Worship and Practice of Jehovah's Witnesses

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This page describes the worship and practice of Jehovah's Witnesses , a Christian , chiliastic and non-Trinitarian religious community .

Meetings

Congregation meetings

Kingdom Hall in Karlsruhe (2011)
Meet in a Kingdom Hall

Religious meetings of the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses are usually held in Kingdom Halls.

The course of the meetings and the topics dealt with there follow uniform guidelines worldwide, which can be accessed on the website of the religious community. In the meetings, talks based on the understanding of the Bible by Jehovah's Witnesses are given, situations from missionary work (“field service”) are practiced, interviews are conducted and teaching material is discussed together with questions and answers. The meetings begin and end with song and prayer; a song is also sung about in the middle of each meeting.

Each meeting holds two meetings a week, each lasting about an hour and a half. In addition to a total of around 15 minutes of songs and prayers per meeting, these meetings include the following program parts:

  • Weekday Gathering ("Life and Ministry Gathering"):
  1. “Treasures from God's Word”: Sermon, comments from those present and reading for the “weekly Bible reading program”.
  2. “Improving Ourselves in Service”: Training in “field service” and speaking in meetings.
  3. "Our Christian Life": Sermons and discussions are designed to help put Bible principles into practice. The “Congregation Bible Study,” during which a publication by Jehovah's Witnesses is continuously discussed together, is also part of this part of the program.
  • Weekend gathering:
  1. “Public lecture” (30 minutes): This sermon, which is often given by speakers from neighboring congregations because of the diversity, is particularly aimed at outsiders.
  2. "Watchtower Study" (60 minutes): An article from the study edition of the Watchtower is read and discussed in question and answer form with the participation of those present.

Congresses

The so-called "congresses" of Jehovah's Witnesses are worship meetings at which the publishers of several congregations come together. Each meeting attends annually

  • two one-day "circuit congresses", usually with several hundred people present,
  • a three-day “regional congress”, usually with many hundreds to several thousand people present.

Depending on the circumstances, these congresses are held in congress halls owned by the religious community or in rented event halls or stadiums. Baptisms also take place during the congresses.

baptism

Jehovah's Witnesses practice the baptism of believers with reference to the baptismal command of Jesus ( Mt 28 : 19-20  [1] ) . The Jehovah's Witnesses see baptism as a sign of the individual's devotion to the Creator. In order to be baptized, one must live one's life according to what Jehovah's Witnesses see as God's will. In addition to living according to the moral standards represented by Jehovah's Witnesses, this also includes attending church services and being active in missionary work according to personal possibilities. In detailed discussions with a person willing to be baptized, elders find out whether he meets the requirements for baptism and has an adequate understanding of the teaching, and whether the desire to be baptized is based on his own free will. Baptism is considered a requirement for salvation by Jehovah's Witnesses, but it is not considered a sacrament.

Baptism is performed according to the New Testament model by immersion in water. In the view of Jehovah's Witnesses, immersion symbolizes repentance and the abandonment of the previous way of life, the coming up out of the water shows that one begins a new life as a follower of Jesus and that, on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus, one is no longer burdened by previous sins. Jehovah's Witnesses view baptism as a public expression of faith. Baptisms are therefore usually performed at larger worship events, the “congresses”. Baptism takes place after those willing to be baptized have publicly answered yes to two questions: 1. Based on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and given yourself to Jehovah to do his will? 2. Do you realize that your dedication and baptism mark you as a Jehovah's Witness and that you belong to the organization that is led by God's Spirit? Since Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as the only true religious community, they do not recognize baptisms performed outside their religious community as valid.

prayer

Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize the importance of private and public prayers. They address prayers exclusively to God (Jehovah) and pray through Jesus (not through Mary or saints). They do not use memorized prayers or prayer books, but speak their prayers freely. Prayers at the meetings are said aloud by a male Jehovah's Witness; if the audience wants to agree to the prayer, say “Amen” at the end of the prayer.

To celebrate

Last supper

The only religious celebration and the most important gathering of Jehovah's Witnesses is the Lord's Supper , which is called the Memorial or Celebration of the Commemoration of the Death of Christ . This celebration is celebrated on Nisan 14 after sunset. When calculating this date, Jehovah's Witnesses use the Jewish lunar calendar as they believe it was used in biblical times, so that the day of the Lord's Supper has no fixed date in the Gregorian calendar . In 2020 the celebration fell on the evening of April 7th.

During the celebration, a talk will be given to explain the purpose of Jesus' death. After prayers, the symbols for the blood and body of Jesus Christ (red wine and unleavened bread) are passed through the rows from one present to another. Everyone present is free to take away from the symbols. However, only a few use this option worldwide. They show by taking the symbols that they do to the after interpretation of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Book of Revelation ( Rev 7.4  ELB sense of belonging mentioned) group of 144,000 people who had been chosen to during the Millennium reign as co-regent of Jesus Act. (see also: Jehovah's Witnesses: Eternal Life ) According to Jehovah's Witnesses, the members of this group of 144,000 people, the so-called "class of the spirit anointed" with "heavenly hope", gradually became from the events of Pentecost in 33 until today called. Since Jehovah's Witnesses consider the membership of the elect of 144,000 chosen to be nearly complete, there are no longer any “Memorial attendants” in many congregations today.

Other celebrations and holidays

There are no religious holidays for Jehovah's Witnesses other than the Lord's Supper. Although they believe in Jesus as the Son of God and in the Bible account of his birth, death and resurrection, they do not celebrate Christmas or Easter in the traditional sense, as they reject the commercialization of these occasions and accept that many Christmas and Easter customs rooted in paganism. Jehovah's Witnesses also do not celebrate birthdays, due to the supposedly pagan background of many of the related customs and the negative connexion of birthdays being mentioned in the Bible.

There are no rigid religious rules for Jehovah's Witnesses for the organization of weddings and funerals. At the request of those concerned, an elder can give a speech in the Kingdom Hall or elsewhere on such an occasion, usually including prayers and chanting of religious songs.

Evangelism and mission

Annunciation

Jehovah's Witnesses doing the typical missionary work on house and apartment doors (re-enactment scene)

The hallmark of Jehovah's Witnesses is their evangelistic activity , which they often refer to as "field service." You perform this activity, citing Jesus' Great Commission ( Mt 28,19-20  ELB ) and the example of the early Christians , and pray to God for the help of the Holy Spirit to perform this activity.

Jehovah's Witnesses speak to people at front doors, in public places and in everyday situations, try to arouse interest in the Bible, leave Bibles and literature explaining the Bible free of charge if they are interested, invite them to their meetings, and conduct Bible courses ("Bible studies") with interested people . Suggestions are made in congregation meetings and in the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses on how to initiate such discussions and respond to objections. Active participation in evangelism is expected of every Jehovah's Witness and is a prerequisite for baptism. Many of those who do not take part in the house-to-house preaching for health reasons, for example, try to participate in the evangelistic activity at least by writing letters and talking to visitors.

Monthly report Jehovah's Witnesses to one of the congregation elders the extent of their time insert to the evangelism activity, who does these things is as a preacher called. Many Jehovah's Witnesses are active in evangelism for about 10 hours per month, but there is no limit to the level of participation. Jehovah's Witnesses who organize their lives so that they spend at least 70 hours a month on average in evangelism work, often by only working part-time, are called pioneers . The Gilead Watchtower Bible School in Patterson (New York) trains missionaries who are sent to areas around the world where there are only a few Jehovah's Witnesses to do full-time missionary work for the religious community.

Printing and translation work, new media

A Bible course, often referred to as "Bible Study" by Jehovah's Witnesses

Motivated by statements in the Bible that people "from all races and languages" would serve God ( Rev 7,9  EU ), Jehovah's Witnesses try to preach their message worldwide and make great efforts to use the Bible and publications of the Watchtower Society translate into many languages. 2500 translators are involved. A Bible edition produced by Jehovah's Witnesses, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures , is printed in over 100 languages. The Watchtower and Awake! Magazines are regarded as the magazines with the highest circulation in the world; they appear in over 300 languages.

Jehovah's Witnesses have greatly expanded and advertised their Internet presence in recent years. The logo of the jw.org website, published in 2013, appears prominently on Jehovah's Witness literature, on information booths, and on the facades of Kingdom Halls. In 2014, individual publications in over 700 languages ​​were available on the website. An online library (wol.jw.org) is available in over 400 languages ​​and there is an online TV channel (tv.jw.org).

Dealing with violations of beliefs

Among Jehovah's Witnesses excommunication is called "disfellowshipping" and should be practiced as "avoidance". In their opinion, biblical passages such as Tit 3,10  Elb and 1 Cor 5,2  EÜ prove that in early Christianity believers could be expelled from the congregation if they violated the principles of faith.

Disfellowshipping can be due to sexual misconduct, alcoholism, violence, blood, drug or tobacco consumption, theft, attending church services in another church or the dissemination of deviating beliefs. If such allegations are made or become known, a closed committee of at least three elders (“Legal Committee”) will be formed by the body of elders of the congregation concerned to investigate the allegations. Such a judicial committee is not understood as a substitute for state jurisdiction , but only deals with the religious aspect of misconduct. A judicial committee's decision is not based on the severity of the sin, but on the presence or absence of repentance. The purpose of the judicial committee is to induce repentance so that he or she can remain a member of the congregation. Disfellowshipping is only pronounced if the misconduct has been proven by a confession or the testimony of at least two witnesses and if the person concerned is unrepentant.

If the person concerned is disfellowshipped for lack of repentance, this is announced in the meeting - without giving details - and the other church members have to avoid him. Since Jehovah's Witnesses have mostly found their circle of friends within the religious community, disfellowshipping is a very harsh sanction. Even with family members, contact is usually restricted in such cases; this severity is a frequent point of attack by critics of the religious community. Avoidance is also practiced towards people who voluntarily have declared their withdrawal from the religious community. A disfellowshipped person can continue to visit the Kingdom Hall to see the meetings, but he or she is no longer allowed to speak there. Withdrawal from the community is intended to protect the religious community from splitting, protect the believer from bad influence and motivate the sinner to repent.

Occasionally, if the exclusion was not based on heresy , elders visit the excluded on their own initiative to encourage them to return to the denomination. A reopening takes place at the request of the person concerned after open admission of guilt and honest repentance before the committee that ordered the disfellowshipping. About a third of those who have been disfellowshipped make use of this option.

ethics

The ethics of Jehovah's Witnesses result from their radical eschatological self-image: They see themselves as a small group of upright Christians in or shortly before the final battle with the forces of evil, which would rule the world around them for the most part. The fear of the world judgment , which is seen as imminent, determines large parts of the action. Social and political involvement such as participation in elections is rejected in view of the depravity of the world. Instead, Jehovah's Witnesses dedicate a significant amount of their free time to “field ministry,” that is, door-to-door missions and offering the fellowship's scriptures in public places. From a literal understanding of the Bible text, Jehovah's Witnesses deduce a rejection of military service , blood transfusions , observing most Christian and secular holidays , extramarital sex and abortions , all of which brought and brings them into conflict with the society around them. Even homosexuality is considered a sin. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they can be " cured ", for example through a heterosexual marriage. Violations of these and other ethical regulations will be sanctioned . Former members report harassment. The moderate rigorism of Jehovah's Witnesses is interpreted by the sociologists of religion Rodney Stark and Laurence R. Iannaccone as a factor in the success that Jehovah's Witnesses experience in the global "market of religions".

Relationship to the state

Jehovah's Witnesses apply their understanding of the Bible to the kind of submission to the power of the state by not participating in political changes (whether violent revolutions, peaceful demonstrations or even just participating in elections or party conferences). They regard the state organs as being tolerated by God and endowed with authority . In general, therefore, they obey state laws . In many countries they are recognized as a religion by the state.

It can certainly lead to conflicts between state demands and the demands of their faith, since they refer to ( Acts 5:29  ELB ) and consider obedience to God to be higher than human regulations or laws. They have become known for strictly refusing to do military service (→  conscientious objection by Jehovah's Witnesses ). In addition, they oppose any act that, in their opinion, amounts to worshiping the state or its representatives. Well-known examples of this are the rejection of the flag salute , the singing of the national anthem or the Hitler salute under National Socialism.

Until an article was published in The Watchtower on May 1, 1996, they viewed community service as an inappropriate restriction on their religious freedom and a form of political activity. According to the understanding of Jehovah's Witnesses, community service can be done today.

The Witnesses do not take part in political elections and do not hold any political office because they interpret the words of Jesus “not to be part of the world” ( Jn 17:16  ELB ) as an invitation to be politically passive. They also consider theocracy to be superior to democracy . This is reflected in their church order , which provides for a hierarchical appointment of officials instead of democratic elections.

education and profession

The literature of Jehovah's Witnesses points to the contradictions and conflicts of interest that can exist between a university education and life as a Jehovah's Witness. The publications of Jehovah's Witnesses warn against the supposedly immoral way of life of many students, on the grounds that several universities have developed into breeding grounds for lawlessness and immorality since the 1960s. According to a recommendation in the April 1999 monthly in-house newsletter, Our Kingdom Ministry, it is recommended that educational issues be discussed with parents, congregation elders, the circuit overseer, or successful pioneers. The final decision about the professional future is left to the individual. In all considerations, seek to serve Jehovah to the greatest extent possible, including through the Christian preaching work. For these reasons, many Jehovah's Witnesses choose not to go to college.

Marriage, family, sexual ethics

Jehovah's Witnesses consider marriage between a man and a woman to be a sacred, divine institution. The only permissible reason for a divorce with the right to remarry is if one partner commits adultery and the other therefore does not want to continue the marriage. Otherwise, marriage is considered to be dissolvable before God only through death; For example, if a couple “only” gets divorced because of disputes before the state, the two are expected not to marry afterwards. It is recommended to look for a spouse within the denomination.

Sex is only allowed within the marriage, should bring joy to the man and the woman and does not presuppose the intention to father children. Contraception is therefore allowed. Homosexual acts are considered sin based on statements made in the New Testament.

In marriage, the man is considered to be the head of the woman with reference to 1 Cor 11.3  ELB . The man should love his wife like the Christ the congregation, the woman should respect her husband like the congregation the Christ.

Blood, blood transfusions and surgery

Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to ingest blood, whether for food or medicinal purposes; since 1944 this has also expressly included the rejection of blood transfusions, which were then becoming popular. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that this is based on biblical statements such as 1 Mos 9,4  ELB ("Only meat with its soul - its blood - you shall not eat", NWT and ESV) and Acts 15,29  ELB ("... you [...] to contain […] of blood… “, NWÜ and ELB) required (see James Clauses ).

The use of main blood components ( blood plasma , platelets , red and white blood cells) is discarded, as is blood donation and preoperative autologous blood donation . However, the use of plasma fractions ( albumins , globulins, coagulation factors, fibrinogen, etc.) and derivatives of the other components (such as hemoglobin solution from erythrocytes; interferons and interleukins from leukocytes) are left to the conscience of the individual, as do dialysis and similar processes , Organ and bone marrow transplants . They generally consent to the taking of blood for diagnostic purposes.

The Jehovah's Witnesses have set up a hospital information service and hospital liaison committees for contact with doctors, hospitals and nursing staff .

Aside from the ban on blood, Jehovah's Witnesses recommend comprehensive medical care, and they value medical progress, not least because it increasingly opens up opportunities for interventions that do not require a blood transfusion. They accept that doctors can perform vitally indicated blood transfusions in children without the consent of their parents.

See also

Remarks

  1. ↑ 2019: 20.9 million attendees, around 21,000 participants

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, p. 44.
  2. Jump up ↑ Weekly Congregation Meeting Program, located in the Watchtower Online Library at jw.org
  3. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 203–207.
  4. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, pp. 43-44.
  5. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 207–210.
  6. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses . The Scarecrow Press, Lanham 2009, pp. 13-14 .
  7. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change . Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 211-215 .
  8. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 110f.
  9. ↑ a b George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 217–220.
  10. ^ Gerhard Besier, Katarzyna Stoklosa: Jehovah's Witnesses in Europe - Past and Present. Volume 1. (= Studies on Contemporary Church History, Vol. 5) Berlin, 2013. P. 11.
  11. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 27, 45.
  12. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 20f.
  13. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 58f, 90.
  14. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 74-76.
  15. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 19-20, 54-55.
  16. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 54-55, 114.
  17. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, p. 112.
  18. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. p. 55.
  19. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 137.
  20. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 138.
  21. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 134–135.
  22. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses . The Scarecrow Press, Lanham 2009, pp. LXVIII.
  23. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 15.
  24. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2018. p. 8.
  25. ↑ As of 2014: 124 languages, according to George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 162.
  26. ^ Philippe Barbey: Jehovah's Witnesses: Between Tradition and Modernity. in: Chris Vonck (Ed.): Acta Comparanda. Subsidia III. The Jehovah's Witnesses in scholarly perspective: What is new in the scientific study of the movement? Faculty for Comparative Study of Religions and Humanism. Wilrijk-Antwerp, 2016. p. 109.
  27. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, p. 8.
  28. ^ A b Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2018. p. 121.
  29. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 142.
  30. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 140.
  31. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 265.
  32. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, p. 163.
  33. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 141.
  34. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, p. 129.
  35. ↑ George D. Chryssides: Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses. Scarecrow Press, Lanham 2008, p. 42.
  36. ^ Zoe Knox: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. From the 1870s to the Present. Palgrave Macmillan, London 2018, p. 46f.
  37. ↑ George D. Chryssides: Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses. Scarecrow Press, Lanham 2008, p. 43.
  38. ↑ Gerhard Besier and Renate-Maria Besier: Jehovah's Witnesses / Watchtower Society: A "premodern" religious community in the "modern" society? Expert opinion. In: the same (ed.): The new inquisitors. Freedom of religion and envy of faith , Vol. 2. Edition Interfrom, Zurich 1999 p. 112.
  39. ^ Rodney Stark, Laurence R. Iannaccone, Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow so Rapidly: A Theoretical Application. In: Journal of Contemporary Religion 12, No. 2 (1997), pp. 135-138; Matthias Schreiber: Jehovah's Witnesses . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie , Vol. 36, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2004, ISBN 978-3-11-017842-5 , p. 661 (accessed via De Gruyter Online).
  40. ^ Matthias Schreiber: Jehovah's Witnesses . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie , Vol. 36, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2004, ISBN 978-3-11-017842-5 , p. 663 (accessed via De Gruyter Online); Robert Schmidt: Jehovah's Witnesses. In: Christoph Auffarth , Jutta Bernard, Hubert Mohr (Hrsg.): Metzler-Lexikon Religion. Present - everyday life - media. Vol. 3, JB Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2005, p. 710.
  41. ↑ Jeffrey S. Siker: Homosexuality and Religion. To Encyclopedia . Greenwood Publishing, Santa Barbara 2007, p. 136; George D. Chryssides: Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses. Scarecrow Press, Plymouth 2008, p. 74.
  42. ↑ Irving Hexham: Jehovah's Witnesses . In: Religion Past and Present . 4th edition, UTB, Stuttgart 2008, vol. 8, p. 1851.
  43. ^ Rodney Stark, Laurence R. Iannaccone, Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow so Rapidly: A Theoretical Application. In: Journal of Contemporary Religion 12, No. 2 (1997), pp. 144 ff.
  44. ↑ Watchtower Biblical and Tract Society of Jehovah's Witnesses V. (Ed.): Questions from young people . 1989, p. 179 .
  45. ↑ Watchtower Biblical and Tract Society of Jehovah's Witnesses V. (Ed.): Questions Young People Ask - Practical Answers . 1989, p. 178 .
  46. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 180–181.
  47. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 181–182.
  48. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. p. 20.
  49. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 173, 251.
  50. Jump up ↑ George D. Chryssides: Jehovah's Witnesses. Continuity and Change. Ashgate, Farnham / Burlington 2016, pp. 127–128, 182.
  51. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. p. 21.
  52. ↑ Eva Knipfer, Renate Bratke: Clinic Guide Intensive Care . 4th edition. Elsevier, 2008, ISBN 978-3-437-26910-3 , Chapter 2.6.1: Special features of a selection of religious communities , p. 84 .
  53. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 74f.
  54. ↑ George D. Chryssides: The A to Z of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2009. pp. 69f.
  55. ↑ Final report of the Enquête Commission “So-called sects and psychogroups”. (PDF; 6.5 MB) In: Documentation and information system for parliamentary processes. June 9, 1998, accessed August 19, 2009 (p. 93).