Organizational Structure of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Unlike Christianity as a whole, Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded relatively recently in the 1800, just 40 years after the advent of Mormonism. The founder of the belief, John Taze Russell was a Biblical scholar who has his unique interpretation of the Bible. Supporters of Russell would hold meetings to read and discuss the Bible and they eventually became a small religious belief. After Russell’s death the group was taken over by former judge Rutherford. His failed predictions, including that of the Biblical Abraham and Isaac, forced a split between the ministry in 1931. The remaining group was led by Rutherford and renamed the Jehovah’s Witness, operating mostly in Brooklyn, New York.

Today, the group claims to have roughly adherents worldwide although people know little about its unique religious views. In his study of the movement, sociologist Beckford, identified the totalizing structure of the group’s organization. the group is characterized by narrow objectives, firm leadership and control over new membership (Beckford 2014). Jehovah’s Witness do not co-operate with other religious associations although it is ranked among one of the most diverse (ethnically and racially) religious groups in the US.

The practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses holds oppositions with the laws and lifestyle of the American society (Penton 2016). The group discourages inter-religious collaborations, homosexuality, abortion, divorce and even prohibits blood transfusions as they are considered a violation of God’s will (Chrysides 2015).  Some extremities in practices have forced governmental intrusion and opposition from several religious groups and communities working in public interest. The organization have faced various legal challenges that included jurisdictive protections for civil rights, state interference for public welfare and reported cases of sexual abuse. Despite the controversiects, the belief finds itself as one of the top recognized and practiced religions in the United States (West 2014).

The teaching of Jehovah’s Witness on Christ is that Jesus is the Son of God and he was the first creation of God. The belief preaches Jesus’ functions and duties towards God Jehovah, who (Jesus) before being born as a human being resided in heaven. Jesus treaded his path as a mortal and became Christ only after being baptized. Jehovah’s Witness hold the considers the cross to be obsolete and contemptuous feeling that it is merely a pagan symbol. The belief presents a Christian worldview with strayed ideas.

According to the authors, religious beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses enforce rejection of blood products (heterogenic) and that resulted to increased mortality rate among followers. Jehovah’s Witness patients are therefore suffer high-risk during cardiac surgeries as they refuse transfusion.

Controversial Practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses

In this source the author has opted for generating the insight into the religious issues in the American society. The concept of the religious pluralism has been addressed in this book. It has become a wide and vast matter in the periphery of discussing the religion. The religious pluralism and diversity has become very connected and linked issues in the sociological aspects. The clarity of the conception is very much needed and the issues are very complex as well. There are some legal and cultural issues associated with that as well. The religious pluralism comes with the religious diversity as well.

In this source, the author has depicted the various issues of religiousness in Christianity. The Adventism of the nineteenth century has been a very important matter of concern over the last few years indeed. This movement has been spreading all over the world including United States of America as well. This is believed to be a new religious movement and the entire American society has been moved by it. The theological underpinnings of this religious movement have been discussed in this source properly. The common beliefs of the religion have been addressed in this book as well. The contemporary religion has been looked after with its impression on the USA society.

In this book source, the author has depicted the various issues and beliefs of the human beings on the notions of Christian religion and the matter of Jehovah. The various issues that have been discussed and viewed in this book are that of the Evangelicals and the Anglo-American tradition of the protestant Christianity. The difference between the Catholic Christianity and Protestant Christianity has been discussed in this book sincerely. The different doctrines of theology relating to that of the Apocalypse have been discussed so that its impression on the American society can be understood. The American history during the nineteenth and twentieth century is very important indeed.

This source deals with the several issues in dealing with blood and blood products in Christianity. The witnesses of Jehovah will have to be treated properly and in the proper ethical manner as well. This will ensure that these patients will have to be treated by keeping in mind the norms and the ethics. It has been observed that the witnesses of Jehovah have changed their stance on the transfusion of blood. This is very muh engaging with the American society and its contacts with the Christian religion. The respect for the autonomy will have to be given as well. This will surely be helpful for the common people as well.

Legal Challenges Faced by Jehovah’s Witnesses

The authors in this book have discussed about the sociological aspects of Christianity and their impressions on the society of USA. The relationship between the sociological aspects and Christianity is huge. This is why the people are much concerned about maintaining and abiding all the things that are told in the Christian religion. The priests of the Churches in USA have thrived to maintain the different ideologies in the religion. This is how they will attain the spiritual achievements indeed. The different Christian ideas have severely impacted on the society of USA. The USA society ideas will surely have impacts on Christian religion as well.

In this book, the author has portrayed his view on the contemporary religious movements that have taken place in USA. The various missions on evangelism have been discussed in this context along with its impacts on the contemporary USA. The conversion of the people in the country has been discussed here as well and the ways the Witnesses of Jehovah have maintained their relationships with world outside the religious world. The Watch Tower Society has been extremely important in this regard as well. This is how the Christian worldviews have been in line with the religious society of USA.

The different religious cults in America have been discussed in this book as well. Christianity has been a very integral issue in the society of USA. This is why these interpretations have been given on how the different religious movements can be managed within the country. Another important controversy in the depiction of the Christian issues is that of the neophyte issues. The different ministries of Christianity have always questioned about the various issues like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons. The cult-related violence has also been discussed here as well.

This source deals with the different issues in the religious matters that are raised within the perspectives of the USA society. There are certain elements or components in the contemporary religions like the Cults, Sects, New Religious Movements and others. The world history has been largely impacted indeed. The beliefs and practices have been discussed in the best ways for the welfare of the common people. Some of the very important issues like the Fundamentalism, Pentecostalism and Ethnic Religions. The global cultures have been discussed as well. The discussion on the alternative religions has been made in this section as well.

The author of this source book has discussed about the several things about the impact of the Christian religion on the society. The Christian religion has spread worldwide across decades and centuries. The global cultures have been impacted by this as well. The different societies and communities will be engaged in the different situations regarding the religious issues of Christianity as well. The teachings of the folk religions and their impacts on the global culture have been highlighted all through this book. The international links regarding Christianity have been discussed over and over again. Thus the Christian religion has grown over time as well.

The authors of this book have discussed about the several factors about the Christian religion and the issues that have been created around the world. The topic of socialization has been discussed widely as well. The socialistic traditions have been highlighted and the most important factors are reviewed. The freedom of the human minds is very much important since the global cultures always speak of the integrity among the religions. The impact of the Christian religion has been very much important since the American culture is mixed with the global cultures. The religious communities have been the parts of assimilation into the American culture in the big ways. 

References:

Beckford, J. A. (2014). Re-thinking religious pluralism. In Religious Pluralism (pp. 15-29). Springer, Cham.

Chryssides, G. D. (2016). Jehovah’s Witnesses: Continuity and Change. Routledge.

Chryssides, G. D. (2016). Jehovah’s Witnesses: Continuity and Change. Routledge.

Evans, J. H., & Evans, M. S. (2012). Sociology and Christianity. The Blackwell Companion to Science and Christianity, 344-355.

Hexham, I. (2018). New religions as global cultures: Making the human sacred. Routledge.

Holden, A. (2012). Jehovah’s Witnesses: portrait of a contemporary religious movement. Routledge.

Hookway, N. S., & Habibis, D. (2015). ‘Losing my religion’: Managing identity in a post-Jehovah’s Witness world. Journal of Sociology, 51(4), 843-856.

Hunt, S. J. (2017). Alternative religions: A sociological introduction. Routledge.

Melton, J. G. (2014). Encyclopedic handbook of cults in America. Routledge.

Penton, M. J. (2015). Apocalypse delayed: the story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. University of Toronto Press.

Penton, M. J. (2015). Apocalypse delayed: the story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. University of Toronto Press.

West, J. M. (2014). Ethical issues in the care of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Current Opinion in Anesthesiology, 27(2), 170-176.

West, J. M. (2014). Ethical issues in the care of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Current Opinion in Anesthesiology, 27(2), 170-176.