The Jehovah’s Witnesses

To emergence

1870, the American businessman Charles Taze Russell (1852 - 1916) in the course of his employment with the Bible to the belief that Christ 1874 to heavenly king had been collected and now the invisible world nations. Since 1878, the resurrection of the dead believers begun. He, Russel, was chosen by God, the “truth” restore. 1879 he founded the magazine “Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence” (today: The watchtower announced Jehovas Kingdom). 1881 follows the publishing company “Zion’s Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (today: watchtower Bible Society and the treatise). From the Bible Russel calculated that by the year 1914 the collection of Bible believing researchers will be completed, then the destruction of all pagan nations and religions in Harmagedon wrong, the war god, done. After starting the thousand years Reich. The crisis because of the absence of this analysis was overcome, 1919 was a new interpretation, also from 1931 to a new self-designation resulted: Jehovas Witnesses. The biblical interpretation was now on the watchtower earthly society itself and to the families. From 1919 also saw the family magazine “The Golden Age” (now Awake!). In political and military matters, the members behaved during the First World War as a neutral and renounced pacifists to any political action, to the reign of God alone to underline.
After Russels death follows him Joseph F. Rutherford. He builds a strict authority structure and called on his followers to ” hard Bible researchers. Milton Henschel is currently president of the organization.

1923 watchtower opened the company its first office in Vienna. Even two years earlier, the Swiss Fassbinder King Leopold came to Vienna to watch-as a rapporteur to work. King lectured interested in looking to win. At Pentecost 1924, the first meeting of the International Bible Students Association more. 1930 saw the founding of the association watchtower Society. There were at that time 30 classes with 549 members in Austria.

During the Nazi terror reign of 48 Austrian Bible researchers because of their conviction executed, 13 were murdered and 81 in concentration camps. After 1945, which begins in Austria reorganization. Until 1999 grew the “Herald” to 20,335 in the 299 meetings (as watchtower, 1.1.2000).

For Teaching

Of key importance are the Bible and the earthly organization, because these two people learn the knowledge of God “know and obey (Recognizing 169). The focus of their biblical interpretation is the “invisible present Kingdom of the Lord”. Jesus Christ was the first creature bears the title “son of God” and that by his “buy Los victim gift” the people eternal life. Only 144,000 “gesalbte Christians” in the sky, the other faithful Christians to be on the paradise turned earth live. Many contained in the Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled evidence, and others are still met. As evidence to be called (1.2000 watchtower of 15): The case of the devil and the demons from the sky (after revelation 12.3) in 1914. According to Revelation 17, 9-11, the United Nations as a “last king” identified. By Daniel 2, 36-43 will be the last world power today’s governments. The worldwide sermon by the messianic kingdom after Matthew 24, 14 by the Jehovah’s Witnesses met, etc. Confusion reigns over the end of the world. It is acknowledged that the claim by a special urgency to misperceptions already had occurred.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are by their community an “organized Nation” that the surviving “good well Christians” theocratic will. By doing so, they compete with the world and make it clear: “We are not a part of the world.” This means that they rely solely on biblical justifiable behaviour, virtues and beliefs want to restrict and not to their own insights or social habits trust. These “watchdog” and “Awake” prescribed “biblical” for all patterns are binding and are consistently into family life, in the professional world, in the community meeting and the preaching service. Jehovah’s Witnesses accept today the current state rights and obligations, if their living arrangements do not hinder. They make civil service. The visit of polling is not prohibited, the election abstention is a conscientious decision. Posted was also the view that some of the important witnesses vintage 1914 (original end time deadline) to experience the return of Christ.

Festivals, rites and symbols

The community meetings shall be construed as official celebration divine sign. A special form of the official launch, there is not. Personal tributes are rigorously denied. The only memorial day is the 14th Nisan, the day of the Jewish Passover on the first full moon of spring, in which a special event in memory of the “victim gift” Christ. It is, however, only the 8755 “good-well Christians” allowed, the signs of bread and wine at cost (memory Supper “). Christmas and Easter are considered unscriptural rejected. Even the birth and death commemorations are not allowed. Private Commemorations as baptism, wedding or funeral will be a speech, prayer and song appreciated. But only the wedding day, which also starts a family, is intended as an anniversary. The “Water Baptism” by an authorized Baptist to a Congress completed. This is a personal baptism to the man for Jehovah Witness. It is important, but no guarantee for the rescue of the people. As age is the age limit, since the baptism a close connection to his disciples produced. If, over a lifetime, to remain faithful is an eternal life in paradise gift.

The organization

Today is the “executive body” the visible Board. It consists of 13 God-Well peoples and has its headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. Here, the world’s single publications prepared and the international organization led.
Three times a week there is a meeting (2 in the Kingdom Hall, one in the home) to watch tower studies and the “sermon theocratic service school”. Twice a year, a district-day Congress, and once a year the three district Congress. These meetings will be bibelerklärende writings, tapes and videos on current time and life problems of the Watchtower. A special facility is the hospital liaison committee “, the doctors, nurses and lawyers about treatment demands of the Jehovah’s Witnesses enlightment . Since the blood as the seat of the Lord lives, donating blood is prohibited, as is the creation of one’s own blood for later transfusion. It relies on 1 Moses, 9, 3f. If someone on the other hand, he shows that he is not a Jehovah’s Witness and is regarded as a sheath. The family is considered to be protective community and place of peace. In the public appreciate the occurrence of Jehovah’s Witnesses as “men and women who like to study and have a good knowledge, eagerly proclaim their faith, to hold its fair, loyal and affectionate, and are prepared, the Kingdom’s work with their bodies and financial resources to support “(watchtower, 15.8.2000).

Position to other churches

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are given in the form of the modern era restored Christianity of the first Christians, to the original biblical instructions. In doing so, they claimed that their Bible teaching is the only true religion and all other religions and churches only variations of “Babylon the Great” are part of “Satan’s world empire of false religions”. For the Jehovah’s Witnesses are the immortality of the soul, the divine Trinity, religious mysticism, ritual objects or any solemnity to the area sectarian activities “. In the sermon service must not, however, other Jehovah’s Witness believers condemn in the mission because it is assumed that all “potential fellow members of the Christian fraternity” (watchtower 1.7.2000).