Jehovah's Witness Meeting Halls never have any windows. Why is that?

Question

Are they trying to hide something? It seems so suspicious.

Answer 1

There are a few reasons why we don't have windows in 'most' Kingdom Halls --- the main reason is vandalism.

It really depends on where the Kingdom Hall is located, in rural and relatively safe areas many have windows, sometimes alot of them. However, in areas with high crime rates such as inner cities, not only are there no windows but there are walls, security cameras, and wire fencing, as well as possibly other things.

There are several things that influence the design on top of the vandalism issue --- heating and cooling costs, outside distractions, building codes, and local building customs (such as what any building may look like).

I have no idea what some of the obviously ignorant comments are talking about, our Kingdom Halls are open to the public and completely free to visit, we have nothing to hide. And given the fact the we are the most visible of all religions in that we are in the public preaching, comments that we are so "secret" are completely unfounded and malicious, nothing more.

Answer 2

Hi. I have seen quite a few on here who asked the same thing. I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and can tell you that the word NEVER is a dangerous thing. There are Kingdom Halls in Many countries. Every country, region, State, City, County etc. has it's own building codes and needs. The first Hall I remember going to had no windows. It was in an incredibly bad area. The central heat/air unit had to be placed inside a Brick Cage to keep theives away. The second one I regularly attended had no windows till we tore it down and expanded it. The decision was made to put windows in, in part to show people that we have NO problem with windows. As it is we had a nightly volunteer Gaurd duty as a few people liked to come by and steal radios out of cars during our meetings. There is no religous significance to whether or not their are windows, aside from trying to build a safe place to meet. IF you want you could ask your local Kingdom Hall why they do/do not have windows.

PS Someone else asked why we have overhangs in front of the front door. In case you're wondering it is to keep dry when being dropped off. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Some Kingdom Halls do have windows. Others do not have windows because of cost and for the sake of security. Generally, a Kingdom Hall is built without windows in areas which tend toward hate crimes and vandalism against houses of worship.

Pictures of some Kingdom Halls that *do* have windows:
http://defendingjehovahswitnesses.blogspot.com/2011/09/windows-and-kingdom-halls-of-jehovahs.html

We invite all interested ones to attend meetings with us at our Kingdom Halls. Just contact your local Kingdom Hall for times.

From the Jehovah's Witnesses Official Web Site:

"Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) At these meetings, which are open to the public, we examine what the Bible says and how we can apply its teachings in our life.

Most of our services include audience participation, much like a classroom discussion. Meetings begin and end with song and prayer.

You don’t have to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to attend our meetings. We invite everyone to come along. Seats are free. No collections are ever taken."

Full Article:
http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/meetings/

Also see:

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses meet together? What happens at those meetings? And what do visitors who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses say about the meetings?
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20090201/invited-to-the-kingdom-hall/

Answer 4

Generally, a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses is built without windows only in areas which tend toward hate crimes and vandalism against houses of worship. Sadly, it seems that the questioner must be from an area with a reputation for bigotry and lawlessness.

Jehovah's Witnesses are proven to be true Christians based upon the Witnesses' preaching work and the anti-Witnesses' bigoted hatred against them.

(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.

Learn more!
http://jw-media.org/people/worship.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_03.htm

Answer 5

I've gone to several that had windows. In some cases they are necessary to allow for air circulation. Not every KH has any other cooling system. However, some of them have remodeled & taken the windows out -- while others have originally been built without windows, for purely practical reasons:

1. Windows tend to allow much more noise into a building, so they aren't practical for a hall whose occupants don't want to be distracted from hearing the Bible-based talks regularly given there.

2. It both cuts heating costs, and
3. gives fewer places for burglars to break in.

4. To avoid wasting time, effort, & cost, to clean unnecessary windows or window sills.

Kingdom halls are built, used, & maintained by the same people, who would rather avoid unecessary distractions & cleaning chores. They are very practical people.

Have you ever been curious about what goes on inside the houses of worship of Jehovah's Witnesses?
http://www.jw-media.org/people/worship.htm

There are lots of other halls that don't have any windows, & probably for the same reasons.

Answer 6

My Kingdom Hall has windows in both bathrooms. By personal opinion and also helping build one, if you sit by a window the things that take place outside traffic, noise, animal etc. can be distracting. In order to learn without those distractions there are no windows located in the parts that we do our learning. I hope this helps. Shelonda C

Answer 7

I have family members that are JWs. I think it may have to do with how quickly they build it. And if you are really curious, they wont kick you out if you want to attend a meeting. So nope I don't think that there is any thing suspicious.

Answer 8

This is done in protection of hate crimes - many Kingdom Halls are bombed in US. A fatal bombing about 15 years ago in Idaho prompted this movement as many of the KH's have apartments attached to them to house traveling ministers.

Answer 9

The one I went to in New York had Windows.


"Modern Kingdom Halls are sometimes built without windows for security reasons and to save money."

Keyword: "SOMETIMES"

Answer 10

This is getting old. The Kingdom Halls are fully open for anyone to see, if they didn't fear going in and learning something they didn't know before.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnK4uht_tLMywJG1ueHpj0cjzKIX?qid=20061111084312AARdBNI
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AudOKWTYUKLPdisXenm6UoYjzKIX?qid=20061205170543AAFePB1
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvNwLQ3N1xqWPjSvGC0nfREjzKIX?qid=20060917014055AAtjape
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmInsrdNUFK.aQom3NBnEA8jzKIX?qid=20060729104148AAkB9g7
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlajJaU64FfQkxz47HMzj94jzKIX?qid=20060906203738AAFDxNf
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmA0CkEkf40qPdOf_OKhCJnsy6IX?qid=20061230115249AAswc1r&show=7#profile-info-fc95d4e132f682e377e5aec43e0a715daa
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al28DPYTuVEFqt_SK.OgKhDsy6IX?qid=20070113102407AApFGWA

And 23 more in the last six months. If you want to know, go there during a meeting and look. Any time there are cars in the lot there should be a meeting going on. Unless you are afraid.

Here's a few on fast builds of Kingdom Halls.
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/06/01/Hernando/Quick_build_Kingdom_H.shtml
http://www.homernews.com/stories/080703/new_080703new004001.shtml
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/projects/cultures/lo072203s4.shtml
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17395884&BRD=1719&PAG=461&dept_id=25271&rfi=6
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/5054.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/78576_kingdom15.shtml
http://www.topix.net/content/trb/3614417795223991767004363660821780854175?threadid=TS4QC0NVC2USONF7
http://www.the-wall-paper.net/khalls/news.asp?article=usa/ri
http://wfmz.com.ldh0105.fast.net/cgi-bin/tt.cgi?action=viewstory&storyid=18574
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070115130742AAIqvdr&r=w#NbUvWjK6VDiGBrWJDbAk