Jehovah_Witnesses

There are many different groups of religions in today’s world. But I am neutral and understanding to all of them. There are a few that just really stand out, so I’m writing about one religion, Jehovah’s witnesses. They have different views on the world than most other religions. They are very giving, friendly, and loving people that live life to be better humans. Many people ask how this religion is different from others in the world, and I will discuss just a few things that I have learned. The first thing that caught my attention and amazed me is that everything is done on a voluntary donation basis and they charge nothing! In the past I’ve been to a lot of church’s, some were interesting and some were not but the thing that got me was they all wanted money. In some cases they passed the collection plate around three times throughout the service. In the kingdom hall there is no collection plate passed around or money being asked for during the service. They build their own kingdom halls and work together in getting all the building supplies. They also print and make all their own publications and books and give them all away for no charge, completely free. Another thing that’s different from other religions is that they go out into the field service and knock on people’s doors to preach to them about the bible. There are Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the world and the only goal is tell everyone about the bible before judgment day comes. They take their time out of their day everyday to voluntarily and freely tell people about the bible. That takes consistency, time, effort, patience, and organization. Another thing that sets them apart from other religions is that they have minister or preacher, or one or two leaders. Everyone works together as a team and all help and teach each other. No one person is given all the credit in teaching all the services all the time. They have meetings on Sundays and Thursdays. They also use and refer to the bible constantly, whereas a preacher speaks off the top of his head. I learned so many things about them that were so interesting. They don’t celebrate any holidays because they are associated with pagan celebrations. When I was growing up I was affiliated with both non-denominational and Jehovah’s Witnesses. I am currently still learning. And, so far I have learned a lot. As I was growing up I was taught things about both religions and I was confused on a lot of things but now that I am actually taking the time out to learn about them myself I am glad that I did. I have broadened my horizon and I am wiser in the sense of wrong and right and what is a true verse what is not. As I was growing up I was taught different things and view points by different side of my family. But, when you are young it goes in one ear and out the other, so none of it really sunk in. Since I was exposed to Jehovah’s Witnesses when I was younger, it became my interest later on. So, I decided to look further into this group or particular religion because I have had personal experiences and dealings with it in the past. My grandmother was a Jehovah’s Witness so sometimes she took me to the Kingdom Hall as a little girl. My granny, on my mom’s side of the family, is nondenominational, so when I was with her, as a little girl, we would go to a different church every Sunday. Therefore, on the religious aspect I’m very versatile, universal, and understanding to what anyone believes in. Most of all, I show respect to those who believe whatever it is they believe in. I learned a lot from going to many different churches and a lot from going to the hall. My dad is Muslim so I have been introduced to more than most my age and have come to appreciate that there is so much out and I should take advantage of it all. Being introduced to so many different beliefs while growing up has made me more open minded and mature. So that when I make certain decisions I think before I act or react to a situation. The positive of this is that when I state my opinions they are not biased or being said from a lack of knowledge. I only speak on what I have learned through research or personal experience and that is why most people come to me for advice on many different topics. By going to both places I have come to see that church and the hall are two very different places of worship. Many people have the idea that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christians and they don’t believe in Jesus, but both those statements are very wrong in actuality. They do believe in God and Jesus. Now, what Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in is the Trinity. The Trinity is the belief that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are all one. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that they are in union with one another but not all the same. For example, a husband a wife are in union with each other and become one but are not literally one being. That is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses beliefs. They believe that God is God, Jesus is God’s son and God’s Holy Spirit is the power of God. Jehovah’s Witnesses also do not believe in symbolism. So Jehovah’s Witnesses do not represent Jesus Christ or their place of worship with a cross. This is because they believe it is a sign of disrespect. For example, if a friend close to you died from a gunshot wound, a pretty brutal death, it would be very disturbing to see all of your friends and family with a little toy gun hanging around their necks in representation of the gun that killed your dead loved one. I know seeing that everyday would cause me great pain. Similarly, people wearing a cross around their necks symbolizing the cross that Jesus Christ died upon has got to be quite disturbing to God, especially when the bible says not to make carven images. It would personally make me sad to see that on a daily basis. Another major difference between Jehovah’s Witnesses and other religions is the fact that they use God’s actual name. Psalm 83:18 states that God’s personal name is actual Jehovah. I would imagine that God would want us to use his actual name instead of us calling him something else. Imagine if someone always addressed you as girl or boy, or man or woman, or chick or dude. It doesn’t make you unique from others at all. There are many different boys, girls, men, women, chicks, and dudes. But, when someone calls out your personal name, you know for a fact that you are being singled out from the rest and you feel personally acknowledged, and maybe even important or special when you find out that someone knows your name and addresses you by your correct name. People automatically get highly offended if people forget or mispronounce their personal name. Similarly, God has a personal name. God is just a title like man or woman, but a name is personally unique to each individual. There are many different gods in today’s world. Satan, himself is a god, an evil god, but he is still a god. Allah, Zeus, and Buddha are all gods with personal names, but the Almighty god is named Jehovah and that is what is stated in Psalms 83:18. So, I learned that just out of respect I should address God by his name, Jehovah, and not by just merely his title, God. Victoria Bryant Cultural Immersion Paper Spring 2010 Dr.Kulkosky