Why don't Jehovah Witness buildings have windows?

Question

Serious answers only from mature adults. All others will be examples on why this forum is in the toilet most of the time.

Answer 1

It is to cut costs...simple....use to be a Witness for 22 years...Now I am a Christian...I will get a thousand thumbs down for even answering this question, but it is a true answer.

Answer 2

Actually, many Kingdom Halls do have windows. It just depends on whether or not the congregation wanted windows or not.

There are good reasons for not having windows.

1. It's cheaper to build without windows. Since Jehovah's Witnesses never charge for their literature, the only income Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization has is voluntary contributions. All members of the congregation pay for their Kingdom Halls out of their own pockets. Some poorer congregations try to keep the expenses of building a Kingdom Hall as low as possible. Also, insurance rates for the building will be a little lower if there are no windows. Having no windows also prevent vandals from breaking in.

2. Having windows would also be a distraction to those listening to the program. Jehovah's Witnesses are very studious people when it comes to the Bible. Also, Kingdom Halls are usually built by a main road so that they are easily accessible. This means there is a lot of traffic and hustle-and-bustle near Kingdom Halls.

So, in a nutshell, the main reason many Kingdom Halls do not have windows is because windows are not necessary. Some congregations with a little more money may have windows installed just for appearance purposes. Their religious gatherings are by no means secretive. The public has always been welcome to attend their meetings, and many millions of non-Jehovah's Witnesses attend meetings at their local Kingdom Hall each year.

Answer 3

May I ask what bulidings you mean? Do you mean Kingdom Halls? I'll go on with the assumption that you do, but please confirm, so that I edit the answer if need be.

I have been to 2 Kingdom Halls where there were no windows, one of them had windows initially but vandals broke them 3 TIMES, so they decided to remodel the Hall and just increase the air conditioning. I don't know about the other one, but it was in the North of Russia, probably because they try to conserve heat.

I've been to 12 Kingdom Halls in different parts of the world, and only those two had no windows, the rest had. In hotter climates, e.g Africa, it would be downright crazy to build any type of building without windows, especially since air conditioning systems can be a luxury.

How many Halls have you seen?

Answer 4

There are several reasons most halls do not have windows.

One, most newer halls have been built under the "Quick Build" process. The window installation process is a little time consuming and starts right at the framing stage. Window openings have to be laid out from the start.

Two, windows represents a potential security risk as well as a target for vandalism.

Three windows are expensive to originally install and to repair or replace. One nearby congregation had to replace one window three times due to vandalism. While there was insurance coverage, repeated claims drive rates up.

Also, note that not all halls are windowless. There are areas where building codes require windows.

Answer 5

Several of them do. The one where I live has windows everywhere except for the main auditorium. There are several reasons for this:

It custs down on the cost of building materials and also on insurance costs (less likely to be vandalized). All money received by Jehovah's Witnesses are through voluntary contributions (they do not solicit funds from members nor do they engage in selling books to make money). So, instead on using the money to build huge, lavish places of worship, they instead use the money to print Bibles, Bible-based literature, and to fund missionaries.

Windows are not necessary. The meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses are not like most churches. The meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses are very much like a school. There are audience discussions based on Bible subjects and how they apply to one's life. Since all the subjects are based on the Bible, it's important that the audience has their full attention on what is being said (you may also notice that there is no separate "kid's area). Windows would be a distraction to the audience since most Kingdsom Halls are located on or near a well-traveled road or highway.

All meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses have always been open to the public, and many non-Jehovah's Witnesses can usually be found attending these meetings.

Answer 6

Every Asssebly hall I have seen built has windows. Most Kingdom halls do not. However, what would the purpose be? We have a central air system. Windows only serve to distract people inside when they are supposed to be paying attention.

Many rental facilites do not have windows, but that is not the fault of the Witnesses. The designer of the building shares the blame on that one.

Answer 7

I used to be a Jehovah Witness and I've never actually seen a kingdom hall(Jehovah Witness"s Church) with out windows. But there are a few buildings that the Jehovah Witnesses own that aren't Kingdom Hall, like factories are convention centers maybe that is what your seeing.

Answer 8

Ok well just to let you know, some do some don't.

NO religious reason. It is simply a matter of location and building costs.

One Kingdom Hall I attended had to have Iron Bars on the Doors and a brick cage around the heat/air unit because crime was SOOOO BAD. Imagine if they had had a window.

ALL who wish to come may come (I say all but clearly those wishing to do such things as harm others will need to leave:D)

Answer 9

Generally, a Kingdom Hall is built without windows only in areas which tend toward hate crimes and vandalism against houses of worship. Sadly, it seems that the questioner is from such an area, and perhaps even more sad that such religious intolerance occurs worldwide.
http://jw-media.org/newsroom/human_rights.htm

Perhaps these anti-Witness bigots fail to understand that their vandalism and persecution actually work to help prove that Jehovah's Witnesses are true Christians.

(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://watchtower.co.uk/e/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20030301/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20020401/article_01.htm

Answer 10

The Kingdom Hall that I go to does have windows, but it's cheaper to build a Kingdom Hall without windows. There is nothing inside that we're trying to hide from the public.

Answer 11

Born-Again-Catholic is absolutely right! It's a matter of budget, and all of our funds are by donation only. We are not required to "tithe" as the churches do, but we give what we have and many believers are not rich.

So, it's a matter of economics and not all about looks....though our Kingdom Halls are quite attractive, even without windows!