I was asked some questions about them (JWs). I know they have some beliefs that are not mainstream, but I can't remember what was controversial about them. Could someone summarize the key issues that set them apart?
They think Michael Jackson is the best moon walker that ever lived?.......Just a little offbeat humor........
"Michael and I were very active in the Jehovah's Witness faith. ... Five days a week the two of us and Mother studied the Bible at home and attended the Kingdom Hall. ... Every morning Michael and I witnessed, knocking on doors around Los Angeles, spreading the word of Jehovah. ... As my brother's fame grew, he had to don convincing disguises, like a rubber fat suit he bought years later, .."
La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family pp.53-4.
Actually found a comparison chart that gives a glimpse of some of the differences in belief of JW's compared to Protestant Christianity.
"The following chart provides a quick-reference guide to the major
similarities and
differences between the beliefs and practices of
Jehovah's Witnesses and mainstream Protestant
Christianity. As is always the case with charts and summaries, the information is simplified for brevity and should be used alongside more complete explanations. The beliefs listed for both Witnesses and Protestant Christians represent those of most, but not all, churches or individuals within that tradition."
Source:
[TABLE]
[TR="bgcolor: #CCCCCC"]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD="width: 38%, bgcolor: #CCCCCC"]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Religious Authority
[/TD]
[TD]
The New World Translation (NWT)
of the Bible[/TD]
[TD]
The Bible (main page)
NIV, KJV, NRSV, etc. translations
(Also see:
Bible translations)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Bible Sections
[/TD]
[TD] "Hebrew Scriptures" and "Christian Greek Scriptures"
(See
Jehovah's Witnesses texts)[/TD]
[TD] "Old Testament" and "New Testament"
(See the
New Testament)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
God
[/TD]
[TD]
Jehovah
(click for article) [/TD]
[TD]
Trinitarian God
(click for article)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Trinity
[/TD]
[TD]
Rejected
(click for article)[/TD]
[TD]
Affirmed
(click for article)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD] See
Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs
[/TD]
[TD]See
Christianity beliefs[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Identity of Jesus Christ
[/TD]
[TD] Son of God, Word of God, God's first creation, Archangel Michael
(See
Jesus Christ) [/TD]
[TD]Son of God, Word of God, God,
second Person of the Trinity
(See
Christology)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Holy Spirit
[/TD]
[TD]
God's active force (impersonal)[/TD]
[TD] God,
Third Person of the Trinity[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Results of Fall
[/TD]
[TD]Physical and spiritual death
entered the world[/TD]
[TD]
Physical death, tendency to sin
(click for article) [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Free will
[/TD]
[TD] Free to do good or evil
(See
10 Articles)[/TD]
[TD]
Free will to do good is seriously impaired[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Purpose of Christ's Incarnation
[/TD]
[TD]Teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin
(See
Jesus Christ)[/TD]
[TD]Teach about God, provide a model for right living,
die sacrificially for human sin, reveal God directly to humanity[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Means of Christ's Execution
[/TD]
[TD] Crucifixion on an
upright stake
(no crossbar)[/TD]
[TD] Crucifixion on a cross
(See
Jesus Christ)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Resurrection of Christ?
[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]Yes
(Also see
Easter)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Salvation
[/TD]
[TD] Both faith and works;
works emphasized.[/TD]
[TD] Both faith and works;
faith emphasized[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]See
Jehovah's Witnesses main page[/TD]
[TD] See
Christianity main page[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Second Chance After Death?
[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]No[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Afterlife[/TD]
[TD] Souls of wicked are annhilated, a select few Witnesses go to Heaven, other Witnesses enjoy a paradise earth for eternity
(See
Afterlife) [/TD]
[TD]Souls of wicked sent to Hell, believers go to Heaven for eternity
(S ee
Afterlife)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Hell[/TD]
[TD] Exists in the sense of a place of the dead (Jesus went there), but hellfire does not exist; idea was invented by Satan to turn people from Jehovah.[/TD]
[TD]Place (or state of being) of eternal torment and distance from God.
(See
the doctrine of hell)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Place of Worship
[/TD]
[TD]
Kingdom Hall
(click for article)[/TD]
[TD] Church
(See
Christian practices)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Meaning of Sacraments[/TD]
[TD]Symbolic acts commanded by Christ[/TD]
[TD] Symbolic acts commanded by Christ (some Protestant); means of grace if received with faith (Catholic, Orthodox, and some Protestant).
(See
Comparison Chart of Christian denominations) [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Number of Sacraments
[/TD]
[TD]Two:
Baptism and Lord's Supper[/TD]
[TD]Two: Baptism and Lord's Supper (seven in Catholicism)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Symbols
[/TD]
[TD]The watchtower[/TD]
[TD]
Cross, fish & others[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Holidays
[/TD]
[TD]
Memorial of Christ's Death only[/TD]
[TD]
Easter,
Christmas, saint's days,
several others[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD] See
Jehovah's Witnesses symbols
[/TD]
[TD] See
Christian symbols[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Involvement in Politics
[/TD]
[TD]
Minimal[/TD]
[TD] Full[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Blood Transfusions
[/TD]
[TD]
Rejected[/TD]
[TD] Accepted[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]