What “Jehovah's Witnesses” are dangerous?

“Jehovah's witnesses” (“Public Edition of Zion's Watch Tower”, “Watchtower Society”, “The Watch tower”) according to the classification of A.L. Dvorkin, are the pseudo-Christian, apocalyptic, millenarian, chiliastic, totalitarian sect.

It can be specifically attributed to the group of pseudo-religious commercial organizations, based on the quasicomministic ideology with the elements of paganism and uses several Christian images and concepts. The founder of the sect is Charles Taze Russell, born on February 16, 1852, in the city of Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He died in 1916. In 1884 “Jehovah's witnesses” registered in the state of Pennsylvania under the name of “Public Edition of Zion's Watch Tower”.

The life of the “father of Jehovism” was repeatedly darkened with assizes. For the first he had to endure a difficult lawsuit about the divorce with his wife, who convicted him in adultery. Then the other processes followed. So, in the beginning of the last century “Watchtower” began promoting the miracle wheat, which allegedly gives five times higher yield than simple class, and then in the newspaper «the Brooklyn daily eagle» there is evidence of adventurous plans of the followers of the “pastor”. In 1913 Russell sued the newspaper for libel and lost the case.

From the very beginning of the violent activity, Russell gave to understand that is unsurpassed interpreter of the most difficult parts of the Holy Writ and knows well the dead languages. These assertions were refuted in a critical pamphlet “Some facts about the original pastor Ch.T. Russell” published in 1912 by the Rev. J. Ross, the pastor of the Baptist Church.

Revealing the moral image of Russell, Ross wrote about pernicious doctrine of the person who is neither a scientist nor a theologian, who invented anti-efficient, anti-scientific, anti-biblical, anti-Christian system. Continuing his accusations, the pastor presents Russell as false scientist and pseudo philosopher, who know virtually nothing about the philosophy, the systematic and historical theology and is in complete ignorance of the ancient languages. Indignant Russell filed to the court concerning Ross and in the course of the hearings swore that knows the Greek language. Thus, by the end of the hearings he did not obtain satisfaction (the court found that Ross was right), but was caught in false witnessing.

Russell recovered the society against himself and it openly struggled against him. His was deported from Canada in the beginning of the First world war, as he and his followers were fiercely opposed the mobilization of troops, violating the political stability of the society.

In 1931 Rutherford, the next head of the sect, took for “organization”, head by him, the name of “Jehovah's Witnesses” from the book of the prophet Isaiah (chapter 43, article 10). He only disguised the Russelism and misled the millions of people believing that “Jehovah's Witnesses” is the other organization. He reformed the theology of sect, as it threatened with collapse. Rutherford until his death (he died in 1942) fiercely attacked Catholicism, about which spoke in very harsh terms, sometimes shifted in foul language. However, his authority among the “witnesses” has grown so much that to doubt in his words meant to challenge the authority of the God. He proclaimed himself as the mouthpiece of Jehovah and declared his complete contempt for all religions and their leaders. At the same time, for the persecution of the “witnesses” he called to account, accusing the persecutors in religious intolerance.

In the United States and in France, “Jehovah's Witnesses” have not received the right to be called as the religious organization. Difficult relationship “witnesses” had with the UN. Constantly exposing the organization, like its predecessor - the League of Nations as “apocalyptic beast”, “Witnesses”, as it turns out, were registered in the UN for a long time as a non-governmental organization associated with the United Nations. When a group of former members of “Watchtower Society” were indignant by this fact, the management immediately refused from this status.

Today “Society” publishes more than 20 million copies of their magazines per week. The number of “Jehovah's Witnesses” in the world at the present time is about 5 million people in 232 countries of the world.

Jehovah's witnesses claim that the most authoritative source for them is the Bible. However, in order to understand the doctrine of the “witnesses”, it is better not apply strictly to the Bible, but to publications in magazines “Watchtower” and “Awake!”. By the way, concerning the Bible, in order to create a more suitable Writ to doctrine, “Jehovah's Witnesses” in 1950 issued the so-called “New world Translation”, in which the fragments of the Bible were slightly edited. For example, the words “God” and “The Lord” were replaced by “Jehovah”.

The main basis of the teachings of Jehovah's witnesses is a strict monotheism, i.e., the belief in one God - Jehovah. “Jehovah's witnesses” categorically reject the doctrine of the Trinity. They deny the doctrine of the Bible that the God is united in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “Jehovah's witnesses” claim that the doctrine of the triune God teaches the belief in three Gods that is polytheism and paganism. Like other religious groups who deny the Holy Trinity, “Jehovah's Witnesses” is often quoted Deuteronomy 6:4, where it is said: “Hear, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one”. The position of the Trinity is spoofed, as the worship to the three-headed God.

The theology of the Jehovah's Witnesses are extremely primitive, contradictory, and is focused on the people, not knowing the Writ, beginnings of the history of religions, philosophy and physics. Base of theology are the personal views of the founders of sects, mistakes and errors which as the exposure is compensated by fraud isolated from the whole text citations from the Bible and their false interpretation.

Somehow, “witnesses” constantly stress that the world is on the culminating point of its development. The events, which make the members of the sect, are impressive. As a rule, they are taken from the Revelation of Ioann Bogoslov. The end of the world, for example, is depicted as the terrible slaughter and massacre. In the opinion of the “witnesses”, only the followers of the movement can be saved. The “little flock”, 144 thousand people, the Lord Jehovah will take away to heaven, where they will observe and control the world. A wider range of “witnesses” will remain on the earth, which after Armageddon will be restored during the international construction and will become a paradise. On the whole planet the mild subtropical climate will be established, the people will work only four hours per week, the houses would be comfortable, and the food would be excellent. Man will walk on the magical paths together with the lions, good snakes and birds - it is one of the most popular pictures in the sectarian journals.

The main deal of the life of any “Jehovah's witness” is, in fact, the “witness”. It is included in a very active missionary activity. In this very activity there are no equal to the members of the sect. Even the instructions were developed at the time of Rutherford, according to which the study of the Bible had to be taken from the collections of the Jehovah's witnesses on the streets and in the home. In carrying out of these instructions, the “witnesses” were on duty in museums, public transport stops, on busy intersections and went to the apartments. As a rule, a missionary had the Bible in the hands (firstly, the “New world Translation”), the magazines “Watchtower” and “Awake!”.

Jehovah witnesses thoroughly briefed about the ways of the dispute with the representatives of any religions. «Witnesses» must not confuse that attracted person does not want to see them, do not have the time, believe in Allah or believe in anyone or anything. If the interlocutor of the “witness” knows well the Sacred Writ, the missionary starts talking about the inaccuracies of the translation, the correct placement of commas, etc. The majority of people simply are subjected to pressure stream of quotations from the Bible, often from its “new” translation.

From the times of the first heads, the control was constantly intensified over discipline in the organization, strict fulfilment of all instructions of higher organs. “Jehovah's Witnesses” don’t have the priests. The idea is that every sectarian has the status of a preacher. Thus, the hierarchy of the organization is only administrative. The ruling (governing) Corporation in Brooklyn (New York) is at the head of “Watchtower Society” and the heads of large areas, they are 15, submit to it. There are branches in the zones (totally 98 in the world) which are led by the committees of 3-7 persons.

Branches are divided into the regions at the head of the guards, region are divided into areas. Every area has about 20 assemblies, led by the elders. All links regularly prepare the detailed reports on activities and are passed up the chain of command. “Jehovah's witnesses” are subordinate to local authorities only in so far as this is necessary for normal existence and smooth flow of work. But a real, true government, which deserves all worship of “witness” is located in Brooklyn.

Weekly meeting of “Jehovah's Witnesses” are held in the premises, which are called “halls of the Kingdom” and are devoted to study of the Bible. Those who accepted the water baptism are considered as recognized members of the Assembly. The congresses are organized: the district - twice a year, the regional - one time a year.

Jehovah witnesses should once in a week to attend a special meeting for the study of books and twice a week to visit the “hall of the Kingdom”. Usually the meeting in the “hall of the Kingdom» consist of two parts. Firstly, either one of the men, a member of the community, acts or the visiting preacher. A man examines his favourite article from the magazine in detail, holding it in his hands and the preacher, the arrival of whom is pre-advertised, just talks the content of the magazine, which will be released in two weeks.

The speeches are the long lecture. Then sing a simple song or to the accompaniment of the piano, or under the tape recorder. The records are made in Brooklyn, music is written there as well. Then follows the reading of the journal, the number of which all hold in front of him, with detailed analysis of the articles. In order that everyone gets to know all that is written at the bottom of each page, as a rule, there are questions according to the contents. Firstly, the text is read, the questions are read and the answers are found to them in the content of the article. The content of the magazine is absorbed very effectively and naturally, it is not allowed to criticize the article. The religious holiday of the “Jehovah's Witnesses” is only one - annual Evening of memories of the death of Jesus Christ.

The man, who has left the sect, may be subjected to a total boycott from the part of the former co-religionists and immediately considered to be among the unjust. His contribution to the organization is not taken into account. Everywhere there is the strict principle: “Who contradicts the management that works to the devil” and the system of prohibitions is developed.

Each adherent is obligated to purchase for his money a certain number of magazines and books, which then shall extend free of charge. That is, in fact, it turns out that the buyer does not pay the money, but the seller, although according to all documents it is said the distributor receives literature free of charge. Such a system allows the organization deftly move away from the taxation”.

“Jehovah's witnesses” is prohibited, or more precisely, “strongly discouraged”:

1) to welcome the state flags of any status;

2) to serve in the army (even on alternative service) and work at the enterprises of the military industrial complex;

3) to take part in any mass events;

4) to celebrate Christmas, Easter, New year, birthdays, to sit near the fire, wear mourning, say toasts;

5) to read the literature of “not witnesses” (especially of the religious content);

6) to participate in the political, trade Union activity, to engage in service career, work overtime, to participate in the elections;

7) take care of the person of the opposite sex without the purpose to conclude the marriage;

8) to show the signs of pleasure in the sexual relations with her husband (it is out of question the intimate relations with not husband);

9) to show publicly a good attitude to a person (other than a brief greeting).

“Jehovah's witnesses” have declared about the great apostasy of Christendom and call all Christians of the CIS to withdraw from the Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations. For them, the Cross of Jesus Christ is the symbol of evil, as his outward semblance sometimes occurs among the Gentiles. Therefore, ignoring the numerous statements in the New Testament and the data of historical sciences, they assert that Jesus Christ was crucified on a stake. Similarly, using the explanations of deception and fragments of publications about pagan religions, they reject the Holy Tradition, the sacraments, icons, priesthood, temples and monasteries.

Widespread method of sectarians is unproven and unspecified charges of priests in dishonesty, and the whole Orthodox Church in the expansion. The majority of organizations of “Jehovah's Witnesses” in the CIS are headed by the controllers appointed from abroad.
“Witnesses” directly use the deception to engage the citizens in their own sect. The technique of studying of the Bible is built on a random link and explanation of separate fragments, and not on the whole its perception. They quote the bits of certain phrases of the Bible, distorting their meaning and avoiding the numerous places, which obviously contrary to the sectarian point of their view. In disputes, the followers of the organization “Jehovah's Witnesses” act according to the previously used algorithms in a sequential quoting the Bible, as if not noticing and not accepting the objection, which they can’t answer convincingly. Their manner of discussion reminds the wrestling match and not open exchange of views.

The organization creates a total accounting of all the inhabitants of the areas in which it operates. The information about the data of residents, the time of their stay in the apartments, health, interests, respect to creed sects, etc are taken into consideration. Sect assesses the spiritual condition of its members, first of all of their missionary activity, the number of visited apartments and involved citizens, duration of preaching. Therefore, the detailed account of “services at home» with the apartments, the date and time of visits, the reaction of the residents are made in the sect.

One of the most odious prohibitions of the “Jehovah's Witnesses” is a ban on blood transfusions. The attitude of the medical procedures like vaccinations, organ transplantation and donation changed several times in the sect. Thus, the position about the transfusion was the most categorical. The witnesses link this prohibition with quotations from the Bible, in which the matter is more about the prohibition of the bloody sacrifices. Somehow, a lot of deaths are already registered in the world medicine and the judicial practice, connected with the refusal of procedures, necessary in many cases (for example during heavy birth).

Each adherent of the sect should carry the so-called “medical document”, in which stated with large font: “No blood!”. On the back is written: “Medical order is exemption from liability”.

The study of the religious literature of the organization “Jehovah's Witnesses”, the literature on its activities, as well as many of the letters and statements of relatives of persons involved in this sect, shows that this organization in its essence is of a totalitarian character. It contains the instructions and has a practice, which may inflict the damage to the personality and health of the adherent, his family and children, as well as the traditional national spirituality and the interests of the state. The practice and teachings contradict the main provisions of the Constitutions and legal norms of the States of the CIS, namely contain the following calls and coercion:

- on the rejection of his views and convictions;

- on the restriction of freedom;

- on the possibility of psychological impact, reducing the dignity of the person, protected by the state;

- on the use of the methods of influence that might cause harm to the health, and infringement on the autonomy of the individual;

- on refusal from receiving necessary medical assistance;

- on the destruction of family ties and non-fulfilment of family responsibilities;

- on the involvement of minors in its activities without the permission of their parents or persons acting in Loco parentis;

- on the opposition or the humiliation of traditional national the spirituality of the peoples of the CIS;

- at the incitement of religious intolerance;

- on fulfilment refusal of the fundamental rights and duties of citizens of the CIS.

A special danger of the sect “Jehovah's Witnesses” is in mass actions of the coverage of its propaganda and activities.