LITR 5439 Literary & Historical Utopias

 Research Posting 2009

Mary K. Boudreaux

Jehovah’s Witnesses Credo – To Believe or Not To Believe: That is the Question!

Are Jehovah’s Witnesses peddlers? If so, why are so many people calling the police on them when they knock on the door to a home? They seem like such nice, cordial people. They speak passages from the Bible and ask homeowners if they want to live like the people on their pamphlets. The utopian style pictures on their pamphlets are engaging, serene, and peaceful. But are they really offering mankind a utopian lifestyle? Are we living in our “final days”? Is it all a façade? In order to answer these questions I will examine Objective 3a: To investigate the historical, nonfiction attempts by “communes”, “intentional communities” or even nations to put utopian ideals into practice, Objective 2d: How essential is “millennialism” to the utopian society or organization? and Objective 3g: Can utopias change, evolve, and adapt to the changes of history?

The book titled, What Does The Bible Really Teach? states that the Bible was written over a 1600 year period (20) and that it is historically accurate and reliable (21).  The book also states that Jehovah also knows what we need in order to be happy (21).  Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) believe that Jehovah God has a purpose for people to live in an earthly paradise and that it will be realized. Also, the religion states that Jesus will not rule alone. There will be 144,000 to rule with him. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that they are the chosen 144,000. They believe that because they are literally obedient to Jehovah God’s words, they will automatically inherit the new paradise on earth. Thus, any wicked person will be destroyed during God’s war of Armageddon (82). The wicked ones are the remaining persons on earth that is not a Jehovah’s Witness.

Like other utopian societies, Jehovah’s Witnesses are controlled by a "Governing Body" which they claim is the "faithful and discreet slave" spoken of in Mathew 24:45. This group consists of 10 to 15 mature men that Jehovah’s Witnesses are told to have direct guidance from God.  In Herland, Ellador states in her conversation with Van that, “… we live together without a head, in that sense – just our chosen leaders…” (113). In both cases, it is evident that there is a governing body that is enlightened by some “truth”. The followers believe the “truth” and adhere to the principals set forth by the governing body.  Jehovah's Witnesses believe they are the only people on earth that are serving God and the only ones that will be saved. They dare not question the teachings of the Watchtower Society; one who questions the Watchtower Society is considered to be weak in faith and could be disfellowshipped. In Herland, the women follow the teachings of their ancient history stating that the concept of God is an idea that is called “Pervading Power” or an “Indwelling Spirit” (112-113). Much like the religion of the women in Herland, Jehovah’s believe that the Holy Spirit is not a separate entity, but is simply a force.

Each utopian society has a creed or platform in which they build their philosophies and purposes. Akin to the forefathers in the Declaration of Independence who wrote that “…in order to create a more perfect nation”, Jehovah’s are trying to unite everyone in a millennial fashion for the great apocalypse that will eventually create a perfect world.  In 1877, Jehovah’s Witnesses believed to be the end of the world.  They also believed that in 1874, the millennial year, God came in the character of a Bridegroom. In 1914, they believed that the great crisis, the great clash, symbolically represented as a fire, would have consumed the ecclesiastical heavens and the social earth. This was to be an apocalyptic event. In other words, Armageddon according to this religion was supposed to be in the Spring of 1914. Unfortunately, this did not manifest.

What keeps this group from going asunder? After all, none of the prophecies have materialized. Why do people believe in a religion that has proven that the prophecies of the apocalypse are inaccurate? Why do the followers live under such strict rules and guidelines in order to be accepted by a religious organization? With further study and research, I found that they consider themselves the “one flock” as stated in John 10:16 of the Bible.  Additionally, they are not allowed to think for themselves and do not believe in higher education or someone with very little education. Anyone attempting to educate themselves beyond a K-12 education is susceptible to the influences of other philosophies and beliefs. The person or persons can be easily influenced by worldly thoughts led by a demonic society, rather than their own religious pure, beliefs as Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are not allowed to read any type of literature except The WatchTower. Definitely, if one can control the amount of information that a person is exposed to, then fewer outside forces can influence his or her free will to think. In essence, all “free will” is gone. Their "will" actually becomes the groups "will". There is a loss of identity. Some change their names as a rejection of their former life of sin. Perhaps, this is to disassociate themselves with their past lives. It is a new sense of cleansing or rebirth. A new revelation is undertaken in clean, white clothing (through baptism in the Jehovah’s Witness faith), which includes a sense of purity and angelic virtues.

While Jehovah’s Witnesses do not live in an actual utopian community, they commune through fellowship and work. They all share the same goal of being the chosen ones to inherit God’s earthly paradise. They welcome all who will share their beliefs. So, there is an ongoing mission to unite and persuade others to join their religious group. There are no individual goals or thoughts. Everyone strives for perfection under a very, controlled environment. Yet, the idea of leaving means banishment. Is it worth living under a communist type of environment that limits a person’s free will to think for himself? Perhaps, people need a vision and some type of structure in their lives. Maybe the religion provides them with a sense of self worth. Their pamphlets, the Watchtower show people of all races living happily together in a utopian type of paradise.  As of today, the prophesying has ceased. Could it be that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are adjusting to modern day practices? Perhaps one might say that Jehovah’s Witnesses are trying to mentally build a paradise on earth before it becomes a reality through the apocalypse. Unfortunately, there may be over 1 billion people that may not be able to share their paradise with them.