What Is The Major Reason Jehovah’s Witnesses Exist?

minimus

I understand that cults and religious groups will always exist. But why do Jehovah’s Witnesses continue as a religion that people will join?

OnTheWayOut

Well, people are barely "joining" it today. It's mostly some of the children of members joining because of pressure from family and growing up in it and not knowing better.

But since there are still some adult recruits joining, and since I was an adult when I joined, I will try to answer. Granted, my joining was preceded by childhood exposure to the beliefs as the only religious training I received, but I can still try to answer.
I joined because I was in a state of emotional turmoil. I needed some kind of comfort, and the JW's had a false offer of that comfort. Some would join for answers to their problems, be they substance abuse, loneliness, boredom, some may join because of what JW's seem to have- instant answers to everything with their paradise and destruction of the wicked.

Betheliesalot

I think over 100 years of bothering people has finally caught up with them and no one hardly is listening to their 19th century way of thinking anymore. Movies and comedy skits have been widely disseminated thru out society, so much so that most people regard them as off center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki801ccg9Yo

days of future passed

As I drive along, I see memorials on the freeways for people that have died. No one wants to forget loved ones. They wish for them to be alive.

Heaven may be too far away and unlike what we want for them. Jehovah's witnesses offer life on earth without the disease, old age and death. Maybe it is easier to picture that life, than one up in the clouds. An old movie I watched, had three gentlemen that died. They gathered back at the house that they had lived in and tried to figure out what happened. As the movie went along, each were called to heaven or limbo hell. One man's son appeared to take him "home". But what is it like, said the father. Whatever you wish said the son. So the father wished he could go to his old army haunts in the tropics - the scene appeared and off he went happily. So it's more natural I think, that people want to return to an earth that is clean, with happy animals and people.

My mother's main reason for joining was that she would never grow old. Throw in no wars too. I don't think she is religious actually. Now she is 80 plus and having to cope with depression over impending old age death.

smiddy3

Some would join for answers to their problems, be they substance abuse, loneliness, boredom, some may join because of what JW's seem to have- instant answers to everything with their paradise and destruction of the wicked.

I think OTWO has hit the nail on the head ,also as he has said family members even kids.

Finkelstein

A short concise answer would be basic stupidity and the WTS is a fear mongering religious publishing house .

Ruby456

from a political and economic standpoint inequality and injustice are the major reasons why religions like JWs exist and flourish imo.

Conversely as inequality in the western world increases to higher levels than in the past (between the middle classes and the top earners for example while poorer people trail more miserably behind (Evans and Tilley 2017) we may find more people exiting such religions and joining parties that appeal to populism like extreme right wing and left wing parties.

Good JW

Two major ones:

1) As has been mentioned, something tangible (homely) for the future - life on a paradise earth (without the extremes of hell/heaven). Many want to see their dead loved ones again, and they only can imagine this in the life they currently live (earth).

2) Probably one of the biggest ones - people coming to YOUR door to show an interest in YOU (feel loved and that the message is vital). Cannot beat that. This one to one contact makes people feel special (no longer lonely), important, and readier to commit to greater cause (the thrill of being part of something grand/urgent). I used to push my beliefs onto the online JW community quite a bit when I first left, and the biggest contention that many of them raised was this: "where are you on a Saturday morning? Not at my door....therefore why should I listen to you?". All these traits distract a person from their issues, bringing comfort/relief.

Xanthippe

Things happen to everyone that are hard to cope with, illness, bereavements, financial problems. I can only speak of my own country where mental health programs are struggling to cope because of central government removing funding.

From volunteering in a mental health charity I realised that many severely damaged people turn to religion eventually because the NHS has failed them badly. They have shattered self esteem and religions tell them God loves them unconditionally and whatever has happened in the past has been wiped away instead of what they get from society which is the stigma of mental illness. If that religion actually knocks on your door and gives you personal attention like JWs do, all the better I suppose.

punkofnice

What Is The Major Reason Jehovah’s Witnesses Exist?

Because people are a disappointment. The human race is a disappointment. It all ends in disappointment.

What Is The Major Reason Jehovah’s Witnesses Exist?

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