Persecution Against Jehovah's Witnesses

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Jehovah's Witness is defined as members of a religious denomination founded in the United States during the late 19th century in which active evangelism is practiced, the imminent approach of the millennium is preached, and war and organized governmental authority in matters of conscience are strongly opposed. (Houghton Mifflin, 2009) “The Jehovah's Witnesses was begun by Charles Taze Russell in 1872. He was born on February 16, 1852, the son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell. He had great difficulty in dealing with the doctrine of eternal hell fire and in his studies came to deny not only eternal punishment, but also the Trinity, and the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. When Russell was 18, he organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh,…show more content…
Unfortunately, when speaking of the Holocaust, Jehovah's Witnesses are often forgotten or left out. Unending persecution against Jehovah's Witnesses as a group and its members as individuals spanned the Nazi years. Unlike Jews, who were persecuted and killed because of their ethnicity, Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted for not renouncing their religious beliefs. The courage the vast majority displayed in refusing to do so, in the face of torture, maltreatment in concentration camps, and execution, won them the respect of many contemporaries. “Within months of the Nazi takeover, regional governments, primarily those of Bavaria and Prussia, initiated aggressive steps against Jehovah's Witnesses, breaking up their meetings, ransacking and then occupying their local offices. By April 1, 1935, the Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior ordered the responsible local officials to dissolve the Watchtower Society.” (ushmm.org) The most important message that Jehovah’s Witnesses want to share with the world is the kingdom is God’s government that’s going to crush and put an end to all the other governments. Daniel 2:44; meaning that Jehovah is going to setup a government (new kingdom) which will never be ruined or destroyed. The Heavenly Kingdom will be in heaven and ruled by Jehovah
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