What do you think of Jehovahs Witnesses?

Question

The people that come to your door?

Answer 1

They are a cult, and not saved Christians. They believe that only 144,000 people are ever saved. If that were true, then you'd think they'd stop going door to door to convert people, in order to secure their "position".

Answer 2

I had a couple of them come to my door this week. Since it's been a few years now since I quit them, I decided to do some subtle questioning and see how much has changed. Of course, they didn't know me and I didn't tell them I was an ex-witness.

One of them told me that her reasons for going door-to-door with the witnesses is that they have the truth from the Bible. She couldn't show me a single scripture to back up her beliefs.

I asked some very specific questions, mentioning the 1975 debacle where they'd predicted the "end." Both were too young to remember it themselves. One was a third-generation JW who said she'd researched it herself but never asked her parents what it was like.

They both gave the stock answer that people who'd gone off and sold all they owned to put forth an "extra effort" until the quickly-approaching end had been over-exhuberant and had drawn wrong conclusions... that it wasn't the JW leadership's fault. That's when I told them I have JW relatives (true) and had observed what had happened.

So one of them came back a couple days later (at my invitation) with an older lady who'd "been there" in 1975. They acknowledged that people had been encouraged by the Watchtower Society to believe that it would be any day now/then... They produced a letter of apology from years later that showed them actually having gone overboard.

But in spite of having been forced to admit that their leaders -- "led by Jesus" -- had essentially published false prophecies, they went on and on about the truth of God's promises, as explained by those same leaders.

I asked a few very specific questions which they very specifically ignored to go off on their "kingdom" prattle. When I pointed out to them that they'd given me a very nice answer, but not the one to my question, they went off with more prattle. By the time they left, they'd ignored every Bible point I'd asked them about, but had talked a total of four hours between the two visits.

The most curious thing to me was the realization that the effects of mind control were so very strong in them. They both had a glow in their eyes, talking about the "paradise earth." It's a nifty little idea, but they supplied no reason whatsoever why anyone should believe it from THEM.

Answer 3

I think they are simply people doing what they think is best. I am one. Honestly though, a couple of times I have had other groups come to my door and I think the same thing, it is someone doing what they feel is best. If interested in talking I talk, if not interested I politely send them on their way.

Answer 4

I believe through instilling in them a sense of urgency about "the end of this system of things," their Organization uses them as unpaid magazine and book salesmen to keep the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society publishing house well funded (the JW at your door doesn't actually ask for money, but they sure are required to buy them with their own money in order to go door to door peddling them).

I believe the Organization rips apart families through its policy of shunning within the family. Lots of mothers and fathers not talking to their children, even after years.. missing out on the lives of their grandchildren and family milestones.. brothers and sisters not speaking to one another even when they pass on the street. Children/teenagers getting tossed out of the house when they're unable to care for themselves because they disagree with the JW theology..

I believe they ruin their members' financial prosperity by suggesting they "simplify their lives" to do more "kingdom work." Who's paying retirement for these people??? They've said the end is coming more times than chicken little said the sky is falling, and it hasn't. Lots of old JWs are around with little retirement.. just ask them.

In fact, ask them all these things.. they don't tell you about them when they're standing at your door.

I pray for them.

Answer 5

I think they are largely misunderstood. I was impressed with their understanding of the Scriptures and their use of logic. Not saying I felt it was perfect, but I was impressed. The whole "different" Bible thing is rediculous. I have their translation, as well as others, they're all effectively the same. The Witnesses seem to teach genuinely good things in an impressive manner, and they seem very accurate.

That is not to say that every one of them are saints. Every religion has its share of fanatics and those who poorly represent their religion they're associated with. As for the door to door, they are only trying to spread the word, and do so in a similar manner as Jesus himself did. I know from experience they will leave you alone if you ask them to, or at the very least they are supposed to.

Nobody is perfect, consequently, no religion made up of men will be either.

Answer 6

They're just people trying to find their way. If they are coming to my door I find that irritating. Some are good, some are bad, and some are really strange. those are the ones who take things way to seriously.

Answer 7

They are just like the rest of us.

My neighbor is a Jehovah's Witness and when we told him we weren't interested in converting he has never tried to talk religion again.

He's very nice and we like him and his family.

Answer 8

I think all organized religion is a pain in the butt but these are a tad more. They are people period..feeling they are going to help you rid your soul of hate for your fellow man and stop racist where it starts. Judging from yahoo I believe people need something to help them.

Answer 9

My mother happens to be one. In my honest opinion, no religion now will ever teach truth in its purest form. This is not to be misunderstood as a clear understanding of teachings. This religon is unique in their understanding of scripture. They are widely misunderstood. They dont rely on self-miraculous understanding, they really reasearch their information and encourage their adherents to do the same and really meditate on things. Other than that their as devoted as other religons out there.

Answer 10

Wow. Those guys are wierd. Only b/c they go to everones doors-insisting you come to church on SATURDAY!!!wtf. LOL. Every one has their own views and opinions.

Answer 11

Jehovah's Witnesses are unique for their rejection of paganisms, use of God's personal name, and global preaching by every active adherent. No other religious organization can claim such purity of worship.

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/index.htm?article=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