What do you all think of Jehovah's Witnesses?

Answer 1

I am a Jehovah's Witnesses and most of what you will get on here is negative, due to ignorance on what we actually believe.

It seems a lot of people don't like us coming to their door, but we are following Jesus example. Would this have been their attitude toward Jesus or his disciples when they came to their door? People seem to forget that we do have lives also, we work all week and have things to do on the weekend, clean house, mow the lawn. But we feel it is important to share the good news about God's Kingdom, we do find many who are interested door to door. If they're not, we respect that. We are not trying to force our beliefs on anyone. You don't just become a Jehovah's Witnesses, it takes studying the bible for at least a year and then maybe making a dedication and baptizm.

We do believe in Jesus that he is God's son and the Messiah. The only thing we celebrate, that we are commanded to celebrate in the bible is the memorial of his death. We do not celebrate holidays due to their pagan background. Which most Christians and non-christians know their origins, but celebrate them anyway.

We study the whole bible and try to live our lives accordingly. There are 6.5 million witnesses earthwide in 236 lands. We are not a cult, but a true brotherhood without predjudice due to race or country. Which is one of the reasons we do not go to war and kill our brother and the fact that we are told in the bible to learn war no more.

I was raised a Jehovah's Witnesses and have never celebrated holidays and have never felt that I was debrived of anything. My sister who has three daughters, did not want to be a witnesses anymore and started celebrating holidays etc for past five years. She has now had a change of heart and wants to be a Witnesses again so do her kids. They don't miss celebrating holidays at all. The only thing they like about it was gifts. And they get gifts all the time, just not for holidays. The children of Jehovah's Witnesses are taught from the bible why we go door to door and why it's important and why we don't do certain things. All the children I know like going door to door and even make an effort to spend more time doing it than the norm. They are very mature and smart and know more about the bible than most adults, because they are taught right along with their parents.

Answer 2

Dear Dann.Smit,

If I did not know anything about what the Bible says, I would simply say, being an adult, they are nice people most of the time just like everybody else I know. That is a considerable change from childhood because I grew up with a Christian dad and a Watchtower Witness mom. In our household on Sundays Mom single-handedly waged World War III.

But I do know what the Bible says because I read one from cover-to-cover nearly every year. I have seen that the Watchtower Witnesses and the publications they distribute make them the modern day False Prophets which the Bible warns against.

They are the only organization that I am aware of that prophesied on more than 1 occasion that Armageddon would happen on a specific date. My own mother told me that if I didn't join by February 3, 1962 then I couldn't possibly be saved. When jws come to my door I ask about the false prophecies and they sincerely tell me that everybody makes mistakes. So I tell them that God does not make mistakes and I ask them to read Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

What I or anybody else "thinks" of Watchtower Witnesses does not matter one single bit. What matters is what God thinks of them. They have added to what the Bible says. They have subtracted from what the Bible says. They have had the gall to say that people should read what their publications say the Bible says RATHER than what the Bible actually says. Such things are a big NO-NO with God.

Just the thought that my mother or any other jw for that matter will be held accountable for the sin of all the people they have deceived really breaks my heart!

Answer 3

Well, according to a column last week by Billy Graham, they are not a cult.

You could wait until next May when this program about Jehovah’s Witnesses is shown on PBS and see what you think.

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 most 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, along with neighbors, living in New Orleans could be found in Texas, with every witness 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.

They encourage all their members to read the Bible and submit their thoughts. This was before the NWT and when they were using the KJV, or Authorized Version. It should be noted that this version of the KJV was not the first, but the fifth. It took four revisions over a 150 year period, before it was approved by the Church of England.

JW may have their own Bible, but it came about as a result of reading the KJV by thousands of people and noting the contradictions as a result of errors in translation. A good example is the scripture that says “The Word” is a Mighty God. A Mighty God gets its power and existence from an Almighty God. As for revisions, to my knowledge, it had not been revised since it came out in the 50s. My mother still has her first JW Bible, though it is worn like all the others she has used since them. Witnesses generally wear out a Bible every few years, whereas those in Christendom may have the same Bible for generations.

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?

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses are an international Christian denomination whose members believe that their faith is the restoration of first-century Christianity. Believing that all other religions are false, Jehovah's Witnesses reject traditional Christian doctrines such as the Trinity, eternal torment in hell and the immortality of the soul (Uhhhh, no soul?). The central theme of their preaching is God’s Kingdom (that is, God's rule over the Earth) with Jesus Christ as its king. The Witnesses believe this rule began with the Second Coming or presence of Christ. Originally, this was believed to have occurred invisibly in 1874, but this date was later revised to 1914. (Soooo, it ALREADY BEGAN!)
I think they are a HUGE minority........
Oxymoron

Answer 5

Some people on here really don't know what they're talking about.
J.W's are NOT a cult they are a world wide religion with followers in all parts of the earth. They have done more to promote the Bible than any other religion I know.
And they DO believe in Jesus as mans Savior, because every year they celebrate the memorial of his death and they do it on the real day of his Crucifixion not on the weekend closest.
Also they only call on homes to help people. They are mostly genuine and nice.
I know the world would be a better place if more people practiced what they preach like they do.

Oh and BTW those of you who think they call to convert you, it takes hard work and regular Bible study for at least a year maybe more to become one.

Answer 6

Have nothing against Jehovah's Witnesses, for they are doing what makes them happy.

Many people have a difficult time, accepting others for who they are, when we should unconditionally love all people, in turn this gives us peace of mind, happiness, and greatly improves our relationships with others.

I respect the beliefs of all people, as well as all who follow no belief system. The philosophy of life I follow, teaches Patience, Endurance, Tolerance, and Compassion {which is the wish for all beings, to have peace of mind, happiness and to be free from suffering).

Every person must find their own way, to acquire peace of mind, and happiness for themselves. And that person, and the choices they have made for themselves should be respected by others.

This is my philosophy and reasoning, but every person is different. "I, myself am no better than the next person." All human beings basically want the same thing in Life: to be free from suffering, to have peace of mind, and to be Happy in Life. We all have to choose our own way, and methods for acquiring this.

Thanks for Your Question. Have a Great Week.

Answer 7

I think we are immperfect humans who are trying to follow the Bible and thus are judged(sadly often harshly). I think if we were just an international group of electricians who just so happened to also triy to follow the Bible no one would care, or if we were secretive. But because we publicly try to share what we know many say lies about us. I think the logic of some of the more rude people can be summed up by the comment given by Tanya Pants.

They have all been ignorant and arrogant to me, so I think they are ignorant and arrogant. I love that logic. This person has spent allot of time making rude remarks about ALL Witnesses, supposedly because ALL the ones she has known were ignorant and arrogant. I have a hard time understanding how someone can assume that because I disagree with them, I must be ignorant.

Answer 8

If you study the bible it is very clear that Jehovahs Witnesses closely follow the model the Jesus set - not relying on tradition, but putting bible principles into action.

And its clear that the answers given here they add further substance that they are very accurately fulfilling the prophesy in Revelation 9:3-5!


(Revelation 9:3-5) . . .And out of the smoke locusts came forth upon the earth; and authority was given them, the same authority as the scorpions of the earth have. 4 And they were told to harm no vegetation of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And it was granted the locusts, not to kill them, but that these should be tormented five months, and the torment upon them was as torment by a scorpion when it strikes a man. . .

Answer 9

Since it gets so much coverage I have to ask is that the only religion out there? They refuse to fight in wars and don't take part in politics. That I can't help but admire.
I know! It is a cult, you say that about any religion that your not involved with. Every other religion besides yours of course is a cult. The meetings are open to the public. They are local people in town. Ask them what they believe it is hardly hidden and mysterious. I like them because they are honest.

Answer 10

I feel sorry for them. Most of them are good people who were shanghaid into believing a set of hypocritical lies by a self-serving organization.

The 'churn' rate of new J-Wits is very high. They baptize 300,000 or so every year, and have 50,000 or so kicked out for waking up to the lies taught them. On top of the 50K, add in the ones who die and who just quit, and the median time a new convert spends in the "Tower" is only about 6 years. Now, some stay in it for life, but many more taste it and realize it's sour milk, then spit it out.

Good people. Bad religion.