Jehova's Witnesses

[ck1]

What's the basis of their belief, and why are they the only sect (cult?) that walk around knocking on people's doors?

[mallyh]

mormons come round ours too

[Old_Geezer]

Because they love you and want you to find happiness in the next life.

[Graham-W]

The basis of their belief is the usual interpretation of the Bible to suit their beliefs.
They believe so intently in their faith that they must give everyone else the chance to hear the "Truth". They must "witness" their faith to everyone so everyone may be saved. Otherwise they are letting you down and failing to give you chance to see the "Truth".

[jomifl]

The basis of their belief is a version of the bible which they created so as to get a better fit with their founders prejudices.It is a rewrite of a rewrite of a translation of an edited version of a translation of events that reportedly hasppened in palestine. So you can depend on it being mostly fiction.
As for knocking on doors, they are not alone as the mormons do it too.

[Baldric]

//The LDS Church (Mormons) is moving further into the digital age, unveiling plans to do less door-to-door missionary "tracting" and instead do more social media networking to find potential converts//.

[jomifl]

GL will be along soon to cut and paste the entire body of work of watchtower...

[Graham-W]

Instead of "the usual" I should have put "their own".

[sunny-dave]

It's interesting (at least to me) how the image of JWs in general is at odds with my personal experience.

My next door neighbours are a JW family - they are friendly, polite and as good a neighbour as you could want. We take parcels in for each other, keep an eye out when the other person is on holiday and generally do all the usual neighbourly stuff.

They've never attempted to 'convert' me (perhaps I radiate 'hopeless case') and I wouldn't dream of disparaging their religion.

It may have some (possibly many) ideas and beliefs which I find difficult to comprehend, but ultimately it's their choice and I respect it.

[ OK possibly not the bit about transfusions for children ]

[atalanta]

Perhaps they get to heaven faster, the more converts they have made.

[Theland]

The JWs I have known are indeed lovely people, but there religion is a cult. Their rewritten version of the Bible AND the writings of their founders

[jomifl]

atalanta, I think you have put your finger on an overlooked aspect of believing in religion. Most people 'believe' for purely selfish reasons, not for the greater good of mankind but to save their own miserable and guilt ridden souls (the misery and guilt being the result of belief). Mother Theresa is an example.

[Theland]

JWs do not believe Jesus is the son of God.
As for knocking on doors, I would rather have them than the double glazing salesmen, nuisances.

[McMouse]

The Tarmacer Cult knock on our doors preaching "We've just gone a drive up the road and have some tarmac over"

[WELSHYORKIE]

The only Watchtower i'm interested in is the one sung about by a certain Jimi Hendrix

[Theland]

When stoned?

[jomifl]

^ :o) McMouse, any theology,dogma or myths attached to the tarmacers?
apart from always addressing non devotees as 'sir'? and the great god 'mick' arriving in a blue transit pickup towing a caravan?

[naomi24]

atalanta, where an eventual destination of heaven is concerned, most of them have no such aspirations. They 'know' that only the elite have that privilege, and that the hoi polloi will inherit a perfect earth inhabited only by Jehovah's Witnesses.

[EDDIE51]

I find a 'Save a life, Give Blood' poster on the door works wonders at putting them off knocking.

[cassa333]

I don't know where the idea that the JWs wrote their own version of the Bible came from. The one they gave me is the same as all the others I have ever seen!!

Although advances in technology have made it nessisary to interperet some aspects of it ie: use of blood and blood products within medicine, they read it to it's Nth detail and live their life by it's principles as close to it as they can.


I am not a religious person at all (I might change my mind on my death bed though) but if I were to chose a Christian religion to follow it would be JW.

Two things I find difficult with the JWs in particular is their belief that it is MORE important to save souls for God now rather than save lives now. And because of the previous problems with the use of blood their seeming 'willingness' to allow a person to die rather than use blood.

Mind you without them some of the advances in refining the componants of blood to be used in medicine wouldn't have been made.!!

[naomi24]

Cassa, before making your hypothetical choice, a little more research would be in order. Jehovah's Witnesses do have their own version of the bible which differs significantly from more mainstream translations, not least with the addition of the word 'Jehovah' wherever their nameless translators thought it would fit. Additionally, JWs do not believe in the concept of an eternal soul that transcends death, so they will never tell you how to attempt to save it.