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The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are based on the Bible teachings of Charles Taze Russell—founder of the Bible Student movement—and successive presidents of the Watch Tower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, and Nathan Homer Knorr.[1][2] Since 1976, all doctrinal decisions have been made by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses,[3] a group of elders at the denomination's headquarters. These teachings are disseminated through The Watchtower magazine and other publications of Jehovah's Witnesses, and at conventions and congregation meetings.[4]
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the present world order, which they believe to be under the control of Satan, will be ended by a direct intervention of Jehovah (God), who will use Jesus to fully establish his heavenly government over earth, destroying existing human governments and non-Witnesses,[5] and creating a cleansed society of true worshippers who will live forever. They see their mission as primarily evangelical, disseminating the good news, to warn as many people as possible in the remaining time before Armageddon.[6] All members of the denomination are expected to take an active part in preaching.[7] Witnesses refer to all their beliefs collectively as "the Truth".[8]
- ^ Penton 1997, p. 13.
- ^ Franz 2002, p. 106.
- ^ "United in Love—Annual Meeting Report". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. June 15, 2010. p. 3.
In 1976, all activities of Jehovah's Witnesses were brought under the supervision of the six committees of the Governing Body.
- ^ Keep Yourselves in God's Love. Watch Tower Society. 2008. p. 43.
The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses represents the slave class. ... elders today receive instructions and counsel from the Governing Body, either directly or through its representatives, such as traveling overseers.
- ^ Garbe, Detlef (2008). Between Resistance and Martyrdom: Jehovah's Witnesses in the Third Reich. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 37, 38. ISBN 978-0-299-20794-6.
In their opinion, only people who have accepted Jehovah and subsequently submit to his requirements will survive Armageddon and enter into the New World ... Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that a person confessing to worship God has to be associated with the true Christian denomination. Since they claim to be the only true religious denomination, they also claim to have the only means for salvation.
- ^ Holden 2002, p. 7.
- ^ Holden 2002, pp. 71–76.
- ^ Holden 2002, p. 71.