Jehovah's Witnesses glossary
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Terms
360 years
See 1914.
607
See 1914.
666
666 is the symbol of Satan's visible organisation, which Jehovah's Witnesses believe to be all human governments.[1]
1914
Because of an alleged prophecy in Daniel 4, the original JW believed that Jesus began to rule in 607 BCE, that there will be Seven Times after 607 BCE until a certain generation is born, that Armageddon will begin before that generation passes away, that these Seven Times are Symbolic Times and actually mean 360 years each (for a total of 2520 years), and that therefore the generation which observed the "events of 1914" (the start of WW1) will also see the Armageddon. Given that this is no longer possible,[2] JW teachings have shifted to the overlapping generation idea.[3]
Other JW predictions of the end of the world were for 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941 1975, 1994, 1997 (list of predictions of the end of the world).
144,000
See Anointed Class.
Don Adams
Don Adams was elected sixth WBTS president in 2000.
Alcohol
Witnesses regard alcohol as a gift from Jehovah that must be used in moderation.
Armageddon
The Armageddon is a world-encompassing battle that will occur in the near future. During Armageddon, all people and all institutions not affiliated with the JW will be destroyed. King Jesus and His heavenly host will battle with Satan and his armies. Satan will be defeated. Afterwards, the Anointed Class will live with King Jesus in a spiritual heaven.
Anointed Class
After Armageddon, the 144,000 people in the Anointed Class will live in a spiritual heaven with King Jesus. All other faithful JW (the Great Crowd or Other Sheep) and a selected group of resurrected people will live on a paradise-like Earth for one millennium (1,000 years). The number 144,000 appears in three places in the Book of Revelation: Revelation 7:3-8 (as the sum of 12 tribes of Israel of 12,000 each), Revelation 14:1 and Revelation 14:3-5.
Awake!
Awake! is a semimonthly magazine published by WBTS focused on family and religion.
Baptism
A candidate approved by the WBTS is baptized (immersed in water) during a public meeting. Mass baptisms of new recruits often occur at a circuit assembly.
Bethel
Bethel is the official headquarters of the WBTS located at 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY.
Bible Study
Bible Study is an intermediate step in becoming a JW. Faithful JW stress a literal belief in the Bible and try to engage interested people in home Bible studies. After progressing from return calls and Good Will Personhood, Bible study encourage people to people gain personal and religious connections with local JW members.
Blood
JW teachings hold that the soul is in the blood, citing Leviticus 17:11 and Leviticus 17:14. As a result, JW believe that blood transfusions are comparable to cannibalism and refuse to have them. This results in several hundred deaths per year.
Bloodguilt
Bloodguilt occurs when somebody [1] causes bloodshed (ie, contributes to someone's death), which includes supporting a blood-guilty organization or [2] fails to preach the good news or [3] eats, drinks, or receives blood in any way.
Branch Committee
A Branch Committee is appointed by the WBTS to have oversight of JW congregations for an entire country or group of countries.
Christendom
Christendom is a derogatory term for Protestant and Catholic groups, which JW teachings claim to have been established around 300-399 CE by the unbaptized Roman emperor Constantine the Great.
Circuit
A circuit is a group of about 20 JW congregations.
Circuit overseer
A circuit overseer is the supervisor of the circuit and visits each congregation two or three times a year.
Circuit assembly
A circuit assembly occurs when member congregations of a circuit gather at specified times, often to hold mass baptisms of new converts.
Crucifixion
See Impalement.
Disfellowship
Disfellowship, also referred to as expulsion or excommunication, occurs when the WBTS judges a JW member as unfaithful. Common crimes include adultery, homosexuality, dishonesty, "idolatry", "apostasy", or "divisiveness". For lesser crimes, a JW member is usually suspended for one year and then given an opportunity for reinstatement. For greater crimes, the offending member may only be accepted back if he or she displays sincere repentance. The official JW position is that disfellowshipping is a "loving provision", but those who are disfellowshipped are shunned by other JW members, including family and friends,[5] which is often a substantial hardship for the person who is disfellowshipped.[6]
District overseer
A district overseer supervises several circuits and is responsible for conducting circuit assemblies. The overseer spends one week in the circuit for each assembly.
Expulsion
See disfellowship.
Frederick Franz
Frederick Franz was elected fourth WBTS president in 1977.
Gentile times
The Gentile times when Jews were in disfavor with Jehovah were between 607 BCE to 1914.
Goat
A goat is a sane person who is not interested in a JW evangelist's return calls or Bible study.
Good Will Person
A Good Will Person is a person who is interested in Bible study and who is a prospective member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Those who are not interested are called a goat.
Governing Body
The governing body is a select committee of about 15 WBTS leaders that determines and establishes all doctrines and practices of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Great Crowd
See Anointed Class.
Headship
A headship refers either to [1] the family leadership role of the husband (who is the "wife-head") or [2] the leadership roles of people within the WTBS.
Hell
The WBTS does not believe it is a place of torment or fire. They reject the doctrine of eternal punishment, saying all non-Jehovah's Witnesses will be annihilated at the final judgment.
IBSA
The International Bible Students Association (IBSA) group supervises JW ministries in Canada and England. The IBSA arises out of the Bible Student movement
Impalement
JW's believe that the crucifix (two-piece cross) is a phallic symbol adopted from pagans in the third century AD. instead, Jesus Christ was impaled and died upon an upright stake. WBTS translates the Greek "stauros" as "upright stake".
Kingdom Hall
A Kingdom Hall is a JW place of worship comparable to a church; the term was created by Joseph Franklin Rutherford.
Millennium
See Annointed Class.
Milton Henschel
Milton Henschel was elected fifth WBTS president in 1992.
Nathan Knorr
Nathan Knorr was elected third WBTS president in 1942.
NWT
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is the official translation of the Bible by the WBTS.
Other Sheep
See Anointed Class.
Overlapping generation
Matthew 24:34 states:
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things [that will lead up to the great tribulation before the Armageddon] be fulfilled.
JW originally believed that the generation that witnessed the events of 1914 would live to see the great tribulation. However, because this can no longer occur,[2] the WBTS now argues that Jesus' use of the word "generation" really meant two groups: first, the generation that witnessed 1914; and second, those who were born before the last individuals in the first group died (basically, anybody born after about 2000 or so).[3] This is entirely exegetical and (given that JW believe in a literal Bible) hardly a straightforward reading of the Bible. But hey -- if your particular prediction of the end of the world doesn't work, why not just use another?
People's Pulpit Association
See WBTS.
Publisher
A publisher is a faithful JW who sells WBTS literature door-to-door. Publishers are expected to pay for these materials via """voluntary""" donations. A good publisher engages in field ministry and produces return calls and Good Will Persons.
Return Calls
A JW evangelist will make return calls if a person shows even a little interest or requests more information on the first visit. The WBTS encourages persistent visitation. Successful return calls may turn somebody into a Good Will Person.
Charles Taze Russell
See WBTS.
Joseph Franklin Rutherford
Joseph Franklin Rutherford became the second president of the PPP (later the WBTS) in 1917. He is ultimately responsible for the current organization of the WBTS.
Salvation
JW believe Salvation is not obtained through acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior ("faith alone") but instead via dedication of one's life to Jehovah and living the lifestyle prescribed by the WBTS ("works alone").
Seven Times
See 1914.
The Society
See WBTS.
Students Association Kingdom Hall
A Students Association Kingdom Hall is usually relatively small and limited to a seating capacity of 200. Meetings are presided over by an overseer and his five assistants.
Symbolic Times
See 1914.
Trinity
JW reject the Trinity. JW believe that Jehovah alone is God, that the Holy Spirit is just the 'force of God', and that Jesus was a being created by Jehovah.
Watchtower
Watchtower is the official theological publication of the WBTS, first published in 1879 and now released semimonthly. Unsigned articles in Watchtower present WBTS positions on biblical doctrines.
WBTS
Charles Taze Russell organized the People's Pulpit Association (PPA) in 1909, of which he was the first president. The PPA was renamed to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS) in 1939. The WBTS is the main coordinating organization behind JW. The WBTS is rigidly controlled from the center (rather than democratically); JW believe that the WBTS is under the direct rule of Jehovah. The term "The Society" can be used to describe those WBTS leaders who are directly controlled by God.
Wife's head
See Headship.
When Someone You Love Dies
When Someone You Love Dies is a pamphlet used by JW evangelists to encourage Return Calls.
Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses
The Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses is published each year and reports the worldwide statistics of JW and service of faithful members.
External links
- Unofficial or non-JW sources:
- Online Dictionary of J.W.ese, AnswerJW.com
- Jehovah's Witnesses' Unique Buzz Words And Phrases, JW Files
- Jehovah's Witnesses: Glossary Words and Concepts, North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist)
- Jehovah's Witness Lingo translated to real world terms, /r/exjw
- 55 Loaded Language Terms ONLY Jehovah’s Witnesses Use and Understand
References
- Deranged ramblings by Jehovah's Witnesses
- Millions now living...
- David Splane explains the overlapping generation teaching (without actually explaining it)
- 607 : 1914 : Seven Times
- Disfellowshipping and Shunning JWfacts.com.
- Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses break silence on shunning: 'My mother treats me like I'm dead' by Tresa Baldas (Published 6:01 a.m. ET March 18, 2018 | Updated 1:02 p.m. ET March 18, 2018) Detroit Free Press.