebrew tetragrammaton), is vital for acceptable worship. They also believe that Jesus' death was necessary to atone for the sin of the first man, Adam, opening the way for the hope of everlasting life to all of Adam's descendants. They believe that the wicked will be destroyed at Armageddon, and those who survive will form a new society and live forever in an earthly paradise. Some ways that Jehovah's Witnesses differ from mainstream Christianity are that they reject doctrines such as the Trinity, eternal torment in hell, the immortality of the soul, and the reward of heavenly life for all who remain faithful to God.

Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to become involved in social, religious, or political conflicts. They are well known for their refusal of blood transfusions. This refusal has attracted criticism from some medical and legal sources, but has also helped to strengthen the legal basis for patients' rights of informed consent and self-determination of medical treatment. Their search for bloodless treatment options has also encouraged research and development of bloodless surgery techniques.

Members who are judged to be guilty of gross misconduct, for such actions as committing adultery, molesting children, or killing people while driving intoxicated, are "disfellowshipped", i.e., excommunicated. The Witnesses view the procedure as a Biblical practice of keeping a congregation in clean moral standing before God. Members are required to shun disfellowshipped ones even if they are family members including parents or children. Any disfellowshipped person other than those who have changed religion (Apostates)can apply for readmission ("reinstatement") after demonstrating that they no longer behave in a way contrary to behaviour deemed appropriate for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 5

I don't know anything about Jehovah's witnesses, but thank you for letting me know what agnostic is. I guess that's what i am too!

Answer 6

The Jehovah's Whitnesses are just another group of confused people > Much like the rest of Christianity, but unfortunately they are a cult.

They beleive that Jesus Christ is actually Michael, the Arch-Angel, which is completely ridiculous. I guess they never read the part in Jude where "Michael dared not bring a railing acusation against Satan" ... Uhh, Jesus brought alot of railing acusations against Satan, like when he called him the Father of lies????

Don't get me started....

Like I said, just another group of confused people... not good, not bad, not ugly... just destined for hell like the rest of you.

Bye.

Answer 7

Jehovah's Witnesses believe strongly in God Jehovah and in his Son Jesus Christ. Regarding birthday celebrations, bible students are encouraged to consider:
: 0% of faithful biblical Jews celebrated birthdays
: 0% of first century Christians celebrated birthdays
: 100% of birthdays celebrated in the bible were by debauched enemies of God (See Mark 6:17-29; Gen 40:19-22)

Bible historians (M'Clintock, Strong, and others) have noted that faithful Jews of the bible did not celebrate birthdays, and that ancient pagan birthday celebrations were at least partially intended to honor the patron gods of the particular day.

By comparison with such paganisms, the bible does not even tell us the birthdates of Jesus or ANY of his apostles!


Jehovah's Witnesses practice strict political and nationalistic neutrality, so they do not celebrate nationalistic holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day.

Other holidays derive from false religion, and so are incompatible with pure worship as adulterating interfaith. For example, Easter derives from the pagan god Oestre and celebrates "rebirth" and "fertility" instead of commemorating Christ's Last Supper and death as Jesus commanded:
(Luke 22:1-22) [Jesus] dispatched Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.” ...14 At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”

Seemingly innocuous holidays may have only a tangential connection with false worship, such as Mother's Day and Father's Day (although arguably derived from ancestor worship). Understated observance of these is not generally considered interfaith by Jehovah's Witnesses, but it is too easily misunderstood in some cultures.

Since such celebrations are not required in true worship, and can easily become a distraction, so Jehovah's Witnesses focus their attention elsewhere. In particular, they are focussed on the preaching work which *IS* a requirement for Christians:

(Luke 10:1-17) [Jesus] the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm


Jehovah's Witnesses only date when they are in a position to marry. The Scriptures clearly instruct a true worshipper to marry only another true worshipper.

(Exodus 23:32) You are not to conclude a [marriage or other] covenant with them or their gods.

(Deuteronomy 7:3) And you must form no marriage alliance with [unbelievers]. Your daughter you must not give to his son, and his daughter you must not take for your son.

(1 Corinthians 7:39) She is free to be married to whom she wants, only in the Lord.

(Nehemiah 13:25) You should not give your daughters to [the unbeliever's] sons, and you should not accept any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves.

(2 Corinthians 6:14) Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers.


The Scriptures also warn against elevating human desires above godly teachings.

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) We request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason... Let no one seduce you in any manner

(Romans 16:17-18) Keep your eye on those who cause ... stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them. ...by smooth talk and complimentary speech they seduce the hearts of guileless ones.

(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... You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19990215/article_01.htm

Answer 8

its a weird cult where they teach lies and dont know what fun is and No trinity belief...the Kingdom of Cults by W Martin
alot of stuff offends them....find better friends...i have an aunt who doesnt speak with me anymore cuz she offended me with her stuff that IS NOT MY RELIGION...

Answer 9

If you have a lot of friends that are, why don't you ask them? I find it odd that you'd ask us first ...

Answer 10

#1..they'e not allowed to think for themselves. Of course that will be denied.