jehovah's witnesses / comparison with mainstream christianity
Jehovah's Witnesses vs. Mainstream Christianity
The following chart provides a quick-reference guide to the major similarities and differences between the beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses and mainstream Protestant Christianity. As is always the case with charts and summaries, the information is simplified for brevity and should be used alongside more complete explanations. The beliefs listed for both Witnesses and Protestant Christians represent those of most, but not all, churches or individuals within that tradition.
You may also be interested in our comparison charts of Christian denominations.
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| Religious Authority | Bible - New World Translation | Bible - NIV, KJV, NRSV, etc. |
| Bible Sections | "Hebrew Scriptures" and "Christian Greek Scriptures" | "Old Testament" and "New Testament" |
| God | Jehovah | Trinitarian God |
| Trinity | Rejected | Affirmed |
| Identity of Jesus Christ | Son of God, Word of God, God's first creation, Archangel Michael (see Jesus Christ) | Son of God, Word of God, God, second Person of the Trinity (see Christology) |
| Holy Spirit | God's active force (impersonal) | God, Third Person of the Trinity |
| Results of Fall | Physical and spiritual death entered the world | Physical death, tendency to sin |
| Free will | Free to do good or evil (see 10 Articles) | Free will to do good is seriously impaired |
| Purpose of Christ's Incarnation | Teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin (see Jesus Christ) | Teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin, reveal God directly to humanity |
| Means of Christ's Execution | Crucifixion on an upright stake (no crossbar) | Crucifixion on a cross |
| Resurrection of Christ? | Yes | Yes |
| Salvation | Both faith and works; works emphasized. | Both faith and works; faith emphasized (in most denominations) |
| Second Chance After Death? | Yes | No |
| Afterlife | Souls of wicked are annhilated, a select few Witnesses go to Heaven, other Witnesses enjoy a paradise earth for eternity (see Afterlife) | Souls of wicked sent to Hell, believers go to Heaven for eternity (see Afterlife) |
| Hell | Exists in the sense of a place of the dead (Jesus went there), but hellfire does not exist; idea was invented by Satan to turn people from Jehovah. | Place (or state of being) of eternal torment and distance from God. |
| Place of Worship | Kingdom Hall | Church |
| Meaning of Sacraments | Symbolic acts commanded by Christ | Symbolic acts commanded by Christ (some Protestant); means of grace if received with faith (Catholic, Orthodox, and some Protestant). |
| Number of Sacraments | Two: Baptism and Lord's Supper | Two: Baptism and Lord's Supper (seven in Catholicism) |
| Symbols | The watchtower | Cross, fish & others |
| Holidays | Memorial of Christ's Death only | Easter, Christmas, saint's days, several others |
| Involvement in Politics | Minimal | Full |
| Blood Transfusions | Rejected | Accepted |
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