2006-12-17 12:57:25 · 18 answers · asked by sk8trchick21 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses have the true religion.
These facts about Jehovah's Witnesses are perhaps relevant to this question. The more one compares this Christian religion with others, the more remarkable it is shown to be.
1. Jehovah's Witnesses have no paid clergy. Yet they remain tightly organized with more than 6.5 million active Jehovah's Witness preachers (about 16 million associate themselves with the religion). Even fulltime preachers and workers at their branch offices are unpaid volunteers.
2. There is no elite class among Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the few 'anointed' among them enjoy no special privileges in their congregations on earth. An anointed person (one of those relative few with a heavenly hope) is not elevated above his fellow congregants in any way, and he may not even qualify for appointment as a simple 'deacon' or elder. There are no titles; EVERYONE is addressed as 'brother' or 'sister'.
3. No person benefits economically from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the 8 to 20 men who serve on their Governing Body receive simply room, board, medical care, and reimbursement for certain personal expenses according to the exact same provision as every other branch volunteer.
4. About a hundred men have served on Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body committee during the past 125 years or so. The vast majority of them have spent the vast majority of their adult lives volunteering for their organization's purposes, and the vast majority have died faithfully and near-pennilessly while still under their legal 'vow of poverty'.
5. Amazingly, Jehovah's Witnesses did not splinter as a sect from some other religion. Instead, a truly tiny but sincere group of bible students studied only the Scriptures to determine the will of God. Thus their religion remains absolutely independent of and not carrying the sins of Christendom's history, yet carries the authority of Christ's teachings.
6. Despite the distortions of anti-Witnesses, throughout their modern history Jehovah's Witnesses have refused to claim divine inspiration or infallibility for their teachings. They have pointed to the bible (and not any particular translation) as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's thoughts. For over 125 years, their teachings have been presented as merely the results of sincere bible research by imperfect but godly humans.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20040601/article_02.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/who.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/statistics.htm
2006-12-17 19:37:50 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Disfellowshipped JW
1982 Corning, CA Congregation
For cause, but not the ones ex-JWs who want to put themselves on a pedestal, want you to believe.
You could wait until next May when this program about Jehovah’s Witnesses is shown on PBS, or you can order a copy now. It was done by an independent film company.
http://www.knocking.org/
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=54714EBF23EFA251
Setting aside any Bible issues, they believe in obeying the law, even the inconvenient ones, such as speed limits when late for work.
They believe in paying taxes, even though there are many ways they could avoid them, as many religions do.
They believe in keeping their word, such as to the IRS that they will not promote politics in the church, and they actually mean it.
They teach their youth that waiting until marriage is preferable to using protection, and for the most part, the youths actually believe it. As a result, they have the lowest rates of out-of-wedlock births and STDs. Yes, there is the occasional ones who would rather have their fun now than wait, but there are far more who choose to wait.
They treat their youth with respect, not just "do what you're told!"
Youths are taught side by side with the adults, the Bible as a whole, and not just Bible stories. The very young may not understand what they are being taught, but by the time you reach the age of understanding, they have a good basic knowledge of the scriptures.
The congregations never get so large that the individual gets lost in the crowd. Since everyone is taught the same, it is easy to start a new congregation, with a set of elders.
Everyone knows everyone, whether in their congregation, or in their circuit. When Katrina happened, every Jehovah’s Witnesses living in New Orleans could be found in Texas, with every individual accounted for. How many other religions could say for certain they knew that none of those left behind belong to one of their churches?
They believe their Kingdom Halls should compliment a neighborhood, and not overwhelm it, so they are small and don’t include a lot of expensive decorative features. Each KH can hold up to four congregations.
The greatest difference between JWs and the rest of Christendom can be answered with just one question.
WHAT DAY DO YOU OBSERVE THE MEMORIAL ON?
Everyone else will falter around and perhaps come up with a day in May, but all JWs will say at sunset on Niacin 14, which falls on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the Memorial of the Last Supper. This is the only day, aside from wedding anniversaries, that Christ said to continue keeping, yet Jehovah's Witnesses are the only Christian organization that does.
Whatever you may say about whether it is right or wrong to observe the man-made holidays created since the first congregations, the fact remains that Christendom does not observe the one day Christ said to keep. What does that say for the leaders of Christendom, that they ignore that one important day of the year, and don't even know what day it falls on?
The question of holidays gets asked a lot, yet the facts of why are clearly evident. Even the Churches of Christendom recognize that the holidays and observances are not in keeping with Bible teachings, yet they fear that doing anything about it will jeopardize their positions and power. Check any religious encyclopedia about the holidays and their history.
So the question is not why don't witnesses celebrate the holidays, but why does Christendom celebrate something not taught in the Bible? Further, why don't they know what day Christ said to observe and why don't you observe it on that day?
Whatever you may think of any of the other beliefs of JWs, you have to ask yourself is the need to observe these holidays more important than observing the day Christ said to keep?
2006-12-18 10:54:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The people we meet on the doorstep are deceived.
The organization they are with is the deceiver. They can't quote outsiders in an honest fashion and they deny the cardinal doctrines of Christianity.
2006-12-19 04:21:18 · answer #3 · answered by Buzz s 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most of them are fine,upstanding people. But ,they are grossly misled spiritually. They don't believe that Jesus died for their sins and rose again to defeat death. They also (like countless other religions) believe in good works for salvation. Hell is full of people that did good deeds all their life, but they missed the Salvation boat by not acknowledging and accepting Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. After being born again ,THEN God expects good works to gain rewards in Heaven.
2006-12-17 21:07:39 · answer #4 · answered by Jeff C 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They knocked on my door when I was leaving for the range. I guess that they took it seriously when I told them I would happily take full advantage of Texas's property rights law if I saw them again.
Amazing what holding a 9mm (purely by luck) will do for you. They haven't been around for more than a year.
2006-12-17 21:04:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
They are a nuisance. I haven't seen any lately, but they left a tract at my door celebrating the impending end of false religion. I wonder if they are planning on closing up shop.
2006-12-17 21:04:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Just like a lot of religions.Thinking they can top Gods' gift of FREE salvation through Jesus Christ.This an nothing more.Why do people that can earn Gods' love,when it is FREE.
2006-12-17 21:08:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Most of them are good people; but some of them go overboard trying to convert others to their point of view.
2006-12-17 21:00:23 · answer #8 · answered by Rev. Two Bears 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
They drop magazines at my door frequently. Some one told me that they are taking credit for a "placement" with their elders (they can't actually solicit in my n'hood.) It is NOT a "placement" however it is just litter we have to pick up.
2006-12-17 21:05:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
They are confused and are being led down the wrong path. The Bible warns about false teachings and this one tops the list.
2006-12-17 21:00:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋