What is the connection between Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists?

Question

I noticed alot of similiarities, and I have heard that they both branched off from the same movement. Can someone give me some more information about this?

Answer 1

Jehova's Witness branched off of the Advent Christian Church, not the Seventh-Day Adventists, and their beliefs are a little different. Yes, they believe that when you die it is a sleep, that there isn't a firey place of torment known to us as Hell, we will live on a New Earth, and more that Seventh Day Adventists do believe. But they also have their different beliefs. For instance, they believe that Jesus was actually created by God, when SDAs believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were one from the beginning of time. Also, they believe that exactly 144,000 people are going to make it to Heaven. And there's also the thing that Jesus didn't die on a cross, but a "torture stake". It goes on. But Jehovah's Witness may be a little close to Seventh-Day Adventism, but not really.

Answer 2

The one thing that they have in common is that they both believe in conditional immortality, rather than the immortality of the soul. Neither of them believe that people go to heaven or hell immediately after death, but that they just "sleep" in their graves until judgment day. And neither believe that the wicked will suffer in "hell" for eternity, but that instead they will be annihilated.

But that's the only major thing they really have in common. There are a lot of differences between them as well. Seventh Day Adventists believe in the Trinity. Jehovah's Witnesses do not, and many of them are quite outspoken against that doctrine. Adventists also typically celebrate Christmas and Easter, while Witnesses do NOT, because they believe the holidays are pagan in origin. And the Adventists get their name from the fact that they believe the Sabbath is on Saturday (the seventh day of the week). So they have their church meetings on Saturdays and they also refrain from doing secular activities for the whole day. Witnesses don't believe that we are required to keep the Sabbath, and they just have their meetings on Sundays like most others.

Answer 3

Both Adventists and Jehova's witnessess came from what was called the Millerite movement of the 1800's.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Christian denomination which, as its name suggests, is best known for its teaching that Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the Sabbath and that the second advent of Jesus Christ is imminent. The denomination, which was officially established in 1863, grew out of the Millerite movement in the United States during the middle part of the 19th century. Seventh-day Adventists are also known for their teachings regarding diet and health, their belief in the unconscious state of the dead, and the belief that Jesus is now performing an investigative judgment in heaven. As of June, 2006, the church had 14,754,022 baptized members.

Jehovah's Witnesses emerged later. Yo need to trace their origin to the religious movement known as Bible Students, which was founded in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell. A schism erupted in 1917 at the beginning of the presidency of Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford. Those who remained supportive of the Watchtower Society adopted the name Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931 under Rutherford's leadership. Those who did not support Rutherford formed various Bible Student groups which have retained Russell's teachings. Jehovah's Witnesses no longer use "Bible Students" as a name for their religion.

Even though they have a common origin these are two very different religions. Adventists are Trinitarian whereas J. W. are not. Adventists observe the Sabbath, J.W. gather on Sunday. They might have similarities in their theology since they come from the same origin but the remain very different religions.

Answer 4

In spite of their denials, it is true that both 7th day Adventists and JW's grew out of the Millierite/Advent movement of the 19th century.

Jehovah's Witnesses only need to check their Proclaimers book to see that Charles Taze Russell was profoundly influenced by the Adventists, most notably the Adventist teaching of soul sleep since he did not believe in eternal torment, either. The 7th day Adventists were a different branch growing out of the same tree about the same time.

Nelson Barbour, the man who convinced young Charles Russell that Jesus had been invisibly present in the earth since 1874, was also an Adventist. The names of some Adventists, such as George Storrs, can be found in both the writings of 7th Day Adventists and the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Both groups have been avid interpreters of chronology and time prophecies. The 7th day Adventists still believe in the 1844 date whereas Jehovah's Witness religion is built on the 1874 date. In the 1940's, the 1874 date was officially changed to 1914 (the same date they had predicted the Gentile Times would end.) Both groups have seen their prophecies pass unfulfilled, yet they continue to assert they alone are God's true channel of communication.

As time has passed, their theology has become more divergent, but basic similarities remain.

Answer 5

I am associated with Jehovah's Witnesses, and I studied both
LDS and Seventh Day Adventists before I began to study with Witnesses. As far as I can see, the only similarity between SDA and JW's is the belief that only 144,000 will be in heaven with Jesus, and that there will be a 1,000 year period here on earth where mankind will grow towards perfection...and even THOSE two things have different reasons behind the beliefs. And we did in no way 'branch off' from the same movement. You can learn more for yourself about Jehovah's Witnesses and what we believe at your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. They will be happy to show you from your own Bible as to what our beliefs are and why, scripturally.

Answer 6

There is no connection. Jehovah's Witnesses did not branch off of any other organized religion. As far as teachings go, I'm not sure what Seven Day Adventists believe. What similarities are you talking about?

Answer 7

I don't know where you got your info, but it is wrong. Here is just one differance: The initial position of the SDA church was that they were "compelled to decline all participation in acts of war and bloodshed" 68. However, they accomodated to society by creating noncombatant roles whereby they could fulfill their military duties 69. In the ensuing years, situations arose where this precedent could not be followed, especially with foreign governments. The church then determined that the bearing of arms should be "a matter of individual conscience," 70 backing away from their initial official church position. They have instead encouraged obedience to civil authorities and focused on offering spiritual support to members in service.

Jehovah's Witnesses have believed in political neutrality since their inception. This precludes them from voting, saluting the flag and as expected, bearing arms 71. During times of war, they have firmly maintained their stand, leading to severe persecution 72. Situations of increased tensions (i.e. war), have only embedded them more deeply in their ideology. Persecution only caused them to view secular powers as "instruments of the Devil" 73. Thus their high tension status with society has prevailed despite the passing of time and JWs have become established as a strongly sectarian movement.

Seventh Day Adventist's and Jehovah's Witnesses are however, loving, kind sincere people with each their own distinct set of beliefs.

Answer 8

Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses have shared somewhat similar backgrounds. Although Jehovah's Witnesses came into existence about 50 years after the Millerite movement, both SDAs and JWs arose as sectarian movements with origins that pointed to the movement in 1844.

As sectarian movements, both were initially in high tension with society. While JWs have maintained this high level of tension, becoming an "established sect," SDAs have reduced this tension somewhat, mainstreaming towards denominational status. The position of each of these movements with regards to military service provides a good illustration of this point.

Answer 9

Both Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists self-describe themselves as "Christian". The modern history of each begins in the 1800's.

There is no real connection between the two religions.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_02.htm
http://jw-media.org/beliefs/trueworship.htm

Answer 10

Uh sorry guys you got some inaccurate info... Adventist and Jehova's witness are nothing alike and did not branch from the same movement. Adventist go to church on Saturday while Witness's go on Sunday. Adventists are more like Baptist as far as beliefs go but they follow the Jewish Sabbath (Friday sundown to Saturday Sundown). there is absolutely nothing wacky about either religion nor the followers. They have many similarities to other protestant Christian denominations.