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The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are based on the Bible teachings of Charles Taze Russell—founder of the Bible Student movement—and successive presidents of the Watch Tower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford and Nathan Homer Knorr.〔.〕〔.〕 Since 1976 all doctrinal decisions have been made by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of elders at the religion's Brooklyn headquarters. These teachings are disseminated through ''The Watchtower'' magazine and other publications of Jehovah's Witnesses, and at conventions and congregation meetings.〔''Keep Yourselves in God’s Love'', Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 2008, page 43, "The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses represents the slave class. ... elders today receive instructions and counsel from the Governing Body, either directly or through its representatives, such as traveling overseers."〕 Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the present age of human existence is about to be terminated by the direct intervention of Jehovah (God), who will use Jesus Christ to fully establish his heavenly government over earth, destroying existing human governments and non-Witnesses,〔"Remaining Organized for Survival Into the Millennium", ''The Watchtower'', September 1, 1989, page 19, "Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the 'great crowd,' as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil."〕〔''Worship the Only True God'', Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 2002, page 179.〕 and creating a cleansed society of true worshippers. They see their mission as primarily evangelical (disseminating "good news"), to warn as many people as possible in the remaining time before Armageddon.〔"All True Christians Are Evangelizers", ''The Watchtower'', January 1, 2002, pages 11-12, "Proselytize or Evangelize? The Greek language has the word pro·se’ly·tos, which means a “convert.” From this has come the English word “proselytism,” which basically means “the act of making converts.” Nowadays, some say that proselytism is harmful. ... Pressuring people to change their religion is wrong. Certainly, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not act in such a way. Hence, they do not proselytize in the modern meaning of the word. Rather ... they preach the good news to everyone. Any who respond voluntarily are invited to take in more knowledge by means of a Bible study."〕〔.〕 All members of the religion are expected to take an active part in preaching. Witnesses refer to all their beliefs collectively as "the Truth".〔.〕 ==Source of doctrines== Doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses are established by their Governing Body. Until late 2012, the Governing Body described itself as the representative〔''The Watchtower'', May 15, 2008, page 29〕〔"Seek God's guidance in all things", ''The Watchtower'', April 15, 2008, page 11.〕 and "spokesman" for God's "faithful and discreet slave class"〔〔"The faithful steward and its governing body", ''The Watchtower'', June 15, 2009, page 20.〕〔"How the Governing Body Is Organized", ''The Watchtower'', May 15, 2008, p. 29.〕 (the approximately 10,000 "anointed" Jehovah's Witnesses), which Witnesses were taught Christ used as a channel for God's progressive revelations and to direct Christians on biblical matters.〔''Organized to Do Jehovah's Will'', Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 2005, page 16.〕〔"Jehovah, the God of Progressive Revelation", ''Watchtower'', June 15, 1964, p. 365, "The abundance of spiritual food and the amazing details of Jehovah’s purposes that have been revealed to Jehovah’s anointed witnesses are clear evidence that they are the ones mentioned by Jesus when he foretold a 'faithful and discreet slave' class that would be used to dispense God’s progressive revelations in these last days...How thankful we should be for the provision God has made of this slave class, the modern spiritual remnant, as they faithfully dispense the revealed truths of Jehovah! ...Jehovah’s faithful witnesses have been progressively brought to an understanding of Jehovah’s purposes, which are clearer now than ever before in history."〕〔''Watchtower'' August 1, 2001 p. 14 paragraph 8, "A mature Christian...does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and 'the faithful and discreet slave.'"〕 The Governing Body seeks neither advice nor approval from any "anointed" Witnesses other than high-ranking members at the Brooklyn headquarters.〔〔"Question From Readers", "The Watchtower", August 15, 2011, page 22〕 At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Society, the "faithful and discreet slave" was defined as referring to the Governing Body only. Jehovah's Witnesses are instructed to welcome changes to their religion's doctrine, regarding such "adjustments" as "new light" or "new understanding" from God.〔Osamu Muramoto, "(Bioethics of the Refusal of Blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, Part 1 )", ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', August 1998, Vol 24, Issue 4, pp. 223-230.〕〔"The Path of the Righteous Does Keep Getting Brighter", ''The Watchtower'', December 1, 1981, pp. 26-31.〕 The view is based on their interpretation of Proverbs 4:18, which they believe refers to a continuous progressive advancement in doctrinal knowledge and scriptural understanding for "righteous ones",〔.〕〔.〕 with the holy spirit helping "responsible representatives of 'the faithful and discreet slave' at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood".〔"The Spirit Searches into the Deep Things of God", ''The Watchtower'', July 15, 2010, p. 23, "When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of 'the faithful and discreet slave' at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all."〕 Watch Tower literature has suggested such enlightenment results from the application of reason and study,〔.〕 the guidance of holy spirit, and direction from Jesus Christ and angels,〔J. F. Rutherdford, ''Preparation'', Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1933, page 64, 67, "Enlightenment proceeds from Jehovah by and through Christ Jesus and is given to the faithful anointed on earth at the temple, and brings great peace and consolation to them. Again Zechariah talked with the angel of the Lord, which shows that the remnant are instructed by the angels of the Lord. The remnant do not hear audible sounds, because such is not necessary. Jehovah has provided his own good way to convey thoughts to the minds of his anointed ones...Those of the remnant, being honest and true, must say, We do not know; and the Lord enlightens them, sending his angels for that very purpose."〕 however, the Governing Body also disclaims infallibility and divine inspiration.〔"To Whom Shall We Go but Jesus Christ?", ''The Watchtower'', March 1, 1979, pp. 23-24.〕〔"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'', October 15, 1954, page 638.〕〔"Name and Purpose of The Watchtower", ''The Watchtower'', August 15, 1950, page 263.〕 Robert Crompton, author of a book on Watch Tower eschatology, has noted that it is difficult to trace the development of doctrines because explicit changes are often not identified in Jehovah's Witness literature, leaving readers to assume which details have been superseded. The religion makes no provision for members to criticize or contribute to official teachings and all Witnesses are expected to abide by the doctrines and organizational requirements as determined by the Governing Body.〔.〕 Watch Tower Society publications strongly discourage Witnesses from formulating doctrines and "private ideas" reached through independent Bible research.〔"Questions From Readers", ''The Watchtower'' April 1, 1986 pp. 30-31.〕〔"Make Your Advancement Manifest", ''The Watchtower'', August 1, 2001, page 14, "Since oneness is to be observed, a mature Christian must be in unity and full harmony with fellow believers as far as faith and knowledge are concerned. He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and the faithful and discreet slave."〕〔"Jehovah’s Theocratic Organization Today", ''Watchtower'', February 1, 1952, pp. 79–80.〕〔Testimony by Fred Franz, Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954. p. 123, as reproduced in R. Franz ''In Search of Christian Freedom'', Q: "Did you imply that the individual member has the right of reading the books and the Bible and forming his own view as to the proper interpretation of Holy Writ?" A: "No".〕 Members who promote privately developed teachings contrary to those of the Governing Body may be expelled and shunned.〔〔Ronald Lawson, "(Sect-State Relations: Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses )", ''Sociology of Religion'', 1995, 56:4 p. 371.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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