In their simplest form, Jehovah’s Witnesses “strive to adhere to the form of Christianity that Jesus taught and that his apostles practiced” (“Jehovah’s Witnesses…”). Everyone knows of Jehovah’s Witnesses, for they are one of your friends or they have stopped by your door, but how many people know their true beliefs? Part of understanding their stray from Christianity, as well as their global influence, it is essential to learn about the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses account for roughly 1% of US adults and are among the most racially diverse religious groups in America (Carter). While they have a small presence in the US, they have millions of followers around the world. Jehovah’s Witnesses had a rocky upbringing, but
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He was born in 1852 and grew up near what is now Pittsburgh. As far as religion goes, Russell was raised a Presbyterian before moving to Congregationalism in his youth. He began to question Christianity when he could no longer explain some traditional tenets of Protestantism. This mental conflict is what led to the creation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was Russell’s own beliefs that became the foundation for this new society. He was convinced that Christian churches were interfering with God’s teachings. He began a Bible study called “Earnest Bible Students,” in which they examined the Bible’s teachings about the final days. According to The Journal of Religious History, his mission was “to seek the truth in scripture and advertise this to all through the printed page” (Knox). He began expressing his views on the matter, and in 1877 he published over 15,000 copies of his work The Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return. This was the first way Russell could expand his views to others. Seven years later he formed a legal corporation that was put in place to advise the production of written works. Before long Russell was featured in newspapers around the country, and he even began travelling around the world. Russell visited Europe, Japan, Russia, and traveled across North America with a small group of supporters to spread their knew knowledge. His popularity continued until he passed away in 1916 while returning from …show more content…
This also ties back into the period of the Holocaust, for it is when the Jews and Jehovah’s Witnesses had lots of exposure to each other. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believed in the new covenant, for they were chosen by accepting the true faith in an act of their choice. However, the Jews saw themselves as the chosen people by the virtue of the old covenant. By their differing opinions of choiceness, we see the different interpretation of the persecutions against them. Jehovah’s Witnesses saw a meaning in their suffering, while the Jews saw it as a punishment from God. This is a key difference in the viewpoints of their
He was born in 1852 and grew up near what is now Pittsburgh. As far as religion goes, Russell was raised a Presbyterian before moving to Congregationalism in his youth. He began to question Christianity when he could no longer explain some traditional tenets of Protestantism. This mental conflict is what led to the creation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was Russell’s own beliefs that became the foundation for this new society. He was convinced that Christian churches were interfering with God’s teachings. He began a Bible study called “Earnest Bible Students,” in which they examined the Bible’s teachings about the final days. According to The Journal of Religious History, his mission was “to seek the truth in scripture and advertise this to all through the printed page” (Knox). He began expressing his views on the matter, and in 1877 he published over 15,000 copies of his work The Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return. This was the first way Russell could expand his views to others. Seven years later he formed a legal corporation that was put in place to advise the production of written works. Before long Russell was featured in newspapers around the country, and he even began travelling around the world. Russell visited Europe, Japan, Russia, and traveled across North America with a small group of supporters to spread their knew knowledge. His popularity continued until he passed away in 1916 while returning from …show more content…
This also ties back into the period of the Holocaust, for it is when the Jews and Jehovah’s Witnesses had lots of exposure to each other. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believed in the new covenant, for they were chosen by accepting the true faith in an act of their choice. However, the Jews saw themselves as the chosen people by the virtue of the old covenant. By their differing opinions of choiceness, we see the different interpretation of the persecutions against them. Jehovah’s Witnesses saw a meaning in their suffering, while the Jews saw it as a punishment from God. This is a key difference in the viewpoints of their