Introduction
Over the years, several definitions of a cult have emerged. Even though some views are quite contrary to the actual intentions of these particular groups, perhaps there exist reasons why people think so. In sociology and other social sciences, cults have been described as being either semi-religious or religious grouping whose members are restrained by a single individual or grouping (Lorne 23). However, a theologically based understanding of a cult has it that a cult is just but a religious group that derives from a particular religion implicitly or explicitly denying one or more doctrines of the major religion. A critical view of both definitions clearly reveals that cultic groupings have one thing in common; they have socially different issues, in a nutshell, their view in relations to the standard practices or novel beliefs is quite contrary.
However, it must be acknowledged that a precise definition of a cult has not yet been arrived at. Currently, the definitions are quite controversial; they are refuted by those who are deemed to be cult members. Principally, the word cult is thought to be quite derogatory and significantly demeaning for that case. Elsewhere, the word is consistently used in place of religion, as for that reason, it’s quite okay to derive a meaning that the word is closely related to religion. However, such religious outfits contain slight variations from the mainstream religion. Within the global context, several religious groups have been labeled as cults not just in the ordinary sense, but in the sense that they have different doctrines and practices that lack succinct definitions (Lorne 26)
Putting into consideration both the definitions, the Jehovah Witnesses, profoundly known as the Watchtower community qualifies to be a cult. However, the view is not pegged on a simplistic ideology or for derogatory purposes but in the view that they hold divergent opinions from other denominations. Even though they have conflicting views, they remain a religious movement though with a different novel of beliefs, doctrines, and practices (Lorne 37). Furthermore, the movement does not totally have different opinions on the bible but has picked on particular issues that they don’t practice in the ordinary. Due to this reason, the Jehovah Witnesses or the Watchtower community cannot be concluded to be a brand new way of thinking because there are numerous similarities in belief and practices between the community and the rest of the Christians fraternity.
The Universe
The Jehovah Witnesses just like any other conventional churches believe that the universe was created by God. After the creation, according to their teachings, the man was placed to take care of the environment and the animals that live in it. Furthermore, their teachings reveal that God made the universe in a beautiful way; therefore, the man was to take care of the world and all the things that were in it to maintain its beauty and uniqueness. The teaching is specifically drawn from the perceived roles of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (James 33). However, the contradiction comes in since they believe that the physical world will one day end; notably, they had prophesized when the world will end on several occasions. Unfortunately, it did not come to pass. Their belief about the beginning of the world is the same as the rest of the Christians.
The Absolute
A critical look at the Jehovah Witnesses belief is that they believe in the existences of an earthly paradise, unlike other denominations that believe in a heavenly paradise. Due to that fact, they reveal themselves as a pantheist. Principally, they believe that reality is identical to divinity. However, they stress that the earthly paradise will be slightly different from the current world since death would be no more, the righteous will be resurrected from the memorial tombs and henceforth they would be an eternal life (Wellington 28). The Watchtower community believes that God is directly involved in the issues currently affecting humanity. To them, Jehovah God is the giver of life, and therefore they attest all the right things to Him. To clarify further, they believe that God will come to fight the devil who they believe causes human agony.
Humanity
On the issue and physique of mankind, the Jehovah Witnesses holds the same belief as the rest of the Christians. Just as the rest of the Christians, they too believe that human beings are a unique creation, not just creation in a pure sense but Jehovah God’s creation through His Devine power. According to the movement, or rather the watchtower community, they believe that human beings have a body, mind, and soul. However, it’s the soul that they believe to be having a close link to the creator, Jehovah God. Moreover, they believe that the soul is what is considered righteous or unrighteous. Human beings pass through the normal stages in the same conventional way. Just as the rest of the denominations believe in rebirth and death, so does the Jehovah witnesses (James 35).
Humanity’s Plight
The Jehovah Witnesses believe in humanity and struggle and has a reason as to why God allows suffering in the universe. To be clear, it’s not Jehovah God who causes struggle and suffering in the universe but Satan who is misleading the entire inhabitants of the earth. It’s quite unthinkable and unjustifiable that Jehovah God can cause a lot of human suffering. According to their belief, the universe is under Satan’s control, and everything that happens in it including evil and human suffering should be solely blamed on the devil, the original serpent (Wellington 37). Furthermore, they believe that God is letting humans struggle as a way of testing their faith and also a fulfillment of the curse that was laid upon humanity when Adam and Eve ate fruit from the forbidden tree. Death is listed as one of the curses placed upon humanity; therefore, human beings have to endure the struggle and ultimately die. However, the only hope the movement gives on human struggle is to live according to Jehovah God’s teaching so that in the end they may be raised to enjoy an eternal life without death, pain, struggle and agony.
Salvation
Just as earlier mentioned, the Jehovah Witnesses believe in salvation. However, they caution that human beings must live according to Jehovah God’s teaching; they must live a righteous life and do what Jehovah wants them to do. They believe in an earthly paradise where death and pain will be no more, people will be reunited with their dead loved ones. However, they only believe that the righteous will be resurrected in the end, unlike other denominations that believe that everyone will be resurrected before being judged according to their deeds. According to the Watchtower, everyone can get saved provided that they honor Jehovah God’s teachings and live according to his requirements. The movement strongly believes that salvation is the only way to the resurrection and paradise, without which the unrighteous will remain dead forever (James 45).
Conduct
Ethical living according to the movement is living according to Jehovah God’s teachings, respecting His way and accepting salvation. The movement enshrines the biblical ethics as the major rules to an ethical life. Most significantly, all the rules to an ethical life are entirely drawn from the books of the Bible; one is expected to obey the bible’s teaching to the latter to be seen as leading an ethical life (Wellington 31). All these rules are significantly related to the universe, the absolute and the humanity’s plight not just in a simplistic view but in the view that Jehovah God created the universe; it had and began and would ultimately end; unfortunately, the wicked people will not be resurrected. Nonetheless, ethical life relates to the absolute in the fact that Jehovah Witnesses believe in divinity, elsewhere, human plight can only be granted if they lead an ethical life.
Destiny
The teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses holds that there would be an earthly paradise for the righteous not just in any sense but within the meaning that only the righteous would be resurrected from the memorial tombs. A clear meaning can be deduced from the teaching that only the righteous, that is, those who lived according to Jehovah God’s reaching and respected his teaching would live an eternal life. The unrighteous would not be resurrected. The teaching relates to the key concept of the movement of living according to Jehovah God’s teaching, after all, failure to respect his teachings earns one a penalty of remaining dead while the righteous are being risen (James 37).
Works Cited
James, Lewis. The Oxford Handbooks of New Religious Cults. A Review of the Jehovah Witness Movement. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, Print.
Lorne, Dowson. Comprehending Cults: The Sociology of New Religious Movements. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011, Print.
Wellington, John. Jehovah Witnesses' Belief: A Critical Review Into the Beliefs. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, NY: James Wiley And Sons Publishers, 2012, Print.
