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Glossary of Watchtower Terms
When a person begins to read or to study material from
or about the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (The Jehovah's Witnesses),
it becomes apparent that the Society has a language all it's own with terms
that each have their own definitions. It is not an exaggeration to say that
JWs read the Bible with Watchtower glasses!
Since the Watchtower Society interprets all of the Bible for JWs and demands
total allegiance to it's definitions of words, the JW will be speaking a different
language than the Christian. Therefore, in order to be able to comprehend what
the JW is saying, one must understand the definitions of terms which the JW
has accepted.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:
Active Force: See Holy Spirit.
Advent, Second(of Christ): See Presence.
Age of Accountability: The age (generally early teens)
when a child is considered accountable to God to dedicate his life to the Organization,
having sufficient knowledge of JW "truth." Putting off dedication
and baptism is a sin punishable by eternal death at Armageddon.
Anointed: The members of the spiritual
Body of Christ or Christian Congregation, numbering 144,000 (Rev. 7:4-8). Those
members of Christ's Body who are deceased are reigning with Jesus in heaven
since 1918. The remaining members still on earth, approximately 8,000 are known
as the remnant. They are collectively known as God's "channel of communication"
to men.
AntiChrist: All the enemies of Christ
are the "composite person" designated "antiChrist".
Appointed Times of the Nations: (Lk. 21:24)-- A period of 2520 years, dating
from the destruction of Jerusalem (607 B.C.) to 1914, in which God's rule was
under restraint. In 1914 the "Appointed times" ended with Jesus taking
power as heavenly king. Also called "Gentile Times" or "Times
of the Gentiles".
Armageddon: The end of
this present system of things when Jehovah will destroy all people but the "faithful"
among JWs (Rev. 16:16).
Associates: Non-baptized
persons who attend Kingdom Hall meetings and may also be publishers.
Authority: (over JWs):
See Faithful and Discreet Slave.
Awake! (magazine): The news, religion, and popular
topics magazine for JWs and the general public; 32 pages, published semi-monthly.
Babylon the Great: All
religious organizations outside of JWs, destined for destruction at Armageddon.
Baptism: Immersion into
water to symbolize lifetime dedication to God and the JW Organization.
Beth Sarim: "House
of Princes"--A mansion built in 1929 in San Diego, CA to await the soon-return
of many Old Testament notables. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.
Bethel: "House of
God". The world headquarters home for JWs in Brooklyn, New York.
Bible Study: See Book
Study.
Body of Christ: SeeAnointed.
Book Study: A programmed study of a Watchtower Society
book. Questions are asked on points made in the paragraphs of the book. The
Bible is often referred to for reference, but not used as the main study
book.
Born Again: The "prospect"
of members of the "Anointed" (see definition) only, to go to the heavenly
kingdom. No other JWs, except the anointed sons of God, are born again and go
to heaven.
"Channel of Communication":
See Anointed and Watchtower.
Christendom: Those who call themselves Christians,
but are not JWs. They are really followers of Satan, unwitting enemies
of God.
Christian: A JW "minister."
Circuit Overseer: The
liaison person between the Watchtower Society and the congregations in a given
geographical area. He dictates the orders of JW headquarters and coordinates
the overall activates of the elders.
Coming, Second (of Christ):
See Presence.
Congregation (of JWs): A group of JWs,
locally organized to work as a unit, usually numbering less than 200 people.
Congregation of God : See Anointed.
Death: The separation
of the life force (see definition) from the body.
Dedication: Committing oneself to Jehovah
by submitting to all the rules of the Watchtower Society, especially involving
sales work.
Disassociation: The voluntary departure
of a JW from association with the JW community. See also Disfellowshipping.
Disfellowshipping : The practice of excommunication
(shunning) JWs who break certain Organization rules and/or embarrass the Organization.
See also Disassociation.
Divine Direction : The doctrine that the "Governing
Body" of JWs receives direct information and oversight from God through
his angels.
Divine Mandate: See Procreation Mandate.
Elder: Leader in a Kingdom Hall of JWs.
Most Kingdom Halls have several Elders who divide up various areas of responsibility
overseeing Witness activity.
End of the World: The time of the destruction
of all non-JWs and their associates.
Everlasting Life: Life lived on paradise
earth by faithful JW humans. It will never end for those who remain faithful
to God.
Evil Slave: Former members
of the "Anointed" (see definition) JWs who turn against the work of
JWs.
Faithful and Discreet Slave: The small
group (class) of "Anointed" JWs who serve as the spiritual leadership
to the million of JWs worldwide. See the definition for Anointed. Also called
the Faithful and Wise Servant (Mt. 24:45).
Field ministry: House-to-house sales
activity.
Franz, Frederick W.: Fourth president
of the Watchtower Society, since 1977. Considered the chief theologian and scholar
of the JWs.
Gehenna: A condition (not a place) in
which there is no resurrection hope for a person; same as "the lake of
fire" (Rev. 21); the second death.
Gentile Times: See Appointed Times of the Nations.
Gilead School: A school
to train JW "missionaries" for foreign service. "Gilead"
means "witness-heap", heap that stands as a witness to some event
or transaction.
Good News: The main teaching
of JWs. The doctrine is that in the year 1914, Jesus set up an invisible kingdom
in heaven and that it will soon destroy all earthly kingdoms at Armageddon (Dan
2:24). This will result in a paradise earth filled only with JWs. This is the
message preached, in whole or in part (Mt. 24:14).
Governing Body: A small
select group of approximately a dozen men who oversee the Watchtower Society
and all JW doctrine and activity. They claim to be members of the "Faithful
and Discreet Slave" (or "Faithful and Wise Servant") class.
Great Crowd (Great Multitude): Most JWs
do not desire to go to heaven but rather to live on a paradise earth. They are
an unnumbered group ( Rev. 7:9). Also called "Other Sheep".
Great Tribulation: See Armageddon. The
Great Tribulation is especially for the destruction of Christendom (Rev. 17:1-5,16,17).
Hell: A condition of non-existence which
non-JWs go into at death.
Holy Spirit: The "active force"
of God. The energy force by which God accomplished His purposes. Contrary to
the nature of God, "it" is impersonal and omnipresent.
Immortality: Life which
can never end. Only God, Jesus (Michael the archangel), and resurrected "Anointed"
JWs have immortality. See also Everlasting Life.
Inspiration : The special direction God gave to the
writers of the Bible to present infallibly accurate information.
Jehovah: The personal name of God the
Father. It means "He Causes to Become." He is the only true God, Creator
and Sovereign. Jesus is not Jehovah.
Jehovah's Witnesses: Those who "witness"
the "Good News" (see definition) to the public under the direction
of the Watchtower Society.
Jehovah's Woman: God's entire heavenly
and earthly organization. Primary members are heavenly spirits, secondary members
are the Anointed (see definition) JWs.
Jesus Christ: The first created Son of
God, also known as Michael the archangel. He died so that men could work their
way into God's Kingdom. He rules over this Kingdom invisibly since 1914. See
Presence.
Kingdom: The rule of God through Jesus Christ and his
144,000 Anointed JW associates.
Kingdom Hall: The place where JWs meet
to learn Watchtower doctrine and sales techniques, etc.
Kingdom Ministry School: A special school
for the instruction of JW elders in training them to oversee their congregation's
activities.
Knorr, Nathan H.: Third president of
the Watchtower Society (1942-1977). Chiefly responsible for organizing and training
JWs into door-to-door preachers and spreading the work worldwide.
Last Supper: See Memorial.
Life-Force: Also called "spirit".
The "breath of life" or energy which gives life to created heavenly
or earthly organisms.
Life-Pattern: The "record"
of a person's life, i.e., his characteristics, achievements; the way he is perceived
by God.
Lying: Also called Theocratic
Warfare. The telling of an untruth to someone "entitled" to know the
truth. However, "opposers" to truth can be misled by untruths with
God's blessings.
Materialization (of Jesus): The "man"
Jesus is forever dead (non-existent). After Christ's (Michael the archangel's)
resurrection, he appeared temporarily as a man to convince the disciples that
Jesus had risen. The form of a man was a "materialization".
Memorial : The JWs annual "observance"
of Christ's death on the Jewish date of Nissan 14. A talk is given teaching
the death of Jesus and the New Covenant being established only for "Anointed"
JWs, who alone are allowed to partake of the emblems. See Anointed.
Michael the Archangel: The first created and most powerful
angel. He became Jesus Christ, died for JWs sins, and rose from the dead. He
now rules in heaven with resurrected Anointed JWs.
Minister: A publisher
(door-to-door salesperson) who has dedicated his life to God and the JW Organization
and symbolized the dedication by water baptism.
Ministerial Servant: JW
men who are assigned to aid the JW elders in the Kingdom Hall. They attend to
the everyday activities such as the assignment of literature and territory to
JWs, serving as attendants, etc.
Mother: The heavenly organization of
spirits whom Jehovah calls his wife. This spirit group mother's the "Anointed"
(see definition) JW sons of God. See also Jehovah's Woman.
New World Society: See Jehovah's Witnesses.
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures:
The JW Bible.
Obeisance: Giving due "respect"
to Jesus. This is not "worship", which is reserved for God alone.
Organization: This refers to the "Remnant"
group of JWs, also called the "Anointed". This small group of approximately
8,000 people represents God on earth. The millions of other Jws work along with
God's Organization and consider themselves associated with it.
Other Sheep: See Great Crowd.
Paradise: The restored perfect earth
after Armageddon where only faithful JWs will live.
Pioneer: A JW who puts in a minimum of
90 hours per month in door-to-door sales activity and holds "book studies"
with potential converts.
Place: JWs sell (place)
Watchtower publications to the public by taking "contributions" for
them.
Presence: Also called
Second Advent or Coming. In 1914 Jesus turned his attention to the affairs of
earth by establishing an invisible heavenly Kingdom. He will not return visible
to the earth, but is invisibly present in heaven since 1914.
Procreation Mandate: Filling the earth with
children. JWs look forward to filling the new paradise earth with children growing
up in perfect health and knowledge. Formerly called the Divine mandate.
Publisher : Door-to-door salesperson. Anyone who meets
the requirements for representing JWs in field service (sales activity).
Remnant: The remaining "Anointed"
still on the earth today numbering approximately 8,000. See Anointedand
Organization.
Resurrection : God's placing of a newly created copy
of a life-pattern (see definition) into a newly created organism, heavenly or
earthly.
Return of Christ: See Presence.
Russell, Charles Taze: The first president
of the Watchtower Society (1884-1916) and founder of the religion now known
as Jehovah's Witnesses.
Rutherford, Joseph Franklin:
Often called "Judge" Rutherford, he was the second president of the
Watchtower Society (1917-1942) and is responsible for formulating much of JW
present-day doctrine.
Salvation: The reward of either immortality
(see definition) or everlasting life (see definition) for JW who successfully
meet the requirements of works, e.g., sales work and meeting attendance, outlined
in Watchtower Society publications.
Service Meeting:A 45-minute,
held weekly to train JWs to be more effective in their sales presentations,
and how to hold book studies with potential converts, etc.
Service & Study Reports:
The monthly written reports required by the Watchtower Society of all JWs. The
JWs report all publications "placed" (sold), magazine subscriptions
secured, "Return Visits", "Bible studies" and hours spent
in the work.
Society:SeeWatchtower
Bible and Tract Society.
Son of God : Michael the archangel, the first-created
person, not the eternal God.
Spirit (human): See Life Force.
Superior Authorities : The governing political rulers
of this old world (Ro. 13:1-7).
Tartarus: A condition (not a place) of
the fallen angels who sinned by taking human wives before the time of the flood
(2 Pet. 2:4; Gen 6:2-4; Jude 6). Their "condition" is to be cut off
from God's organization.
Theocracy: The rule of God. In 1914 Jesus
set up an invisible theocratic government in heaven, which rules the lives of
JWs through Christ's chosen channel, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Theocratic Warfare: See
Lying.
Times of the Gentiles: See Appointed Times of the Nations.
Trinity: The pagan and confusing doctrine
which teaches inconsistently three gods in one God, three persons in one person,
the Father is the Son, of three persons in one God.
Truth: Any and all JW teachings.
Vindication (Jehovah's): The process
of JWs working to "exonerate" God from the false charge by Satan that
God could not have faithful men and women who worship Him, i.e., JWs.
Watchtower: The main doctrinal organ
of the JWs, considered God's "channel of communication" to men. It
is a 32-page magazine published semi-monthly.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society :
A non-profit corporation headquartered in Brooklyn, N.Y. It oversees the publication
of all JW reading material and controls all JW activity in matters of doctrine
and lifestyle through it's governing body. All JWs submit totally to it's authority
over their lives.
Worship: (of Christ): See Obeisance.
The End . . .
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