How are Jehovah's Witnesses different from Christianity?
Jehovah's Witnesses identify as Christians, but their beliefs are different from other Christians in some ways. For instance, they teach that Jesus is the son of God but is not part of a Trinity.
They believe that all worship should be directed toward him, and that he is not part of a Trinity; consequently, the group places more emphasis on God than on Christ. They believe that the Holy Spirit is God's applied power or "active force", rather than a person.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is God's "only-begotten Son", and that his life began in heaven. He is described as God's first creation and the "exact representation of God", but is believed to be a separate entity and not part of a Trinity.
"The New World Translation of the Bible is Jehovah's Witnesses own translation, no other religious group uses this Bible and Jehovah's Witnesses make very little use of other Bibles. The translators of The New World Translation were: Nathan Knorr, Albert Schroeder, George Gangas, Fred Franz, M. Henschel."
Jehovah's Witnesses view themselves as Christian and regard Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but not in the sense of being equal with God or one with God. Jehovah's Witnesses consider their religion to be a restoration of original first-century Christianity.
Based on their understanding of scriptures such as Revelation 14:1-4, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that exactly 144,000 faithful Christians go to heaven to rule with Christ in the kingdom of God.
Not even one part of us survives the death of the body. We do not possess an immortal soul or spirit.” However, they do believe that resurrection is possible. Witnesses believe that 144,000 of Jesus' most faithful followers will be resurrected to rule with Him after the Earth is destroyed.
The denomination requires adherence to a strict moral code, which forbids premarital sex, hom*osexuality, gender transitioning, adultery, smoking, drunkenness and drug abuse, and blood transfusions.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was the archangel Michael even though not one Bible verse even hints at that while many do point to Jesus as God incarnate. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim that their New World Translation of the Bible stay "close" to the original Greek.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that when a person dies, their existence completely stops. This is because the Bible makes it clear that human beings do not have an immortal soul that survives when the body dies. Witnesses believe that Hell (as traditionally portrayed) does not exist.
Why do people leave Jehovah Witness?
Sins that could result in such shunning include but are not limited to “fornication, adultery, hom*osexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation” (Watchtower, 1988).
The Witnesses refrain from celebrating birthdays because they believe that birthday feasts have pagan roots. Jehovah's witnesses believe that evil influences and spirits get the opportunity to attack the celebrant during birthdays. Also, Jehovah's witnesses argue that early believers never celebrated their birthdays.
Simply put- Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate holidays. The taboo surrounding the celebration of holidays can be traced back to how many are derived from pagan or non-religious contexts and the belief that holidays such as Christmas and Easter were created to capitalize on the public's faith in a higher power.
They believe Jesus' refusal to rule the kingdoms of the world as offered by the Devil, his refusal to be made king of Israel by the Jews, and his statements that he, his followers, and his kingdom are not part of the world, provide the bases for not being involved in politics or government.
It proclaimed Christ's invisible return in 1874, the resurrection of the saints in 1875, and predicted the end of the "harvest" and a rapture of the saints to heaven for 1878 and the final end of "the day of wrath" in 1914.
DIET - Jehovah Witnesses believe it is forbidden to eat blood or blood products. Although meat is usually acceptable, because animals are bled after slaughter, some Jehovah Witnesses may be vegetarian. Patients may wish to pray silently before eating and at other times.
The Jehovah's Witness movement's leaders have been accused of practicing doctrinal inconsistencies and making doctrinal reversals, making failed predictions, mistranslating the Bible, harshly treating former Jehovah's Witnesses, and leading the Jehovah's Witness movement in an autocratic and coercive manner.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that exactly 144,000 faithful Christians from Pentecost of 33 AD until the present day will be resurrected to heaven as immortal spirit beings to spend eternity with God and Christ. They believe that these people are "anointed" by God to become part of the spiritual "Israel of God".
[9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And most Jehovah's Witnesses (83%) say their religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life; only about three-in-ten U.S. Christians (29%) believe this about their own religious faith.
How much money do Jehovah's Witnesses have to give?
There is no tithing or collection, but all are encouraged to donate to the organization; Witnesses typically provide an opportunity for members of the public to make such donations as they encounter them in their preaching work.
Jehovah's Witnesses may either be buried or cremated, depending on personal or family preferences and local circ*mstances.
Jehovah's Witnesses love life and do whatever is reasonable in order to prolong it. Hence, they seek quality health care and accept the vast majority of medical treatments. However, for Bible-based religious reasons, Jehovah's Witnesses do not accept allogeneic blood transfusion.
Witnesses hold a number of traditional Christian views but also many that are unique to them. They affirm that God—Jehovah—is the most high. Jesus Christ is God's agent, through whom sinful humans can be reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world.
An often misunderstood religion, Jehovah's Witnesses believe in Jesus and God (Jehovah), and follow God's teachings but do not celebrate religious holidays or birthdays. Instead, Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate milestones like anniversaries and graduations.
