World Religion Research Paper
The religion that I would like to talk about and study more in depth is The Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses are members of a Christian-based religious movement. There denomination was founded in the USA towards the end of the 19th century, under the leadership of Charles Taze Russell, a Pennsylvania businessman (religionfacts.com). Russell's Adventist background and study of the Bible led him to conclude, among other things, that the second coming of Christ would occur in 1914. That Hellfire did not exist, and God was not a Trinity. Today, there are 6.4 million practicing Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide. Witnesses are very active in evangelism and missions, both in the group's original home of the United States and throughout the world. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate any traditional Christian holidays, and do not celebrate birthdays. They believe that these festivals are based on (or massively contaminated by) pagan customs and religions. They point out that Jesus did not ask his followers to mark his birthday. Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to Russell's teachings on Hell and the Trinity and emphasize the immanent End Times, clean and moral living, the equality of all races, and adherence to the teachings of the Bible. They reject blood transfusions because of the New Testament command to "abstain from blood" and do not vote or serve in the military. Witnesses reject the symbol of the cross. The church is strongly millennial and believes that humanity is now in the 'last days' and that the final battle between good and evil will happen soon. “Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as a worldwide brotherhood that transcends national boundaries and national and ethnic loyalties” (Watchtower.org). Like many reforming churches, the Witnesses base their lives and beliefs on the example of the early Christian Church and the words of the Bible. They base their beliefs solely on the principles found in the Holy Bible and view first-century Christianity as