Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses are primarily known for their door-to-door ministry. With 6 million active witnesses, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered them at least once on your doorstep, fervently ready to knock! To be honest, Jehovah’s Witnesses are among the religious groups that engage in the most proselytizing.

Gathering followers in over 200 countries (1 million in the United States), Jehovah’s Witnesses spent no less than 1.2 billion hours in 2005 proclaiming the good news of Jehovah and His kingdom. But what exactly is this “good news” that attracts no fewer than 300,000 new followers to their ranks each year?

A bit of history

Le mouvement des Témoins de Jéhovah a commencé il y a un peu plus d’un siècle avec un jeune homme nommé Charles Russell. Adolescente, il a quitté son Église parce qu’il rejetait l’idée de la punition éternelle en enfer.

Dans la vision religieuse de Russell, la mort d’une personne marque la fin de son existence. Russell rejetait de nombreux éléments de la doctrine chrétienne, notamment le concept de la Trinité et la divinité de Jésus : pour lui, Jésus n’est pas Dieu incarné, alors que le christianisme affirme explicitement le contraire : « Jésus leur dit : En vérité, en vérité, je vous le dis, avant qu’Abraham fût, je suis. » Jean 8:58. Pour plus de passages bibliques concernant la divinité de Jésus, rendez-vous dans la section « Questions » du site.

At 18, Russell decided to form a Bible study group in which he taught his beliefs. He developed and published a journal now known as the Watchtower. An important aspect of his doctrine concerned his predictions of the end times: through this, he generated significant fascination for his movement.

At 18, Russell decided to form a Bible study group in which he taught his beliefs. He developed and published a journal now known as the Watchtower. An important aspect of his doctrine concerned his predictions of the end times: through this, he generated significant fascination for his movement.

Initially, those who followed Russell were called “Russellites.” The term “Jehovah’s Witnesses” emerged about 50 years later and is taken from a Bible verse: “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “you and my servant whom I have chosen.” Isaiah 43:10.Initially, those who followed Russell were called “Russellites.” The term “Jehovah’s Witnesses” emerged about 50 years later and is taken from a Bible verse: “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “you and my servant whom I have chosen.” Isaiah 43:10.

In 1884, Charles founded his own organization in New York, in the Brooklyn neighborhood, known as the “Watchtower.” Today, there are about 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide, and each of them takes great pride in going door-to-door. They are also known for setting up booths in streets, airports, and other public places. People who have met them will generally agree on one point: they always show kindness and great politeness. If you talk with them, they will offer you free Bible studies and invite you to their meetings in their “Kingdom Hall.”

Know that the Watchtower Society claims to be the only true church and the sole holder of the truth. According to them, no one can be saved outside of their organization.

Scriptures

• The New World Translation: this is the Watchtower’s own translation of the biblical texts. It was published in 1961. This translation highlights several verses that the Watchtower has altered, which changes their original meaning.
• The Watchtower magazine: it is one of the main sources and a key reference for Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Watchtower claims that they alone can correctly interpret the texts, and that no individual can learn the truth outside of their organization. However, Christians do not believe that a person’s salvation depends on membership in a specific, exclusive church. Jesus told us how to be saved: “Repent and believe in me.”

On October 1, 1967, the Watchtower wrote: “The Bible belongs to the Christian congregation and its organization, not to individuals, despite the sincerity with which some might think they can interpret the texts.” For this reason, the Bible cannot be properly understood without the guidance of the organization.

Who is God?

• Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the biblical concept of a triune God. According to them, it would be difficult to worship and love a complex God, who appears strange and is made up of three persons. As a result, God cannot be a Trinity.
• Based on Isaiah 43:10, they believe that the only God is known by the name Jehovah, the Almighty. Although He is eternal and omnipotent, He is not omnipresent. Jehovah’s Witnesses also reject the personhood of the Holy Spirit. They do not believe the Spirit is a person, but rather « God’s active force. »

Who is Jesus?

The Watchtower organization teaches that Jesus is not the incarnation of God, but simply a created being. He is called “the only begotten Son of God” because he is the first and only being directly created by Jehovah. As the “firstborn” of creation, Jesus was used by God to create all other things.

Before Jesus came to earth, he was the archangel Michael, the second and greatest being in the universe. Through the birth of a virgin, he was recreated on earth as a perfect man. Jesus became the Messiah at his baptism, and at the same time, he was chosen as the future king of the coming kingdom. Jehovah’s Witnesses also reject the physical resurrection of Christ. They believe that after Jesus’ burial, God disposed of his physical body. More specifically, Jesus was resurrected in spirit, and temporarily took on a materialized body to appear to his disciples. After returning to heaven (following the resurrection of his spirit), Jesus became Michael the Archangel once again.

Heaven and Hell

The Jehovah’s Witnesses organization rejects the existence of a hell where “wicked” souls would be sent to suffer eternally. Here is what they publish in Let God Be True (one of the organization’s publications):

“The doctrine of a hell where evil and wicked people are tormented forever after death cannot be true, and this for four main reasons: 1. It is completely unbiblical; 2. It is unreasonable; 3. It is contrary to God’s love; 4. It would be unjust. Jehovah’s Witnesses (like the Adventists) believe in the ‘sleep of the soul’: humans do not possess an eternal soul, and therefore, when our body dies, there is no more conscious existence. (For a biblical perspective on this, read Isaiah 38:10).”

They teach that hell, or “Sheol,” is simply the common grave of all living beings.

From there, the righteous will be resurrected, and those condemned by God will be annihilated—they will simply cease to exist. The Watchtower’s theology is based on their interpretation of the Book of Revelation; they teach that when the saints will walk, as mentioned in Matthew 27:53, we will not be part of it, since the only ones who will enter through the heavenly gate are the 144,000, the “anointed.” And according to the Watchtower, all these “tickets” are sold out: only these 144,000 will be born again, and only they will be regenerated with Christ in the heavens.

So, for the vast majority of remaining Jehovah’s Witnesses (who correspond to the “other sheep,” the “great crowd”), Jesus’ sacrifice offers the possibility of living forever on earth. They will never see heaven or Jesus (Michael). Their only hope is to live in the paradise that will be established on earth after the battle of Armageddon.

Just like the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses redefine biblical terms, which makes conversations with them very challenging. Here’s an example of a Bible passage they understand quite differently from a Christian: John 3:3. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” They will agree with this verse, but they believe that only the 144,000 need to be born again, because they are the ones who will see the kingdom of God, not us. We are not meant to see this kingdom, but to live on earth in paradise. Therefore, we do not need to be born again for this; it is only required for the 144,000.

Sin and Salvation

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that at the Fall, all humanity inherited the “imperfection” of Adam and Eve, and as a result, we are also sinners destined for certain death. What sets them apart from Christians is that they consider sin to have been only partially atoned for by Christ.

To put it more clearly, as the perfect man, Jesus’ death pays the ransom that removes the consequences of Adam’s sin, but each of us, as individuals, must perform works to obtain forgiveness for our sins (both past and future).

In other words, the original sin that brought death was undone by Jesus’ sacrifice, but people can still perish (the second death) through their own rebellion and sin, and this can be prevented by obeying and performing good works. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, salvation requires a complex combination of faith and good works. Here is what the Watchtower magazine said about this on December 15, 1989:

Jehovah is seen by Jehovah’s Witnesses as a God of grace, simply because without Jesus’ death for our sins, no one would have the opportunity to earn salvation.

In addition to faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, the requirements for salvation include baptism, repentance, active association with the Watchtower organization, righteous conduct, and absolute loyalty to Jehovah. Even after fulfilling these works, they have no certainty about their salvation—only the hope of a resurrection. Those who do not meet these conditions or who are disfellowshipped by the Watchtower organization have no hope of obtaining salvation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are told that serving as spokespersons for the organization is a sacred task, a vital necessity: their life (their eternal life, their salvation) depends on this work. Witnesses must go door-to-door to try to spread their doctrine and, in doing so, earn their salvation. Witnesses are required to dedicate 5 hours per week to this task. They must sell 12 subscriptions to the Watchtower magazine each month and conduct a Bible study at the home of their new converts once a month. Afterward, they must present a detailed report of their activities: their performance will affect their status within the congregation or the “Kingdom Hall.” With such an obsession over performing these good works (to obtain salvation), it is difficult to see the Gospel as truly good news.

The traditions of Jehovah’s Witnesses

• No cross: Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the symbol of Christianity, which they believe has pagan origins. For them, Jesus was executed on a “stake,” so wearing a cross (whether as jewelry or on the roof of a church) is considered idolatry. Therefore, you won’t see crosses in their buildings.
• Prohibited activities: Jehovah’s Witnesses also forbid several activities that are not explicitly condemned in the Bible, such as blood transfusions, smoking, boxing, participating in raffles, as well as things related to “worldly matters,” like saluting the flag, reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” (they do not participate in “patriotic” ceremonies), standing or singing the national anthem, voting, and participating in military or civil service. The organization also forbids celebrating birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day, and most other holidays, considering their origins to be pagan.

• No association: To protect Jehovah’s Witnesses from any corruption, the faithful are not supposed to maintain relationships with people who are not also Jehovah’s Witnesses, except for those living under the same family roof.