It would result in the final conflict between God and the Devil—the forces of good and the forces of evil—in which God would be victorious. This conflict is known to Witnesses as the battle of Armageddon, and just about everything the Witnesses teach centers around this doctrine.
Rutherford, born in , he never was a real judge, but took the title because, as an attorney, he substituted at least once for an absent judge. As an organizer, he equipped missionaries with portable phonographs, which they took door to door along with records of Rutherford.
He displayed a marked hatred for Catholicism on his radio program and in the pamphlets he wrote. Rutherford said that in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets would return to Earth, and for them he prepared a mansion named Beth Sarim in San Diego, California.
He moved into this mansion where he died in The Watchtower Society quietly sold Beth Sarim years later to cover up an embarrassing moment in their history, namely another failed prophecy. Rutherford was succeeded by Nathan Homer Knorr, who was born in and died in Knorr got rid of the phonographs and insisted that the missionaries be trained in door-to-door evangelism techniques.
Since the Bible, as preserved through the centuries, did not support the peculiar doctrines of the Witnesses, Knorr chose an anonymous committee to produce the New World Translation. By means of former Witnesses, the names of the five members of the translation committee eventually came to light.
Four of the five members completely lacked credentials as Bible translators, and the fifth studied non-biblical Greek for only about two years. Witnesses believe that Adam was created in B. Simple arithmetic gives as the year Armageddon would arrive.
Franz said that it was months—even years. But, following a literal interpretation of the number mentioned in Revelation, chapters 7 and 14, only , are among the elect. They will go to heaven as spirit persons without resurrected bodies.
The unsaved will cease to exist at all, having been annihilated by Jehovah. Franz was succeeded as president of the Watchtower in by Milton Henschel, who has continued the aggressive evangelization tactics of his predecessors. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is not equal with God.
They teach that Jesus was created by God and not coexistent wth Him. This, of course, is a major diversion from orthodox Christianity. The instead believe the Holy Spirit is a force applied by God. They claim that the Holy Spirit is "impersonal": "By referring to God's spirit as his 'hands,' 'fingers,' or 'breath,' the Bible shows that the holy spirit is not a person.
Exodus , 10 A craftsman's hands cannot function independent of his mind and body; likewise, God's holy spirit operates only as he directs it. Luke The Bible also compares God's spirit to water and associates it with such things as faith and knowledge. These comparisons all point to the impersonal nature of the holy spirit. Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas or Easter, which makes sense when you remember that they don't believe Jesus is equal to God.
They also don't celebrate other national holidays or birthdays in an attempt to remain separate from the world. Jehovah's Witnesses try to remain politically neutral. They don't believe in serving in politics or in the military, mainly as another way for them to distance themselves from the culture.
Instead, they emphasize citizenship in God's heavenly kingdom. We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments.
We believe that the Bible gives solid reasons for following this course," states JW. Jehovah's Witnesses hold the controversial view of rejecting blood transfusions, even in life or death situations. Recently, Russia banned Jehovah's Witnesses and this issue was one of the reasons stated for their doing so. For example, we don't accept blood transfusions because the Bible forbids taking in blood to sustain the body.
Acts Likewise, the Bible prohibits health treatments or procedures that include occult practices. There are reportedly 8. They are also known for their evangelical work going door-to-door attempting to make converts. Former "American Idol" finalist Chris Daughtry abruptly flew home to Nashville on Friday after learning his year-old stepdaughter Hannah Daughtry had been found dead, according to reports. World champion Lewis Hamilton on Friday dominated qualifying at the Brazil Grand Prix but then found himself facing demotion to the back of the grid for Saturday's sprint race after Mercedes were placed under investigation for a potential breach of technical rules.
Daughtry and his band released a statement revealing the heartbreaking news Friday night. British Broadcasting Corporation Home. The history and founding of the Jehovah's Witnesses movement, including all its leaders since Charles Taze Russell first founded the Zion's Watch Tower magazine.
It was organised by Charles Taze Russell , who came from a Presbyterian family in Pittsburgh. He was fascinated by religion from his school days, and discovered Adventist beliefs when he was In Russell was introduced to the idea that Christ had returned invisibly to earth in , and soon decided to devote his life to faith. He started Bible study groups and a religious publishing company.
The group continued to preach, convert and publish its magazine and as the membership rose it expanded into neighbouring states. By there were scores of congregations around the United States and the following year the Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society was formed.
In it was incorporated, with Russell as president, and the name was eventually changed to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.
In the Witnesses published Poems and Hymns of the Millennial Dawn which included over hymns and a number of poems. By the work had become international, and the society's headquarters were moved to its present location in Brooklyn, New York. Printed sermons were syndicated in newspapers, and by these were being printed in four languages in 3, newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Russell predicted that the anointed would be called to heaven by , although he later amended this date. Rutherford made big changes in the organisation's staff and certain changes to its doctrines.
This led some followers to split from the movement and form their own groups. Rutherford and seven of his colleagues were sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to promote draft evasion during a time of war. The convictions were overturned a year later, but the experience hardened Rutherford's heart against public institutions and he referred to politics, commerce, and religion as "the three chief instruments of the Devil".
Rutherford thought deeply about a key passage in Romans 13, and concluded that the proper interpretation of the passage no longer required Witnesses to cooperate with secular law unless those laws were in accordance with God's laws. The relationship between the Witnesses and the civil authorities deteriorated further as a result.
This downgraded democratic elections as a way of choosing local elders, and brought in a highly centralised structure, obedience to which was considered obedience to God.
Rutherford focussed the movement on missionary work, and soon every member who wanted to keep their status had to take part in visiting non-members to try and convert them.
In , to reflect its greater emphasis on the public witness of missionary work, the movement adopted the title "Jehovah's Witnesses". The Nazis were very hostile to the Witnesses, and punished them under conscription and other laws.
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