Using a combination of Bible verses and historical dates, Russell decided that God would very soon call to heaven a group of "saints" who would become the kings of that Kingdom. Witnesses are best known for preaching their beliefs from door-to-door and in other public places, and offering their magazines, The Watchtower and Awake! They are also well known for refusing to join armies and refusing blood transfusions. They teach that when people die, they remain in their graves until Jesus Christ resurrects them after God's Kingdom, or government, is ruling over earth. They do not believe that God is a Trinity. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven and that the remaining people who obey God will live forever on a paradise Earth. Many of those beliefs, especially about who God is and what his plans are for humans and the earth, are different to what is taught in mainstream Christian churches. These beliefs were taught by Charles Taze Russell, a preacher who started a Bible study group in Pennsylvania in 1876, and later started publishing a religious magazine called The Watchtower. Most of the religion's beliefs are based on the Bible. They believe God will end the present system of things, which belongs to Satan, with its crime, violence, sickness and death they believe it will be replaced with his Kingdom which will restore his original purpose for the Earth, bringing about peace for all humans who live by the Bible's standards. Jehovah's Witnesses are a religious group with more than eight million members throughout the world. Statistics from 2016 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses Officially it claims 8.5 million worshipers.Its religious activities are banned in some countries including Russia, China, and Vietnam and restricted in numerous Muslim-majority countries.Watchtower Buildings in Brooklyn, New YorkĬharles Taze Russell (founded Bible Student movement) However, they are best known for their practice of door-to-door preaching, avid distribution of literature and films, as well as refusing military service and blood transfusions.The group has been active since the 1870s, yet its worldwide fellowship is a matter of debate. They believe that the destruction of the present world system by Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom over the Earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity. Among others, they can’t force people to remain members, coerce them into lifelong commitment or ban interaction with non-members.Headquartered in Warwick, in the state of New York, Jehovah's Witnesses are a restorationist apocalyptic non-trinitarian offshoot from mainstream Christianity with numerous sect-like traits such as harsh discipline and the desire to exclude themselves from society. This has led to scandals, including the Catholic Church of Norway defrauding the state of millions of kroner in support by registering thousands of foreigners without permission.Groups that receive state subsidies have to abide by certain rules. Instead, religion is supported by taxpayers: the more members a congregation (or humanist organization) has, the more money it receives. However, although they can continue to practice their religion, they would no longer be able to receive state subsidies or ratify marriages.The State Administrator had already cut grants for Jehovah's Witnesses, for which the sect said it intended to sue.Norway has a national Church, but no longer a national religion. Furthermore, the government body argued that Jehovah's Witnesses violate the rights of children by encouraging members to isolate youngsters who don’t follow the religious community's rules.The State Administrator asked whether Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to change their practices so that they would not lose their registration, but they indicated that they will not change.The loss of registration as a religious community does not ban the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses outright. The State Administrator argued that this violates members' rights to free expression and freedom of religion. Norwegian Jehovah's Witnesses have lost their status as a religious community, as the country's authorities have withdrawn their registration.The State Administrator made its decision because of the coercion practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses against community members who break religious rules.
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