Jehovah's Witnesses: Members Say Beliefs of Church Are Often Misunderstood
by Lynn Arave ("Deseret News", June 24, 2000)

With more than 89,000 congregations and 5.9 million members spread throughout 234 nations of the world, it would seem the Jehovah's Witnesses should be a well-known commodity. But to most people, the Jehovah's Witnesses seem to be known mostly for their fervent doorstep proselyting, their refusal of blood transfusions and their seeming unwillingness to celebrate traditional holidays.

Utahns wanting to get an up-close and personal view of the church are welcome to attend the District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses 2000 being staged at the Dee Event Center at Weber State University in Ogden Friday, June 30, to Sunday, July 2. The convention will include a baptismal service on Saturday as well as keynote addresses and workshops.

Church members believe Jehovah is the personal name of the Almighty God. Jesus Christ, who they believe is God's only begotten Son, is the head of the Christian congregation and the model that Jehovah's Witnesses follow.

The modern organization has been clearly associated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which incorporated in 1884. It began with a small group of Bible students near Pittsburgh, Penn. This society has printed more than 21 million Bibles and Bible-study aids used by Jehovah's Witnesses during the past 116 years. The group was originally known as International Bible Students and adopted the Jehovah's Witnesses name in 1931, based on Isaiah 43:10-12.

Watchtower magazine, which members often distribute during their door-to-door visits, began publication in 1879 and has been published in 125 languages. It is the world's most widely circulated religious magazine. Awake is another magazine published by the church.

The worldwide organization is directed by an unpaid governing body from international offices in Brooklyn, N.Y. Congregations meet in local places of worship called Kingdom Halls. Church leaders say the public is invited to all meetings and point out that collections are not taken at the meetings. Kingdom Halls are usually modest structures with an auditorium and library. Some buildings are constructed by members while others may be rented facilities. Each Kingdom Hall generally serves less than 200 members.

Beliefs are based on the principles found in the Holy   Bible, say leaders, and they view first- century  Christianity as their model. Besides believing God's  name is Jehovah, they believe living Bible principles give purpose to life, promote strong family ties and develop productive and honest citizens.

Unlike most other churches, a collection plate to  raise funds is not passed during worship meetings. Those wanting to contribute can use small collection boxes near the rear of the auditoriums. Voluntary contributions fund church operations. The church does not require tithing or any other formal donation by members.

Services are held three times a week at most Kingdom Halls, and most meetings involve audience participation similar to a classroom discussion. Worship starts and ends with prayer and includes singing. Meetings focus on Bible readings, and children also have opportunities to participate in services.

The public meeting and Watchtower study meetings are often on Sundays. This first meeting is 45 minutes long and is a Bible-based lecture geared for visitors. The second meeting is a one-hour discussion of a recent Bible topic article published in the Watchtower magazine.

The Theocratic Ministry School and service meetings are usually on weekday evenings. The Jehovah's Witnesses church has no clergy-laity division. All baptized members are considered ordained ministers. Congregations are led by elders, who are spiritually mature members, or by qualified assistants who called ministerial servants. There is no paid clergy.

The door-to-door visitation for which the church is known stems from a desire by each congregation to visit all the people in a neighborhood at least once a year with a Bible-based message. Contacts are also made on street corners, in parks and at other public places.

The Jehovah's Witnesses believe in a strong moral code. They believe smoking, overdrinking, drug misuse, gambling and sexual promiscuity are spiritually damaging practices. They teach honesty and good work habits. Members can be expelled for serious un-Christian conduct. Members are expected to be ardent defenders of religious freedom and freedom of conscience. While the church recognizes the authority of nations to raise armies and defend themselves, members are expected to follow the example of Jesus and early Christians and refrain from participating in the wars and politics of the various nations. They firmly believe they must "beat their swords into plowshares."

"We have chosen not to take sides," said Richard Wolf, an elder in the North Salt Lake congregation, stressing that members pay their taxes and are honest citizens but believe in obeying God by not killing other people.

Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate the memorial of Christ's death, but members are taught to refrain from celebrating holidays that are believed to have non-Christian religious origins. They are not opposed to celebrations in general or gift-giving. Jehovah's Witnesses believe life begins at conception, and while birth control is considered a matter of personal choice, members believe deliberately induced abortion takes human life and goes against church doctrine.

While the church's opposition to blood transfusions is well documented, the church does not oppose all medical intervention. Warren Beers, an elder in the Sugar House/Millcreek congregation of the church, agreed that probably the stand against blood transfusions is one of its biggest misunderstood doctrines by the public.

"Jehovah's Witnesses view blood as sacred to the creator," said Beers.Wolf, of the North Salt Lake congregation, stressed that church members want good health care and strive to use bloodless surgery instead. He noted that Ogden's McKay-Dee Hospital has an entire wing devoted to that type of surgery. "We don't want to be characterized as radicals,"he said.

Organ transplants and surgical procedures in which one's own blood can be reused - called blood salvaging - are matters of personal choice. Also, the church is not opposed to vaccinations for children.

Baptism symbolizes one's dedication to God and is done by complete immersion.

The church teaches that death is the result of sin inherited from the first man, Adam, through his disobedience to God by eating of "the tree of knowledge of good and bad." The church teaches that the dead are conscious of nothing, but God, through Jesus, will resurrect the dead.

The church teaches that the Earth will never be destroyed or depopulated and is destined to be a peaceful paradise.

The church also teaches that salvation will include millions who are not Jehovah's Witnesses but who will be resurrected, including many living now who will yet accept the truth. Judgment will be left to Jesus, they believe.