is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstreamChristianity.[2] The organization reports worldwide membership of over 7.78 million adherents involved in evangelism,[3] convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual Memorial attendance of over 19 million.[4][5] They are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah 's Witnesses, a group of elders in Brooklyn, New York, that establishes all doctrines.[6][7][8] Jehovah 's Witnesses ' beliefs are based on their interpretations of the Bible[9][10] and they prefer to use their own translation, the New …show more content…
Christ returned invisibly and fought with Satan in a heavenly battle. He was victorious, and now rules the Heavenly Kingdom. Satan was expelled to earth, and his influence was seen in the world wars that followed. The Watchtower website offers several quoted comments noting that the world changed in 1914.
1916 - Death of Russell, Joseph Rutherford took over as the Society 's second president
1931 - Began calling themselves Jehovah 's Witnesses (formerly "Bible Students")
"To distinguish themselves from the denominations of Christendom, in 1931 these Christians embraced the name Jehovah 's Witnesses. This name is based on Isaiah 43:10-12." http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm"Their Modern Development and Growth"
1940 - Banned in Canada
1938-55 - Won 36 out of 45 religion-related court cases- contributed to religious freedom in the US
THE FOUNDERS: (1872)- founded on *Charles Taze Russell –[ February 16, 1852- Oct 31, 1916 ]the son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell. He had great difficulty in dealing with the doctrine of eternal hell fire and in his studies came to deny not only eternal punishment, but also the Trinity, and the deity of Christ and the Holy …show more content…
It is intended both as a resource for Witnesses and as a tract to hand out to non-Witnesses. The back cover of all issues provides this offer:
Awake!
another semimonthly journal of about 30 pages published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. The Office of Public Information of Jehovah 's Witnesses describes it as "a general-interest newsmagazine with a religious slant."
->published for the enlightenment of the entire family. It shows how to cope with today 's problems. It reports the news, tells about people in many lands, examines religion and science. But it does more. It probes beneath the surface and points to the real meaning behind current events, yet it always stays politically neutral and does not exalt one race over another. Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator 's promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things
SACRED NARRATIVES :
The most distinctive of the Witnesses ' sacred stories is the one concerning the Battle of Armageddon, which the Witnesses call Har-magedon. This great cosmic battle began in heaven in 1914, and its conclusion is very