Jehovah's Witnesses have produced a large amount of literature. The most well-known publications are the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, the "Knowledge" book, and the "Require" brochure. The sale of their religious magazines, and all Jehovah's Witnesses' literature, continued around the world until the early 1990s. The Watchtower is now distributed free of charge, however voluntary donations are accepted. These donations have made the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of NY, Inc. one of the top 40 most profitable companies in New York, reporting an annual revenue of about $951 million USD[1] free of taxation as they are registered as a non-profit corporation. Their yearly report is different from a Wall Street company as the company's employees are volunteers who live and work in the Brooklyn complex. Charles Russell in 1911 Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), known as Pastor Russell, was an American evangelist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who founded what is known as the Bible Student movement. ... William Miller William Miller (1782 - 1849) was an American Baptist preacher, whose followers have been termed Millerites. ... Nelson H. Barbour, (1824-1905) a Millerite Adventist (see Millerites) born in Throopsville (misspelled Toupsville in a newspaper profile), a village near Auburn, New York. ... Elder Jonas Wendell (December 25, 1815 - August 14, 1873) of Edenboro, Pennsylvania, was a zealous Adventist preacher following in the spirit of William Miller. ... Joseph F. Rutherford Joseph Franklin Rutherford 8 November 1869—8 January 1942, is best known as the second president of the Watch Tower Society, the legal organization used by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Nathan Homer Knorr (April 23, 1905 - June 8, 1977) was the third president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society doing so on January 13, 1942, replacing Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who had served in the position since 1916. ... Frederick William Franz - (12 September 1893–22 December 1992) served as President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the legal organization used to direct the work of Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Milton George Henschel (August 9, 1920 - March 22, 2003) was the person who succeded Frederick W. Franz as the president of Watchtower Society. ... Don A. Adams is the current president of the Watch Tower Society, the most important of the Legal instruments of Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Letter from Olin R. Moyle sent to J.F. Rutherford OLIN R. MOYLE Counselor 117 Adams Street. ... Raymond Franz, circa 1980 Raymond Franz (born 1922) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses from 1971 until May 22, 1980[1], and served at the organizations world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. ... James Penton, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta; Canada. ... The Watchtower is an illustrated religious magazine printed and published by Jehovahs Witnesses via their Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in Wallkill, Ulster County, New York and branch offices around the world. ... Cover of Awake! magazine Awake! is a general-interest magazine published by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...

Additionally, there has been much independently-published literature about Jehovah's Witnesses, expressing various supportive, neutral, and critical views of their beliefs and practices.

Watchtower Society literature

Some literature produced by Jehovah's Witnesses is for specific groups. Instruction manuals for elders and pioneers respectively entitled "Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock" and "Shining as Illuminators in the World" and the book "Organized to Do Jehovah's Will" prepared for individual 'publishers' are examples. Other books primarily, though not exclusively, made for Jehovah's Witnesses publishers include Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education, the Reasoning book and All Scripture is Inspired and Beneficial. The Organizational Structure of Jehovahs Witnesses is a religious hierarchy. ... The Organizational Structure of Jehovahs Witnesses is a religious hierarchy. ... This textbook is used by Jehovahs Witness elders solely for the Theocratic Ministry School and not for the evangelizing work. ... The textbook used by Jehovahs Witness pioneers at the Pioneer Service School. ... Organization manual used by Jehovahs Witness publishers. ... Reasoning From the Scriptures is a topical Bible encyclopedia published by Jehovahs Witnesses. ...

Some publications are designed for specialized use such as the brochures Apply Yourself to Reading and Writing and Learn to Read and Write and Good News for All Nations, which contains a message in multiple languages. Also, publications designed for certain religious groups are used in their public ministry. The brochure Will There Ever be a World Without War? and the tract A Peaceful New World, Will it Come? are geared toward the Jewish community. The Brochure The Guidance of God is directed towards those of the Muslim faith. Our Problems, Who Will Help us Solve Them? and Why Worship God With Spirit and Truth? are for those with Buddhist or Hindu beliefs. A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... A Hindu ( , Devanagari: हिन्दु), as per modern definition, is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, and the religious, philosophical and cultural system that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ...

Most of the literature produced by Jehovah's Witnesses is designed for use in their evangelizing efforts, or "field ministry". Examples include general subject publications such as the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and Bible study tools such as the Knowledge book and Require brochure. Secondary publications for study include the books Worship the Only True God, You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth and The Bible, God's Word or Man's?.

Watchtower publications

See: List of Jehovah's Witnesses literature Jehovahs Witnesses publish books, brochures, magazines and tracts both for their public ministry and for members. ...

Jehovah's Witnesses make vigorous efforts to spread their beliefs throughout the world in a variety of ways, with particular emphasis on the written word. Their literature is published in 410 languages through a wide variety of books, magazines and other publications. Their publications make extensive use of secular references and quotations from the Bible. A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of paper, parchment, or other material, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

• New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modern-language translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc (a legal entity in the service of Jehovah's Witnesses). This is the Bible translation primarily used by Jehovah's Witnesses.

• Awake!, published in 82 languages, is a general-interest monthly magazine covering many topics from a religious perspective. It has an average circulation of 32.4 million copies per issue.

• The Watchtower, Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom, published in 153 languages semimonthy, and 53 more languages on a monthly basis, focuses mainly on doctrine. With an average circulation of just over 27 million copies of each issue, The Watchtower is the most widely distributed religious magazine in the world, and is available in various editions and media formats.

Both The Watchtower and Awake! are published simultaneously in dozens of languages. In addition to the formats mentioned above, both magazines are available in various audio and electronic formats and some of the articles from these magazines are available online. After the end of each year the issues are collected and re-released in a printed annual edition, commonly referred to as a bound volume. In addition to this, the Watchtower Library computer program contains several decades worth of articles for both magazines and is updated on an annual basis. (Until 2003, this was only done biennially.) The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is a modern-language translation of the Bible published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. ... Cover of Awake! magazine Awake! is a general-interest magazine published by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... The Watchtower is an illustrated religious magazine printed and published by Jehovahs Witnesses via their Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in Wallkill, Ulster County, New York and branch offices around the world. ... Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... Look up Biennial in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Biennial is a term referring to a period of two years, much in the same way centennial refers to 100 years. ...

New books, brochures, and other items are released from time to time, major releases being announced at their annual conventions. Additionally, a number of audio cassettes, videocassettes, and DVDs have been produced featuring various aspects of the group's beliefs, practices, organization, and history. Some of these also provide dramas based on various Biblical accounts. Recent years have seen a proliferation of material available on their website. The Organizational Structure of Jehovahs Witnesses is a religious hierarchy. ... Typical 60-minute Compact Cassette. ... The video cassette recorder (or VCR, less popularly video tape recorder) is a type of video tape recorder that uses removable cassettes containing magnetic tape to record audio and video from a television broadcast so it can be played back later. ... DVD (Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Independent literature

Positive publications

http://elihubooks.com/books/ Offers books that provide a scholarly and in-depth review of the many criticisms surrounding Jehovah's Witnesses by Greg Stafford and Rolf Furuli.

Jehovah's Witnesses: The New World Society by Marley Cole. This book received a positive review in the August 15, 1955 Watchtower: "Much of the material was gathered by personal interviews with witnesses, some of them being officials of the Society. Frequently in the news is something about the religion of President Eisenhower's parents. This book gives the facts often overlooked or concealed, with documentary proof that they were Jehovah's witnesses for many years." Cole was an active Witness and wrote the book in collaboration with Witness leaders. It was also distributed by the Watchtower Society. 229 pages. Publisher: The Vantage Press, 1955.

Triumphant Kingdom by Marley Cole. Sequel to Jehovah's Witnesses: The New World Society. Cole describes the Witness movement throughout the world and life at their missionary training school. Publisher: Criterion Books. Library of Congress number 57-8262. 1957. 256 pages.

Faith on the March by A. H. Macmillan. Written by Macmillan in 1957, he provides a first-person account of the early history of the modern day Jehovah Witnesses from his meeting of Charles Taze Russell in 1900 to the writing of the book. He served with three of the Presidents of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society: Russell, Rutherford, and Knorr. - Publisher: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 57-8528 (Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 1957) Charles Russell in 1911 Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), known as Pastor Russell, was an American evangelist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who founded what is known as the Bible Student movement. ... A number of corporations are in use by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Joseph F. Rutherford Joseph Franklin Rutherford 8 November 1869—8 January 1942, is best known as the second president of the Watch Tower Society, the legal organization used by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Nathan Homer Knorr (April 23, 1905 - June 8, 1977) was the third president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society doing so on January 13, 1942, replacing Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who had served in the position since 1916. ...

A People For His Name: A History of Jehovah's Witnesses and an Evaluation by Timothy White (pseudonym for Anthony Wills). The author, a life-long Witness, presents an in-depth look at the Bible Student/Jehovah's Witness movement. He explores its doctrinal growth and shifts and notes schisms from the main body. The book had been extremely scarce for many years after its initial printing but was released as a second edition in 2007. First edition: 418 pages. Publisher: The Vantage Press, 1967. 2nd Edition: 300 pages. Publisher: Lulu.com, 2006.

Armed with the Constitution : Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S Supreme Court, 1939-1946 by Merlin Newton. Newton researches the contributions of two Jehovah's Witnesses -- a black man and a white woman -- in expanding the meaning of the First Amendment in 1940s Alabama. She examines two key U.S. Supreme Court decisions, as well as court records, memoirs, letters, and interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses. - Publisher: University Alabama Press; Religion and American Culture Series, Reprint edition (June 28, 2002). Paperback: 240 pages. ISBN 0-8173-1228-5 The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ...

Neutral publications

Jehovah's Witnesses : Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement by Andrew Holden. A British sociologist, attempts to understand the strict and austere Watch Tower Society and its adherents, Jehovah's Witnesses. This is an academic ethnography that draws upon interviews with both adherents and ex-members. Read selections from: Google Book Search - Publisher: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-26609-2 (London, New York 2002)

Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of freedom of speech and worship by M. James Penton. Penton, who is a professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge, examines the history of legal activities that led to expansion of religious freedoms in Canada. Referenced in the January 1, 1977 Watchtower, page 11 and the 1979 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 94. - Publisher: Macmillan of Canada. ISBN 0-7705-1340-9 (Canada, 1976)

Critical publications

Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses by M. James Penton. Penton, who is a professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge, examines the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their doctrines. Written after he left the organization. Read selections from: Google Book Search - Publisher: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Canada, 1998) James Penton, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta; Canada. ...

Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz, a former Governing Body member of the Watch Tower Society for nine years. This book gives a detailed account of the authority structure, practices, doctrines and decision-making practices Franz experienced while serving on the Governing Body. Franz gives a personal account of the inner conflict between loyalty to God and one's Christian conscience versus loyalty to a religious organization. Sample chapters online: 1, 9, 10, 11, 12. Publisher: Commentary Press. 420 pages. Hardback ISBN 0-914675-24-9. Paperback ISBN 0-914675-23-0. 4th edition (June 2002) Raymond Franz, circa 1980 Raymond Franz (born 1922) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses from 1971 until May 22, 1980[1], and served at the organizations world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. ... The Organizational Structure of Jehovahs Witnesses is a religious hierarchy. ...

In Search of Christian Freedom by Raymond Franz. A follow up to the book Crisis of Conscience, Franz explores many doctrinal and ethical issues, including the nature of Christian freedom. In it he explores various aspects of the Watch Tower's teachings, doctrines, and claims, comparing and contrasting them with Biblical scriptures. Sample chapter online: 9. ISBN 0-914675-16-8 Publisher: Commentary Press (October 1991, internally updated in 2002) Raymond Franz, circa 1980 Raymond Franz (born 1922) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses from 1971 until May 22, 1980[1], and served at the organizations world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. ...

The Sign of the Last Days - When? by Carl O. Jonsson & Wolfgang Herbst. A case against the Jehovah's Witness belief that the 'sign of the Last Days' began in 1914. Accompanied by historical figures for wars, famines, earthquakes and pestilences from past centuries, detailed world disaster statistics, and Biblical references. Sample chapters online: 3, 6. ISBN 0-914675-09-5 Publisher: Commentary Press (1 September 1987)

Where is the "Great Crowd" Serving God? by Jon Mitchell. A 32 page booklet by a former secretary to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses that disputes the Jehovah's Witnesses' belief in two classes of salvation, i.e., the "Great Crowd" (earthly) and "The 144,000's" (heavenly). (See Beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses#Salvation) He covers the Watchtower's doctrines, and the Greek word Naos in a scriptural discussion explicating his opinion that there is no biblical difference between the two groups' location. Read synopsis online. ISBN 99935-1-897-2 Publisher: Commentary Press (1 December 1992) The following reflects the current beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses. ...

Refuting Jehovah's Witnesses by Randall Watters. The writer, a former headquarters' staff member, critiques Witness doctrine from a traditional Christian perspective. Rather than discussing organizational subjects, the book is written as an apologetic of the historic Christian faith. 197 pages. Third Edition 1996. Published by Freeminds, Inc., Manhattan Beach, California. Sample chapter online

External links

Official websites of Jehovah's Witnesses

• Official Web Site of Jehovah's Witnesses (Information is available in 310 languages on this site)
• Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses
• Jehovah's Witnesses - Who Are They? What Do They Believe? - Brochure on the official web site
• What Does God Require of Us? - Brochure on the official web site
• New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - Online Bible on the official web site
• God's Name--Its Meaning and Pronunciation - Brochure on the official web site

Other resources

• Jehovah's Witnesses World News Forum - Good World News From All Over the World Updated Every Day
• Jehovah's Witnesses United - The site was created so that scholarly information supporting the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society's teachings and the New World Translation could be collected in one location on the web.
• In Defense of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures:Index of Pages - This web site has the intention of defending the Bible translation known as The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
• CESNUR, the Center for Studies on New Religions - CESNUR is an international network of associations of scholars working in the field of new religious movements. Its director is the Italian scholar Massimo Introvigne.
• West Virginia Board of Education Vs. Barnette et al. - Documentation of 1943 Supreme Court ruling regarding Jehovah's Witnesses' rights in not saluting the flag
• ReligionFacts.com - About Jehovah's Witnesses, including comparison chart with mainstream Protestant Christianity.
• Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance - About Jehovah's Witnesses.
• Beliefnet:Jehovah's Witnesses
• Thank Jehovah's Witnesses for Speech Freedoms short article outlining legal battles of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States, resulting in greater freedoms for Americans as a whole (dated 30 March 2000)
• Interactive Map of the Worldwide Work Map showing JW numbers worldwide.
• Christian freedom Investigating Jehovah's Witnesses (English/Spanish/Swedish)

See also

• List of Jehovah's Witnesses literature

Jehovahs Witnesses publish books, brochures, magazines and tracts both for their public ministry and for members. ...

External links

• Jehovah's Witnesses publications available on the internet