...group of organized Christians, who proclaim that Jehovah is a loving and just God, who is deserving of humanities love and also obedience. Most Jehovah’s Witnesses, including my friend, used to be Catholic or Protestant but have converted. The basis of every one of the teachings that the Jehovah’s preach and study is found in the Bible. She informed me that studying the Bible daily is very important to Jehovah’s Witness. One thing that they do insist is that they are awaiting fulfillment of many of the various prophecies. The reasoning behind Jehovah’s Witnesses going from door-to-door proclaiming their faith is that they are following the example that Jesus set for them when he journeyed from city to city preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God. Contrary to what many may believe, they do not interpret every passage that is in the Bible as a literal record of events or stories of the past. They also do not tend to do any type of demonstrations or violence against anyone who disagrees with him or her. In this religion every person is to follow the example of Jesus and the apostle Paul, who preached in public places (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. 2009). To become a Jehovah’s Witness...
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...Upon my arrival to the Bible Study for the ethnography assignment, I observed the church’s outer appearance and surrounding neighborhood. This particular parish was in the northeast quadrant of Burlington, North Carolina. Located in a predominately African-American community, the church gave off the vibe of being a relatively active place as multiple cars drove in, through, and around the parking lot. While preparing myself to exit the vehicle, I watched many older persons, ranging from fifty-seventy, head to what seemed like an administrative building for the church. Upon surveying the outer structure up close, I could see that the established date was 1868 and the built date for the current facility read 1963. In order to gain a better understanding of the youth population of the congregation, I chose to observe the student Bible Study that was separate from the adult class. The youth Bible study was held on the second floor of the main church building that contained the sanctuary, a pastor’s study, a secretary’s office, a Sunday School office, choir room, and seven classrooms. My surveillance of the church’s interior prior to going up to the second floor for the class, gave the impression that their had been recent renovations within the past year or two. During my examination, one of the self-identified minister’s on staff at the church introduced himself and invited me to the classroom for the young people’s Bible study. His direction and guidance was actually beneficial...
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...World Religions Report Beverly Ross HUM/130 Kenneth Dietz December 17, 2010 Credentials are important when you are choosing a religion. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the Bible as the guiding source based on worthy credentials. Their truths are based on the sacred writings of the Bible. For example Genesis 1:1 says: There is one almighty God and Creator who made all things. They believe in one creator who has a name, and that name is Jehovah. Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of a World Wide Christian Religion who share with others information about God and his son, Jesus Christ. They base their belief mainly on the principles found in the Holy Bible, and view first century Christianity as their source. Their founder is Charles Taze Russell whose background and study of the Bible led him to conclude that hellfire does not exist, God is not a Trinity, and that 1914 marked the second coming of Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that all scriptures are inspired of God and beneficial, but some people have even claimed that they are not even Christians. They believe that “There is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved, which is Jesus Christ”. That is quoted in Acts 4:12 of the Bible. They believe that God is greater than Jesus, and that Jesus himself acknowledged that: “The Father is greater that I am,” (John 14:28) they also believe that they should be like Jesus by making God’s name manifest...
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...World Religions Report HUM/130 Vickie Burns-Sikora July 29, 2012 The religious organization we know today as Jehovah’s Witness was formed around the end of the 19th century by a group of Bible students in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. However, it was a little over sixty years before they adopted the name Jehovah’s Witness in order to separate themselves from other Christian denominations (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2006). Jehovah’s Witness is a Christian religion but differs from traditional Christianity because of their non-trinitarian beliefs. It is a monotheistic religion because they believe in and worship only one God. From their small numbers when founded, their following has constantly increased throughout the years and today they have a worldwide membership of around seven and a half million people. They teach followers to live a good moral life and to help others, no matter what the religious beliefs or racial and ethnical background of that person may be. They spread their message through their publication of the Bible journal The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, which is published in over 190 languages and is the world’s most widely circulated religious magazine. Jehovah’s Witnesses are probably best known for going door to door to spread their message and are seen by some people as an aggravation. They are very friendly to others and anyone can attend service to see if the religion would be a good fit for their personal lifestyle...
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...METHODS OF EVANGELISM Methods of Evangelism James Mathew McInnis Sr. Liberty University Online Methods of Evangelism Intellectual Method Summary of Method: The Four Spiritual Laws are a way of sharing the good news of the salvation that is available through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a simple way of organizing the important information in the Gospel into four points. Advantages of Using This Method – This method was developed by Bill Bright in 1957 and can be found in the pamphlet Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual laws. The method is easy to understand and simplifies the gospel to the basics. It can take a simple believer and turn him/her to an evangelist. The Four Laws are (1) God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our life (John 3:16, John 10:10), (2) Man is sinful and separated from God. He can’t know and experience God’s love for his life (Roman 3:23, Romans 6:23), (3) Sin can only be forgiven through Jesus Christ will we know God’s plan for our life (Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-6, John 14:6), (4) We must receive Jesus Christ individually as Savior and Lord to know and experience his plan for our life (John 1:12), Ephesians 2: 8-9), (John 3:1-8), (Revelation 3:20) There are a few disadvantages to these spiritual laws. The first disadvantage is that the message of the gospel is watered down and this allows a conversion that is too quick. This is not a good idea for non-believers. It also suggests that a person can be saved easily by the prayer of...
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...started out with humble beginnings in the 19th century as The Bible Students, the followers of a man named Charles Taze Russell. Charles Taze Russell was the original publisher of the Jehovah's Witnesses' magazine The Watchtower (then called Zion's Watchtower) and their book Studies in the Scriptures (then called Millennial Dawn) (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1993). C.T. Russell was born in the United States in Pennsylvania on February 16, 1852. C.T. Russell grew up in a deeply religious household and was brought up on the Christian concepts that God is love yet had created men inherently immortal and provided a fiery place in which he would eternally torment all except those that had been predestined to be saved. Such an idea repulsed the teenaged C.T. Russell, and he reasoned that such a God would have standards lower than that of many men (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1993). One day while walking along near his parent's store he heard religious singing coming from a basement hall. It was here that C.T. Russell ran in to the Second Day Adventists. This re-fueled his belief in the Bible's inspiration from God, and he began to study the Bible like never before. He soon came to believe the time was coming near for those who served God to come to a full understanding of His purpose. Fueled by this enthusiasm, he started his first Bible study group in 1870 (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1993). In July 1879 C.T....
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...who are not supposed to go in to another denomination’s church building. I have never had the Jehovah’s Witnesses come to my door, nor have I before closely examined their beliefs. Still, because of the family connection I have some familiarity with parts of their doctrine. Jehovah's Witnesses are described as a millenarian, and a restorationist denomination of Christianity. (Beckford 1975) They maintain non-Trinitarian beliefs which set them apart from mainstream Christianity. The Jehovah’s Witnesses claims a membership of more than seven and a half million who actively engage in the evangelistic activities for which the sect is known (watchtower). In 2010 the Witnesses reported an annual Memorial attendance of over nineteen-million (watchtower). The Jehovah’s Witnesses are led by the Governing Body located in Brooklyn, New York (Holden 2002) who are closely associated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. This group of seven elders establishes and controls all the doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Currently the members of the Governing Body are; Samuel Herd, Geoffrey Jackson, M. Stephen Lett, Gerrit Losch, Anthony Morris, Guy Pierce, and David Splane. (watchtower) This group of elders is believed to possess a special anointing, and identify themselves as spokesmen for God. (Beckford 1975) The beliefs of the Witnesses are based on their own, sometimes unique, interpretations of the Holy Bible. (Holden 2002) The Watch Tower also published its own translation...
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...Jehovah’s Witness are members of a Christian religion who believes that God name is Jehovah and his Son name is Jesus Christ. They base their beliefs on what is found in the Holy Bible. According to () “Jehovah’s Witnesses are not allowed to celebrate Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, or any other holidays, claiming they all have pagan roots.” To a Jehovah’s Witness a Bible is more reliable, Christ died on a stake, and prayers are to be directed only to Jehovah though Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe in sex before marriage and believes to be a serious sin before God. They meet three times a week, one of those three times is held on a Sunday. On that Sunday Jehovah’s Witnesses meet in a Kingdom Hall, a rented building, where there is no crosses displayed outside or inside. During the time they are there the meeting is intense and holds about 200 people. Jehovah’s Witnesses also practice door-to-door to spread the word to others. In 2005, thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses helped restored damaged homes in New Orleans due to the Hurricane Katrina. They also helped people who suffer the effects of war and other natural disasters. According to "Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site: Contributions to the Community" (2009), “In June 2011, Tropical Strom Allison dropped nearly three feet of water on the city of Houston, Texas in a single 24-hour period. Jehovah’s Witnesses quickly organized relief efforts that included developing a database to track the...
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...Applying Concepts At Mass The service I attended was at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the corner of South Fifth Avenue and Ann Street in Wilmington, NC. I went there on March 27, 2011 at 11:00 am. St. Mary’s Catholic Church is a post-Vatican II parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. The Mass I attended celebrated the Third Sunday in Lent. As I entered the Church, the priest, Father Bob, was standing at the door greeting people. As I was looking around in the lobby, Father Bob noticed I was not a regular and approached me. He was very kind and eager to answer questions. He handed me the Church’s newsletter and an Order of Mass. The building was a large brick building. It is a Spanish Baroque style structure with no wood beams, framing, or nails. It is constructed of only bricks and tile. Ground was broken for the church on May 20, 1908 and the first mass held there was on December 17, 1911. The Roman Catholic Church is based in Christianity and is a theistic religion. In greater detail it is a monotheistic religion. There are many hierophanies in the Catholic Church. An example of a sacred place would be the church itself. An example of a sacred person would be the priest or Father Bob at St. Mary’s. Also in the Catholic Church Saints and Popes would be regarded as very sacred people. The mass I attended was during the sacred time of Lent, which is a forty day period. The Catholic Church is not iconoclastic at all. At St. Mary’s there were multiple depictions of the...
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...| World Religions Report | Jehovah’s Witnesses & Judaism | Axia College of the University of Phoenix | Christopher C Bewley | 1/26/2012 | | Introduction In this paper I will be comparing two religions respectively. I will show you an interview I have conducted with a practicing Jehovah’s Witness. I will use the information acquired within that interview to display the differences and similarities between their beliefs and those of the Judaism faith. So brace yourself for an in-depth discovery of two faiths that almost completely contradict one another. Research Overview I have found that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have had a hard time gathering recognition amongst the world and many people disregard them entirely. The only historical figures that are honored in this faith are prophets whose recognition originates in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and Jehovah God. Their central beliefs focus on living a life based off of the examples Jesus Christ set forth in his time through his actions and instruction to his twelve apostles. The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in a Trinitarian God, they believe Jesus Christ and Jehovah God are two deities and Jehovah God is the superior deity. The Clergy are not paid; they volunteer their teachings to serve the purpose of spreading the word of Jehovah. There is no collection plate that gets passed around during the meetings; people can donate if they feel they can afford to do so. They...
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...Alyssa Kilcrease 26760548 Bible105 Essay 3 Describe the teachings of Hebrew wisdom on diligence and laziness. How does this correspond with the contrast between wisdom and folly? The bible mentions various times regarding the teachings of diligence while contrasting wisdom and folly. We learn wisdom is God given and foolishness is of the flesh. Wisdom is given to us by God so we can use knowledge correctly and if we don’t have God, we don’t have wisdom, therefore we cannot use knowledge correctly. The book of proverbs is where we find most of these teachings. Solomon states, “a sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” Our diligence reaps reward because the knowledge we receive helps us in every aspects of our lives. The bible must be the building block to our lives. As Christians we are obligated to follow the teachings of the Bible in every way of our lives. Our flesh naturally is so prone to pleasure and immediate gratification. Honoring God to these natural desires requires self-discipline and self-determination. It also requires submission to God’s purpose for our lives. If we choose to not be diligent in our walk with Christ, then we could possibly backslide as a result of being lazy and falling into deeper sin. We can see Solomon’s pursuit after pleasure and wisdom were similar, as also were the conclusions. Solomon realizes the two paths he is taking were those of pleasure and wisdom seeking. A fool’s life is characterized...
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...then seriously needed some sort of transformation. Whether that was being reprimanded or being completely wiped from the earth. One myth that is very similar to how the Christians view the flood is the Islamic culture. These two stories compare in such a way that there is no way that “The flood story” is just a story. The Bible talks about how after God created the world and people had been around for a long time, He realized that people had turned to wickedness. It was at this point that He decided that it would be best to wipe man from earth. During all this God realized that there was one man, among all the wicked, who was righteous. This man who goes by the name of Noah and his family were the only people who during this time found favor in Gods eyes. God spoke to Noah one day and told him that there was going to be a giant flood that would destroy everything. Noah was told to build an ark that would protect him and his family during this flood. God instructed Noah to bring two of every kind of animal on the...
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...denomination known as Pentecostal is not one of those unverified denominations. Pentecostalism like other denominations believes that there is only one God. Jesus is the son of God, and he died on the cross to erase the sins of man and granted passage into Heaven on Judgment Day. This is the central belief of most if not all Christians and the denominations of Christianity. They believe in “The Trinity”, which is “The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are one of the same. According to Apostolic Pentecostal Beliefs website, you were required to repent for your sins, be baptized with water and The Holy Spirit. To be baptized in the Holy Spirit, means you had to speak “in tongues” in a language only God would know and understand. In the Holy Bible, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit which He called the Comforter, to all that loved Him and kept His commandments. “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” John 14: 16 (Society, 1999), “But the Comforter, which...
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...Religion is a topic that has been universally debated tracing back to the beginning of time. Religion shapes our lives and the way we live our lives as well as the way people behave. There are too many religions to study and discuss in a single paper; therefore, this paper will take a closer look at Christianity as it is the most common religion in the world covering 33% of the world’s population (Fisher, 2005). Why do so many people believe the words of the Holy Bible and claim the Christian faith? Is Christianity the truth? To truly understand Christianity, we must dive deep into the Biblical teachings and share the primary foundation of their beliefs. “Christianity is a faith based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus” (Fisher, 2005, pg. 284). In the beginning of this story we must start with Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary was visited by an angel, whom told her that she would conceive a baby and he would be the Messiah. She should name him Immanuel, which means God with us. An angel visited Joseph as well, who told him that Mary was blessed by the Holy Spirit and would have a son, who would save the people from their sins. Mary and Joseph obeyed God, the baby was born in a stable, laid in a manager and they called him Jesus, meaning God with us (Matthew 1:18-25, New International Version). At the age of 30, Jesus started his mission and selected a group of 12 disciples to help him share his message. He went place to place and preached about God’s love...
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...look at the life as a Jehovah’s Witness. The paper will cover some of the common practices and beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The paper will also try to clear up some of the misconceptions that others believe about Jehovah’s Witnesses. The author of this paper has taken the time to research the Jehovah Witness religion by visiting a local Kingdom Hall, conducting an in-person interview with an actual Jehovah Witness, and also conducting research on the internet, as well as the library. Background Information The religion of the Jehovah’s Witness began in at the end of the 19th century. The religion was started a small group of Bible students close to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 the students began publishing what is known as the Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. The group that was formerly known as International Bible Students became Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1931. Membership of religion is marked by baptism. According to the Jehovah’s Witness website (2009),” Baptism symbolizes one’s dedication to God and is taken by those of responsible age who have made an informed decision. Baptism is by complete water immersion.—Matthew 28:19; Acts 18:9”. The organization of the Jehovah’s Witness According to the Jehovah’s Witness website (2009), is “Following the model of first-century Christianity, Jehovah’s Witnesses...
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