Jehovah Witness Worksheet

Jehovah Witness

1. When and how did the church begin?

Jehovah Witnesses is believed to have started by Charles Taze Russell, back in 1872. Russell was told Jesus would be coming back soon and so he started to focus on the Bible. Russell had different ideas of the doctrine and decided to start a class to teach his beliefs and ideas.

2. Is there a founder? If so, what was their role?

Charles Taze Russell started the idea of Jehovah Witnesses, it was originally called the Watchtower Society. Once Russell passed away Joseph Franklin Rutherford changed the name and became the new president. Because of Russell’s different views he started a class to show others his beliefs and ideas. More and more people became interested, as it became more popular Russell took the title of ‘Pastor”

3. What do the followers believe?

Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity, they follow monotheism. They believe the

Holy Ghost is an energy or a force, which is how God interacts with the world. Jehovah Witnesses don’t accept the traditional cross. Instead it is called a “torture stake”. They believe Jesus was nailed to a stake, without the horizontal beam. Jehovah Witnesses believe that humans don’t have an immortal soul, except those who killed Jesus and those who have sinned against the Holy Spirit. All others get ressurected. Jehovah Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas because they believe that Jesus told them to celebrate his death, not his birth. They also don’t celebrate birthdays because they believe it will displease God. Jehovah Witnesses go door to door because they believe that Jesus told his followers to “make disciples of people of all the nations”. Jehovah Witnesses don’t celebrate Easter because they believe that Easter is not a celebration of the Bible.
4. Do they have a leader or an authority?
There is no person really in charge, they all spread awareness of the religion. They do have people who control the different local communities, called elders. The elders purpose is to just keep the congregations in order and all together. In local congregations there are about two hundred people. Jehovah Witnesses typically just go to the kingdom hall nearest to them. About twenty congregations make up a circuit. There are about ten circuits in a district. There is one national headquarters per country. There is really no one leader, just a system of organization to control.
5. Where are they located geographically?
The headquarters was moved in 2009 from outside of Brooklyn, New York. They bought a plot of land in upstate New York. There are people who follow this denomination in 235 different countries.
6. How many members are there?
There are seven million active Jehovah Witnesses, from all across the world. There are one million people in the USA alone, and only about 130,000 in the UK.
7. What kind of celebrations and holidays do they observe?
Jehovah Witnesses don’t celebrate holidays. A religious event is the date of Christ’s death. Jehovah Witness choose to not celebrate holidays because Jesus said to honor his death, not his birth. They say we also don’t have actual proof of the date that Jesus was born. They don’t celebrate birthdays because they believe it has pagan roots. They believe the Bible never mentions celebrating birthdays.

Mormonism
1. When and how did the church begin?
The church began in New York in 1830. Joseph Smith prayed to find out what church he belonged to. During his prayer it is believed that God and Jesus Christ came down and selected Joseph Smith to restore the Church of Jesus Christ.
2. Is there a founder to the denomination? If so what was their role?
Joseph Smith is the founder of Mormonism. He prayed to God asking which church he belonged to. God said that Joseph Smith was chosen to lead the church of Jesus Christ.
3. What do the followers believe?
Mormons do not believe in the trinity.

They believe God and Jesus are separate beings, they believe Jesus Christ is the son of God. Mormons believe that you get punished for your own sin, not Adam’s sin. If a child sins and they are below the age of eight the sin is unaccounted for. Which is also the age many children get baptised. Mormons believe in the Ten Commandments, praying often and reading the scriptures. They believe in following the law of chastity and the word of wisdom. Mormons don't drink coffee,tea, or alcohol because God says that these things will make our bodies unhealthy. Mormons believe in stages after death. The first stage is immediately after we die our soul is judged on how good it “behaved”. Mormons view life as a training ground for what comes after death. Then the soul gets sent to paradise or a prison. Mormons believe in going on missions to spread their religion, how long you are gone depends on your gender. Males are gone longer than females. Mormons believe in the hebrew bible, but they view of the stories a bit

differently.
4. Do they have a leader or an authority? If so, who is it? What authority do they have?
Churches are divided into stakes. The stakes are ruled by the stake president. The stakes are then divided in smaller wards. All the wards in the area are a stake. The full stake is being watched over by the general authorities. The whole LDS was created by Joseph Smith. When Joseph Smith died Brigham Young decided to take charge and moved the headquarters across the country to Salt Lake City, which is where the headquarters are located.
5. Where are they located geographically?
The LDS religion was founded in New York but got moved by Brigham Young to Utah. The majority of Mormons live in Utah and Idaho. Stereotypically, everyone assumes you are Mormon if you live in Utah, but only about half of the population is mormon.
6. How many members are there?
There are over 15 millions Mormons across the country. Most of the population is in the western part of the United States. The religion has grown rapidly
7. What kinds of celebrations and holidays do they observe?
A child who grows up Mormon will get baptized at the age of eight. Mormons celebrate Easter and Christmas. They also celebrate July 24th as the day Brigham Young came to utah. Some Mormons celebrate April 6th as the day the LDS church was founded.