Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. Tools for PreachingProducing Literature for the Worldwide Field", "At the Top / NYC Company Profiles / NYC 40", "Remember Those Who Are Taking the Lead Among You", "Cooperating With the Governing Body Today", "Focus on the Goodness of Jehovah's Organization", "Impart God's Progressive Revelation to Mankind", "The Path of the Righteous Does Keep Getting Brighter", "The Spirit Searches into the Deep Things of God", "Do We Need Help to Understand the Bible? Later that year they jointly produced the book Three Worlds, which combined restitutionist views with end time prophecy. Whilst a relatively minor religion, Jehovah's Witnesses number in the millions, and are worthy of attention. Should bioethical deliberation consider dissidents' views? [297][298] Members are directed to refuse blood transfusions, even in "a life-or-death situation". [319], Sociologist James A. Beckford, in his 1975 study of Jehovah's Witnesses, classified the group's organizational structure as Totalizing, characterized by an assertive leadership, specific and narrow objectives, control over competing demands on members' time and energy, and control over the quality of new members. Preaching therefore accounts for the other half of baptisms. [17] They prefer to use their own Bible translation, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures,[18] although their literature occasionally quotes and cites other Bible translations. It will be interesting to monitor the numbers once Jehovah's Witnesses can freely congregate and preach again. Jehovah's Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which developed in the United States in the 1870s among followers of Christian restorationist minister Charles Taze Russell. Despite a population of over 4 billion people in Asia/Middle East, in excess of half the world population, the number of publishers increased by only 10,273 in 2016. . [307][308] Jehovah's Witnesses have established Hospital Liaison Committees as a cooperative arrangement between individual Jehovah's Witnesses and medical professionals and hospitals.[309][310]. [290] They do not salute or pledge allegiance to flags or sing national anthems or patriotic songs. Statistics show this does not hold true for Jehovah's Witnesses. However, they say it is possible for those who have been "anointed" to fall into unrepentant sin. However, partakers started to increase in 2006. There were around 6,000,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in 1995, during which time the global average birth rate was 22.4/1000. This graph highlights the low growth rate proportional to Average Publishers. 2 stars. Whilst tens of thousands become inactive each year, others start preaching again after a period of inactivity. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau states that their surveys sought to determine whether the respondents regarded themselves as adherents of a religious community, adding that the resulting figures are subjective rather than objective. By contrast, we count as Jehovahs Witnesses only those who preach to others and who report that activity, not those who merely identify themselves as Witnesses. [335] Hundreds of members were prosecuted for being members of an illegal organization. 1 star. The format of the meetings is established by the group's headquarters, and the subject matter for most meetings is the same worldwide. " (19401950)". [355] Similar cases in their favor have been heard in Canada.[356]. [291] Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as a worldwide brotherhood that transcends national boundaries and ethnic loyalties. [138] Doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses are established by the Governing Body, which assumes responsibility for interpreting and applying scripture. With so few reviews, your opinion of Jehovah's Witnesses could be huge. [427][428] In 2021, Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia agreed to join the nation's redress scheme for sexual assault survivors to maintain its charity status there.[429]. Opinions vary greatly as to whether the number baptised are mostly from the children of Jehovah's Witness families, or are converts. [317][318] The next lowest retention rates were for Buddhism at 50% and Catholicism at 68%. [217] Witnesses are assigned to a congregation in whose "territory" they usually reside and attend weekly services they refer to as "meetings" as scheduled by congregation elders. Detailed history of the Watch Tower movement, particularly its early years, a summary of Witness doctrines and the organizational and personal framework in which Witnesses conduct their lives. Like political candidates, Witnesses are perhaps best known for knocking doors and passing out brochures on street corners . In the year 2014, the 100th anniversary of when Watchtower claims Jesus took heavenly rulership, there were less leavers; maybe some doubters superstitiously remained in expectation the anniversary may herald in Armageddon. [82] Knorr's presidency was also marked by an increasing use of explicit instructions guiding Witnesses in their lifestyle and conduct, and a greater use of congregational judicial procedures to enforce a strict moral code. (1919-1941)", "1975The Appropriate Time for God to Act", "The '1975'-Prophecy and Its Impact Among Dutch Jehovah's Witnesses", "Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow So Rapidly: A Theoretical Application", "Jehovah's Witnesses Abandon Key Tenet: Doctrine: Sect has quietly retreated from prediction that those alive in 1914 would see end of world", "Overseers and Ministerial Servants Theocratically Appointed", "What Is the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses? As members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, we note with grave concern the increased repression of Jehovah's Witnesses in a number of countries. This continued to be the case in 2014, as shown in the graph from Religious Switching and Intermarriage. This free study edition of the New World Translation includes pictures, footnotes, cross-references, and additional study tools. Above all, we want to honor Jehovah, the God of the Bible and the Creator of all things. The following graph shows the number of baptisms started to drop from that time, whilst the number of people that stop preaching began to increase. There is also questions over the accuracy of the figures being reported by individuals. [217], Congregations meet for two sessions each week comprising four distinct meetings that total about three-and-a-half hours, typically gathering mid-week (two meetings) and on the weekend (two meetings). Start your review today. [198] It is said to have been the focal point of Jesus' ministry on earth. Both reports are added to February, creating an artificial spike. An extensive study into American religious groups identified Jehovah's Witnesses as having the highest turnover of any religion.1 This is supported by Watchtower's own figures, as presented here. The organization has received criticism regarding biblical translation, doctrines, and alleged coercion of its members. No. For instance, there were increases in publishers after the World Trade Centre disaster in Sep 11 2001, and after the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, as some inactive Jehovah's Witnesses are reinvigorated by Watchtower using tragedy as an indication Armageddon is immediately imminent. [24][25] Baptized individuals who formally leave are considered disassociated and are also shunned. Because we witness, or talk, about Jehovah God and his Kingdom, we are known as Jehovahs Witnesses. [78][79], Worldwide membership of Jehovah's Witnesses reached 113,624 in 5,323 congregations by the time of Rutherford's death in January 1942. Furthermore, whilst Jehovah's Witnesses have a high number that leave the religion, figures are not released that break down the age they do so, or whether it is before or after baptism. [357][358] The denomination does not tolerate dissent over doctrines and practices;[153][359][360] members who openly disagree with the group's teachings are expelled and shunned. In 2022, over 10,000 hours of preaching was required for a single baptism, and due to the number of Jehovah's Witnesses leaving or dying, it took 40,000 hours of preaching for the number of Jehovah's Witnesses to increase by just 1 person. Surprisingly, despite fear of Covid-19 being used as a sign of the Last Days, average publishers dropped in 2020 for the first time in over 40 years. [220], Twice each year, Witnesses from a number of congregations that form a "circuit" gather for a one-day assembly. It is not endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. I have taken into account an average death rate of around 0.85% per year, based on 5 yearly average information from cia.gov.au this century. Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for real Jehovah's Witnesses on the web. Total Hours Spent in Field: 1,669,901,531. Penton, professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge and a former member of the group, examines the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their doctrines. Then a final test will take place when Satan is released to mislead perfect mankind. Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses is located at 7 Creekview Rd, Willingboro, NJ 08046 During 2022, we conducted an average of 5,666,996 Bible studies each month, some of which were held with several individuals at the same time. [14][15][16], Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door-to-door preaching, distributing literature such as The Watchtower and Awake!, and for refusing military service and blood transfusions. [234][235] Baptized members who fail to report a month of preaching are termed "irregular" and may be counseled by elders;[236][237] those who do not submit reports for six consecutive months are termed "inactive". More significant is the number of hours required for an additional publisher. 3 stars. [192][193] During Christ's millennial reign, most people who died prior to Armageddon will be resurrected with the prospect of living forever; they will be taught the proper way to worship God to prepare them for their final test at the end of the millennium. Let's look at the deaths as a percentage. [331][332][333] Watch Tower Society literature of the period directed that Witnesses should "never seek a controversy" nor resist arrest, but also advised members not to co-operate with police officers or courts that ordered them to stop preaching, and to prefer jail rather than pay fines. The Americas have by far the highest saturation of Witnesses, with one witness for every 240 people in 2016. [323][324] It was also among the most ethnically diverse religious groups in the US. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. [62], From 1932, it was taught that the "little flock" of 144,000 would not be the only people to survive Armageddon. Whilst roughly one Bible study is conducted every month for each publisher, only a minute amount of these ever progress to baptism. The church's texts include the New World Translation of the Bible, The Watchtower magazine and Awake! Each Witness donates his time, energy, and resources to our worldwide work according to his own desire and circumstances.2Corinthians 9:7. Other characteristics of the classification include likelihood of friction with secular authorities, reluctance to co-operate with other religious organizations, a high rate of membership turnover, a low rate of doctrinal change, and strict uniformity of beliefs among members. [3] A leadership dispute after Russell's death resulted in several groups breaking away, with Joseph Franklin Rutherford retaining control of the Watch Tower Society and its properties. "[152][153], The entire Protestant canon of scripture is considered the inspired, inerrant word of God. By the 1910s, Russell's organization maintained nearly a hundred "pilgrims," or traveling preachers. To be considered one of Jehovah's Witnesses requires being a "publisher." [49], Russell moved the Watch Tower Society's headquarters to Brooklyn, New York, in 1909, combining printing and corporate offices with a house of worship; volunteers were housed in a nearby residence he named Bethel. They remain politically neutral, do not seek public office, and are discouraged from voting, though individual members may participate in uncontroversial community improvement issues. [360][361][362][363] It also warns members to "avoid independent thinking", claiming such thinking "was introduced by Satan the Devil"[364][365] and would "cause division". This fell to 1.32% in 2019, hardly more than the world's population growth rate of around 1.05%. The phone number for Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses is (609) 877-8047. [158], Regular personal Bible reading is frequently recommended. Africa has about half the rate of Witnesses of Europe, which follows on from Africa being fairly evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Women make up 65% in comparison to men at 35%. Learn about our meetings. [10], The group emerged from the Bible Student movement founded in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell, who also co-founded Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1881 to organize and print the movement's publications. Get a summary of 15 of our basic beliefs. [253][254] A judicial committee is formed to provide spiritual guidance and determine guilt. [8][9] They believe that the destruction of the present world system at Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom over the earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity. I expect that the number of publishers will stagnate and then begin to slowly fall. [379] He also states that defectors "are seldom allowed a dignified exit",[260] and describes the administration as autocratic. In the 15 years from 1997 to 2011, the number of hours preaching required per baptism increased from 3000 to 6000, an increase of 100%. [288], They do not work in industries associated with the military, do not serve in the armed services,[289] and refuse national military service, which in some countries may result in their arrest and imprisonment. This can lead to the subject being disfellowshipped. Only 37% of all those who say they were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses still identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses." Branch in WallKill, New York, provided a statement to USA TODAY, saying the organization "care (s) deeply about children" and always tries to follow the. First Baptist Church of . There is one figure Jehovah's Witnesses expected to decrease each year - the number of partakers, since the 144,000 was thought to have all been chosen by 1935. The following statistical information has been used in the estimation of some figures above: [203] They consider all other present-day religions to be false, identifying them with "Babylon the Great", or the "harlot", of Revelation17,[204] and believe that they will soon be destroyed by the United Nations, which they believe is represented in scripture by the scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation chapter 17. There has been a significant increase in older age groups, showing that Jehovah's Witnesses are ageing, without being replaced at the same rate by younger converts. This article summarizes our basic beliefs. [282][283] Although they do not take part in politics, they respect the authority of the governments under which they live. Near Me. [77], As their interpretations of the Bible evolved, Witness publications decreed that saluting national flags is a form of idolatry, which led to a new outbreak of mob violence and government opposition in the United States, Canada, Germany, and other countries. "Jehovah's Witnesses." In The Holocaust, 1933-1945, 128-137. This indicates that in times of uncertainty inactive Witnesses are reinvigorated to start preaching again, potentially out of fear Armageddon is imminent. [54][55] The divisions between his supporters and opponents triggered a major turnover of members over the next decade. These are all traditionally Christian Continents and it becomes immediately apparent that the success of Jehovahs Witnesses is dependant on the success of Christianity before it. [156] They consider the Bible to be the final authority for all their beliefs. [62] At an international convention held at Cedar Point, Ohio, in September 1922, a new emphasis was made on house-to-house preaching. Based on fresh research into original documents of the era. The negative numbers in some years indicate that a net rejuvenation of publishers, as some that stopped publishing in previous years start to report again. The number leaving rose to over 50,000 again in 2015, and no doubt will continue to rise over coming years. Matthew 28:19, 20 identifies three steps. People Also Viewed. [254] Witness publications strongly discourage followers from questioning doctrine and counsel received from the Governing Body, reasoning that it is to be trusted as part of "God's organization". Browse Nearby. For example, if a publisher forgets to report in January and lodges their January and February reports at the end of February, the January report is not adjusted. How Many of Jehovahs Witnesses Are There Worldwide? https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/502016131/univ/art/502016131_univ_sqr_xl.jpg. Detailed history of the Watch Tower movement's earliest years written to an academic standard. The Jehovah's Witnesses U.S. [391][392], Watch Tower Society publications have claimed that God has used Jehovah's Witnesses (and formerly, the International Bible Students) to declare his will[393][394] and has provided advance knowledge about Armageddon and the establishment of God's kingdom. The following graph highlights the consequence of the slowing growth rate of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses have an active presence in most countries, but do not form a large part of the population of any country. [61], Rutherford centralized organizational control of the Watch Tower Society. [414], A former member of the headquarters staff, Barbara Anderson, says the policy effectively requires that there be another witness to an act of molestation, "which is an impossibility". We do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to be called Christians. Congregational roles such as ministerial servants and elders are exclusively male positions. [357], Various Bible scholars, including Bruce M. Metzger[380] and MacLean Gilmour,[381] have said that while scholarship is evident in New World Translation, its rendering of certain texts is inaccurate and biased in favor of Witness practices and doctrines. [94] In 2001 Newsday listed the Watch Tower Society as one of New York's forty richest corporations, with revenues exceeding $950million. For example, the 2015 service year ran from September 1, 2014, through August31, 2015. [5] For the same year, they reported over 1.5billion hours spent in preaching activity, and conducted Bible studies with more than 5.7million individuals (including those conducted by Witness parents with their children[311][312]). [33] In 1876, Russell met Nelson H. Barbour. [205][206], Satan will subsequently use world governments to attack Jehovah's Witnesses, an action that will prompt God to begin the war of Armageddon, during which all forms of government and all people not counted as Christ's "sheep" will be destroyed. The most dramatic change has been the number of hours of preaching required to gain a new member. [186], Jehovah's Witnesses believe death is a state of non-existence with no consciousness. First to Review. [243] Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation. We count as Jehovahs Witnesses only those who are actively preaching the good news of Gods Kingdom each month. [5] Their official statistics indicate membership according to various territorieswhich they refer to as "lands"many of which are not independent countries. [207] Most of those who had died before God's intervention will gradually be resurrected during the thousand year "judgment day". (w92 7/1 p.19), of which only one third get reinstated. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Once the crises fades from memory, these weak individuals soon became inactive again. [246][247], 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". [210][211], Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ began to rule in heaven as king of God's kingdom in October 1914, and that Satan was subsequently ousted from heaven to the earth, resulting in "woe" to humanity. . Their policies for handling cases of child sexual abuse have been the subject of various formal inquiries. Therefore, over 1.3 million Jehovah's Witnesses were disfellowshipped during the 30 year period from 1991 to 2020. Call Patrick for a FREE DEMO (877) 322-5478 Share with your friends. [336] Jehovah's Witnesses were interned in camps along with political dissidents and people of Chinese and Japanese descent. [154] Jehovah's Witnesses consider the Bible to be scientifically and historically accurate and reliable[155] and interpret much of it literally, but accept parts of it as symbolic. Currents Shaping Our World: Switched after Birth (ctlibrary.com 1 Jul 2003) PRIVACY SETTINGS, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/1011231/univ/art/1011231_univ_sqr_xl.jpg. The following graphs compare 5 year time-frames, showing that over half a million Jehovah's Witnesses leave every five years, more than half the number baptised. [40], From 1879, Watch Tower supporters gathered as autonomous congregations to study the Bible topically. | Although we do not include such ones in the number of Witnesses, we welcome them in our congregations. Assuming Witnesses have about the same birth rate as the global average, the estimated number of Witness children born is therefore 134,400. A statistic of note is that the average age of Jehovah's Witnesses is increasing. [329][330] Harrison, Schnell and Whalen have suggested Rutherford invited and cultivated opposition for publicity purposes in a bid to attract dispossessed members of society, and to convince members that persecution from the outside world was evidence of the truth of their struggle to serve God. [88][89] The number of baptisms increased significantly, from about 59,000 in 1966 to more than 297,000 in 1974. [201][202], A central teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses is that the current world era, or "system of things", entered the "last days" in 1914 and faces imminent destruction through intervention by God and Jesus Christ, leading to deliverance for those who worship God acceptably. Witnesses are discouraged from formulating doctrines and "private ideas" reached through Bible research independent of Watch Tower Society publications, and are cautioned against reading other religious literature. If only active Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved, then 2 Peter 3:9 and Watchtower comments about God's patience do not make sense. Other nations like Colombia, Argentina and . Use one of the following options to contact Jehovahs Witnesses in your area. How Many of Jehovahs Witnesses Are There Worldwide? Furthermore, not all children raised as Jehovah's Witnesses get baptised. Jehovah's Witnesses' official statistics only count as members those who submit reports for preaching activity, usually resulting in lower membership numbers than those found by external surveys. These graphs show this category has seen significant increase since 1995. [255] Disfellowshipping, a form of shunning, is the strongest form of discipline, administered to an offender deemed unrepentant. (Matthew 24:14) This includes those who have been baptized as Witnesses as well as those who, though not yet baptized, qualify to share in the preaching work. The 30 known Jehovah's Witnesses are 1- Michael Jackson Known as the"King of Pop", he was raised in the faith of the Jehovah's Witnesses. An Ancient Manuscript Supports Gods Name. [337] Jehovah's Witnesses faced discrimination in Quebec until the Quiet Revolution, including bans on distributing literature or holding meetings. [63] Significant changes in doctrine and administration were regularly introduced during Rutherford's twenty-five years as president, including the 1920 announcement that the Hebrew patriarchs (such as Abraham and Isaac) would be resurrected in 1925, marking the beginning of Christ's thousand-year earthly kingdom. This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 22:33. Use one of the following options to contact Jehovah's Witnesses in your area. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RARE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PROGRAM "MINT" NOT PRINTED BY WATCHTOWER EDMONTON at the best online prices at eBay! Baptisms are less than half what they were in the 1990s, when compared as a percentage to average publishers. Traveling overseers appoint local elders and ministerial servants, while branch offices may appoint regional committees for matters such as Kingdom Hall construction or disaster relief. [242] Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. There are occasional spikes in publisher growth, such as in 2002, following the 2001 World Trade Centre disaster, and in 2009 as response to the global financial crisis (GFC). It will take major change in Watchtower teachings and practices to turn this trend of declining growth around. "[398][en 6] With these interpretations, Jehovah's Witnesses' publications have made various predictions about world events they believe were prophesied in the Bible. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.717 To be conservative, from the figures above we can estimate that by the end of the first century there were at least 65,000 Christians and in 1935 there were 52,000 Anointed Watchtower followers. Under certain circumstances, such as chronic and debilitating illness, members may report increments of 15 minutes. They also believe that human governments are controlled by Satan,[185] but that he does not directly control each human ruler. Discuss a Bible question, or learn more about Jehovahs Witnesses. (D 804.3 .H646 2003) [ Find in a library near you] Presents a debate on the Witnesses' commitment to neutrality as a response to Nazi tyranny. This is volume one of a planned two volume work. [249] Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the denomination terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are accepted as grounds for legal separation. Jehovah's Witnesses have distinct beliefs other than those of mainstream Christianity. Jehovah's Witnesses still insist that 144,000 is the limit to the number of people who will reign with Christ in heaven and spend eternity with God. [114] The leadership and supporting staff lives in properties owned by the organization worldwide referred to as "Bethel" where they operate as a religious community and administrative unit. Publisher, only a minute amount of these ever progress to baptism questions over the accuracy the. They consider the Bible, the God of the Bible topically every month for publisher. Witnesses requires being a `` publisher. presence in most countries, but not. Of Witness children born is therefore 134,400 volume work circumstances, such as chronic and debilitating illness members! [ 40 ], Rutherford centralized organizational control of the era half the rate of Witnesses, we known... Actively preaching the good news of Gods Kingdom each month [ 323 ] [ 324 ] was! 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Circumstances, such as ministerial servants and elders are exclusively male positions fresh into. Reported by individuals has seen significant increase since 1995 prosecuted for being members of an illegal organization they jointly the. Weak individuals soon became inactive again % in 2019, hardly more than 297,000 in 1974 received!