Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:David42718

2012-11-28T17:33:33Z

David42718: Replaced content with "==Nice to meet you all== Hi"

==Nice to meet you all==

Hi

User talk:David42718

2012-11-27T05:23:16Z

David42718: /* Jehovias witness */

==Nice to meet you all==

Hi

== Jehovias witness ==

Are you a member ? If so I suggest that editing the article would be classed as a conflict of interest. [[User:Dvergne|Dvergne]] 00:14, 27 November 2012 (EST)

No I am not a member. I am updating the information using past and current articles in an effort to provide more detailed information. I find allot of info is vague.

Jehovah's Witnesses

2012-11-27T05:20:33Z

David42718:

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''' is a religious organization headquartered in the [[United States]]. The organization uses a number of legal corporations worldwide, publishing literature and performing other operational and administrative functions that represent the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a distinction between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Religion has over 13,000 Kingdom Halls (Houses of Worship and Study) in the U.S. with 1,145,723 million members (As of 2011). Outside the U.S. membership is over 7.2 million in 96,094 local Kingdom Halls. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there are no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses was founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace.
They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other Religions hypocrisy. Some of these criticisms had to do with mainstream Christendoms involvement in politics and their support of war efforts across the globe making them blood-guilty. They put forth the Bible's teaching that true Christians would not kill their own (Spiritual) brothers, (Such as Christians, of any Denomination killing Christians, of the same or other Denominations) and that such actions showed an absence of true brotherhood on the part of these Religions (Loyalty to nation rather then God).

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their Modern translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is 'The' restoration of the early 'Way', or Christian Congregation. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure and scriptural interpretation as closely as possible to that of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is Gods Son rather then God himself. They do not believe that God is three gods in One, but rather One God that created all things, and thus reject the trinity. They support such teachings using scriptures such as (Matthew 4:10), (Deuteronomy 6:4), and (Psalms 83:18) where God is spoken of as the One God Alone.

Witnesses Reject teaching of the immortal soul, citing such scriptures as (Ezekiel 18:4) and (John 11:11) as proof that the soul can die, and that death can be likened to sleep, where no activity exists. As such, Witnesses believe that a place, like the modern concept of ''Hell'', cannot exist, citing scriptures such as (Matthew 10:28) which also speak of the soul being ''Destroyed'' rather then tortured forever.

Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays pointing out that no such celebrations were held by God's people in the Bible. They also believe that since these celebrations have their origins in Pagan festivities that dealt with the worship of False gods, that True Christians should have no part in them.

They do observe an annual observance of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin likened to bestiality or pedophilia, and that same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden. Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another marriage. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2012-11-27T05:11:36Z

David42718:

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''' is a religious organization headquartered in the [[United States]]. The organization uses a number of legal corporations worldwide, publishing literature and performing other operational and administrative functions that represent the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a distinction between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Religion has over 13,000 Kingdom Halls (Houses of Worship and Study) in the U.S. with 1,145,723 million members (As of 2011). Outside the U.S. membership is over 7.2 million in 96,094 local Kingdom Halls. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there are no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses was founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace.
They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other Religions hypocrisy. Some of these criticisms had to do with mainstream Christendoms involvement in politics and their support of war efforts across the globe making them blood-guilty. They put forth the Bible's teaching that true Christians would not kill their own (Spiritual) brothers, (Such as Christians, of any Denomination killing Christians, of the same or other Denominations) and that such actions showed an absence of true brotherhood on the part of these Religions (Loyalty to nation rather then God).

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their Modern translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is Gods Son rather then God himself. They do not believe that God is three gods in One, but rather One God that created all things, and thus reject the trinity. They support such teachings using scriptures such as (Matthew 4:10), (Deuteronomy 6:4), and (Psalms 83:18) where God is spoken of as the One God Alone.

Witnesses Reject teaching of the immortal soul, citing such scriptures as (Ezekiel 18:4) and (John 11:11) as proof that the soul can die, and that death can be likened to sleep, where no activity exists. As such, Witnesses believe that a place, like the modern concept of ''Hell'', cannot exist, citing scriptures such as (Matthew 10:28) which also speak of the soul being ''Destroyed'' rather then tortured forever.

Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays pointing out that no such celebrations were held by God's people in the Bible. They also believe that since these celebrations have their origins in Pagan festivities that dealt with the worship of False gods, that True Christians should have no part in them.

They do observe an annual observance of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin likened to bestiality or pedophilia, and that same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2012-11-27T04:48:48Z

David42718:

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''' is a religious organization headquartered in the [[United States]]. The organization uses a number of legal corporations worldwide, publishing literature and performing other operational and administrative functions that represent the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a distinction between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Religion has over 13,000 Kingdom Halls (Houses of Worship and Study) in the U.S. with 1,145,723 million members (As of 2011). Outside the U.S. membership is over 7.2 million in 96,094 local Kingdom Halls. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there are no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses was founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace. They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other Religions hypocrisy.

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is Gods Son rather then God himself. They do not believe that God is three gods in One, but rather One God that created all things, and thus reject the trinity. The support such teachings using scriptures such as (Matthew 4:10) and (Deuteronomy 6:4) where God is spoken of as the One God Alone.

Witnesses Reject teaching of the immortal soul, citing such scriptures as (Ezekiel 18:4) and (John 11:11) as proof that the soul can die. As such, Witnesses believe teach that a place like the modern concept of ''Hell'' cannot exist, citeing scriptures such as (Matthew 10:28) which aslo speak of the sould being ''Destroyed'' rather then tourtured forever.

Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays pointing out that no such celebrations were held by Gods people in the Bible. They also believe that since these celebrations have their origins in Pagan festivities that delt with the worship of False gods, that True Christians should have no part in them.

They do observe an annual celebration of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin, and same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2011-10-19T04:59:05Z

David42718: /* Theology */

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''', are a religious organization that is headquartered in the [[United States]]. There are a number of legal corporations in use by Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, That publish literature and perform other operational and administrative functions, representing the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a ''distinction'' between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Church has about 12,000 churches in the U.S. with 1 million members. Outside the U.S. membership is over 6 million in 90,000 local churches. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there is no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace. They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other churches as the work of Satan.

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is Gods Son rather then God himself. They do not believe that God is three gods in One, but rather One God that created all things, and thus reject the trinity. The support such teachings using scriptures such as (Matthew 4:10) and (Deuteronomy 6:4) where God is spoken of as the One God Alone.

Witnesses Reject teaching of the immortal soul, citing such scriptures as (Ezekiel 18:4) and (John 11:11) as proof that the soul can die. As such, Witnesses believe teach that a place like the modern concept of ''Hell'' cannot exist, citeing scriptures such as (Matthew 10:28) which aslo speak of the sould being ''Destroyed'' rather then tourtured forever.

Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays pointing out that no such celebrations were held by Gods people in the Bible. They also believe that since these celebrations have their origins in Pagan festivities that delt with the worship of False gods, that True Christians should have no part in them.

They do observe an annual celebration of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin, and same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2011-10-19T04:44:48Z

David42718: /* Theology */

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''', are a religious organization that is headquartered in the [[United States]]. There are a number of legal corporations in use by Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, That publish literature and perform other operational and administrative functions, representing the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a ''distinction'' between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Church has about 12,000 churches in the U.S. with 1 million members. Outside the U.S. membership is over 6 million in 90,000 local churches. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there is no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace. They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other churches as the work of Satan.

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one God, Jehovah, and that Jesus Christ is his Son rather then apart of himself. They do not believe that God is three gods in One, but rather One God that created all things, and thus reject the trinity.

Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays pointing out that no such celebrations were held by Gods people in the Bible. They also believe that since these celebrations have their origins in Pagan festivities that delt with the worship of False gods, that True Christians should have no part in them.

They do observe an annual celebration of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin, and same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2011-10-19T04:31:58Z

David42718:

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''', are a religious organization that is headquartered in the [[United States]]. There are a number of legal corporations in use by Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, That publish literature and perform other operational and administrative functions, representing the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a ''distinction'' between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Church has about 12,000 churches in the U.S. with 1 million members. Outside the U.S. membership is over 6 million in 90,000 local churches. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there is no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace. They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other churches as the work of Satan.

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses reject certain Orthodox beliefs of mainstream Christianity. These include the [[Trinity]] and the immortality of the soul.

Witnesses do observe an annual celebration of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin, and same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Jehovah's Witnesses

2011-10-19T04:28:48Z

David42718:

'''Jehovah's Witnesses''', are a religious organization that is headquartered in the [[United States]]. There are A number of legal corporations in use by Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, That publish literature and perform other operational and administrative functions, representing the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations. The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the religion generally as the "Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". The oldest and most prominent of their corporation is the 'Watch Tower Society'.

Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a distinction between their corporations and their religious organizations including, but not limited to:

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York

* Kingdom Support Services, Inc., New York

* International Bible Students Association

* Testigos de Jehová de Venezuela, La Victoria, Venezuela

* Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus, Germany

* Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Inc., Australia

* Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada

* Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová

Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, the Church has about 12,000 churches in the U.S. with 1 million members. Outside the U.S. membership is over 6 million in 90,000 local churches. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work; there is no paid clergy.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in the United States in the 1870s by Charles Taze Russell of Pittsburgh. A small group of non-conformist Christian Adventists who professed loyalty only to Jehovah, they refused to swear allegiance to any government or to serve in the army of any nation. They believed that after the battle of Armageddon they would be the elect in a thousand-year period of heavenly peace. They were disliked for their opposition to the First World War, their door-to-door proselytizing, their disdain toward government, their early support of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and their loud criticism of other churches as the work of Satan.

==Theology==
They primarily use the ''[[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]'', their translation of the Bible. It was produced because in their words: "No translation of the Bible can ever be considered final. Translations must keep pace with the growth in biblical scholarship and the changes in language."<ref> The Watchtower October 15, 1999 p.28 </ref>

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their faith is the restoration of the early Church. This belief is based on their attempts to align their organizational structure as closely as possible to their view of the Christian congregation of the first century. There is no clergy-laity distinction as all, male and female members, are considered to be ordained ministers at the time of [[baptism]] (note that Witnesses do not practice [[infant baptism]]).

Jehovah's Witnesses reject certain Orthodox beliefs of mainstream Christianity. These include the [[Trinity]] and the immortality of the soul.

Witnesses do observe an annual celebration of the [[Last Supper]], or Lord's Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:20). This event, which they refer to as the Memorial of Christ's Death, falls on the night of Nisan 14 which corresponds with the ancient [[Passover]] celebration observed by Jews.

==Morality==

Their views of morality reflect conservative Christian values. All sexual relations outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion if the individual is not deemed repentant; homosexuality is considered a serious sin, and same-sex marriages are forbidden. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty in dress and grooming is frequently emphasized. Gambling, drunkenness, illegal drugs, and tobacco use are forbidden.Drinking of alcoholic beverages is permitted in moderation.

The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings, as well as those of his children. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Divorce is discouraged, and remarriage is forbidden unless a divorce is obtained on the grounds of adultery, termed "a scriptural divorce". If a divorce is obtained for any other reason, remarriage is considered adultery while the prior spouse is still alive and has not begun another sexual relationship. Extreme physical abuse, willful non-support of one's family, and what the religion terms "absolute endangerment of spirituality" are considered grounds for legal separation.

== History ==
The group originated in the 1870s with a movement called the Bible Students, founded by [[Charles Taze Russell]] (1852-1916). As a young man, Russell was critical of some Christian doctrines, and was attracted to the teachings of William Miller and other [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|adventists]] who speculated upon the return of the Savior. During the repeated crises of the Adventists, when all dates calculated for the second coming proved erroneous, Russel started his own movement in the 1870's. Predictions concerning the second coming of a spiritual Lord and intensive distribution of tract literature and of 'Watchtower' materials characterize the organization of his group. Russell organized a Bible class to study the scriptures from the ground up. The study process involved raising a question, discussing the topic and reviewing all known related scriptures that the participants could find on the point. The results were recorded whether or not they matched long-standing theological viewpoints. His group was known first as Russellites and then as the "International Bible Students." Russell founded Zion's Watch Tower, (now The Watchtower), in 1879, and Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884 (later renamed Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
"Judge" Joseph F. Rutherford (1869-1942), a prolific writer, served as the second president, 1916-42, and renamed the movement "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. By 1938 there were 115,000 members, and local churches were becoming more directly organized by the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn.

Witnesses are well known worldwide for their door-to-door preaching which features use of the Bible and distribution of ''[[The Watchtower]]'' and ''[[Awake!]]'' magazine. They do not celebrate holidays that are not discussed in the Bible or that they feel serve to exalt individuals, human organizations or national groups, believing them to be an affront to God. In the 1920s and 1930s Witnesses would enter communities in large numbers, play loud phonograph records, and go door-to-door in search of potential converts, and denouncing organized religion as evil. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], whose mother was a leader of the Witnesses in Kansas, came under attack for his connection; he defended the group but never affiliated with it. {{citation needed}}

===Pledge of Allegiance===
Their view of idolatry led to their refusal to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America (or other governments) and participation in military service.<ref> Rutherford: “God, Jehovah, is the only source of life. No one else can give life. The State of Pennsylvania cannot give life. The American Government cannot. God made this law [forbidding the worship of images], as Paul puts it, to safeguard His people from idolatry. That is a small thing, you say. So was the act of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit. It was not the apple that Adam ate, but it was his act of disobeying God. The question is whether man will obey God or obey some human institution. . . - Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.684</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses base this belief on their understanding of [[Book of Romans|Romans]] 13:1,5-7; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 12:17; and [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 5:28, 29.

In 1935, two young Witnesses Lillian Gobitas and her younger brother William refused to salute the American flag in school in Minersville, Pennsylvania; both were expelled from public school. Their father found relief in the 3d Circuit Court of Appeals, but the children were still not accepted back in school. The case went to the Supreme Court, where the court held for the school board in an opinion written by Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the flag salute could be made mandatory despite religious convictions. The ruling led to assaults on Jehovah's Witnesses, Three years later the court reversed its ruling against the Witnesses in 'West Virginia State Board of Education' v. 'Barnette' (1943). The Witnesses' trials support the position that American liberty does not emanate so much from localities and states taking their stand against a potentially tyrannical federal government as from an elite legal culture that places the Constitution and individual rights above the passions of communities and crowds.<ref> See Francis (2000)</ref>

The many legal battles waged by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Supreme Court during the 1930's-40's were not accidental but rather a result of a strategy employed by leaders of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to secure the right to proselytization through winning key 1st Amendment cases in the high courts. Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford envisioned using the law to empower and protect Jehovah's Witnesses against canvassing prohibitions and mob violence, but it was Hayden Covington of the group's legal department who actively steered Witnesses into legal confrontations nationwide. Covington deliberately sent Witnesses into areas where their activity was either prohibited or unpopular.{{citation needed}} Witnesses were aptly prepared for arrest and were given legal guidance about how to get their cases appealed to higher courts. The end result of this strategy was that 19 cases regarding Jehovah's Witnesses reached the Supreme Court during 1939-50.<ref> Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, "Witnesses and their Plan to Expand First Amendment Freedoms," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2004 46(4): 811-832, in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
===Canada===
The Canadian government treated Jehovah's Witnesses harshly during World War II, outlawing their organization from 1940 to 1943. Some Witnesses were denied the opportunity to do alternative service, were drafted into the army, and then imprisoned for pacifism. The Jehovah's Witnesses antagonized the Canadian government and other Christian faiths by claiming that all governments were controlled by Satan, by dismissing any distinctions between clergy and laity, and by refusing to admit that they belonged to a religious group.<ref> Penton (1976)</ref>
=== Germany and Japan===
Witnesses were victims of the [[Holocaust]] under [[Nazi Germany]]. Of the approximately 20,000 Witnesses in Germany in 1933, about 6,000 were arrested. Hundreds died of mistreatment in prisons and camps; some were executed.<ref> See Penton (2004)</ref>

In Japan, all members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested and imprisoned in 1939. The destruction of records by the Japanese at the end of the war make it impossible to determine how many survived. Extant accounts of torture and brutality relate mostly to Japanese converts who refused to serve in the Japanese military because of their religious convictions.<ref>Carolyn R. Wah, "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Empire of the Sun: a Clash of Faith and Religion During World War II," ''Journal of Church & State'' 2002 44(1): 45-72, full text in [[EBSCO]] </ref>

===Recent persecution===
Successful missionary work has created a presence in many countries, with controversy quick to follow.
Opposition to the Witnesses has been manifested in recent years in such diverse countries as South Korea, Greece, Spain, Chile, and various republics of the former [[Soviet Union]] including Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There has been persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec, Canada due to their refusal to hold loyalty to a government during wartime.

== Jehovah's Witnesses and Holidays ==

Jehovah's Witnesses base their refraining from celebrating many popular religious holidays on II Corinthians 6:14, 17 which states: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Therefore, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate,' saith the Lord. 'And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" ([[King James Version]]) <ref>The Watchtower, December 15, 1974 (p. 740).</ref>

Although Jehovah's Witnesses, then known as International Bible Students, celebrated Christmas during the early 1900's, this practice stopped in 1926. <ref>Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom(p. 198)</ref> Since that time they have published information regarding the allegedly "pagan" origins of other holidays such as Easter, New Year's, Halloween and others. Their sources have been varied, drawing upon ''The Encyclopædia Britannica'', ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'', ''The World Book Encyclopedia'', ''The Encyclopedia Americana'', and similar publicly available resources.

Regarding their position on secular holidays, Jehovah's Witnesses reference Christ's words at [[Gospel of John|John]] 17:16, that his followers would be no part of the world. They also refrain from most celebrations that focus on individuals, such as birthdays, referencing scriptures such as Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 19:10.<ref>Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (p. 214) </ref>

{{See also|Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs}}

==Blood==
Since 1945 the Jehovah's Witnesses' governing body has stipulated that accepting whole blood or whole blood cell transfusions is in violation of the Bible's commandments. All adult Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse whole blood, packed red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. There has been ongoing controversy, especially when they prohibit children from receiving life-saving transfusions, which has led many states and countries to override parents' authority in medical matters. The legal procedure is to obtain a court order allowing doctors to transfuse children over their parents’ objections if withholding blood is likely to lead to death or disability. <ref> Susan E. Lederer, ''Flesh and Blood: Organ Transplantation and Blood Transfusion in Twentieth-Century America'' (2008), ch 7.</ref>
==Further reading==
* Bergman, Gerald. "The Influence of Religion on President Eisenhower's Upbringing," ''Journal of American & Comparative Cultures'' 2000 23(4): 89-107, in [[EBSCO]]
* Eddy, G. Norman. " The Jehovah's Witnesses: An Interpretation," ''Journal of Bible and Religion,'' Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr., 1958), pp. 115-121 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1459283 in JSTOR]
* Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. ''Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses'' (1978), popular history
* Horowitz, David. ''Pastor Charles Taze Russell: An Early American Christian Zionist'' (1986). 159 pp.
* Newton, Merlin Owen. ''Armed with the Constitution: Jehovah's Witnesses in Alabama and the U.S. Supreme Court, 1939-1946'' (1995). 221 pp.
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution'' (2004), 412 pp.,
* Penton, M. James. ''Jehovah's Witnesses in Canada: Champions of Freedom of Speech and Worship'' (1976). 388 pp.
* Peters, Shawn Francis. ''Judging Jehovah's Witnesses: religious persecution and the dawn of the rights revolution'' (2000)
* Poewe, Karla O. "Religion, Matriliny, and Change: Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists in Luapula, Zambia," ''American Ethnologist'', Vol. 5, No. 2 (May, 1978), pp. 303-321 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/643293 in JSTOR]
* Wah, Carolyn R. "An Introduction to Research and Analysis of Jehovah's Witnesses: A View from the Watchtower," ''Review of Religious Research,'' Vol. 43, No. 2 (Dec., 2001), pp. 161-174 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3512060 in JSTOR]
== Links ==
Jehovah's Witnesses operate three official websites:

*[http://www.watchtower.org Watchtower Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses]
*[http://www.jw.org Worldwide Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses ]
*[http://www.jw-media.org Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses]
* [http://www.quotedstatements.com/fotm.htm ''Faith on the March''] (by A.H. Macmillan, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1957)

*[http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com Ex-Jehovah's Witness Forum and Recovery Site]. A resource providing information on opposing views with regards the Jehovah's Witness Organization. Discussion and Recovery site for former Jehovah's Witnesses; those considering leaving; or simply interested individuals.

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Christian Denominations]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]
[[category:Holocaust]]
[[category:Fundamentalism]]

Satan

2011-10-18T19:14:40Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

[[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumb|Gustave Doré's depiction of Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lost.]]

'''Satan''' or the '''Devil''' is the embodiment of evil, and plays a major role in Christian theology and literature, as well as in many other religions. He is the tempter and spiritual enemy of mankind. He is the adversary of God, although subordinate to him and able to act only by his sufferance, and is represented frequently as the leader or prince of all apostate angels and as ruler of [[hell]].
"Satan is the force that loves to find the guilt and weakness in people, to humiliate them with it, to convince them that, because they are not good, God cannot love them."<ref> [http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258360/iritei-stuff-satan-prosecutor-mike-potemra The Rite Stuff: Satan as Prosecutor] - Mike Potemra</ref>

==Old Testament==
Satan was once a member of the divine council of God referenced in the [[Old Testament]]. He is referenced 11 times in [[Job]] and 4 other times in the Old Testament. The [[New Testament]] mentions Satan 34 times in all, starting with the first book [[Matthew]] and ending with the last [[Revelation]]. In the Christian tradition he rebelled against God and is now the enemy of God and man alike. He is the father of lies and no good is found in him. He leads a host of fallen angels (or [[demon]]s) who know their days are numbered before they will be cast in the lake of fire and they seek to take as many humans as possible with them.

== New Testament==
In the [[New Testament]], Satan tries to tempt [[Jesus]] in the desert, and fails. Jesus warns extensively to beware of Satan as does [[Paul]].

In Christian theology Satan's goal is to lead people away from the love of God, by tempting or tricking them. The only sources of supernatural power in the world are from either God (good) or Satan (evil). In the book of [[Genesis]], Satan takes the form of a snake and tempts Eve with fruit from a tree. This causes sin to come into the world. Kelly (2006) demonstrates how assumptions--such as the identification of the Eden serpent with Satan, probably first made by Justin Martyr in the second century--have hardened into fact.

Satan, in the Book of Job, listens to God speak highly of Job and accuses Job to God before the host of angels that Job praises God only because he is blessed and would curse God if he was forced to suffer. God allows Satan to do what he will except to spare his life, and Satan causes Job to suffer immensely. (Job remained true to God through his hardships; Satan accused him further and punished him further, but could not get Job to break).
==Possession==
[[Jesus]] makes references to demonic possession on multiple occasions that He then casts out. Some believe that Satan is able to possess and control living humans on Earth even today. Even more, some others believe that Satan actually has done this in the past as well. The Catholic church believes that priests (and sometimes only bishops) are able to [[exorcise]] this possession through Jesus.

==Terms==
The word ''Satan'' derives from the Hebrew "ha-satan", meaning the "accuser", "tempter", "persecutor", "calumniator", or "adversary". He "was a liar and a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44) Synonyms include '''Lucifer, demon, Mephistopholes, Mephisto, Beelzebub, the Evil One, the Tempter,''' and '''The Prince of Darkness.''' Only "devil" is used as an epithet for a profoundly evil person.

The adjectives include "devilish," "demonic", and "diabolic". Those who worship Satan are called [[satanism | Satanists]], Satan-worshippers, or demonists.
=== Lucifer ===
'''Lucifer''' is a name literally meaning "Son of the Morning" (or "Light-Bearer"), and is mentioned in the Bible only in the [[book of Isaiah]] (Isaiah 14:12). Though in Christian tradition Lucifer is equated with Satan, the immediate context of the passage is Isaiah's prophecy against the king of Babylon, and the name "Lucifer" was not present at all in the original manuscripts (in the Latin Vulgate, the phrase "Son of the Morning" was transliterated as a proper name).

Whomever Lucifer may be, the Isaiah makes strong prophecy against him, condemning him for 5 pronouncements:

* I will ascend into [[heaven]]
* I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
* I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north
* I will ascend above the heights of the clouds
* I will be like the most High

Those who take this passage to be a reference to Satan believe that it gives more history of what caused his downfall, that he was created by God as one of His most powerful angels (possibly a [[Seraphim]]), but that he fell from grace after he in his pride rebelled against his Creator. Some, however, believe that there is no grounding to interpret the passage as a history of Satan, citing that the passage uses highly figurative and poetic language that was meant as a prophecy against Babylon and nothing more.

[[Image:Paradise Lost 12.jpg|right|thumb|''The fall of Lucifer'' by Gustave Doré.]]

== Jewish Views ==
In the Jewish tradition, Satan is an angel who faithfully serves God as a prosecuting attorney - one who accuses men of wickedness and impiety. At the direction of God, Satan may be permitted to test these accusations, such as in Job. In this view, Satan's goal is not to lead men away from their faithfulness to God, but merely to reveal the true depths of their devotion, although in [[I Chronicles]] 21:1 Satan provoked [[David]] to take a [[census]] of the people of Israel against the will of God and 70,000 men are slain because of it.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Satan was at one time an [[Angel]] who lived among the many millions of Angels that existed before the [[world]] was created. They believe that at some point He developed the desire to be worshiped by [[Humans]] and other Angels and so set himself in Opposition to worship of [[Jehovah]], his [[God]] and Father. This they believe occured in the Garden of Eden, and not prior to the Earths creation. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan used a serpent as his mouth piece, the same way a vantriloquist uses a dummy, to bring the first [[Human]] couple under his control.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that God has allowed Satan to rule mankind for several resons such as:

*Satan has challenged God's Right to rule his creations, not his power....

*Satan accuses God of bribeing Humans for their loyalty with protection and blessings....

*Satan has accused Humans of being loyal to God out of selfish reasons....

*Satan claims that he can rule mankind better then God....

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach also that [[God]] decided that time, rather then a display of force, is needed to settle these issues. This, they believe, has giving Satan thousands of years to prove that Mankind is better off without God, that He (Satan) can rule Mankind sucessfully, and that the Humans that Do serve God do so only out of selfish reasons.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan does not live in any kind of [[Hell]] or world of the dead, but on the [[Earth]] as it's current ruler, along with as many as a third of the Angels of [[Heaven]]. They teach that Satan had lived in Heaven up until 1914, when Jesus and his Angels cast him out of Heaven, bringing woe to the Earth. this is their reasoning on Why the world has experienced two World wars, increasing lawlessness, an increase in disease and polution, and the overall conditions on earth today.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Satan delegates authority to each Demon as he see's fit, and over what he see's fit, sometimes including whole Nations and kingdoms. They believe that Satan and his demons are in every way the enemy of God, rather then working along side him. They teach that Satan will continue to rule the world until [[Armageddon]], when Jesus Christ and his heavenly Angels come to earth and bind him, eventually killing him, freeing the world of all opposition towards True worship.

==Defenses==
The three classic defenses against Satan are:

* mockery, which Satan cannot withstand due to his pride
* sunlight or exposure, from which Satan hides
* the [[Holy Spirit]], meaning "The Advocate" (i.e., defense lawyer), or the ''Armor of God''<ref>Ephesians 6:1-17</ref>.

Note that Satan lacks self-restraint, which often leads him to failure. In addition, Satan delights in [[deceit]], even to the point of causing his downfall.

==Dante and Milton==
The classic literary depictions of Satan appear in Dante's Italian poem, "Inferno," and in [[John Milton]]'s English poem, "Paradise Lost." These are considered the two greatest poems in Italian and English literature.

==Liberal Protestant views==
Like [[Santa Claus]], Satan is not considered a real person but is the embodiment or epitome of evil.

In western art and popular culture the devil is used to represent evil influences or motivations.

==See also==
* [[Devil]]
*[[Atheism and satanic deception]]
* [[Salem Witch Trials]]

==Further reading==
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jan., 1913), pp. 29-33 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142352 in JSTOR]
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98-102 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142425 in JSTOR]
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 3 (Mar., 1913), pp. 167-172 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142755 in JSTOR]
* Empson, William. ''Milton's God'' (1966)
* Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," ''The Jewish Encyclopedia'' (1906) [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=270&letter=S&search=Satan#ixzz0UQlw0zPS online] pp 68-71
* Kelly, Henry Ansgar. ''Satan: A Biography.'' (2006). 360 pp. [http://books.google.com/books?id=gPIpQg0lRbMC&pg=PA12&dq=intitle:satan+inauthor:kelly&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=&f=false excerpt and text search]ISBN 0-521-60402-8, a study of the Bible and Western literature
* Kent, William. "Devil." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' (1908) Vol. 4. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04764a.htm online older article]
* Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," ''Novum Testamentum,'' Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul., 1973), pp. 187-190 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1560340 in JSTOR] on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
* Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as Revolutionary," ''Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900,'' Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter, 1973), pp. 81-93 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/449871 in JSTOR]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'' (1987) [http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Perceptions-Antiquity-Christianity-Paperbacks/dp/0801494095/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Satan: The Early Christian Tradition'' (1987) [http://www.amazon.com/Satan-Christian-Jeffrey-Burton-Russell/dp/0801494133/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'' (1986) [http://www.amazon.com/Lucifer-Devil-Middle-Cornell-Paperbacks/dp/080149429X/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World'' (1990) [http://www.amazon.com/Mephistopheles-Modern-Jeffrey-Burton-Russell/dp/0801497183/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History'' (1992) [http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Darkness-Radical-Power-History/dp/0801480566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255995689&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Schaff, D. S. "Devil" in ''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge'' (1911), [[Mainline]] Protestant; vol 3 pp 414-417 [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03.d.iii.html online]
* Scott, Miriam Van. ''The Encyclopedia of Hell'' (1999) [http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Hell-Miriam-Van-Scott/dp/0312244428/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b excerpt and text search] comparative religions; also popular culture
* Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. ''The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Satan-Tracing-Devils-Biblical/dp/1403969337/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]

== Notes ==
<references/>

== External links ==

*[http://www.1timothy4-13.com/files/teach/accuser.html The accuser of the brethren - commentary on Revelation 12:7-12] - Dr. J.B. Buffington
[[category:Abrahamic Religions]]
{{DivineComedy}}

Battle of Armageddon

2011-10-13T01:20:29Z

David42718:

The '''Battle of Armageddon''' is a battle prophesied to occur on or around [[Megiddo]] in [[Israel]] according to the [[Book of Revelation]] in the [[Bible]]. At Megiddo, the [[Antichrist]] will summon forth his mortal and [[demon]]ic armies to challenge the [[Lord]]'s authority. [[God]] will strike him and his master, the fallen angel [[Lucifer]], and end his dominion over the earth, ushering in the [[Millennial Reign]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armageddon, Battle of}}

[[Category:Christian Theology]]
[[Category:Battles]]

=== Jehovah's Witnesses ===

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Armageddon is the means by which [[God]] will finally realize his purpose for the Earth to be populated with happy healthy Humans free of [[Sin]] and Death({{bibleverse||Psalms|37:29|ESV}}) ({{bibleverse||Matthew|6:9-10|ESV}}) or have his Will be done. <ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051201/article_02.htm Armageddon - A Happy Beginning]</ref> They teach that the armies of [[Heaven]] will eradicate all who oppose [[the Kingdom of God]] and it's rule, essentially wipeing out all wicked Human and [[Spirit]] creatures on Earth, leaving only righteous mankind.<ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/20080401/article_02.htm Armageddon—God’s War to End All Wars]</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that the ''Gathering'' of the all the ''Nations'' of the Earth refers to the Uniteing of the worlds Political powers, and that this is gradual, begining in 1914 and seen later in such manifestations as the [[League of Nations]], and the [[United Nations]], after World War's one, and two.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'</ref> This gathering, they teach, is a symbolic one, of coming together as one, and existing in opposition to The Kingdom of God. This is done by inspiration of [[Satan]] and his Demons who rule the world under his control.<ref>''The Watchtower'' 12/1/05 p. 4 [http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051201/article_02.htm Armageddon—A Happy Beginning] Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that the armies of [[Heaven]], commanded by [[Jesus]] Christ, will destroy all forms of Human/Self government and rule the Earth for 1000 years. <ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/dg/article_10.htm The Marvelous New World of God's Making watchtower.org]</ref> [[Satan]] is said to be bound for 1000 years, and unable to influence mankind until the 1000 years are up. After the 1000 years are ended, and the ''Second Resurrection'' has taken place, [[Satan]] is let loose from the Abyss and allowed to tempt a ''perfect'' human race one last time. Those who follow [[Satan]] are destroyed, along with him, leaving the Earth, and Mankind at peace with God forever, and free of Sin and Death.<ref>Watchtower 6/1/96 p. 18 par. 20 "Flight to Safety Before the "Great Tribulation"" Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref>

Satan

2011-10-13T01:06:55Z

David42718: /* Jewish Views */

[[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumb|Gustave Doré's depiction of Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lost.]]

'''Satan''' or the '''Devil''' is the embodiment of evil, and plays a major role in Christian theology and literature, as well as in many other religions. He is the tempter and spiritual enemy of mankind. He is the adversary of God, although subordinate to him and able to act only by his sufferance, and is represented frequently as the leader or prince of all apostate angels and as ruler of [[hell]].
"Satan is the force that loves to find the guilt and weakness in people, to humiliate them with it, to convince them that, because they are not good, God cannot love them."<ref> [http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/258360/iritei-stuff-satan-prosecutor-mike-potemra The Rite Stuff: Satan as Prosecutor] - Mike Potemra</ref>

==Old Testament==
Satan was once a member of the divine council of God referenced in the [[Old Testament]]. He is referenced 11 times in [[Job]] and 4 other times in the Old Testament. The [[New Testament]] mentions Satan 34 times in all, starting with the first book [[Matthew]] and ending with the last [[Revelation]]. In the Christian tradition he rebelled against God and is now the enemy of God and man alike. He is the father of lies and no good is found in him. He leads a host of fallen angels (or [[demon]]s) who know their days are numbered before they will be cast in the lake of fire and they seek to take as many humans as possible with them.

== New Testament==
In the [[New Testament]], Satan tries to tempt [[Jesus]] in the desert, and fails. Jesus warns extensively to beware of Satan as does [[Paul]].

In Christian theology Satan's goal is to lead people away from the love of God, by tempting or tricking them. The only sources of supernatural power in the world are from either God (good) or Satan (evil). In the book of [[Genesis]], Satan takes the form of a snake and tempts Eve with fruit from a tree. This causes sin to come into the world. Kelly (2006) demonstrates how assumptions--such as the identification of the Eden serpent with Satan, probably first made by Justin Martyr in the second century--have hardened into fact.

Satan, in the Book of Job, listens to God speak highly of Job and accuses Job to God before the host of angels that Job praises God only because he is blessed and would curse God if he was forced to suffer. God allows Satan to do what he will except to spare his life, and Satan causes Job to suffer immensely. (Job remained true to God through his hardships; Satan accused him further and punished him further, but could not get Job to break).
==Possession==
[[Jesus]] makes references to demonic possession on multiple occasions that He then casts out. Some believe that Satan is able to possess and control living humans on Earth even today. Even more, some others believe that Satan actually has done this in the past as well. The Catholic church believes that priests (and sometimes only bishops) are able to [[exorcise]] this possession through Jesus.

==Terms==
The word ''Satan'' derives from the Hebrew "ha-satan", meaning the "accuser", "tempter", "persecutor", "calumniator", or "adversary". He "was a liar and a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44) Synonyms include '''Lucifer, demon, Mephistopholes, Mephisto, Beelzebub, the Evil One, the Tempter,''' and '''The Prince of Darkness.''' Only "devil" is used as an epithet for a profoundly evil person.

The adjectives include "devilish," "demonic", and "diabolic". Those who worship Satan are called [[satanism | Satanists]], Satan-worshippers, or demonists.
=== Lucifer ===
'''Lucifer''' is a name literally meaning "Son of the Morning" (or "Light-Bearer"), and is mentioned in the Bible only in the [[book of Isaiah]] (Isaiah 14:12). Though in Christian tradition Lucifer is equated with Satan, the immediate context of the passage is Isaiah's prophecy against the king of Babylon, and the name "Lucifer" was not present at all in the original manuscripts (in the Latin Vulgate, the phrase "Son of the Morning" was transliterated as a proper name).

Whomever Lucifer may be, the Isaiah makes strong prophecy against him, condemning him for 5 pronouncements:

* I will ascend into [[heaven]]
* I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
* I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north
* I will ascend above the heights of the clouds
* I will be like the most High

Those who take this passage to be a reference to Satan believe that it gives more history of what caused his downfall, that he was created by God as one of His most powerful angels (possibly a [[Seraphim]]), but that he fell from grace after he in his pride rebelled against his Creator. Some, however, believe that there is no grounding to interpret the passage as a history of Satan, citing that the passage uses highly figurative and poetic language that was meant as a prophecy against Babylon and nothing more.

[[Image:Paradise Lost 12.jpg|right|thumb|''The fall of Lucifer'' by Gustave Doré.]]

== Jewish Views ==
In the Jewish tradition, Satan is an angel who faithfully serves God as a prosecuting attorney - one who accuses men of wickedness and impiety. At the direction of God, Satan may be permitted to test these accusations, such as in Job. In this view, Satan's goal is not to lead men away from their faithfulness to God, but merely to reveal the true depths of their devotion, although in [[I Chronicles]] 21:1 Satan provoked [[David]] to take a [[census]] of the people of Israel against the will of God and 70,000 men are slain because of it.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Satan was at one time an [[Angel]] who lived among the many millions of Angels that existed before the [[world]] was created. They believe that at some point He developed the desire to be worshiped by [[Humans]] and other Angels and so set himself in Opposition to worship of [[Jehovah]], his [[God]] and Father. This they believe occured in the Garden of Eden, and not prior to the Earths creation. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan used a serpent as his mouth piece, the same way a vantriloquist uses a dummy, to bring the first [[Human]] couple under his control.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that God has allowed Satan to rule mankind for several resons[29] such as:

*Satan has challenged God's Right to rule his creations, not his power....

*Satan accuses God of bribeing Humans for their loyalty with protection and blessings....

*Satan has accused Humans of being loyal to God out of selfish reasons....

*Satan claims that he can rule mankind better then God....

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach also that [[God]] decided that time, rather then a display of force, is needed to settle these issues. This, they believe, has giving Satan thousands of years to prove that Mankind is better off without God, that He (Satan) can rule Mankind sucessfully, and that the Humans that Do serve God do so only out of selfish reasons.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan does not live in any kind of [[Hell]] or world of the dead, but on the [[Earth]] as it's current ruler, along with as many as a third of the Angels of [[Heaven]]. They teach that Satan had lived in Heaven up until 1914, when Jesus and his Angels cast him out of Heaven, bringing woe to the Earth. this is their reasoning on Why the world has experienced two World wars, increasing lawlessness, an increase in disease and polution, and the overall conditions on earth today.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Satan delegates authority to each Demon as he see's fit, and over what he see's fit, sometimes including whole Nations and kingdoms. They believe that Satan and his demons are in every way the enemy of God, rather then working along side him. They teach that Satan will continue to rule the world until [[Armageddon]], when Jesus Christ and his heavenly Angels come to earth and bind him, eventually killing him, freeing the world of all opposition towards True worship.

==Defenses==
The three classic defenses against Satan are:

* mockery, which Satan cannot withstand due to his pride
* sunlight or exposure, from which Satan hides
* the [[Holy Spirit]], meaning "The Advocate" (i.e., defense lawyer), or the ''Armor of God''<ref>Ephesians 6:1-17</ref>.

Note that Satan lacks self-restraint, which often leads him to failure. In addition, Satan delights in [[deceit]], even to the point of causing his downfall.

==Dante and Milton==
The classic literary depictions of Satan appear in Dante's Italian poem, "Inferno," and in [[John Milton]]'s English poem, "Paradise Lost." These are considered the two greatest poems in Italian and English literature.

==Liberal Protestant views==
Like [[Santa Claus]], Satan is not considered a real person but is the embodiment or epitome of evil.

In western art and popular culture the devil is used to represent evil influences or motivations.

==See also==
* [[Devil]]
*[[Atheism and satanic deception]]
* [[Salem Witch Trials]]

==Further reading==
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: I. In the Old Testament," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jan., 1913), pp. 29-33 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142352 in JSTOR]
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: II. Satan in Extra-Biblical Apocalyptical Literature," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 2 (Feb., 1913), pp. 98-102 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142425 in JSTOR]
* Caldwell, William. "The Doctrine of Satan: III. In the New Testament," ''The Biblical World,'' Vol. 41, No. 3 (Mar., 1913), pp. 167-172 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3142755 in JSTOR]
* Empson, William. ''Milton's God'' (1966)
* Jacobs, Joseph, and Ludwig Blau. "Satan," ''The Jewish Encyclopedia'' (1906) [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=270&letter=S&search=Satan#ixzz0UQlw0zPS online] pp 68-71
* Kelly, Henry Ansgar. ''Satan: A Biography.'' (2006). 360 pp. [http://books.google.com/books?id=gPIpQg0lRbMC&pg=PA12&dq=intitle:satan+inauthor:kelly&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=&f=false excerpt and text search]ISBN 0-521-60402-8, a study of the Bible and Western literature
* Kent, William. "Devil." ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' (1908) Vol. 4. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04764a.htm online older article]
* Osborne, B. A. E. "Peter: Stumbling-Block and Satan," ''Novum Testamentum,'' Vol. 15, Fasc. 3 (Jul., 1973), pp. 187-190 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1560340 in JSTOR] on "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
* Rebhorn Wayne A. "The Humanist Tradition and Milton's Satan: The Conservative as Revolutionary," ''Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900,'' Vol. 13, No. 1, The English Renaissance (Winter, 1973), pp. 81-93 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/449871 in JSTOR]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'' (1987) [http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Perceptions-Antiquity-Christianity-Paperbacks/dp/0801494095/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Satan: The Early Christian Tradition'' (1987) [http://www.amazon.com/Satan-Christian-Jeffrey-Burton-Russell/dp/0801494133/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'' (1986) [http://www.amazon.com/Lucifer-Devil-Middle-Cornell-Paperbacks/dp/080149429X/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World'' (1990) [http://www.amazon.com/Mephistopheles-Modern-Jeffrey-Burton-Russell/dp/0801497183/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c excerpt and text search]
* Russell, Jeffrey Burton. ''The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History'' (1992) [http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Darkness-Radical-Power-History/dp/0801480566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255995689&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Schaff, D. S. "Devil" in ''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge'' (1911), [[Mainline]] Protestant; vol 3 pp 414-417 [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03.d.iii.html online]
* Scott, Miriam Van. ''The Encyclopedia of Hell'' (1999) [http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Hell-Miriam-Van-Scott/dp/0312244428/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b excerpt and text search] comparative religions; also popular culture
* Wray, T. J. and Gregory Mobley. ''The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Satan-Tracing-Devils-Biblical/dp/1403969337/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]

== Notes ==
<references/>

== External links ==

*[http://www.1timothy4-13.com/files/teach/accuser.html The accuser of the brethren - commentary on Revelation 12:7-12] - Dr. J.B. Buffington
[[category:Abrahamic Religions]]
{{DivineComedy}}

Sin

2011-10-12T23:54:49Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

''For the mathematical function, see [[sine]].''

'''Sin''' is a failure to conform to the standard of [[morality]], or the state of the world that results from such failure.

== Meaning of sin ==
The root meaning of the English word ''sin'' is actually, "He is guilty as charged." This in turn implies that the person committing the offense knew, or ought to have known, that his act would ''be'' an offense before he committed it. This word actually captures the meaning that many religious traditions ascribe to sin.

The [[Greek]] word used in the original [[New Testament]] and translated "sin" in English is '''ἁμαρτία''' (''hamartia'') (whence ''[[hamartoma]]'' a malformation of [[cell]]s that are within their usual place in the body). This word captures the ''[[Christian]]'' meaning of sin much better. ''Hamartia'' means ''missing a target.'' Thus sin does not require bad intentions, but might result from a misunderstanding. This is not to say that the consequences are any less dire, however. It does mean that sin need not be intentional; it can be a knowing (but not intentional), reckless, or negligent act.

=== Required: a moral context ===
Sin, which is a moral failure, cannot exist in the absence of a code of [[morality]].

This is not to say that sin requires a context of ''divinity.'' The context in which sin ceases to have meaning is not [[atheism]] ''per se'' but rather [[amoral]]ism — the doctrine that says that no person may properly define what is moral for another, because no two people will ever value the same thing to the same degree, or value the same collection of things by the same rank structure.

Whether any man ''ever'' lives without some form of moral code—even if that code is, "I denounce as sin any disagreement with myself or any attempt to stand in my way"—is [[Debate:Can any man live without some code of morality?|debatable]]. Nevertheless, without ''some'' form of moral context, sin has no meaning.

== Differing views of sin ==
==== Jewish ====
In [[Judaism]], and certainly in ancient practice, the preferred method of [[atonement]] for sin was blood [[sacrifice]]. The Book of [[Leviticus]] prescribed multiple animal sacrifices for atonement for various types of sin. But by far the most important atonement—on the Day of Atonement (''[[Yom Kippur]]'')—was made by the high priest of the [[Hebrew]] people (originally [[Aaron]], brother of [[Moses]]). This involved making a blood sacrifice, entering the [[Holy of Holies]] (in [[Latin]], ''sanctum sanctorum''), and sprinkling some of the blood from the sacrifice on the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

Animal sacrifice has not been part of Jewish practice since the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] by the future Emperor [[Titus]] in 70 AD. But the [[Old Testament]] did not imply that animal sacrifice was the sole ''necessary'' measure for reconciliation. Simple repentance and prayer sufficed numerous times in Bible history.

Today, though animal sacrifices are no longer observed, Jews do observe ''Yom Kippur'' and other festivals related to repentance and reconciliation. But a movement now exists to attempt to regain exclusive control of the [[Temple Mount]] area in [[Jerusalem]], rebuild the Temple, and resume the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings prescribed in the [[Torah]].

In traditional Jewish thought, sin may be balanced by the good deeds one performs throughout life; the image of scales weighing one's life are prominent in folklore, similar to other ancient Middle Eastern religions such as ancient Egypt.

=== Christian views ===
''See also: [[Seven Deadly Sins]]''
==== Roman Catholic ====
Catholics classify sins as venial sin and mortal sin ([[grave sin]]).<ref> [http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html What is a Mortal Sin?]</ref>

[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] doctrine distinguishes [[original sin]], or the sin of [[Adam]], from ''personal'' sins, which require individual reconciliation with God. A personal sin may be ''mortal'' (a particularly grave matter that the perpetrator commits by deliberate intent) or ''venial'' (a less grave matter that could result from a misunderstanding). The RCC distinction is: Mortal sins cut a person off from the grace of God; venial sins do not, but still injure one's relationship to God. A mortal sin is defined in the Roman Catholic church as being any transgression (a) regarding a grave matter, (b) which was premeditated and (c) committed with full knowledge of its sinful nature. A venial sin is defined as any sin which does not fulfil all three conditions for a mortal sin.

The one mortal sin that, to a Catholic, would be unforgivable (because its successful commission leaves no opportunity for reconciliation later), is [[suicide]]. Beyond that, a person may receive reconciliation for a mortal sin by making [[confession]] to a [[priest]] and receiving the ceremony of [[absolution]]. One can reconcile from a venial sin by the sacrament of reconciliation, or by receiving communion, or [[Holy Eucharist]].

Roman Catholic doctrine historically included two other controversial holdings. One is [[purgatory]], a place where the soul must be held to "purge" him of all traces of sin before he can gain entry to [[heaven]]. Redemption from purgatory allegedly required the payment of a monetary fee by the deceased's relatives to the Church. The other is the [[indulgence]], a fee paid to the church by the perpetrator in advance. Indulgences have not been sold for centuries, and recently [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]] issued an [[encyclical]] casting doubt on the entire concept of purgatory.<ref>''Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi, Of The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, To The Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Men And Women Religious, And All The Lay Faithful, On Christian Hope'' 30 November 2007 [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html Vatican website] Accessed 3 January 2008.</ref>

===== Virgin Mary =====
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that not only was [[Jesus]] sinless, but so, also, was His Mother, [[Virgin Mary|Mary]]. The belief that the Virgin Mary was sinless at conception is called the [[Immaculate Conception]].

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Virgin Mary was born with Original Sin but that she was cleansed of this sin at the time of the Annunciation. The Church also teaches that by free will she did not commit any actual sin.

This doctrine, called ''Marianism'', is not ''universally'' held by all Catholics, however.

==== Anglican Communion ====
The [[Anglican Communion]], essentially the breakaway church of the [[United Kingdom]], retains the Roman Catholic tradition of confession and absolution of sin. But instead of an individual process, confession in Anglican churches is a group activity, and absolution is pronounced by a [[Minister (Protestant)|minister]] to the entire church-going group. Purgatory and indulgences have no place in Anglican doctrine.

==== Eastern and Oriental Orthodox ====

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] there are no "categories" of sin as found in the Christian West. In the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic catechism, sins were categorized as "mortal" and "venial." These categories do not exist in the Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy believes that, while everyone bears the consequences of the first sin, the foremost of which is death, only Adam and Eve are guilty of that sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that everyone bears not only the consequence, but also the guilt, of that sin.

The Orthodox churches, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox, differ little from [[Judaism]] in their holding of what sin is and how to reconcile it—except that animal sacrifices have never been part of Orthodox tradition.

==== The Reformation ====
In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] launched the [[Protestant Reformation]]. In his famous "95 theses" he asserted the doctrine of ''[[Sola Scriptura]]''—literally, "by Scripture only." Luther rejected out-of-hand most of the various categories of sin, and the elaborate rituals that attended its so-called reconciliation.

Sin, according to Luther, is any failure to observe God's commandments or other Godly precepts that one may determine from the New Testament. ''Reconciliation'' from sin was a ''private'' matter between God and any of His followers. A priest was ''not'' required, because that would imply that a human being, of whatever office, could stand in the place of God.

Salvation was strictly by faith and strictly by grace. Luther drew directly on the letters of [[Paul]] that addressed this very subject.

==== The Baptist Tradition ====
The [[Baptist|Baptists]] would generally agree with Luther. Like him, Baptists hold that sin is an act or omission that displeases God, and the state of being that the perpetrator falls into, and remains in until he has confessed this sin.

Baptist churches do not tend to engage in corporate, collective confessions. Rather, Baptist practice depends heavily on {{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=18|verses=15-20|version=KJV}}, which prescribes this procedure for the handling of sin that gives offense to a fellow believer:

# The aggrieved person, or the minister if the aggrieved person has asked him to, tries to encourage the perpetrator to repent. ''Repentance'' (Greek ''metanoia'') means a change of mind, or a change of heart.
# Failing that, whoever tried to talk to the perpetrator the first time, tries a second time and brings a witness.
# If this still does not bring repentance, and a cessation of the behavior, then and only then does the matter come before the entire church. The minister lays out the case, and puts the matter to a vote as to whether the offender ought to be allowed to remain in fellowship.

Not all Baptist churches practice this discipline, however. In such environments, sin is a matter between the offender and God (and the person or persons to whom the offender might have given offense). Some observers suggest that churches suffer when they fail to practice discipline as they should.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Sin as the rejecting of [[God]] as the one qualified to decide what is 'Good and Evil', and thus a rejection of his right to rule. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201:18-32&version=NASB Romans 1:18-32])

It is the condition in which all humans are born alienated from [[God]] as a result of disobedience, of his first command not to eat from the [[Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]], and thus sentenced to death ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:16-17|NIV}}). In this condition they fail to measure up to God's standards, and unable to reflect his qualities, or they “Fall Short” of God’s Glory. ({{bibleverse||Romans|3:23|NIV}}) Created in God’s image, but unable to reflect his qualities Humans eventually die. ({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}})

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) says that Sin is a condition that is passed on from parents to their children and is thus inherited, causing eventual death for the human who is "Born into Sin". See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|6:23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) Therefore, as through one man [[Adam]] [[Sin]] entered into the world, and death through [[Sin]]; and so death passed unto all men, for they had all sinned.

This condition also has, according to ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}), a one hundred percent infection rate, with the exception of [[Jesus Christ]], who was born and was killed with no Sin ({{bibleverse||Hebrews|4:15|NIV}}) so as to pay back what was lost ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|19:21|NIV}}) with [[Adam]], a Sinless Human life for a Sinless Human life. (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45)

The connection of Death and Sin is first seen in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:17|NIV}}) where God said that Sinning, or disobeying his commandment, would result in death for the otherwise immortal humans, [[Adam]] and [[Eve]]. Eve bore no children prior to becoming Sinful, so all of their offspring were born with Sin in their bodies and they would die. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

The "dying process" so-to-speak took much longer for those closer to the original state of being clean of Sin, with humans prior to the flood of [[Noah]]'s day living as old as 900 plus years ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:14|NIV}}). A good example of this can be seen in death of [[Adam]] at 930 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:5|NIV}}), or Noah’s at 950 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|9:29|NIV}}). As the narrative in the [[Bible]] continues, the "dying process" of Sin shortens the length of life in humans until it is stated in ({{bibleverse||Psalms|90:10|NIV}}) that, "The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength".

The inherited aspect of Sin ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) is linked directly to the willful acts of Sinning ({{bibleverse||James|1:14-15|NIV}}). The Book of [[Genesis]] states that Humans born into sin before and after the flood had Hearts that were inclined towards "Evil" from their youth up ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:5; 8:21|NIV}}). Jesus confirmed this by saying that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes him sinful, but that which comes up out of their mouth from within their 'Heart'. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Jeremiah|17:9|NIV}}) says of the Human heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

The book of James gives a detailed description of this process of the act of Sinning and Death:

({{bibleverse||James|1:13|NIV}}) When under trial let no one say: “I am being tried by God." For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he try anyone.

({{bibleverse||James|1:14|NIV}}) but each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his OWN desire,

({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}}) Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to Sin; in turn, Sin, when it becomes accomplished brings forth death.

The ultimate removal of this condition from the human race is said to occur when [[The Kingdom of God]] comes ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|NIV}}) and rules alone, with no contemporary kingdoms. Then, it is said, that death will be removed. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

==== Fundamentalists ====
: ''Main Article: [[Sin (Fundamentalism)]]''

The above article is a comprehensive theory of sin, and its effects on the offender, on mankind as a whole, and on the entire world.

=== Islam ===
In [[Islam]], sin is very simple: anything that runs counter to the will of [[Allah]] (Arabic for [[God]]). In Islam, sin is simply an act, never a state of being.

Islam recognizes five gradations of sin, in order of severity:

# Mistakes.
# Immorality.
# Transgressions.
# Wickedness and depravity.
# Ascribing a partner to God. Thus this one special instance of [[blasphemy]] is held worse than any other sin a man can commit.

In Islam, permanent reconciliation cannot come in life. Instead, at death, a person has his "good deeds" measured against his "bad deeds" (sins). If the good outweighs the bad, then the person must walk a tightrope over a lake of fire in order to cross into heaven. Islam, however, offers one important exception: any person who dies ''in the course of an act that advances the Muslim faith'' gains automatic entry into heaven, regardless of any prior sins he has committed. The usual, and some Muslims (particularly the [[Wahhabism|Wahabbi]] sect) say the only, context for such a death is ''[[jihad]]'', literally ''holy [[war]]''. Furthermore, ''jihad'' is a ''physical'' war against non-adherents to Islam.

Other Muslims will say that ''jihad'' is not physical at all, but refers instead to a personal struggle that every Muslim must engage in continually against sin and the temptations thereto.

Still others state that two forms of Jihad are known:
# The greater Jihad, which is the internal struggle within a person against sin.
# The lesser Jihad, physical war against the infidel.

Those who make that distinction state that what they call the "lesser jihad" is practiced only by fanatical holders to Islam. A ''fanatic'' is one who holds to a set of beliefs uncritically—that is, without being willing to judge them. Since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|World Trade Center incident]], a number of Muslims ''have'' begun a critical analysis of Muslim doctrine (both verbal and written) and the place of Islam in the civilized world. Whether those voices can find sufficent logical support in the written texts that define Islam is debatable.

=== Totalitarianism ===
[[Totalitarianism]] is a [[philosophy]] of [[government]] that holds that the government ''must'' have absolute authority over ''all'' aspects of life. [[Communist]]s are totalitarians, just as the [[Nazi]]s were.

Totalitarian authorities and their apologists have their concept of sin as well: it is anything that works against the government, or tries to thwart its goals. This is true even in a regime that is explicitly [[Atheism|atheistic]] in world view. Reconciliation generally requires recantation.

=== Environmentalism ===
[[Environmentalism]] also has a standard of value: ''the good of the planet as a wild system.'' Anything that harms the earth or makes it less wild is sinful in this system. The controversy surrounding [[global warming]] is, at root, a controversy about environmentalism as a source of moral values, and the allegation that humans in general, and/or some humans in particular, have transgressed against the environmentalist moral standard.

== Summary ==
Some religious and philosophical traditions consider sin to be a deliberate act; others say that it can be merely a mistake. Some say that reconciliation for sin requires a certain work; others that reconciliation is by the grace of [[God]] (or, for some, a cult leader), and still others (most notably the Objectivists) say that reconciliation is not required, except perhaps to any particular affronted person.

[[atheism|Atheists]] typically lack a concept of sin, and may even ridicule it. More generally, ''amoral'' individuals deny that sin exists, because sin presupposes a moral code that someone might breach.
==Further reading==
* Bretzke, James T. ''A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Morally-Complex-World-Engaging-Contemporary/dp/0814651585/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260605470&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* Connolly, Hugh. ''Sin'' (2002) 168pp very brief history of sin in Christian theology; 120pp
* Paulson, Ronald. ''Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature''(2007) 403pp.; focus on Swift, Dickens, Hawthorne, Melville, James, Conrad, Faulkner, Greene, and Vonnegut

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Sin]]
[[Category:Christian Theology]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Sin

2011-10-12T23:54:14Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

''For the mathematical function, see [[sine]].''

'''Sin''' is a failure to conform to the standard of [[morality]], or the state of the world that results from such failure.

== Meaning of sin ==
The root meaning of the English word ''sin'' is actually, "He is guilty as charged." This in turn implies that the person committing the offense knew, or ought to have known, that his act would ''be'' an offense before he committed it. This word actually captures the meaning that many religious traditions ascribe to sin.

The [[Greek]] word used in the original [[New Testament]] and translated "sin" in English is '''ἁμαρτία''' (''hamartia'') (whence ''[[hamartoma]]'' a malformation of [[cell]]s that are within their usual place in the body). This word captures the ''[[Christian]]'' meaning of sin much better. ''Hamartia'' means ''missing a target.'' Thus sin does not require bad intentions, but might result from a misunderstanding. This is not to say that the consequences are any less dire, however. It does mean that sin need not be intentional; it can be a knowing (but not intentional), reckless, or negligent act.

=== Required: a moral context ===
Sin, which is a moral failure, cannot exist in the absence of a code of [[morality]].

This is not to say that sin requires a context of ''divinity.'' The context in which sin ceases to have meaning is not [[atheism]] ''per se'' but rather [[amoral]]ism — the doctrine that says that no person may properly define what is moral for another, because no two people will ever value the same thing to the same degree, or value the same collection of things by the same rank structure.

Whether any man ''ever'' lives without some form of moral code—even if that code is, "I denounce as sin any disagreement with myself or any attempt to stand in my way"—is [[Debate:Can any man live without some code of morality?|debatable]]. Nevertheless, without ''some'' form of moral context, sin has no meaning.

== Differing views of sin ==
==== Jewish ====
In [[Judaism]], and certainly in ancient practice, the preferred method of [[atonement]] for sin was blood [[sacrifice]]. The Book of [[Leviticus]] prescribed multiple animal sacrifices for atonement for various types of sin. But by far the most important atonement—on the Day of Atonement (''[[Yom Kippur]]'')—was made by the high priest of the [[Hebrew]] people (originally [[Aaron]], brother of [[Moses]]). This involved making a blood sacrifice, entering the [[Holy of Holies]] (in [[Latin]], ''sanctum sanctorum''), and sprinkling some of the blood from the sacrifice on the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

Animal sacrifice has not been part of Jewish practice since the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] by the future Emperor [[Titus]] in 70 AD. But the [[Old Testament]] did not imply that animal sacrifice was the sole ''necessary'' measure for reconciliation. Simple repentance and prayer sufficed numerous times in Bible history.

Today, though animal sacrifices are no longer observed, Jews do observe ''Yom Kippur'' and other festivals related to repentance and reconciliation. But a movement now exists to attempt to regain exclusive control of the [[Temple Mount]] area in [[Jerusalem]], rebuild the Temple, and resume the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings prescribed in the [[Torah]].

In traditional Jewish thought, sin may be balanced by the good deeds one performs throughout life; the image of scales weighing one's life are prominent in folklore, similar to other ancient Middle Eastern religions such as ancient Egypt.

=== Christian views ===
''See also: [[Seven Deadly Sins]]''
==== Roman Catholic ====
Catholics classify sins as venial sin and mortal sin ([[grave sin]]).<ref> [http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html What is a Mortal Sin?]</ref>

[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] doctrine distinguishes [[original sin]], or the sin of [[Adam]], from ''personal'' sins, which require individual reconciliation with God. A personal sin may be ''mortal'' (a particularly grave matter that the perpetrator commits by deliberate intent) or ''venial'' (a less grave matter that could result from a misunderstanding). The RCC distinction is: Mortal sins cut a person off from the grace of God; venial sins do not, but still injure one's relationship to God. A mortal sin is defined in the Roman Catholic church as being any transgression (a) regarding a grave matter, (b) which was premeditated and (c) committed with full knowledge of its sinful nature. A venial sin is defined as any sin which does not fulfil all three conditions for a mortal sin.

The one mortal sin that, to a Catholic, would be unforgivable (because its successful commission leaves no opportunity for reconciliation later), is [[suicide]]. Beyond that, a person may receive reconciliation for a mortal sin by making [[confession]] to a [[priest]] and receiving the ceremony of [[absolution]]. One can reconcile from a venial sin by the sacrament of reconciliation, or by receiving communion, or [[Holy Eucharist]].

Roman Catholic doctrine historically included two other controversial holdings. One is [[purgatory]], a place where the soul must be held to "purge" him of all traces of sin before he can gain entry to [[heaven]]. Redemption from purgatory allegedly required the payment of a monetary fee by the deceased's relatives to the Church. The other is the [[indulgence]], a fee paid to the church by the perpetrator in advance. Indulgences have not been sold for centuries, and recently [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]] issued an [[encyclical]] casting doubt on the entire concept of purgatory.<ref>''Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi, Of The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, To The Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Men And Women Religious, And All The Lay Faithful, On Christian Hope'' 30 November 2007 [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html Vatican website] Accessed 3 January 2008.</ref>

===== Virgin Mary =====
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that not only was [[Jesus]] sinless, but so, also, was His Mother, [[Virgin Mary|Mary]]. The belief that the Virgin Mary was sinless at conception is called the [[Immaculate Conception]].

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Virgin Mary was born with Original Sin but that she was cleansed of this sin at the time of the Annunciation. The Church also teaches that by free will she did not commit any actual sin.

This doctrine, called ''Marianism'', is not ''universally'' held by all Catholics, however.

==== Anglican Communion ====
The [[Anglican Communion]], essentially the breakaway church of the [[United Kingdom]], retains the Roman Catholic tradition of confession and absolution of sin. But instead of an individual process, confession in Anglican churches is a group activity, and absolution is pronounced by a [[Minister (Protestant)|minister]] to the entire church-going group. Purgatory and indulgences have no place in Anglican doctrine.

==== Eastern and Oriental Orthodox ====

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] there are no "categories" of sin as found in the Christian West. In the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic catechism, sins were categorized as "mortal" and "venial." These categories do not exist in the Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy believes that, while everyone bears the consequences of the first sin, the foremost of which is death, only Adam and Eve are guilty of that sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that everyone bears not only the consequence, but also the guilt, of that sin.

The Orthodox churches, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox, differ little from [[Judaism]] in their holding of what sin is and how to reconcile it—except that animal sacrifices have never been part of Orthodox tradition.

==== The Reformation ====
In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] launched the [[Protestant Reformation]]. In his famous "95 theses" he asserted the doctrine of ''[[Sola Scriptura]]''—literally, "by Scripture only." Luther rejected out-of-hand most of the various categories of sin, and the elaborate rituals that attended its so-called reconciliation.

Sin, according to Luther, is any failure to observe God's commandments or other Godly precepts that one may determine from the New Testament. ''Reconciliation'' from sin was a ''private'' matter between God and any of His followers. A priest was ''not'' required, because that would imply that a human being, of whatever office, could stand in the place of God.

Salvation was strictly by faith and strictly by grace. Luther drew directly on the letters of [[Paul]] that addressed this very subject.

==== The Baptist Tradition ====
The [[Baptist|Baptists]] would generally agree with Luther. Like him, Baptists hold that sin is an act or omission that displeases God, and the state of being that the perpetrator falls into, and remains in until he has confessed this sin.

Baptist churches do not tend to engage in corporate, collective confessions. Rather, Baptist practice depends heavily on {{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=18|verses=15-20|version=KJV}}, which prescribes this procedure for the handling of sin that gives offense to a fellow believer:

# The aggrieved person, or the minister if the aggrieved person has asked him to, tries to encourage the perpetrator to repent. ''Repentance'' (Greek ''metanoia'') means a change of mind, or a change of heart.
# Failing that, whoever tried to talk to the perpetrator the first time, tries a second time and brings a witness.
# If this still does not bring repentance, and a cessation of the behavior, then and only then does the matter come before the entire church. The minister lays out the case, and puts the matter to a vote as to whether the offender ought to be allowed to remain in fellowship.

Not all Baptist churches practice this discipline, however. In such environments, sin is a matter between the offender and God (and the person or persons to whom the offender might have given offense). Some observers suggest that churches suffer when they fail to practice discipline as they should.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Sin as the rejecting of [[God]] as the one qualified to decide what is 'Good and Evil', and thus a rejection of his right to rule. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201:18-32&version=NASB Romans 1:18-32])

It is the condition in which all humans are born alienated from [[God]] as a result of disobedience, of his first command not to eat from the [[Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]], and thus sentenced to death ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:16-17|NIV}}). In this condition they fail to measure up to God's standards, and unable to reflect his qualities, or they “Fall Short” of God’s Glory. ({{bibleverse||Romans|3:23|NIV}}) Created in God’s image, but unable to reflect his qualities Humans eventually die. ({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}})

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) says that Sin is a condition that is passed on from parents to their children and is thus inherited, causing eventual death for the human who is "Born into Sin". See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|6:23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) Therefore, as through one man [[Adam]] [[Sin]] entered into the world, and death through [[Sin]]; and so death passed unto all men, for they had all sinned.

This condition also has, according to ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}), a one hundred percent infection rate, with the exception of [[Jesus Christ]], who was born and was killed with no Sin ({{bibleverse||Hebrews|4:15|NIV}}) so as to pay back what was lost ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|19:21|NIV}}) with [[Adam]], a Sinless Human life for a Sinless Human life. (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45)

The connection of Death and Sin is first seen in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:17|NIV}}) where God said that Sinning, or disobeying his commandment, would result in death for the otherwise immortal humans, [[Adam]] and [[Eve]]. Eve bore no children prior to becoming Sinful, so all of their offspring were born with Sin in their bodies and they would die. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

The "dying process" so-to-speak took much longer for those closer to the original state of being clean of Sin, with humans prior to the flood of [[Noah]]'s day living as old as 900 plus years ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:14|NIV}}). A good example of this can be seen in [[Adams]] death at 930 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:5|NIV}}), or Noah’s at 950 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|9:29|NIV}}). As the narrative in the [[Bible]] continues, the "dying process" of Sin shortens the length of life in humans until it is stated in ({{bibleverse||Psalms|90:10|NIV}}) that, "The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength".

The inherited aspect of Sin ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) is linked directly to the willful acts of Sinning ({{bibleverse||James|1:14-15|NIV}}). The Book of [[Genesis]] states that Humans born into sin before and after the flood had Hearts that were inclined towards "Evil" from their youth up ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:5; 8:21|NIV}}). Jesus confirmed this by saying that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes him sinful, but that which comes up out of their mouth from within their 'Heart'. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Jeremiah|17:9|NIV}}) says of the Human heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

The book of James gives a detailed description of this process of the act of Sinning and Death:

({{bibleverse||James|1:13|NIV}}) When under trial let no one say: “I am being tried by God." For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he try anyone.

({{bibleverse||James|1:14|NIV}}) but each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his OWN desire,

({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}}) Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to Sin; in turn, Sin, when it becomes accomplished brings forth death.

The ultimate removal of this condition from the human race is said to occur when [[The Kingdom of God]] comes ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|NIV}}) and rules alone, with no contemporary kingdoms. Then, it is said, that death will be removed. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

==== Fundamentalists ====
: ''Main Article: [[Sin (Fundamentalism)]]''

The above article is a comprehensive theory of sin, and its effects on the offender, on mankind as a whole, and on the entire world.

=== Islam ===
In [[Islam]], sin is very simple: anything that runs counter to the will of [[Allah]] (Arabic for [[God]]). In Islam, sin is simply an act, never a state of being.

Islam recognizes five gradations of sin, in order of severity:

# Mistakes.
# Immorality.
# Transgressions.
# Wickedness and depravity.
# Ascribing a partner to God. Thus this one special instance of [[blasphemy]] is held worse than any other sin a man can commit.

In Islam, permanent reconciliation cannot come in life. Instead, at death, a person has his "good deeds" measured against his "bad deeds" (sins). If the good outweighs the bad, then the person must walk a tightrope over a lake of fire in order to cross into heaven. Islam, however, offers one important exception: any person who dies ''in the course of an act that advances the Muslim faith'' gains automatic entry into heaven, regardless of any prior sins he has committed. The usual, and some Muslims (particularly the [[Wahhabism|Wahabbi]] sect) say the only, context for such a death is ''[[jihad]]'', literally ''holy [[war]]''. Furthermore, ''jihad'' is a ''physical'' war against non-adherents to Islam.

Other Muslims will say that ''jihad'' is not physical at all, but refers instead to a personal struggle that every Muslim must engage in continually against sin and the temptations thereto.

Still others state that two forms of Jihad are known:
# The greater Jihad, which is the internal struggle within a person against sin.
# The lesser Jihad, physical war against the infidel.

Those who make that distinction state that what they call the "lesser jihad" is practiced only by fanatical holders to Islam. A ''fanatic'' is one who holds to a set of beliefs uncritically—that is, without being willing to judge them. Since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|World Trade Center incident]], a number of Muslims ''have'' begun a critical analysis of Muslim doctrine (both verbal and written) and the place of Islam in the civilized world. Whether those voices can find sufficent logical support in the written texts that define Islam is debatable.

=== Totalitarianism ===
[[Totalitarianism]] is a [[philosophy]] of [[government]] that holds that the government ''must'' have absolute authority over ''all'' aspects of life. [[Communist]]s are totalitarians, just as the [[Nazi]]s were.

Totalitarian authorities and their apologists have their concept of sin as well: it is anything that works against the government, or tries to thwart its goals. This is true even in a regime that is explicitly [[Atheism|atheistic]] in world view. Reconciliation generally requires recantation.

=== Environmentalism ===
[[Environmentalism]] also has a standard of value: ''the good of the planet as a wild system.'' Anything that harms the earth or makes it less wild is sinful in this system. The controversy surrounding [[global warming]] is, at root, a controversy about environmentalism as a source of moral values, and the allegation that humans in general, and/or some humans in particular, have transgressed against the environmentalist moral standard.

== Summary ==
Some religious and philosophical traditions consider sin to be a deliberate act; others say that it can be merely a mistake. Some say that reconciliation for sin requires a certain work; others that reconciliation is by the grace of [[God]] (or, for some, a cult leader), and still others (most notably the Objectivists) say that reconciliation is not required, except perhaps to any particular affronted person.

[[atheism|Atheists]] typically lack a concept of sin, and may even ridicule it. More generally, ''amoral'' individuals deny that sin exists, because sin presupposes a moral code that someone might breach.
==Further reading==
* Bretzke, James T. ''A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Morally-Complex-World-Engaging-Contemporary/dp/0814651585/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260605470&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* Connolly, Hugh. ''Sin'' (2002) 168pp very brief history of sin in Christian theology; 120pp
* Paulson, Ronald. ''Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature''(2007) 403pp.; focus on Swift, Dickens, Hawthorne, Melville, James, Conrad, Faulkner, Greene, and Vonnegut

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Sin]]
[[Category:Christian Theology]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Sin

2011-10-12T23:53:39Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

''For the mathematical function, see [[sine]].''

'''Sin''' is a failure to conform to the standard of [[morality]], or the state of the world that results from such failure.

== Meaning of sin ==
The root meaning of the English word ''sin'' is actually, "He is guilty as charged." This in turn implies that the person committing the offense knew, or ought to have known, that his act would ''be'' an offense before he committed it. This word actually captures the meaning that many religious traditions ascribe to sin.

The [[Greek]] word used in the original [[New Testament]] and translated "sin" in English is '''ἁμαρτία''' (''hamartia'') (whence ''[[hamartoma]]'' a malformation of [[cell]]s that are within their usual place in the body). This word captures the ''[[Christian]]'' meaning of sin much better. ''Hamartia'' means ''missing a target.'' Thus sin does not require bad intentions, but might result from a misunderstanding. This is not to say that the consequences are any less dire, however. It does mean that sin need not be intentional; it can be a knowing (but not intentional), reckless, or negligent act.

=== Required: a moral context ===
Sin, which is a moral failure, cannot exist in the absence of a code of [[morality]].

This is not to say that sin requires a context of ''divinity.'' The context in which sin ceases to have meaning is not [[atheism]] ''per se'' but rather [[amoral]]ism — the doctrine that says that no person may properly define what is moral for another, because no two people will ever value the same thing to the same degree, or value the same collection of things by the same rank structure.

Whether any man ''ever'' lives without some form of moral code—even if that code is, "I denounce as sin any disagreement with myself or any attempt to stand in my way"—is [[Debate:Can any man live without some code of morality?|debatable]]. Nevertheless, without ''some'' form of moral context, sin has no meaning.

== Differing views of sin ==
==== Jewish ====
In [[Judaism]], and certainly in ancient practice, the preferred method of [[atonement]] for sin was blood [[sacrifice]]. The Book of [[Leviticus]] prescribed multiple animal sacrifices for atonement for various types of sin. But by far the most important atonement—on the Day of Atonement (''[[Yom Kippur]]'')—was made by the high priest of the [[Hebrew]] people (originally [[Aaron]], brother of [[Moses]]). This involved making a blood sacrifice, entering the [[Holy of Holies]] (in [[Latin]], ''sanctum sanctorum''), and sprinkling some of the blood from the sacrifice on the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

Animal sacrifice has not been part of Jewish practice since the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] by the future Emperor [[Titus]] in 70 AD. But the [[Old Testament]] did not imply that animal sacrifice was the sole ''necessary'' measure for reconciliation. Simple repentance and prayer sufficed numerous times in Bible history.

Today, though animal sacrifices are no longer observed, Jews do observe ''Yom Kippur'' and other festivals related to repentance and reconciliation. But a movement now exists to attempt to regain exclusive control of the [[Temple Mount]] area in [[Jerusalem]], rebuild the Temple, and resume the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings prescribed in the [[Torah]].

In traditional Jewish thought, sin may be balanced by the good deeds one performs throughout life; the image of scales weighing one's life are prominent in folklore, similar to other ancient Middle Eastern religions such as ancient Egypt.

=== Christian views ===
''See also: [[Seven Deadly Sins]]''
==== Roman Catholic ====
Catholics classify sins as venial sin and mortal sin ([[grave sin]]).<ref> [http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html What is a Mortal Sin?]</ref>

[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] doctrine distinguishes [[original sin]], or the sin of [[Adam]], from ''personal'' sins, which require individual reconciliation with God. A personal sin may be ''mortal'' (a particularly grave matter that the perpetrator commits by deliberate intent) or ''venial'' (a less grave matter that could result from a misunderstanding). The RCC distinction is: Mortal sins cut a person off from the grace of God; venial sins do not, but still injure one's relationship to God. A mortal sin is defined in the Roman Catholic church as being any transgression (a) regarding a grave matter, (b) which was premeditated and (c) committed with full knowledge of its sinful nature. A venial sin is defined as any sin which does not fulfil all three conditions for a mortal sin.

The one mortal sin that, to a Catholic, would be unforgivable (because its successful commission leaves no opportunity for reconciliation later), is [[suicide]]. Beyond that, a person may receive reconciliation for a mortal sin by making [[confession]] to a [[priest]] and receiving the ceremony of [[absolution]]. One can reconcile from a venial sin by the sacrament of reconciliation, or by receiving communion, or [[Holy Eucharist]].

Roman Catholic doctrine historically included two other controversial holdings. One is [[purgatory]], a place where the soul must be held to "purge" him of all traces of sin before he can gain entry to [[heaven]]. Redemption from purgatory allegedly required the payment of a monetary fee by the deceased's relatives to the Church. The other is the [[indulgence]], a fee paid to the church by the perpetrator in advance. Indulgences have not been sold for centuries, and recently [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]] issued an [[encyclical]] casting doubt on the entire concept of purgatory.<ref>''Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi, Of The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, To The Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Men And Women Religious, And All The Lay Faithful, On Christian Hope'' 30 November 2007 [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html Vatican website] Accessed 3 January 2008.</ref>

===== Virgin Mary =====
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that not only was [[Jesus]] sinless, but so, also, was His Mother, [[Virgin Mary|Mary]]. The belief that the Virgin Mary was sinless at conception is called the [[Immaculate Conception]].

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Virgin Mary was born with Original Sin but that she was cleansed of this sin at the time of the Annunciation. The Church also teaches that by free will she did not commit any actual sin.

This doctrine, called ''Marianism'', is not ''universally'' held by all Catholics, however.

==== Anglican Communion ====
The [[Anglican Communion]], essentially the breakaway church of the [[United Kingdom]], retains the Roman Catholic tradition of confession and absolution of sin. But instead of an individual process, confession in Anglican churches is a group activity, and absolution is pronounced by a [[Minister (Protestant)|minister]] to the entire church-going group. Purgatory and indulgences have no place in Anglican doctrine.

==== Eastern and Oriental Orthodox ====

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] there are no "categories" of sin as found in the Christian West. In the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic catechism, sins were categorized as "mortal" and "venial." These categories do not exist in the Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy believes that, while everyone bears the consequences of the first sin, the foremost of which is death, only Adam and Eve are guilty of that sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that everyone bears not only the consequence, but also the guilt, of that sin.

The Orthodox churches, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox, differ little from [[Judaism]] in their holding of what sin is and how to reconcile it—except that animal sacrifices have never been part of Orthodox tradition.

==== The Reformation ====
In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] launched the [[Protestant Reformation]]. In his famous "95 theses" he asserted the doctrine of ''[[Sola Scriptura]]''—literally, "by Scripture only." Luther rejected out-of-hand most of the various categories of sin, and the elaborate rituals that attended its so-called reconciliation.

Sin, according to Luther, is any failure to observe God's commandments or other Godly precepts that one may determine from the New Testament. ''Reconciliation'' from sin was a ''private'' matter between God and any of His followers. A priest was ''not'' required, because that would imply that a human being, of whatever office, could stand in the place of God.

Salvation was strictly by faith and strictly by grace. Luther drew directly on the letters of [[Paul]] that addressed this very subject.

==== The Baptist Tradition ====
The [[Baptist|Baptists]] would generally agree with Luther. Like him, Baptists hold that sin is an act or omission that displeases God, and the state of being that the perpetrator falls into, and remains in until he has confessed this sin.

Baptist churches do not tend to engage in corporate, collective confessions. Rather, Baptist practice depends heavily on {{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=18|verses=15-20|version=KJV}}, which prescribes this procedure for the handling of sin that gives offense to a fellow believer:

# The aggrieved person, or the minister if the aggrieved person has asked him to, tries to encourage the perpetrator to repent. ''Repentance'' (Greek ''metanoia'') means a change of mind, or a change of heart.
# Failing that, whoever tried to talk to the perpetrator the first time, tries a second time and brings a witness.
# If this still does not bring repentance, and a cessation of the behavior, then and only then does the matter come before the entire church. The minister lays out the case, and puts the matter to a vote as to whether the offender ought to be allowed to remain in fellowship.

Not all Baptist churches practice this discipline, however. In such environments, sin is a matter between the offender and God (and the person or persons to whom the offender might have given offense). Some observers suggest that churches suffer when they fail to practice discipline as they should.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Sin as the rejecting of [[God]] as the one qualified to decide what is 'Good and Evil', and thus a rejection of his right to rule. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201:18-32&version=NASB Romans 1:18-32])

It is the condition in which all humans are born alienated from [[God]] as a result of disobedience, of his first command not to eat from the [[Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]], and thus sentenced to death ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:16-17|NIV}}). In this condition they fail to measure up to God's standards, and unable to reflect his qualities, or they “Fall Short” of God’s Glory. ({{bibleverse||Romans|3:23|NIV}}) Created in God’s image, but unable to reflect his qualities Humans eventually die. ({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}})

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) says that Sin is a condition that is passed on from parents to their children and is thus inherited, causing eventual death for the human who is "Born into Sin". See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|6:23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) Therefore, as through one man [[Adam]] [[Sin]] entered into the world, and death through [[Sin]]; and so death passed unto all men, for they had all sinned.

This condition also has, according to ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}), a one hundred percent infection rate, with the exception of [[Jesus Christ]], who was born and was killed with no Sin ({{bibleverse||Hebrews|4:15|NIV}}) so as to pay back what was lost ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|19:21|NIV}}) with [[Adam]], a Sinless Human life for a Sinless Human life. (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45)

The connection of Death and Sin is first seen in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:17|NIV}}) where God said that Sinning, or disobeying his commandment, would result in death for the otherwise immortal humans, [[Adam]] and [[Eve]]. Eve bore no children prior to becoming Sinful, so all of their offspring were born with Sin in their bodies and they would die. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

The "dying process" so-to-speak took much longer for those closer to the original state of being clean of Sin, with humans prior to the flood of [[Noah]]'s day living as old as 900 plus years ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:14|NIV}}). A good example of this can be seen in [[Adams]] death at 930 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:5|NIV}}), or Noah’s at 950 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|9:29|NIV}}). As the narrative in the [[Bible]] continues, the "dying process" of Sin shortens the length of life in humans until it is stated in ({{bibleverse||Psalms|90:10|NIV}}) that, "The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength".

The inherited aspect of Sin ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) is linked directly to the willful acts of Sinning ({{bibleverse||James|1:14-15|NIV}}). The Book of [[Genesis]] states that Humans born into sin before and after the flood had Hearts that were inclined towards "Evil" from their youth up ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:5; 8:21|NIV}}). Jesus confirmed this by saying that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes him sinful, but that which comes up out of their mouth from within their 'Heart'. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Jeremiah|17:9|NIV}}) says of the Human heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

The book of James gives a detailed description of this process of the act of Sinning and Death:

({{bibleverse||James|1:13|NIV}}) When under trial let no one say: “I am being tried by God." For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he try anyone.

({{bibleverse||James|1:14|NIV}}) but each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his OWN desire,

({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}}) Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to Sin; in turn, Sin, when it becomes accomplished brings forth death.

The ultimate removal of this condition from the human race is said to occur when [[The Kingdom of God]] comes ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|NIV}}) and rules alone, with no contemporary kingdoms. Then, it is said, that death will be removed. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

==== Fundamentalists ====
: ''Main Article: [[Sin (Fundamentalism)]]''

The above article is a comprehensive theory of sin, and its effects on the offender, on mankind as a whole, and on the entire world.

=== Islam ===
In [[Islam]], sin is very simple: anything that runs counter to the will of [[Allah]] (Arabic for [[God]]). In Islam, sin is simply an act, never a state of being.

Islam recognizes five gradations of sin, in order of severity:

# Mistakes.
# Immorality.
# Transgressions.
# Wickedness and depravity.
# Ascribing a partner to God. Thus this one special instance of [[blasphemy]] is held worse than any other sin a man can commit.

In Islam, permanent reconciliation cannot come in life. Instead, at death, a person has his "good deeds" measured against his "bad deeds" (sins). If the good outweighs the bad, then the person must walk a tightrope over a lake of fire in order to cross into heaven. Islam, however, offers one important exception: any person who dies ''in the course of an act that advances the Muslim faith'' gains automatic entry into heaven, regardless of any prior sins he has committed. The usual, and some Muslims (particularly the [[Wahhabism|Wahabbi]] sect) say the only, context for such a death is ''[[jihad]]'', literally ''holy [[war]]''. Furthermore, ''jihad'' is a ''physical'' war against non-adherents to Islam.

Other Muslims will say that ''jihad'' is not physical at all, but refers instead to a personal struggle that every Muslim must engage in continually against sin and the temptations thereto.

Still others state that two forms of Jihad are known:
# The greater Jihad, which is the internal struggle within a person against sin.
# The lesser Jihad, physical war against the infidel.

Those who make that distinction state that what they call the "lesser jihad" is practiced only by fanatical holders to Islam. A ''fanatic'' is one who holds to a set of beliefs uncritically—that is, without being willing to judge them. Since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|World Trade Center incident]], a number of Muslims ''have'' begun a critical analysis of Muslim doctrine (both verbal and written) and the place of Islam in the civilized world. Whether those voices can find sufficent logical support in the written texts that define Islam is debatable.

=== Totalitarianism ===
[[Totalitarianism]] is a [[philosophy]] of [[government]] that holds that the government ''must'' have absolute authority over ''all'' aspects of life. [[Communist]]s are totalitarians, just as the [[Nazi]]s were.

Totalitarian authorities and their apologists have their concept of sin as well: it is anything that works against the government, or tries to thwart its goals. This is true even in a regime that is explicitly [[Atheism|atheistic]] in world view. Reconciliation generally requires recantation.

=== Environmentalism ===
[[Environmentalism]] also has a standard of value: ''the good of the planet as a wild system.'' Anything that harms the earth or makes it less wild is sinful in this system. The controversy surrounding [[global warming]] is, at root, a controversy about environmentalism as a source of moral values, and the allegation that humans in general, and/or some humans in particular, have transgressed against the environmentalist moral standard.

== Summary ==
Some religious and philosophical traditions consider sin to be a deliberate act; others say that it can be merely a mistake. Some say that reconciliation for sin requires a certain work; others that reconciliation is by the grace of [[God]] (or, for some, a cult leader), and still others (most notably the Objectivists) say that reconciliation is not required, except perhaps to any particular affronted person.

[[atheism|Atheists]] typically lack a concept of sin, and may even ridicule it. More generally, ''amoral'' individuals deny that sin exists, because sin presupposes a moral code that someone might breach.
==Further reading==
* Bretzke, James T. ''A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Morally-Complex-World-Engaging-Contemporary/dp/0814651585/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260605470&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* Connolly, Hugh. ''Sin'' (2002) 168pp very brief history of sin in Christian theology; 120pp
* Paulson, Ronald. ''Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature''(2007) 403pp.; focus on Swift, Dickens, Hawthorne, Melville, James, Conrad, Faulkner, Greene, and Vonnegut

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Sin]]
[[Category:Christian Theology]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Sin

2011-10-12T23:25:52Z

David42718: /* Christian views */

''For the mathematical function, see [[sine]].''

'''Sin''' is a failure to conform to the standard of [[morality]], or the state of the world that results from such failure.

== Meaning of sin ==
The root meaning of the English word ''sin'' is actually, "He is guilty as charged." This in turn implies that the person committing the offense knew, or ought to have known, that his act would ''be'' an offense before he committed it. This word actually captures the meaning that many religious traditions ascribe to sin.

The [[Greek]] word used in the original [[New Testament]] and translated "sin" in English is '''ἁμαρτία''' (''hamartia'') (whence ''[[hamartoma]]'' a malformation of [[cell]]s that are within their usual place in the body). This word captures the ''[[Christian]]'' meaning of sin much better. ''Hamartia'' means ''missing a target.'' Thus sin does not require bad intentions, but might result from a misunderstanding. This is not to say that the consequences are any less dire, however. It does mean that sin need not be intentional; it can be a knowing (but not intentional), reckless, or negligent act.

=== Required: a moral context ===
Sin, which is a moral failure, cannot exist in the absence of a code of [[morality]].

This is not to say that sin requires a context of ''divinity.'' The context in which sin ceases to have meaning is not [[atheism]] ''per se'' but rather [[amoral]]ism — the doctrine that says that no person may properly define what is moral for another, because no two people will ever value the same thing to the same degree, or value the same collection of things by the same rank structure.

Whether any man ''ever'' lives without some form of moral code—even if that code is, "I denounce as sin any disagreement with myself or any attempt to stand in my way"—is [[Debate:Can any man live without some code of morality?|debatable]]. Nevertheless, without ''some'' form of moral context, sin has no meaning.

== Differing views of sin ==
==== Jewish ====
In [[Judaism]], and certainly in ancient practice, the preferred method of [[atonement]] for sin was blood [[sacrifice]]. The Book of [[Leviticus]] prescribed multiple animal sacrifices for atonement for various types of sin. But by far the most important atonement—on the Day of Atonement (''[[Yom Kippur]]'')—was made by the high priest of the [[Hebrew]] people (originally [[Aaron]], brother of [[Moses]]). This involved making a blood sacrifice, entering the [[Holy of Holies]] (in [[Latin]], ''sanctum sanctorum''), and sprinkling some of the blood from the sacrifice on the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

Animal sacrifice has not been part of Jewish practice since the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] by the future Emperor [[Titus]] in 70 AD. But the [[Old Testament]] did not imply that animal sacrifice was the sole ''necessary'' measure for reconciliation. Simple repentance and prayer sufficed numerous times in Bible history.

Today, though animal sacrifices are no longer observed, Jews do observe ''Yom Kippur'' and other festivals related to repentance and reconciliation. But a movement now exists to attempt to regain exclusive control of the [[Temple Mount]] area in [[Jerusalem]], rebuild the Temple, and resume the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings prescribed in the [[Torah]].

In traditional Jewish thought, sin may be balanced by the good deeds one performs throughout life; the image of scales weighing one's life are prominent in folklore, similar to other ancient Middle Eastern religions such as ancient Egypt.

=== Christian views ===
''See also: [[Seven Deadly Sins]]''
==== Roman Catholic ====
Catholics classify sins as venial sin and mortal sin ([[grave sin]]).<ref> [http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html What is a Mortal Sin?]</ref>

[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] doctrine distinguishes [[original sin]], or the sin of [[Adam]], from ''personal'' sins, which require individual reconciliation with God. A personal sin may be ''mortal'' (a particularly grave matter that the perpetrator commits by deliberate intent) or ''venial'' (a less grave matter that could result from a misunderstanding). The RCC distinction is: Mortal sins cut a person off from the grace of God; venial sins do not, but still injure one's relationship to God. A mortal sin is defined in the Roman Catholic church as being any transgression (a) regarding a grave matter, (b) which was premeditated and (c) committed with full knowledge of its sinful nature. A venial sin is defined as any sin which does not fulfil all three conditions for a mortal sin.

The one mortal sin that, to a Catholic, would be unforgivable (because its successful commission leaves no opportunity for reconciliation later), is [[suicide]]. Beyond that, a person may receive reconciliation for a mortal sin by making [[confession]] to a [[priest]] and receiving the ceremony of [[absolution]]. One can reconcile from a venial sin by the sacrament of reconciliation, or by receiving communion, or [[Holy Eucharist]].

Roman Catholic doctrine historically included two other controversial holdings. One is [[purgatory]], a place where the soul must be held to "purge" him of all traces of sin before he can gain entry to [[heaven]]. Redemption from purgatory allegedly required the payment of a monetary fee by the deceased's relatives to the Church. The other is the [[indulgence]], a fee paid to the church by the perpetrator in advance. Indulgences have not been sold for centuries, and recently [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]] issued an [[encyclical]] casting doubt on the entire concept of purgatory.<ref>''Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi, Of The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, To The Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Men And Women Religious, And All The Lay Faithful, On Christian Hope'' 30 November 2007 [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html Vatican website] Accessed 3 January 2008.</ref>

===== Virgin Mary =====
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that not only was [[Jesus]] sinless, but so, also, was His Mother, [[Virgin Mary|Mary]]. The belief that the Virgin Mary was sinless at conception is called the [[Immaculate Conception]].

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Virgin Mary was born with Original Sin but that she was cleansed of this sin at the time of the Annunciation. The Church also teaches that by free will she did not commit any actual sin.

This doctrine, called ''Marianism'', is not ''universally'' held by all Catholics, however.

==== Anglican Communion ====
The [[Anglican Communion]], essentially the breakaway church of the [[United Kingdom]], retains the Roman Catholic tradition of confession and absolution of sin. But instead of an individual process, confession in Anglican churches is a group activity, and absolution is pronounced by a [[Minister (Protestant)|minister]] to the entire church-going group. Purgatory and indulgences have no place in Anglican doctrine.

==== Eastern and Oriental Orthodox ====

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] there are no "categories" of sin as found in the Christian West. In the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic catechism, sins were categorized as "mortal" and "venial." These categories do not exist in the Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy believes that, while everyone bears the consequences of the first sin, the foremost of which is death, only Adam and Eve are guilty of that sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that everyone bears not only the consequence, but also the guilt, of that sin.

The Orthodox churches, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox, differ little from [[Judaism]] in their holding of what sin is and how to reconcile it—except that animal sacrifices have never been part of Orthodox tradition.

==== The Reformation ====
In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] launched the [[Protestant Reformation]]. In his famous "95 theses" he asserted the doctrine of ''[[Sola Scriptura]]''—literally, "by Scripture only." Luther rejected out-of-hand most of the various categories of sin, and the elaborate rituals that attended its so-called reconciliation.

Sin, according to Luther, is any failure to observe God's commandments or other Godly precepts that one may determine from the New Testament. ''Reconciliation'' from sin was a ''private'' matter between God and any of His followers. A priest was ''not'' required, because that would imply that a human being, of whatever office, could stand in the place of God.

Salvation was strictly by faith and strictly by grace. Luther drew directly on the letters of [[Paul]] that addressed this very subject.

==== The Baptist Tradition ====
The [[Baptist|Baptists]] would generally agree with Luther. Like him, Baptists hold that sin is an act or omission that displeases God, and the state of being that the perpetrator falls into, and remains in until he has confessed this sin.

Baptist churches do not tend to engage in corporate, collective confessions. Rather, Baptist practice depends heavily on {{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=18|verses=15-20|version=KJV}}, which prescribes this procedure for the handling of sin that gives offense to a fellow believer:

# The aggrieved person, or the minister if the aggrieved person has asked him to, tries to encourage the perpetrator to repent. ''Repentance'' (Greek ''metanoia'') means a change of mind, or a change of heart.
# Failing that, whoever tried to talk to the perpetrator the first time, tries a second time and brings a witness.
# If this still does not bring repentance, and a cessation of the behavior, then and only then does the matter come before the entire church. The minister lays out the case, and puts the matter to a vote as to whether the offender ought to be allowed to remain in fellowship.

Not all Baptist churches practice this discipline, however. In such environments, sin is a matter between the offender and God (and the person or persons to whom the offender might have given offense). Some observers suggest that churches suffer when they fail to practice discipline as they should.

==Jehovah's Witnesses==

The [[Bible]] portrays Sin as the rejecting of [[God]] as the one qualified to decide what is 'Good and Evil', and thus a rejection of his right to rule. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201:18-32&version=NASB Romans 1:18-32])

It is the condition in which all humans are born alienated from [[God]] as a result of disobedience, of his first command not to eat from the [[Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]], and thus sentenced to death ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:16-17|NIV}}). In this condition they fail to measure up to God's standards, and unable to reflect his qualities, or they “Fall Short” of God’s Glory. ({{bibleverse||Romans|3:23|NIV}}) Created in God’s image, but unable to reflect his qualities Humans eventually die. ({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}})

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) says that Sin is a condition that is passed on from parents to their children and is thus inherited, causing eventual death for the human who is "Born into Sin". See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|6:23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) Therefore, as through one man [[Adam]] [[Sin]] entered into the world, and death through [[Sin]]; and so death passed unto all men, for they had all sinned.

This condition also has, according to ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}), a one hundred percent infection rate, with the exception of [[Jesus Christ]], who was born and was killed with no Sin ({{bibleverse||Hebrews|4:15|NIV}}) so as to pay back what was lost ({{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|19:21|NIV}}) with [[Adam]], a Sinless Human life for a Sinless Human life. (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45)

The connection of Death and Sin is first seen in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|2:17|NIV}}) where God said that Sinning, or disobeying his commandment, would result in death for the otherwise immortal humans, [[Adam]] and [[Eve]]. Eve bore no children prior to becoming Sinful, so all of their offspring were born with Sin in their bodies and they would die. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

The "dying process" so-to-speak took much longer for those closer to the original state of being clean of Sin, with humans prior to the flood of [[Noah]]'s day living as old as 900 plus years ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:14|NIV}}). A good example of this can be seen in [[Adams]] death at 930 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|5:5|NIV}}), or Noah’s at 950 years at ({{bibleverse||Genesis|9:29|NIV}}). As the narrative in the [[Bible]] continues, the "dying process" of Sin shortens the length of life in humans until it is stated in ({{bibleverse||Psalms|90:10|NIV}}) that, "The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength".

The inherited aspect of Sin ({{bibleverse||Romans|5:12|NIV}}) is linked directly to the willful acts of Sinning ({{bibleverse||James|1:14-15|NIV}}). The Book of [[Genesis]] states that Humans born into sin before and after the flood had Hearts that were inclined towards "Evil" from their youth up ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:5; 8:21|NIV}}). Jesus confirmed this by saying that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes him sinful, but that which comes up out of their mouth from within their 'Heart'. See also- ({{bibleverse||Romans|7:15-23|NIV}}).

({{bibleverse||Jeremiah|17:9|NIV}}) says of the Human heart, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

The book of James gives a detailed description of this process of the act of Sinning and Death:

({{bibleverse||James|1:13|NIV}}) When under trial let no one say: “I am being tried by God." For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he try anyone.

({{bibleverse||James|1:14|NIV}}) but each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his OWN desire,

({{bibleverse||James|1:15|NIV}}) Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to Sin; in turn, Sin, when it becomes accomplished brings forth death.

The ultimate removal of this condition from the human race is said to occur when [[The Kingdom of God]] comes ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|NIV}}) and rules alone, with no contemporary kingdoms. Then, it is said, that death will be removed. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

==== Fundamentalists ====
: ''Main Article: [[Sin (Fundamentalism)]]''

The above article is a comprehensive theory of sin, and its effects on the offender, on mankind as a whole, and on the entire world.

=== Islam ===
In [[Islam]], sin is very simple: anything that runs counter to the will of [[Allah]] (Arabic for [[God]]). In Islam, sin is simply an act, never a state of being.

Islam recognizes five gradations of sin, in order of severity:

# Mistakes.
# Immorality.
# Transgressions.
# Wickedness and depravity.
# Ascribing a partner to God. Thus this one special instance of [[blasphemy]] is held worse than any other sin a man can commit.

In Islam, permanent reconciliation cannot come in life. Instead, at death, a person has his "good deeds" measured against his "bad deeds" (sins). If the good outweighs the bad, then the person must walk a tightrope over a lake of fire in order to cross into heaven. Islam, however, offers one important exception: any person who dies ''in the course of an act that advances the Muslim faith'' gains automatic entry into heaven, regardless of any prior sins he has committed. The usual, and some Muslims (particularly the [[Wahhabism|Wahabbi]] sect) say the only, context for such a death is ''[[jihad]]'', literally ''holy [[war]]''. Furthermore, ''jihad'' is a ''physical'' war against non-adherents to Islam.

Other Muslims will say that ''jihad'' is not physical at all, but refers instead to a personal struggle that every Muslim must engage in continually against sin and the temptations thereto.

Still others state that two forms of Jihad are known:
# The greater Jihad, which is the internal struggle within a person against sin.
# The lesser Jihad, physical war against the infidel.

Those who make that distinction state that what they call the "lesser jihad" is practiced only by fanatical holders to Islam. A ''fanatic'' is one who holds to a set of beliefs uncritically—that is, without being willing to judge them. Since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|World Trade Center incident]], a number of Muslims ''have'' begun a critical analysis of Muslim doctrine (both verbal and written) and the place of Islam in the civilized world. Whether those voices can find sufficent logical support in the written texts that define Islam is debatable.

=== Totalitarianism ===
[[Totalitarianism]] is a [[philosophy]] of [[government]] that holds that the government ''must'' have absolute authority over ''all'' aspects of life. [[Communist]]s are totalitarians, just as the [[Nazi]]s were.

Totalitarian authorities and their apologists have their concept of sin as well: it is anything that works against the government, or tries to thwart its goals. This is true even in a regime that is explicitly [[Atheism|atheistic]] in world view. Reconciliation generally requires recantation.

=== Environmentalism ===
[[Environmentalism]] also has a standard of value: ''the good of the planet as a wild system.'' Anything that harms the earth or makes it less wild is sinful in this system. The controversy surrounding [[global warming]] is, at root, a controversy about environmentalism as a source of moral values, and the allegation that humans in general, and/or some humans in particular, have transgressed against the environmentalist moral standard.

== Summary ==
Some religious and philosophical traditions consider sin to be a deliberate act; others say that it can be merely a mistake. Some say that reconciliation for sin requires a certain work; others that reconciliation is by the grace of [[God]] (or, for some, a cult leader), and still others (most notably the Objectivists) say that reconciliation is not required, except perhaps to any particular affronted person.

[[atheism|Atheists]] typically lack a concept of sin, and may even ridicule it. More generally, ''amoral'' individuals deny that sin exists, because sin presupposes a moral code that someone might breach.
==Further reading==
* Bretzke, James T. ''A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Morally-Complex-World-Engaging-Contemporary/dp/0814651585/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260605470&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* Connolly, Hugh. ''Sin'' (2002) 168pp very brief history of sin in Christian theology; 120pp
* Paulson, Ronald. ''Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature''(2007) 403pp.; focus on Swift, Dickens, Hawthorne, Melville, James, Conrad, Faulkner, Greene, and Vonnegut

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Sin]]
[[Category:Christian Theology]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Demon

2011-10-12T23:21:56Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

A '''demon''' is a supernatural immortal creature which is an enemy of [[God]] and totally evil. Demons may also be referred to as 'devils,' with a lowercase initial letter to differentiate them from the Devil, a title for [[Satan]].
A [[succubus]] is an example of one kind of demon.

==Demons in the bible==
In the [[Old Testament]], God uses 'evil spirits' to serve His purposes. The precise nature of these spirits is unclear, but they may be classed as demons.
*Judges 9:23, ''God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem''

*1 Kings 22:23, ''...behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets...''

*1 Samuel 16:14, ''But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.''

In the [[New Testament]], Jesus cures the illnesses of various people by casting possessing demons from them.

*Matthew 4:24: ''...they brought unto him'' [Jesus] ''all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy...''

*Matthew 8:16: ''When the even was come, they brought unto him'' [Jesus] ''many that were possessed with devils...''

*Matthew 8:28-34: ''And when he'' [Jesus] ''was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce...''

Demons, and 'evil' or 'unclean' spirits are mentioned at least fifty times in the new testament.

==Modern views of demons==

More liberal-leaning Protestants tend to either ignore or explicitly reject the existence of demons, or view scriptural passages about them as metaphorical for sin or illness. The [[Catholic Church]] still claims demons exist and actively try to corrupt humans into sinful behavior, but has reduced the significance of this element of doctrine.

More conservative Protestants, especially those from evangelical denominations, see demons as engaging in a constant struggle for the soul of each person. Fallen angels who followed Satan in his rebellion, demons are believed to operate in secret in order to corrupt and influence individual humans in order to ensure they turn away from Christ. For some examples of this, see the works of [[Jack Chick]].

===Notable cases===
*[[Robbie Mannheim]]
*[[Clara Germana Cele]]
*[[Michael Taylor (Ossett)]]
*[[George Lukins]]
*[[Anneliese Michel]]
*[[Johann Blumhardt]]

===Jehovah's Witnesses===

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Demons are Rebel Angels that willfully left their heavenly dwelling places, and abandoned their assigned tasks given to them by Jehovah [[God]], their Father ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:2|ESV}}) ({{bibleverse||Jude|1:6|ESV}}).<ref>"What Does the [[Bible]] ''Really'' Teach" pp. 98-100 'Spirit creatures who are our Enemies'</ref> They believe that at some point before the flood they came to Earth, materialized bodies and took [[Human]] wives for themselves. They beleive that these Angels then fathered children, called [[Nephilim]], with these Human wives and that their children were hybrid, giants that dominated Human society and filled the Earth with violence, threatening Jehovah's Purpose for the Earth to be filled with ''Adam's'' offspring ({{bibleverse||Genesis|6:4-7|ESV}}).<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 98-100 'Spirit creatures who are our Enemies'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that [[God]] flooded the world in Noah's day, and that these Angels simply dematerialized and went back to Heaven, but were unable to bring their [[Nephilim]] offspring or [[Human]] wives with them. Having left their origional positions in Heaven, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that they in effect Joined Satan's rebellion and are now under Satan's authority unable to regain their prior positions ({{bibleverse||Jude|1:6|ESV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that [[Satan]] and the Demons ruled the Earth from somewhere in Heaven until The Kingdom of God began to rule ({{bibleverse||ephesians|6:12|ESV}}) in the year 1914 C.E.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914-A significant year in Bible prophecy'</ref> At this time, Witnesses teach that Jesus Christ (Michael the Archangel) led the Armies of Heaven against Satan and his rebel Angels and hurled them to the Earth where they remain to this day ({{bibleverse||Revelation|12:7-8|ESV}}).<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 87-93 'A War in Heaven'</ref> They do not believe that Satan and his Demons live in any sort of underworld or Hell, or that they have anything to do with punishing wicked people ({{bibleverse||Ezekiel|18:4|ESV}}) ({{bibleverse||Romans|12:19|ESV}}).<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 212-213 'What are Sheol and Hades?'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that [[Satan]] has ruled the world since the rebellion in Eden, and that he now delegates authority to the Demons over the Earth. The belive that these invisable rulers are Evil. They teach that different Demons rule different Nations and Organizations on Earth and control them by means of spiritual inspiration ({{bibleverse||Daniel|10:13,20|ESV}}). <ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 100-103 'How Demons mislead'</ref><ref>''The Watchtower'' 12/1/05 p. 4 [http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051201/article_02.htm Armageddon—A Happy Beginning] Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref> They teach that the Kingdom of God will remove all Human governments/kingdoms, and destroy Satan and all of the Demons forever. They do not believe that these Demons are immortal, but that they can and will eventually die for their Rebellion.<ref>Watchtower 6/1/96 p. 18 par. 20 "Flight to Safety Before the "Great Tribulation"" Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref>

==Demons in fiction==

Demons are, by definition, evil. This moral unambiguity makes them useful antagonists in TV series such as [[Charmed]], as the 'good guys' can kill demons without either moral dilemma or proof of guilt for any specific crime. They also play important parts in [[Frank E. Peretti]]'s novels, such as ''[[This Present Darkness]]'' and ''[[The Visitation]]''. Other works of fiction, including [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]], [[Angel]], and many comic series, depict demons who, possessing free will, can choose to do good.

[[category:Abrahamic Religions]]

Demon

2011-10-12T22:17:57Z

David42718: /* Modern views of demons */

A '''demon''' is a supernatural immortal creature which is an enemy of [[God]] and totally evil. Demons may also be referred to as 'devils,' with a lowercase initial letter to differentiate them from the Devil, a title for [[Satan]].
A [[succubus]] is an example of one kind of demon.

==Demons in the bible==
In the [[Old Testament]], God uses 'evil spirits' to serve His purposes. The precise nature of these spirits is unclear, but they may be classed as demons.
*Judges 9:23, ''God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem''

*1 Kings 22:23, ''...behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets...''

*1 Samuel 16:14, ''But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.''

In the [[New Testament]], Jesus cures the illnesses of various people by casting possessing demons from them.

*Matthew 4:24: ''...they brought unto him'' [Jesus] ''all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy...''

*Matthew 8:16: ''When the even was come, they brought unto him'' [Jesus] ''many that were possessed with devils...''

*Matthew 8:28-34: ''And when he'' [Jesus] ''was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce...''

Demons, and 'evil' or 'unclean' spirits are mentioned at least fifty times in the new testament.

==Modern views of demons==

More liberal-leaning Protestants tend to either ignore or explicitly reject the existence of demons, or view scriptural passages about them as metaphorical for sin or illness. The [[Catholic Church]] still claims demons exist and actively try to corrupt humans into sinful behavior, but has reduced the significance of this element of doctrine.

More conservative Protestants, especially those from evangelical denominations, see demons as engaging in a constant struggle for the soul of each person. Fallen angels who followed Satan in his rebellion, demons are believed to operate in secret in order to corrupt and influence individual humans in order to ensure they turn away from Christ. For some examples of this, see the works of [[Jack Chick]].

===Notable cases===
*[[Robbie Mannheim]]
*[[Clara Germana Cele]]
*[[Michael Taylor (Ossett)]]
*[[George Lukins]]
*[[Anneliese Michel]]
*[[Johann Blumhardt]]

===Jehovah's Witnesses===

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that Demons are Rebel Angels that willfully left their heavenly dwelling places, and abandoned their assigned tasks given to them by Jehovah [[God]], their Father.<ref>"What Does the [[Bible]] ''Really'' Teach" pp. 98-100 'Spirit creatures who are our Enemies'</ref> They believe that at some point before the flood they came to Earth, materialized bodies and took [[Human]] wives for themselves. They beleive that these Angels then fathered children, called [[Nephilim]], with these Human wives and that their children were hybrid, giants that dominated Human society and filled the Earth with violence, threatening Jehovah's Purpose for the Earth to be filled with ''Adam's'' offspring.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 98-100 'Spirit creatures who are our Enemies'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that [[God]] flooded the world in Noah's day, and that these Angels simply dematerialized and went back to Heaven, but were unable to bring their [[Nephilim]] offspring or [[Human]] wives with them. Having left their origional positions in Heaven, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that they in effect Joined Satan's rebellion and are now under Satan's authority unable to regain their prior positions.

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that [[Satan]] and the Demons ruled the Earth from somewhere in Heaven until The Kingdom of God began to rule in the year 1914 C.E.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914-A significant year in Bible prophecy'</ref> At this time, Witnesses teach that Jesus Christ (Michael the Archangel) led the Armies of Heaven against Satan and his rebel Angels and hurled them to the Earth where they remain to this day.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 87-93 'A War in Heaven'</ref> They do not believe that Satan and his Demons live in any sort of underworld or Hell, or that they have anything to do with punishing wicked people.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really'' Teach" pp. 212-213 'What are Sheol and Hades?'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that [[Satan]] has ruled the world since the rebellion in Eden, and that he now delegates authority to the Demons over the Earth. They teach that different Demons rule different Nations and Organizations on Earth and control them by means of spiritual inspiration.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 100-103 'How Demons mislead'</ref><ref>''The Watchtower'' 12/1/05 p. 4 [http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051201/article_02.htm Armageddon—A Happy Beginning] Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref> They teach that the Kingdom of God will remove all Human governments/kingdoms, and destroy Satan and all of the Demons forever. They do not believe that these Demons are immortal, but that they can and will eventually die for their Rebellion.<ref>Watchtower 6/1/96 p. 18 par. 20 "Flight to Safety Before the "Great Tribulation"" Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania</ref>

==Demons in fiction==

Demons are, by definition, evil. This moral unambiguity makes them useful antagonists in TV series such as [[Charmed]], as the 'good guys' can kill demons without either moral dilemma or proof of guilt for any specific crime. They also play important parts in [[Frank E. Peretti]]'s novels, such as ''[[This Present Darkness]]'' and ''[[The Visitation]]''. Other works of fiction, including [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]], [[Angel]], and many comic series, depict demons who, possessing free will, can choose to do good.

[[category:Abrahamic Religions]]

Heaven

2011-10-12T22:15:24Z

David42718: /* Jehovah's Witnesses */

'''Heaven''' (literally 'the sky') is the place where [[God]] dwells. It is a location (either physical or spiritual) reserved as the afterlife in many religions, especially the [[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic faiths]].
[[Image:Gustave Dore Heaven.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gustave Doré's illustration to the Divine Comedy, Paradiso Canto 1.]]

==Christianity==
In [[Christianity]] heaven is being in the presence of God with places prepared for the faithful by [[Jesus]] and is viewed as eternal bliss beyond that which can currently be known. Those who are allowed into heaven are said to be given new bodies that do not decay and death will be gone. [[Marriage]] is not a part of heaven. It is also possible there are different 'levels' of heaven. The conditions to enter heaven in Christianity, (the state of "[[salvation]]"), often revolve around some standard of piety achieved through knowing [[Jesus]].

===The essence of heaven===

Though there is much conjecture about what Heaven is like, its central core is that we will be with Jesus Himself. He has entered back into the presence of the [[God the Father|Father]] and has conveyed to us that the redeemed of the Lord will likewise be with Him where He is. Paradise may be to Heaven as the foyer may be to the inner room of a great Mansion. Without a doubt, Jesus responded to the penitent thief on the cross who turning to Him and said "Remember me Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom", saying, "I tell you most definitly, today, you will be with me in Paradise". He also said, "Where I am, there you will be also." And speaking of the time that we will be in the presence of Jesus, [[John the Apostle]] says, "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is."

With regard to what Heaven actually looks like, little information is given, and it is likely that the reality is beyond earthly comprehension. Artistic depictions of Heaven are usually characterized by bright, shining light; [[Dante's Paradiso]] is an example, although the overwhelming light there is at least partly a metaphor for divine [[love]].

===Entering Heaven===
Different Christian [[denomination]]s tend differ on the matter of what a person must do to be admitted to Heaven (see [[salvation]]).
==== Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity ====
In [[Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox]] and [[Catholic|Catholic Christianity]], belief in Jesus and proper works are often considered necessary and go hand in hand. [[Sin]]s of earth must first be cleansed through [[Purgatory]] before one can enter heaven. In some versions sufficient good deeds can lead to entering heaven even without belief in Jesus if one never had the chance to know about Jesus, such as pious Jews who died prior to the coming of Jesus.

==== Protestant Christianity ====
In [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Christianity there is no one standard, but most denominations were started with the understanding that salvation comes from belief in [[Jesus]] and acceptance of Him as a "personal Lord and Savior". This doctrine is know as [[Sola fide]]. [[Luther]] summed it up as salvation by faith alone. Much of Protestant and Catholic views can overlap with Catholics emphasizing good works and Protestants emphasizing a relationship with Jesus - which then shows its 'fruits' through good works, although purgatory is usually not a concept that Protestant churches follow. [[Anglican Communion|Anglicans]], who have a theology and church practice similar to Catholics, take a view very close to the view taken by Catholicism. Some Protestants, such as [[Calvinists]], believe that salvation is [[predestination|pre-destined]] by God. Those He has chosen will follow Him. Still others are universalist and hope that eventually everyone will enter heaven (although some of purging of sins may be necessary).

===Jehovah's Witnesses===

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that God's Kingdom refers to more than merely a state of mind or heart. The Kingdom of God as taught by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], is an actual Kingdom, or government set up by Jehovah in Heaven, that will rule over the Earth after removing all current Kingdoms or Governments at [[Armageddon]], which they teach as the meaining of Bible verses such as ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|ESV}}). [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that [[Jesus]] Christ is the [[King]] of this [[Kingdom]] and as such has had all authority in heaven and on earth delegated to him by his God and Father [[Jehovah]] which they teach is what [[Jesus]] meant at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|28:18|ESV}}). They teach that only [[Jehovah]] [[God]] himself has more authority then [[Jesus]] Christ and they draw this belife from [[Bible]] verses such as (1 Corinthians 15:27-28)

The Kingdom of God, to [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], is made up of 144,000 other Kings which belive are numbered at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|7:4|ESV}}) and also at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|14:1|NIV}}) as ''Spiritual Israel'' and that these rule with [[Jesus]], but under his direct control, and are the only humans that will take part in a very special resurrection known as the ''First Resurrection'', of which those raised cannot die, as they are raised as spirit creatures and ascend to Heaven to rule as Kings. They base this belief on thier interpretation of Bible verses such as ({{bibleverse||Revelatio|20:4-5|ESV}}). [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that God's Kingdom began ruling in the year 1914, which they arrive at by using what is termed as ''Reliable Bible Chronology''.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that since 1914 the world has seen the most destructive Wars, diseases, food shortages and natural disasters over any other period in human history because [[Satan]] the [[Devil]] was thrown from [[Heaven]] to the Earth in that year.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'</ref> They believe that this made [[Satan]] very angry and since then "Woe" has been on the earth.<ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051001/article_02.htm "Do You Recognize the Sign of Jesus' Presence?"]</ref> They use ({{bibleverse||Revelation|12:7-8,12|ESV}}) to support this, as well as teach that Satans being cast to the Earth is the reason for the ''Great Tribulation'' spoken of by Jesus and the Prophet Daniel in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Daniel|12:1|ESV}}) and also ({{bibleverse||Matthew|22:21-22|ESV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that the sons of [[Israel]], or biological Jews, were initially given the exclusive privilege of being the only people selected to rule as Kings in [[The Kingdom of God]], which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Exodus|19:5-6|ESV}}), but that they lost this privilege by breaking Gods covenant and killing the [[Messiah]] upon his arrival which they teach as the meaning of [[Jesus]] words at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|8:12|ESV}}). They teach that gentiles, or Non-Jewish people, are now being chosen to fill those same Kingly positions as ''Spiritual Israel'' Via the ''New covenant'' which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Romans|9:6|ESV}}), and not biological Israel via the ''Law Covenant''. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] also support this belief with scriptures such as ({{bibleverse||Matthew|21:43|ESV}}) and also ({{bibleverse||Luke|20:9-19|ESV}}).

The Kingdom of God, as taught by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], will destroy and replace all existing kingdoms and governments during Armageddon, and rule the earth from heaven for one thousand years, which they teach is the meaning of Bible verses like ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|ESV}})
and ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:6|ESV}}). They believe it will create the paradise on earth that Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden,<ref>‘The Great Crowd to Live in Heaven? Or on Earth?' "Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1984, p. 167.</ref> Which they teach is described in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Psalms|37:29|ESV}}) and spoken of by Jesus at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|5:5|ESV}}) as well as John at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|21:1-4|ESV}}). During this thousand year reign, they teach that all righteous and unrighteous humans will be resurrected from the dead in perfect human bodies. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that this is the "Second Resurrection", and only occurs during total Kingdom rule. They teach that these ones ''can'' die again if their deeds, during the thousand years, are not in line with Gods rule, which they teach is John's meaning at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:13|ESV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan the Devil will be imprisoned during this one thousand year reign, and unable to influence humans in any way under the Kingdoms rule, which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:1-2|NIV}}). They teach that All human beings that do not submit fully to the Kingdom of God during this thousand year reign of Christ will die before the thousand years is over which they take ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|17:1,20|NIV}}) to mean. This Jehovah's Witnesses teach is the "Second Death", from which there is no resurrection, which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:14|NIV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that after the last rebellious humans, and Satan are destroyed that [[Jehovah]] and his [[Kingdom]] will rule forever over a perfect human race, on a paradise earth completely free from sin, death, and any wicked influences whatsoever. It will not be passed on to anyone as no one will grow old and die in heaven or on earth.

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the Kingdom of God is the central theme of the entire Bible, Jesus message while on earth, and their own door to door preaching.<ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/article_04.htm "The Good News They Want You to Hear"]</ref> They teach that their door to door preaching is a major "Sign of the End" before the [[Kingdom]] brings to an end this worlds system of governments. In this way, they believe, Gods Will shall be done in [[Heaven]] and also on the Earth and further make Gods name, [[Jehovah]] ,Holy, or sanctified.<ref>''The Watchtower'', 15 March 2009, page 15, “Be Vigilant”</ref>

== Judaism ==
[[Judaism]] focuses much less on the nature and method of entering heaven, for which the [[Old Testament]] says little, but emphasize good deeds (''mitzvot'') on this earth and generally follows univeralist tendencies. Even [[Orthodox Jews]] rarely discuss the afterlife which is seen as unimportant, instead putting more emphasis on Philosophy, Mysticism, and especially Ethics.

== Islam ==
[[Islam]] emphasizes belief in God and acceptance of [[Muhammed]] as God's Prophet. There is also a physical component not found in Christianity and Judaism. Amongst certain fringe, fundamentalist sects of contemporary Islam, if one dies in [[Jihad]], no matter how bad he had been during his life, he is immediately lifted to heaven and given 72 virgins. This view is emphasized among Islamic militant extremists ([[terrorists]]), who believe it applies to them when they kill "infidels" who they believe stand in the way of Islam.

==See Also==
* [[Paradise]]
* [[Hell]]

[[Category:Abrahamic Religions]]

Heaven

2011-10-12T22:14:23Z

David42718: /* Protestant Christianity */

'''Heaven''' (literally 'the sky') is the place where [[God]] dwells. It is a location (either physical or spiritual) reserved as the afterlife in many religions, especially the [[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic faiths]].
[[Image:Gustave Dore Heaven.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gustave Doré's illustration to the Divine Comedy, Paradiso Canto 1.]]

==Christianity==
In [[Christianity]] heaven is being in the presence of God with places prepared for the faithful by [[Jesus]] and is viewed as eternal bliss beyond that which can currently be known. Those who are allowed into heaven are said to be given new bodies that do not decay and death will be gone. [[Marriage]] is not a part of heaven. It is also possible there are different 'levels' of heaven. The conditions to enter heaven in Christianity, (the state of "[[salvation]]"), often revolve around some standard of piety achieved through knowing [[Jesus]].

===The essence of heaven===

Though there is much conjecture about what Heaven is like, its central core is that we will be with Jesus Himself. He has entered back into the presence of the [[God the Father|Father]] and has conveyed to us that the redeemed of the Lord will likewise be with Him where He is. Paradise may be to Heaven as the foyer may be to the inner room of a great Mansion. Without a doubt, Jesus responded to the penitent thief on the cross who turning to Him and said "Remember me Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom", saying, "I tell you most definitly, today, you will be with me in Paradise". He also said, "Where I am, there you will be also." And speaking of the time that we will be in the presence of Jesus, [[John the Apostle]] says, "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is."

With regard to what Heaven actually looks like, little information is given, and it is likely that the reality is beyond earthly comprehension. Artistic depictions of Heaven are usually characterized by bright, shining light; [[Dante's Paradiso]] is an example, although the overwhelming light there is at least partly a metaphor for divine [[love]].

===Entering Heaven===
Different Christian [[denomination]]s tend differ on the matter of what a person must do to be admitted to Heaven (see [[salvation]]).
==== Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity ====
In [[Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox]] and [[Catholic|Catholic Christianity]], belief in Jesus and proper works are often considered necessary and go hand in hand. [[Sin]]s of earth must first be cleansed through [[Purgatory]] before one can enter heaven. In some versions sufficient good deeds can lead to entering heaven even without belief in Jesus if one never had the chance to know about Jesus, such as pious Jews who died prior to the coming of Jesus.

==== Protestant Christianity ====
In [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Christianity there is no one standard, but most denominations were started with the understanding that salvation comes from belief in [[Jesus]] and acceptance of Him as a "personal Lord and Savior". This doctrine is know as [[Sola fide]]. [[Luther]] summed it up as salvation by faith alone. Much of Protestant and Catholic views can overlap with Catholics emphasizing good works and Protestants emphasizing a relationship with Jesus - which then shows its 'fruits' through good works, although purgatory is usually not a concept that Protestant churches follow. [[Anglican Communion|Anglicans]], who have a theology and church practice similar to Catholics, take a view very close to the view taken by Catholicism. Some Protestants, such as [[Calvinists]], believe that salvation is [[predestination|pre-destined]] by God. Those He has chosen will follow Him. Still others are universalist and hope that eventually everyone will enter heaven (although some of purging of sins may be necessary).

===Jehovah's Witnesses===

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that God's Kingdom refers to more than merely a state of mind or heart. [[The Kingdom of God]] as taught by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], is an actual Kingdom, or government set up by Jehovah in Heaven, that will rule over the Earth after removing all current Kingdoms or Governments at [[Armageddon]], which they teach as the meaining of Bible verses such as ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|ESV}}). [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that [[Jesus]] Christ is the [[King]] of this [[Kingdom]] and as such has had all authority in heaven and on earth delegated to him by his God and Father [[Jehovah]] which they teach is what [[Jesus]] meant at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|28:18|ESV}}). They teach that only [[Jehovah]] [[God]] himself has more authority then [[Jesus]] Christ and they draw this belife from [[Bible]] verses such as (1 Corinthians 15:27-28)

[[The Kingdom of God]], to [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], is made up of 144,000 other Kings which belive are numbered at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|7:4|ESV}}) and also at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|14:1|NIV}}) as ''Spiritual Israel'' and that these rule with [[Jesus]], but under his direct control, and are the only humans that will take part in a very special resurrection known as the ''First Resurrection'', of which those raised cannot die, as they are raised as spirit creatures and ascend to Heaven to rule as Kings. They base this belief on thier interpretation of Bible verses such as ({{bibleverse||Revelatio|20:4-5|ESV}}). [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that God's Kingdom began ruling in the year 1914, which they arrive at by using what is termed as ''Reliable Bible Chronology''.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'</ref>

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] believe that since 1914 the world has seen the most destructive Wars, diseases, food shortages and natural disasters over any other period in human history because [[Satan]] the [[Devil]] was thrown from [[Heaven]] to the Earth in that year.<ref>"What Does the Bible ''Really '' Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'</ref> They believe that this made [[Satan]] very angry and since then "Woe" has been on the earth.<ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051001/article_02.htm "Do You Recognize the Sign of Jesus' Presence?"]</ref> They use ({{bibleverse||Revelation|12:7-8,12|ESV}}) to support this, as well as teach that Satans being cast to the Earth is the reason for the ''Great Tribulation'' spoken of by Jesus and the Prophet Daniel in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Daniel|12:1|ESV}}) and also ({{bibleverse||Matthew|22:21-22|ESV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that the sons of [[Israel]], or biological Jews, were initially given the exclusive privilege of being the only people selected to rule as Kings in [[The Kingdom of God]], which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Exodus|19:5-6|ESV}}), but that they lost this privilege by breaking Gods covenant and killing the [[Messiah]] upon his arrival which they teach as the meaning of [[Jesus]] words at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|8:12|ESV}}). They teach that gentiles, or Non-Jewish people, are now being chosen to fill those same Kingly positions as ''Spiritual Israel'' Via the ''New covenant'' which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Romans|9:6|ESV}}), and not biological Israel via the ''Law Covenant''. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] also support this belief with scriptures such as ({{bibleverse||Matthew|21:43|ESV}}) and also ({{bibleverse||Luke|20:9-19|ESV}}).

[[The Kingdom of God]], as taught by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], will destroy and replace all existing kingdoms and governments during Armageddon, and rule the earth from heaven for one thousand years, which they teach is the meaning of Bible verses like ({{bibleverse||Daniel|2:44|ESV}})
and ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:6|ESV}}). They believe it will create the paradise on earth that Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden,<ref>‘The Great Crowd to Live in Heaven? Or on Earth?' "Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1984, p. 167.</ref> Which they teach is described in the Bible at ({{bibleverse||Psalms|37:29|ESV}}) and spoken of by Jesus at ({{bibleverse||Matthew|5:5|ESV}}) as well as John at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|21:1-4|ESV}}). During this thousand year reign, they teach that all righteous and unrighteous humans will be resurrected from the dead in perfect human bodies. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that this is the "Second Resurrection", and only occurs during total Kingdom rule. They teach that these ones ''can'' die again if their deeds, during the thousand years, are not in line with Gods rule, which they teach is John's meaning at ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:13|ESV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that Satan the Devil will be imprisoned during this one thousand year reign, and unable to influence humans in any way under the Kingdoms rule, which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:1-2|NIV}}). They teach that All human beings that do not submit fully to the Kingdom of God during this thousand year reign of Christ will die before the thousand years is over which they take ({{bibleverse||Isaiah|17:1,20|NIV}}) to mean. This Jehovah's Witnesses teach is the "Second Death", from which there is no resurrection, which they teach is the meaning of ({{bibleverse||Revelation|20:14|NIV}}).

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] teach that after the last rebellious humans, and Satan are destroyed that [[Jehovah]] and his [[Kingdom]] will rule forever over a perfect human race, on a paradise earth completely free from sin, death, and any wicked influences whatsoever. It will not be passed on to anyone as no one will grow old and die in heaven or on earth.

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the Kingdom of God is the central theme of the entire Bible, Jesus message while on earth, and their own door to door preaching.<ref>[http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/article_04.htm "The Good News They Want You to Hear"]</ref> They teach that their door to door preaching is a major "Sign of the End" before the [[Kingdom]] brings to an end this worlds system of governments. In this way, they believe, Gods Will shall be done in [[Heaven]] and also on the Earth and further make Gods name, [[Jehovah]] ,Holy, or sanctified.<ref>''The Watchtower'', 15 March 2009, page 15, “Be Vigilant”</ref>

== Judaism ==
[[Judaism]] focuses much less on the nature and method of entering heaven, for which the [[Old Testament]] says little, but emphasize good deeds (''mitzvot'') on this earth and generally follows univeralist tendencies. Even [[Orthodox Jews]] rarely discuss the afterlife which is seen as unimportant, instead putting more emphasis on Philosophy, Mysticism, and especially Ethics.

== Islam ==
[[Islam]] emphasizes belief in God and acceptance of [[Muhammed]] as God's Prophet. There is also a physical component not found in Christianity and Judaism. Amongst certain fringe, fundamentalist sects of contemporary Islam, if one dies in [[Jihad]], no matter how bad he had been during his life, he is immediately lifted to heaven and given 72 virgins. This view is emphasized among Islamic militant extremists ([[terrorists]]), who believe it applies to them when they kill "infidels" who they believe stand in the way of Islam.

==See Also==
* [[Paradise]]
* [[Hell]]

[[Category:Abrahamic Religions]]

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