Part of a series on Jehovah's Witnesses
About Jehovah's Witnesses
Demographics
History
Organizational Structure
Governing Body Faithful and Discreet Slave Legal Instruments
Government Interactions
Beliefs
Doctrines · Practices
Jesus · Eschatology Blood · Disfellowshipping
Opposition · Persecution
Controversy
Related People
Presidents & Members
List of Jehovah's Witnesses C.T. Russell · M.G. Henschel J.F. Rutherford · F.W. Franz D.A. Adams · N.H. Knorr
Ex-Members & Critics
R. Franz · E.C. Gruss R. Countess · O.R. Moyle This box: view • talk • edit

It has been suggested the section of opposition to their practices to be merged with Practices of Jehovah's Witnesses to balance the view in that article. The first half of article covered in History of Jehovah's Witnesses. Image File history File links WT_Logo. ... Average Publishers, 1945-2005 As of August 2005, Jehovahs Witnesses have a membership of more than 6. ... // 1870-1916 Charles Taze Russell and his associates formed a Bible study group in the 1870s in Allegheny. ... Jehovahs Witnesses are organized into a hierarchy. ... The Governing Body supervises all the activities of the Jehovahs Witnesses throughout the earth. ... Bible verses quoted from the New World Translation except where noted The spiritual authority among Jehovahs Witnesses is vested in the Faithful and Discreet Slave (also known as the remnant,[1] the anointed,[2] Gods prophet[3], and Gods channel[4]), which is a term used to... A number of corporations are in use by Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Jehovahs Witnesses face legal or governmental opposition in many countries. ... The beliefs and doctrines of Jehovahs Witnesses are based on the Biblical studies and interpretations conducted by the founders and leaders of the movement. ... Practices of Jehovahs Witnesses include activities common to many churches, such as evangelism, gathering for group worship and study, and donating money to support their religious activities. ... Bible verses quoted from the New World Translation except where noted Beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses and Jesus role in their doctrine are based on the beliefs Jehovah is almighty God, the theme of the Bible is Gods kingdom, and Adam was a literal person who caused all humankind... The eschatology of Jehovahs Witnesses is central to their religious beliefs. ... It has been suggested that Jehovahs Witnesses: Controversial Issues be merged into this article or section. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... At times, Jehovahs Witnesses have met controversy from governments, the scientific profession, and mainstream Christian religious groups over some of their unique beliefs, doctrines and practices. ... Following is a list of Jehovahs Witnesses who are in some way prominent Joshua Elliot Rodrigues - English Student, name comes from the Book of Joshua Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Japanese musician, name comes from the Book of Isaiah Tom Edur - Former NHL ice hockey player. ... 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. ... Milton George Henschel (August 9, 1920 - March 22, 2003) was the person who succeded Frederick W. Franz as the president of Watchtower Society. ... 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. ... Frederick William Franz - (12 September 1893–22 December 1992) served as the President of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, the Legal organization used to direct the work of Jehovahs Witnesses. ... Don A. Adams is the current president of the Watch Tower Society, the most important of the Legal instruments of 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. ... Raymond Franz was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovahs Witnesses for nine years (1971–1980), and at the World headquarters for fifteen years (1965–1980). ... Edmund Charles Gruss is Professor Emeritus at The Masters College in Santa Clarita, California and an author. ... Rev. ... Letter from Olin R. Moyle sent to J.F. Rutherford OLIN R. MOYLE Counselor 117 Adams Street. ... Practices of Jehovahs Witnesses include activities common to many churches, such as evangelism, gathering for group worship and study, and donating money to support their religious activities. ... // 1870-1916 Charles Taze Russell and his associates formed a Bible study group in the 1870s in Allegheny. ...

Throughout their history, the beliefs, doctrines and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses have met controversy and opposition among societies and certain religions, including orthodox Christian groups. Many religious groups consider the interpretation and doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses to be false teachings (see Heresy). Although the term "cult" generally carries strong negative connotations, conveying disdain and prejudice without having any valuable, substantive content, many persist in using it to label groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, perhaps for these very reasons. It is not surprising then that the Witnesses are sometimes mentioned on lists of "cults" made by self-proclaimed "experts". The reasons given, if any, vary. Some typically stated are that their religious beliefs are different from those normally held by the majority of Christians, such as rejection of the trinity, pacifism/neutrality in war, and because of issues with organizational structure, and their positions on blood products and transfusions. Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the Catholic or Orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... In religion and sociology, a cult is a cohesive group of people (often a relatively small and recently founded religious movement) devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be far outside the mainstream. ...

Jehovah's Witnesses have often been the subject of religious and political controversy. Political and religious animosity against them has at times led to mob action and government oppression, including the targeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Holocaust[1], and widespread criticism from those of other faiths[2]. Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατια; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a disorganized mass of people. ... Jehovahs Witnesses in Germany were persecuted between 1933 and 1945. ...

Mob violence

In the United States in the late 1930s and into 1940, mob violence against Jehovah's Witnesses became widespread and rampant. On 16 June 1940, the United States attorney general, Francis Biddle, made a radio broadcast over a coast-to-coast network in an effort to quiet the mob action. Here is an excerpt from that statement: June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ...

" . . . Jehovah's witnesses have been repeatedly set upon and beaten. They had committed no crime; but the mob adjudged they had, and meted out mob punishment. The Attorney General has ordered an immediate investigation of these outrages. The people must be alert and watchful, and above all cool and sane. Since mob violence will make the government's task infinitely more difficult, it will not be tolerated. We shall not defeat the Nazi evil by emulating its methods."

Strong resentment and anger were sometimes directed at the group (then called Bible Students) in the 1910s and 1920s due to the Watch Tower Society's outspoken manner, members carrying placards outside many churches, and in the streets proclaiming the imminent destruction of church members, along with both church and government institutions if they did not flee from "false religion". This is following Jesus' example of being bold in speaking out against those subverting God's laws, as in the way he threw out the money changers in the temple and in the way he spoke about becoming the stone that would crush "false religion", at Luke 20:18. Typical examples of the Watchtower's attitude are found in the Watch Tower Society's book publication The Finished Mystery (SS-7), 1917 edition: "Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of 'Christianity.'" (Page 485) "The people who are the strength of Christendom shall be cut off in the brief but terribly eventful period beginning in 1918 A.D. A third part are 'burned with fire in the midst of the city.' Fire symbolizes destruction. . . .After 1918 the people supporting churchianity will cease to be its supporters, be destroyed as adherents, by the spiritual pestilence of errors abroad, and by the famine of the Word of God among them." (Pages 398, 399) The Bible Students believed religion was a "a snare and a racket" and refused to be identified as a 'religion' for some time.

Criticism on their practices

The language used by the Witnesses and their organization was widely considered inflammatory and was deemed illegal propaganda in many societies for inciting intolerance and potential violence, hatred or sedition (although they refuse to bear arms or partake in political struggles). The Watchtower Society's publication, The Finished Mystery (pg 28) states: "It seems conclusive that the hour of Nominal Zion's travail is fixed for the Passover of 1918. (See Rev. 3:14.) That will be 7 years prior to 1925. At that time there is every reason to believe the fallen angels will invade the minds of many of the Nominal Church people, driving them to exceedingly unwise conduct and leading to their destruction at the hands of the enraged masses, who will later be dragged to the same fate." The churches of Christendom and their members were mindful of the propaganda directed at them, and the Watch Tower Society's members were less than welcomed by many in society for their previous outspoken highly vocal warnings of destruction and death directed towards governments, unbelievers, churches and church members, at the hand of God. It has been suggested that Propaganda in the United States be merged into this article or section. ... Statue of the Fallen Angel, Retiro Park (Madrid, Spain) A fallen angel in Abrahamic traditions is an angel that has been exiled or banished from Heaven. ...

Many criticize the organization's practice of disfellowshipping members, a practice claimed to be based on scriptural precedents, such as those found at 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 1 Timothy 1:19, 20; and Titus 3:10, 11. Disfellowshipping occurs when a member unrepentantly or repetitiously violates the moral or doctrinal standards of Jehovah's Witnesses. Choosing to no longer be one of Jehovah's Witnesses by submitting a written letter (termed "disassociation") also results in shunning. When a member is disfellowshipped, their believing friends and family are advised by elders within the church to not speak to them, except in cases of neccessity, e.g. family members living in the same house. Members of the congregation who engage in conversation with disfellowshipped individuals risk having adverse action taken against themselves. Excommunication is religious censure which is used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... Precedent is the principle in law of using the past in order to assist in current interpretation and decision-making. ...

Some claim that since members are strongly discouraged from forming strong personal relationships outside of the organization, it is very difficult to leave. Many also criticize the Witnesses' policies of not participating in political activities, or in some activities commonplace outside of their faith community, and thus allege that the Witnesses willfully do not integrate into their community, and prevent their children from doing so.

Many also view door-to-door evangelizing as an invasion of privacy, especially in societies where religious beliefs are considered a private matter not discussed with strangers, and thus prozelytizing is considered unusual and rude. They may also view it as an annoyance akin to door-to-door peddling; some people pretend to not be at home when the Witnesses stop by. Some people have concerns about prozelytizing among minors (see below). The Four Evangelists, by Jakob Jordaens Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel or, by extension, any other form of preaching or proselytizing. ...

Hostility from traditional, fundamentalist and evangelical Christians has been common, perhaps because of this group's rejection of many of the doctrines of mainstream Christian groups. For example, they teach that Jesus Christ is God's first creation rather than God Himself, and that the Holy Spirit is not a person but God's active force. Traditional Christians believe this contradicts the translation of John 1:1 given in the King James Bible and other popular English translations; Jehovah's Witnesses translate this verse differently. (See also New World Translation for more on this controversy.) Many have been critical of their opinion that our current time period is "the last days." Fundamentalism is a movement to maintain strict adherence to founding principles. ... The Four Evangelists, by Jakob Jordaens Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel or, by extension, any other form of preaching or proselytizing. ... In various religions, most notably Trinitarian Christianity, the Holy Spirit (also called the Holy Ghost; in Hebrew רוח הקודש Ruah haqodesh) is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. ... This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ... 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. ... For a more general eschatological view, see eschatology The Last Judgement - Tympanum sculpture at the Abbey Church of Ste-Foy, Conques-en-Rouergue, France The end times are, in one version of Christian eschatology, a time of tribulation that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus. ...

Depending on geographic location, Jehovah's Witnesses have been accused of misleading youth, engaging in satanic worship or supporting Zionism, communism, fascism, capitalism, democracy or pacifism. Because of their neutral political stand, Jehovah's Witnesses have often been accused of being disloyal to the state in both totalitarian and "free" nations. They have been sent to prisons, concentration camps, and even been executed. At times non-Witness family members and acquaintances have presented stiff, even violent opposition to their faith. (Watchtower 4/15/1982; 12/1/1980; 9/1/1979)[3] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Poster promoting a film about Jewish settlement in Palestine, 1930s: Toward a New Life (in Romanian),The Promised Land (in Hungarian), in small (down) text is written First Palestinian sound movie 1844 Discourse on the Restoration of the Jews by Mordecai Noah, page one. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes. ... It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ...

Although uncommon, hate crimes have occurred against Jehovah's Witnesses because of their beliefs and practices. [4] A Jewish cemetery in France after being defaced by Neo-Nazis. ...

The installation of Kingdom Halls (the Witnesses' meeting places) is sometimes met by local opposition. As an example, in 1995 the inhabitants of the village of Remomeix (resp. Deyvillers) in the Vosges département of France opposed the installation of Kingdom Halls. [5][6] Reasons given were the fear of aggressive proselytizing of minors, and the large size of the installations. In both cases, the number of Jehovah's Witnesses attending the Hall would have well exceeded the total population of the village. Kingdom Hall is the name of meeting places for Jehovahs Witnesses. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vosges is a French département, named after the Vosges mountain range. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ...

See also

• Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses
• Resources Critical of the Group