2. WHO ARE THE JEHOVA’S WITNESSES?
• The sect known today as
the Jehovah's Witnesses
started out in
Pennsylvania in 1870 as
a Bible class led by
Charles Taze Russell.
• The group was known as
the “Russellites” until
1931 when, due to a split
in the organization, it was
renamed the “Jehovah’s
Witnesses.”
3. JEHOVAH AND JESUS CHRIST
• They believe that Jehovah is
the only true God, the creator
of all things, and the "Universal
Sovereign".
• They believe that all worship
should be directed toward him,
and that he is not part of a
Trinity; the religion 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.
4. JEHOVAH AND JESUS CHRIST
• They believe Jesus
died on a single stake
rather than the
traditional cross.
• They refer to Jesus
as the Archangel
Michael, Abaddon
(Apollyon).
5. SATAN
• Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Satan and his
demons were cast down to earth from heaven
after October 1, 1914, at which point the end
times began.
• They believe that human governments are
controlled by Satan, but that he does not directly
control each human ruler.
6. LIFE AFTER DEATH
• Jehovah's Witnesses believe death is a state of
non-existence with no consciousness.
• There is no Hell of fiery torment.
• Jehovah's Witnesses teach that only they meet
scriptural requirements for surviving
Armageddon, but that God is the final judge.
7. GOD’S KINGDOM
• Jehovah's Witnesses
believe that God's
kingdom is a literal
government in heaven,
ruled by Jesus Christ
and 144,000 "spirit-
anointed" Christians
drawn from the earth.
• People God approves
will receive eternal life
8. ETHICS AND MORALITY
• All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for
expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant
• JW agree with Christians in the matter of abortion and
homosexuality.
• Marrying a non-believer, or endorsing such a union, is
strongly discouraged and carries religious sanctions.
• Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden
unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery,
which they refer to as "a scriptural divorce".
9. WORSHIP
• Meetings for worship
and study are held
at Kingdom Halls.
• Their most important
and solemn event is the
commemoration of the
"Lord's Evening Meal",
or "Memorial of Christ's
Death" on the date of
the Jewish Passover.
10. EVANGELISM
• The objective is to start a
regular "Bible study" with any
person who is not already a
member, with the intention that
the student be baptized as a
member of the group.
• Witnesses are taught they are
under a biblical command to
engage in public preaching.
11. SEPARATENESS
• Jehovah's Witnesses believe
that the Bible condemns the
mixing of religions.
• Jehovah's Witnesses believe
their highest allegiance
belongs to God's kingdom
• They do not celebrate
Christmas and Easter, nor do
they observe birthdays,
nationalistic holidays, or other
celebrations they consider to
honor people other than
Jesus.
12. SEPARATENESS
• They do not work in
industries associated
with the military
• They do not salute or
pledge allegiance to
flags or sing national
anthems or patriotic
songs.
13. BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
• Jehovah's Witnesses refuse
blood transfusions, which
they consider a violation of
God's law based on their
interpretation of Acts 15:28,
29
• Though Jehovah's Witnesses
do not accept blood
transfusions of whole blood,
they may accept some blood
plasma fractions at their own
discretion.
• 28 “For it seemed good to
the Holy Spirit and to us to
lay no greater burden on
you than these few
requirements:
• 29 You must abstain from
eating food offered to idols,
from consuming blood or
the meat of strangled
animals, and from sexual
immorality. If you do this,
you will do well. Farewell.”
14. • As of August 2014, Jehovah's Witnesses report
an average membership of approximately 7.86
million actively involved in preaching, with a
peak of 8.2 million. Jehovah's Witnesses have
an active presence in most countries, though
they do not form a large part of the population of
any country.
15. CONCLUSION
• I am the way, the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. If you
had known me, you would have known my
Father also. From now on you do know him and
have seen him… Whoever has seen me has
seen the Father… I am in the Father and the
Father is in me…
-John 14:6, 7,9,10