Jehovah's Witnesses - Jehovah's Witnesses

Like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians whose beliefs are significantly different from those of other Christians.  Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, which publishes religious magazines as well as their own translation of the Bible.  In addition to their distinct theology, one of their most salient characteristics is spreading their faith primarily by visiting people at their homes. 

Bible Students

A group known as the Bible Students was founded by Charles Taze Russell in the 1870s, rooted in the theology of the Second Adventist religious movement.  Nevertheless, Russell’s group began to have a distinct theology, with Russell even breaking from his theological partner, Nelson Barbour.  Russell began publishing Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, which has been continuously published since 1879 and is now simply known as The Watchtower.  He also formed the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society three years later. 

The group was known as the Bible Students until 1931, when they decided to call themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses instead.  Many changes had come during the time, including frequently revised dates for Jesus Christ’s return and the end of the world as we know it to be replaced by a world ruled by Christ.  The practice of door to door preaching wasn’t established until 1922.  Nevertheless, the theology of Jehovah’s Witnesses remains rooted in the religious thoughts of Russell. 

Beliefs

Russell and his followers specifically rejected a number of doctrines of traditional Christian Churches, including the doctrine of the Trinity and the idea of Hell.  Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the God has a proper name, which in English is Jehovah.  They believe that Jehovah had a son, who is known as Jesus Christ.  They believe that Jesus was born before the rest of creation.  Finally, they believe that the Holy Spirit is not a separate entity but is simply the force of Jehovah’s will and power.  In addition, they consider that someone who is dead ceases to be, but may be resurrected and granted eternal life.  They believe the wicked will simply remain dead rather than spending eternity in Hell.

Jehovah’s Witnesses firmly believe that the end times began in 1914 with the return of Jesus Christ as the ruler in heaven and that the final Armageddon is imminent – indeed, the exact date has been predicted and revised multiple times, with the organization finally deciding that it will be soon without making any more exact predictions.  They believe that all human governments, all false religions, and all wicked people will be destroyed in the Armageddon, with only the believers surviving into the new Earth ruled by Christ with the opportunity to live eternally on an earthly paradise.  They also believe that 144,000 specially selected Christians are guaranteed eternal life and will rule over mankind along with Christ.