What do Jehovah's witnesses believe?

Answer 1

The only thing that they actually BELIEVE is that they have "the truth". Everything else is subject to change every couple years, according to the whims of their leaders.
Their leaders have ordered them to believe that accepting blood transfusions is an unforgivable sin. They have ordered them to believe it is no longer a sin. Back and forth it goes, while thousands of innocent children die and families are torn apart, only to be told it was for nothing.
Some interesting dates are 1914, 1925, and 1975.
1914 was predicted, in 1894, as the date the world ended.
Then they did it again with 1925.
And again with 1975.
And for the last 30 years it's been Any Day Now.
They say it's wrong to lie. But they will eagerly lie in court, especially in child custody cases.
They protect child molesters, telling the congregation to forgive the person who molested their child because he's "repented", while keeping their own children away from him.
The list goes on and on.
One of the leaders - they have a group rather than a single person - came across information that discredited many of their beliefs and they kicked him out to silence him. Any JW who ever casts any doubts on the JWs having "the truth" is kicked out and labelled an "apostate". Any JW who talks to an apostate is kicked out. Any JW who has doubts is trained to ignore these doubts as being from the devil.
Those who leave before they are kicked out are said to be doing so just so they can "do bad things", and are considered apostates.
Many JWs display symptoms of mental illness, including paranoid delusions and persecution complexes. Most won't seek treatment because the leaders tell them that everyone really IS out to get them.

Getting information about JWs from JWs themselves is like asking a used car salesman if he's ripping you off.

Answer 2

This question has been asked many times and every time it is, there always exists an inaccurate response. Either it being "they are a cult" or that "they don't follow the Bible", people naturally find rumors to be more appealing than the truth and seeking it out.

www.watchtower.org is the official website of Jehovah's Witnesses and what they believe, so you're best bet for ACCURATE information can be found there.

Answer 3

You could start by checking out some of the segments on You Tube taken from the PBS feature “Knocking” which gets shown in May. Here’s the web link:
http://www.knocking.org/

Check the link for previews. Some survivors from the German Holocaust will be speaking at them.

Aside from being the most Christ like people, if you set aside any Bible issues, my guess is that some of the irritating issues people have with them could be:

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 Nasin 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

GOD put Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Even though they became disobedient and died, God has made it possible for their children, including us today, to live forever in Paradise. The Bible promises: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will [live] forever upon it.” Psalm 37:29.

The Bible tells about a “new heavens” and “a new earth.” (Isaiah 65:17) The present “heavens” are made up of today’s human governments, but Jesus Christ and those who rule with him in heaven will make up the “new heavens.” How wonderful it will be when this new heavens, which is God’s righteous government of peace, rules the entire earth!

What, then, is the “new earth”? The new earth will be good people who love Jehovah. When the Bible speaks of “the earth,” it sometimes means the people who live on the earth, not the land itself. ( Psalm 66:4; 96:1) So the people who make up the new earth will live right here on this earth.

The present world of wicked people will then be gone. Remember, the Flood of Noah’s day wiped out a wicked world of people. And, as we have learned, this present wicked world will be destroyed at Armageddon.

Imagine seeing the whole earth turned into Paradise! Jehovah says of that time: “Look! I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5) Consider what that will mean. When Jehovah has finished wielding his destructive power against this wicked old system, there will remain “new heavens and a new earth.” This means that a new government will reign from heaven over a new earthly society composed of those who love Jehovah and who do his will. Satan, along with his demons, will be put out of commission. (Revelation 20:3) For the first time in thousands of years, mankind will be free of that corrupt, hateful, negative influence. The sense of relief will no doubt be overwhelming.

Paradise will not be like the world we live in now. God never wanted the earth to be filled with trouble and sorrow, pain and suffering. In the future, God will make the earth a paradise. What will Paradise be like? Let us see what the Bible says:

Good people. Paradise will be the home of God’s friends. They will do good things for one another. They will live according to the righteous ways of God. Proverbs 2:21.

Plenty of food. In Paradise, there will be no hunger. The Bible says: “There will come to be plenty of grain [or, food] on the earth.” Psalm 72:16.

Fine houses and enjoyable work. On the Paradise earth, every family will have a home of its own. Everyone will do work that brings true happiness. Isaiah 65:21-23.

Peace worldwide. No longer will people fight and die in war. God’s Word says: “[God] is making wars to cease.” Psalm 46:8, 9.

Good health. The Bible promises: “No resident [of Paradise] will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) Also, no one will be lame or blind or deaf or unable to talk. Isaiah 35:5, 6.

An end to pain, sorrow, and death. God’s Word says: “Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.

Bad people will be gone. Jehovah promises: “The wicked, will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.” Proverbs 2:22.

People will love and respect one another. No longer will there be injustice, oppression, greed, and hatred. People will be united and will live in harmony with God’s righteous ways. Isaiah 26:9.

Answer 5

I think that you are asking this question out of a genuine desire to know what we believe...if so, I commend you because it shows that you have a desire to learn the truth. Jehovah is calling all those humble ones to himself now in this time of the end. The best way for you to find out accurate information about our beliefs is to go straight to the source. Our official website is... http://www.watchtower.org/

However, here is a direct link to some of our beliefs, but it will be quite fun for you to explore our site, for there are many many articles about Bible teachings, and current events.

"Worshipping God with Truth"
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1998/10/1/article_02.htm

"What Does the Bible Say About God and Jesus"...(this will lead to many articles about what we belief and the Scriptures that explain it)
http://www.watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm

~wannaknow~

Answer 6

Well, ONE of the main things that separates them from other sects is an emphasis on Revelation 7:4 (and related versus) about a special selection of 144,000 people who get "saved". In general, they have a big focus on the apocalypse, which they say is coming "real soon" (they used to give specific dates, but stopped doing that after being proven wrong the first dozen times).

Some other random beliefs of JWs:
- Strong literal belief in the Bible (in fact, I'd say they're the most consistant group I've seen when it's come to following the Bible)
- Rejection of anything of pagan origin (including celebration of most holidays)
- No reading apostate literature (anything that contradicts with the JW beliefs)
- They don't wear or use crosses (they realize that this was more of an artist's interpretation that came centuries later, and believe that Jesus wasn't crucified on a cross shape per se)
- No blood transfusions

Answer 7

DOCTRINE

TRINITY: Joseph Rutherford made it quite clear that the Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. He stated, "The origin of the Trinity doctrine is traced back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians and other ancient mythologists. It will not be disputed by Jews and Christians that these ancient peoples worshiped demon gods and that God's typical nation of Israel was warned not to mingle with them because of this. It follows, then, that God was not the author of this doctrine. The obvious conclusion is, therefore, that Satan is the originator of the Trinity doctrine."

Nevertheless, sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve him find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish-looking, three-headed God. The clergy who inject such ideas will contradict themselves in the very next breath by stating that God made man in his own image; for certainly no one has ever seen a three-headed human creature" (Let God Be True, 2nd ed., pp. 101-102).

GOD THE FATHER: Known as Jehovah, the Watchtower considers Him to be the only true eternal God, the Almighty. They write, "There was, therefore, a time when Jehovah was all alone in universal space" (Let God Be True, p. 25). Being alone, the first creative act of Jehovah was to create his Son.

GOD THE SON: The Watchtower has consistently denied the deity of Christ. Under Knorr's leadership the Watchtower proclaimed, "Thus, for example, the Bible shows that there is only one God, the Most High, the Almighty. And that the Son, as the First-born, the Only-begotten and `the creation by God,' had a beginning" (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, p. 164).

They further stated, "It proves that Michael the archangel is no other than the only-begotten Son of God, now Jesus Christ. The very name Michael means `Who is like God?' and indicates that Jehovah God is without like or equal and that Michael his archangel is his great Champion and Vindicator" (New Heavens and a New Earth, pp. 30-31).

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: Similar to many other cults, Jehovah's Witnesses deny the deity of the Holy Spirit. They have written, "But the holy spirit has no personal name. The reason for this is that the holy spirit is not an intelligent person. It is the impersonal, invisible active force that finds its source and reservoir in Jehovah God and that he uses to accomplish his will even at great distances, over light years of space" (Let Your Name Be Sanctified, p. 269).

MAN'S DESTINY: According to Jehovah's Witness theology, a person has one of three possible destinies. The Anointed (144,000) will be in heaven to reign with Jehovah God. The rest of the faithful Jehovah's Witnesses (not of the 144,000) will live forever on a paradise Earth. Both of these classifications are determined to a great extent on membership in the Watchtower organization as well as going door-to-door spreading the message of the Watchtower. Those people who are not members of the Watchtower organization will be destroyed by Jehovah God and cease to exist. There is no concept of eternal punishment or hell in Watchtower theology (Let God Be True, pp. 90-95, 289).

Other Doctrines
1) Since its very inception, the Watchtower has made false prophecies about the end of the world. Predicting the end in one form or another for the years 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 and 1989 has caused its membership to maintain a steady upward trend.

2) Rejecting the medical practices of vaccinations, organ transplants and blood transfusions, the Watchtower has caused the deaths of many of its members throughout its history. Interestingly, vaccinations and organ transplants have now been acknowledged by the Watchtower as acceptable practices, contradicting their previous doctrinal position.

3) The Watchtower has maintained a long standing policy of denying its members any involvement in political causes or service in the Armed Forces.

4) Believing many customs in traditional families to be pagan in nature, the Watchtower rejects the practices of celebrating personal birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Mothers' and Fathers' day as well as most other holidays.

BIBLICAL RESPONSE
1) While the Jehovah's Witnesses believe there is only one true God, they deny the biblical concept of the Trinity which teaches that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. One God: Isa. 43:10; 44:6-8; 45:5-6, 18, 22; 1 Cor. 8:4. Father is God: 2 Peter 1:17; Phil. 2:11. Son is God: John 1:1; John 8:58; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6-9; Heb. 1:8. Holy Spirit is God: Acts 5:3-4.

2) Contrary to Watchtower theology, Jesus is not a created being or an angel, but rather is the Creator. John 1:2-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 22:8-9.

3) The Holy Spirit is not only God but also clearly has personality according to the Bible. John 16:13-14; Acts 8:29, 13:2.

4) A person does not gain favor with God by being a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses and going door-to-door. Rather, salvation is dependent upon one's relationship with Jesus Christ. John 3:3, 16-20; Acts 4:12; Rom. 3:24-26; 1 John 1:7-10.

5) The Bible is clear that everyone will exist eternally , either in a place known as heaven or in a place of eternal torment. Heaven: John 14:1-3; Rev. 6:9. Hell: Matt. 23:33, 25:41, 45; Rev. 20:14.

Answer 8

1. They are the only organization that God approves
2. There are many Gods but they worship only the father
3. Jesus is archangel Michael
4. There is no heaven or Hell
5. 2 hopes (1 earthly 1 heavenly)
6. all other religions are Satanic
7. Jesus was only a man
8. his body was destroyed by God

P.S They claim that they use the bible for all there beliefs, but it's not true, they take verses out of context, that's why sometimes people think that they are "biblical "

Answer 9

We believe only in what the Bible really teaches.
Here is our web site. http://www.watchtower.org/ Please go here and enjoy a refreshing time.

Everything is Bible based or we wouldn't have anything to do with it. Not only that, the more you read the more you know it is the truth.

Please enjoy; kev

Answer 10

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians who understand the Scriptures to teach that God's Kingdom by Christ Jesus is a real government which will soon replace all earthly governments.
(Daniel 2:44) God of heaven will set up a kingdom... It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite

That Kingdom will rule over the vast majority of mankind, most of whom will have been raised from the dead after Armageddon.
(John 11:23,24) Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”
(Acts 24:15) There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Until that resurrection, there is no suffering in "hell", or the grave. Sometime after the resurrection, death and "hell" will themselves be destroyed.
(Ecclesiastes 9:5) For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all
(Ecclesiastes 9:10) there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol ["hell"]
(Revelation 20:14) And death and Hades ["hell"] were hurled into the lake of fire

While a limitted number of humans will be resurrected to heaven to share in ruling over mankind, the vast majority (literally more than 99.9%) of Jehovah's Witnesses expect an EARTHLY hope, the same hope given to Adam and Eve.
(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill THE EARTH and subdue it [caps added]
(Genesis 2:17) You must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [so never eating from that tree means never dying]

Interestingly, the Scriptures are full of references to this earthly hope.
(Psalms 37:11) 'the meek will possess the earth'
(Proverbs 2:21) 'upright will reside in the earth'
(Isaiah 45:18) 'God formed the earth to be inhabited'
(Matthew 5:5) 'the mild will inherit the earth'
(Revelation 21:3) The tent of God is with mankind

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_10.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_06.htm
http://jw-media.org/beliefs/trueworship.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

http://watchtower.org/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_07.htm