Background of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Religions are a set of beliefs and practices that is followed by groups of people that is developed around a common belief of a God or Gods. It is a system of faith and worship and can be considered as a cultural and social system that influences the behavior, worldviews, practices, ethics and ideologies of the people. Religions exist in several diversities in its belief in Gods and in diverse religious practices (Kadar et al., 2015; Malinowski, 2014).
Jehovah’s Witnesses is a distinct fraction within Christianity that is based upon millenarianism, restorationism and nontrinitarian ideologies. This implies that Jehovah’s Witnesses focuses on bringing upon major transformations in the society through several inherent beliefs, restoring Christianity to its primitive, ancient or ‘purer’ form and rejects the mainstream Christian belief of the ‘holy trinity’ (Penton, 2015). They follow the Christian Doctrines that was developed and followed in the first century AD, and considers the Bible as a historical, literary and scientific document and it serves as the supreme authority over which the belief system of the religion is developed upon. The religion developed in the United States in 1870 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Knox, 2017; Garcia et al., 2017).
The aim of this report is to provide a socio-historical analysis of Jehovah’s Witnesses in which the background of the religion would be discussed. Next the sociology of religion perspective would be used to analyze the religion to understand how it can influence the society. The impact of the religion on the American society would be discussed next where academic literature would be reviewed using an annotated bibliography to develop an understanding on how the religion has affected the American Society and finally, the world views of Jehovah’s Witnesses would be compared to that of Christianity’s to understand how they are similar or different.
Unlike Christianity as a whole, Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded relatively recently in the 1800, just 40 years after the advent of Mormonism. The founder of the belief, John Taze Russell was a Biblical scholar who has his unique interpretation of the Bible. Supporters of Russell would hold meetings to read and discuss the Bible and they eventually became a small religious belief. After Russell’s death the group was taken over by former judge Rutherford. His failed predictions, including that of the Biblical Abraham and Isaac, forced a split between the ministries in 1931. The remaining group was led by Rutherford and renamed the Jehovah’s Witness, operating mostly in Brooklyn, New York (Knox, 2017).
Sociology of religion perspective on Jehovah’s Witnesses
While studying the Bible in 1870, Russell contradicted many of the core beliefs of Christianity such as the immortal soul, hell, destiny, holy sacrament, trinity and the end of the world prophecies. In 1976, Russell along with Nelson Harbour precedes a book called the ‘Three Worlds’ that focused on a primitive and orthodox interpretation of the end of the world prophecies (Chryssides, 2016). According to the book, the God dealt with humanity in a dispentionalist manner (intervening according to the ages or time periods) with each period ending with a ‘harvest’. It also proposed that in 1874 Jesus Christ returned to earth in a spiritual form thereby marking the ‘Gentile’ period which would end on 1914. He also published a magazine called the Watch Tower which amassed significant supporters who later congregated to form the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York in 1909 (Penton, 2015).
Today, the group claims to have roughly adherents worldwide although people know little about its unique religious views. In his study of the movement, sociologist Beckford, identified the totalizing structure of the group’s organization. The group is characterized by narrow objectives, firm leadership and control over new membership (Beckford 2014). Jehovah’s Witness do not co-operate with other religious associations although it is ranked among one of the most diverse (ethnically and racially) religious groups in the US (Hunt, 2017).
Jehovah’s Witnesses aimed to return Christianity to its ancient origins, through an orthodox interpretation of the Bible. At its central focus was the refinement of morals and the belief that the Christian Morality was not on the right path and hence weak thus requiring amendments to return to its strong origins. This aspect can be reflected through the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche who criticized Christianity to be of weak morality (Nietzsche, 2017). The religion also incorporates a system of ‘totems and taboos’, focusing on individual salvation and the development of a moral community which was outlined by the Elementary Forms of Religious life by Emile Durkheim (Durkheim, 2018).
The practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses hold oppositions with the laws and lifestyle of the American society (Penton 2016). The group discourages inter-religious collaborations, homosexuality, abortion, divorce and even prohibits blood transfusions as they are considered a violation of God’s will (Chrysides 2015). Some extremities in practices have forced governmental intrusion and opposition from several religious groups and communities working in public interest. The organization have faced various legal challenges that included jurisdictive protections for civil rights, state interference for public welfare and reported cases of sexual abuse. Despite the controversies, the belief finds itself as one of the top recognized and practiced religions in the United States (West 2014).
Impact of Jehovah’s Witnesses on American society
The teaching of Jehovah’s Witness on Christ is that Jesus is the Son of God and he was the first creation of God. The belief preaches Jesus’ functions and duties towards God Jehovah, who (Jesus) before being born as a human being resided in heaven. Jesus treaded his path as a mortal and became Christ only after being baptized. Jehovah’s Witness hold the considers the cross to be obsolete and contemptuous feeling that it is merely a pagan symbol. The belief presents a Christian worldview with strayed ideas (Gedicks. & Annicchino, 2014)
According to the authors, religious beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses enforce rejection of blood products (heterogenic) and that resulted to increased mortality rate among followers. Jehovah’s Witness patients are therefore suffering high-risk during cardiac surgeries as they refuse transfusion.
In this source the author has opted for generating the insight into the religious issues in the American society. The concept of the religious pluralism has been addressed in this book. It has become a wide and vast matter in the periphery of discussing the religion. The religious pluralism and diversity has become very connected and linked issues in the sociological aspects. The clarity of the conception is very much needed and the issues are very complex as well. There are some legal and cultural issues associated with that as well. The religious pluralism comes with the religious diversity as well.
In this source, the author has depicted the various issues of religiousness in Christianity. The Adventism of the nineteenth century has been a very important matter of concern over the last few years indeed. This movement has been spreading all over the world including United States of America as well. This is believed to be a new religious movement and the entire American society has been moved by it. The theological underpinnings of this religious movement have been discussed in this source properly. The common beliefs of the religion have been addressed in this book as well. The contemporary religion has been looked after with its impression on the USA society.
In this book source, the author has depicted the various issues and beliefs of the human beings on the notions of Christian religion and the matter of Jehovah. The various issues that have been discussed and viewed in this book are that of the Evangelicals and the Anglo-American tradition of the protestant Christianity. The difference between the Catholic Christianity and Protestant Christianity has been discussed in this book sincerely. The different doctrines of theology relating to that of the Apocalypse have been discussed so that its impression on the American society can be understood. The American history during the nineteenth and twentieth century is very important indeed.
Annotated bibliography of academic literature on Jehovah’s Witnesses in the U.S.
This source deals with the several issues in dealing with blood and blood products in Christianity. The witnesses of Jehovah will have to be treated properly and in the proper ethical manner as well. This will ensure that these patients will have to be treated by keeping in mind the norms and the ethics. It has been observed that the witnesses of Jehovah have changed their stance on the transfusion of blood. This is very much engaging with the American society and its contacts with the Christian religion. The respect for the autonomy will have to be given as well. This will surely be helpful for the common people as well.
The authors in this book have discussed about the sociological aspects of Christianity and their impressions on the society of USA. The relationship between the sociological aspects and Christianity is huge. This is why the people are much concerned about maintaining and abiding all the things that are told in the Christian religion. The priests of the Churches in USA have thrived to maintain the different ideologies in the religion. This is how they will attain the spiritual achievements indeed. The different Christian ideas have severely impacted on the society of USA. The USA society ideas will surely have impacts on Christian religion as well.
In this book, the author has portrayed his view on the contemporary religious movements that have taken place in USA. The various missions on evangelism have been discussed in this context along with its impacts on the contemporary USA. The conversion of the people in the country has been discussed here as well and the ways the Witnesses of Jehovah have maintained their relationships with world outside the religious world. The Watch Tower Society has been extremely important in this regard as well. This is how the Christian worldviews have been in line with the religious society of USA.
The different religious cults in America have been discussed in this book as well. Christianity has been a very integral issue in the society of USA. This is why these interpretations have been given on how the different religious movements can be managed within the country. Another important controversy in the depiction of the Christian issues is that of the neophyte issues. The different ministries of Christianity have always questioned about the various issues like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons. The cult-related violence has also been discussed here as well.
Comparison of world views between Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christianity
This source deals with the different issues in the religious matters that are raised within the perspectives of the USA society. There are certain elements or components in the contemporary religions like the Cults, Sects, New Religious Movements and others. The world history has been largely impacted indeed. The beliefs and practices have been discussed in the best ways for the welfare of the common people. Some of the very important issues like the Fundamentalism, Pentecostalism and Ethnic Religions. The global cultures have been discussed as well. The discussion on the alternative religions has been made in this section as well.
The author of this source book has discussed about the several things about the impact of the Christian religion on the society. The Christian religion has spread worldwide across decades and centuries. The global cultures have been impacted by this as well. The different societies and communities will be engaged in the different situations regarding the religious issues of Christianity as well. The teachings of the folk religions and their impacts on the global culture have been highlighted all through this book. The international links regarding Christianity have been discussed over and over again. Thus the Christian religion has grown over time as well.
The authors of this book have discussed about the several factors about the Christian religion and the issues that have been created around the world. The topic of socialization has been discussed widely as well. The socialistic traditions have been highlighted and the most important factors are reviewed. The freedom of the human minds is very much important since the global cultures always speak of the integrity among the religions. The impact of the Christian religion has been very much important since the American culture is mixed with the global cultures. The religious communities have been the parts of assimilation into the American culture in the big ways.
From the above discourse of the socio-historical origins and the impact of Jehovah’s witnesses on the society, it can be understood that their worldviews differ significantly from the Christian worldviews, even though the religion initially sprung as a part of Christian religion, and based on early Christian ideologies (Penton, 2015; Knox, 2017). The key differences between these two religions lie in the following aspects or beliefs:
Unlike in the mainstream Christian belief, Jehovah’s witnesses do not subscribe to the idea of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is the belief of The Father, The Son (Jesus Christ) and The Holy Ghost. The belief implies that God exists in these three forms that are as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as a triad of consubstantial and coeternal forms. According to the Jehovah’s witnesses, Jesus Christ was actually the archangel Saint Michael, while the Holy Spirit being the ‘impersonal force’ and not actually the God. This implies that Jesus was never created but always existed like the God, and thus was God himself (Barnett, 2015).
Jehovah’s Witnesses also do not believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in a Flesh and Blood (or human) form to save humanity from its sins. Thus they also do not believe that Christ was crucified and the holy symbolism of the crucifix. According to them, the crucifix is a pagan symbol, and the human form of Christ never existed. This is quite different from the mainstream Christian belief that God sent Jesus Christ to earth in a human form in order to salvage humanity from its sins, and that the Crucifix stands as the symbol of sacrifice made by Jesus Christ and essentially his embodiment and a sacred and powerful symbol of Christianity (Penton, 2015).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is another belief not ascribed to by the Jehovah’s witnesses. According to them, Jesus was given a spiritual form after his death as a spiritual creature and his physical form was destroyed by God himself. This was in sharp contradiction to the Christian belief that after 3 days of Christ’s death, he was resurrected in his bodily form inside his tomb. The Jehovah’s witnesses believes that after death, the true believers also would be resurrected in their spiritual embodiments and enter into the heavens (Merrill et al., 2015).
It is believed by the Jehovah’s witnesses that only 144,000 people (the Jehovah’s Witnesses) would enter the heaven upon their death. Additionally, most of the 144,000 people have already entered heaven and the rest of the witnesses can inherit the earth but not reach the heaven. This is based on the belief that only 144,000 chosen people can enter the heaven. These 144,000 people refer to the descendants of the 12,000 Jews that witnessed the death of Christ who represented the 12 important tribes. According to their belief, these 12000 people were the first to accept Christ as their true messiah. This is different from the Christian belief that implies that anyone who has undergone Baptism can enter the Heaven and that the heaven remains open for all pious Christian souls (Penton, 2015; Knox, 2018).
Jehovah’s Witnesses also does not believe in the literal interpretation of Hell. According to the Christian Belief, Hell is a place of eternal damnation that is full of fire, brimstone and eternal suffering and every evil and unsaved (or anabaptized) soul are cast there as an eternal purgatory and torment. According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hell is too cruel a place to be made by the God and instead considers that ‘hell’ is actually the grave where people are buried after death and that all evil doers would only cease to be after death instead of being reincarnated or being sent to hell for eternal damnation (Knox, 2018; Knox, 2017).
Conclusion:
Religion can be understood as a set of beliefs and practices that is followed by a group of people and is based upon their common belief on a deity or deities. It involves a set of faith, practice, worship which creates a socio-cultural construct that affects the behavior, worldviews, actions and moral standards of the people (such as ethics). Different religions are based upon differences in such aspects of belief and practice. Two such religions that have been discussed in this report include Christianity and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses is a religious fraction of Christianity, and it developed from a primitive and restorative interpretation of the Bible, incorporating millenariarist approach towards the development of the society to the true words of the God and returning Christianity to its early roots. Through the analysis of Jehovah’s Witnesses and incorporating the sociology of religion perspectives, the impact of this religion on the American Society has been analyzed. Through the study of literature, it could be identified that Jehovah’s Witnesses followed a totalitarian structure with orthodox and narrow perspectives of the world, a strong leadership that controlled every aspect of the religion. Moreover, the religion does not accept or acknowledge other religious beliefs and rejects all of them. The religion is also opposed to inter-religious collaborations, abortion, homosexuality or divorce. Such orthodox and extremist ideologies have also attracted legal problems for the followers of the religion and public welfare concerns. The orthodox beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses adversely affect their wellbeing after surgeries as they reject blood transfusions on religious grounds. The religion incorporates a pluralist aspect to the religions followed by Americans. This has also challenged the Christian ideologies endorsed by the Church, thereby creating a separation between these two religions and gave rise to many religious movements across the country. The worldviews of the Jehovah’s witnesses differs from the Christian worldviews in that it does not support the beliefs of the Holy Trinity, The sacrifice of Christ for the sins of humanity, his resurrection in Human form, the sacredness of the Crucifix, and the concept of hell. The religion also considers that only a selected few (144,000 witnesses) can only enter the heaven and the rest would inherit the earth. This shows Jehovah’s Witness to be a significantly different religion compared to Christianity¸ even through it branched from it.
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