Compare Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestant Christianity

June 7, 2004 · updated February 15, 2022

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.

Mainstream ChristianityJehovah's Witnesses
religious authority Bible (all), ecumenical councils and creeds (Catholic and Orthodox), papal decrees and canon law (Catholic), continuing revelations (Pentecostal) New World Translation of the Scriptures; elders
texts Bible (Hebrew Bible + New Testament) New World Translation of the Scriptures
God One God, who is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; angels; demons; saints one God: Jehovah
Trinity affirmed by most denominations rejected (only Jehovah is God; Son is God's first creation; Holy Spirit is God's active force)
Jesus Son of God, God incarnate, Word of God, Messiah, savior of the world Son of God, Word of God, God's first creation, Archangel Michael
Holy Spirit God; Third Person of the Trinity God's active force (impersonal)
results of the Fall physical death, tendency to sin Physical and spiritual death entered the world
free will free will to do good is seriously impaired or non-existent (without grace) free to do good or evil
purpose of Jesus' life teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin, reveal God directly to humanity teach about God, provide a model for right living, die sacrificially for human sin
death of Jesus normal death plus spiritual suffering crucifixion on an upright stake (no crossbar)
Mainstream ChristianityJehovah's Witnesses
resurrection of Jesus affirmed affirmed
salvation correct belief, faith, good deeds, sacraments (Protestants emphasize faith alone) accurate faith and good works ("learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements")
second chance after death no yes
afterlife Resurrection of body and soul; eternal heaven or hell (most denominations); temporary purgatory (Catholicism) Heaven for 144,000 chosen Witnesses, eternity on new earth for other Witnesses. All others annihilated. No hell.
hell affirmed by most denominations as a place (or state of being) of eternal torment and distance from God Exists as a place of the dead (Jesus went there), but hellfire does not exist; idea was invented by Satan to turn people from Jehovah; unsaved souls are annihilated
house of worship church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, meeting hall Kingdom Hall
doctrine of sacraments symbolic acts commanded by Christ (some Protestants); means of grace if received with faith (Catholic, Orthodox, and some Protestants) symbolic acts commanded by Christ
symbols Cross, dove, anchor, fish, alpha/omega, chi rho watchtower (cross rejected as a pagan symbol)
holidays Easter, Christmas, saints' days (some denominations) Memorial of Christ's death, celebrated annually. All Christian or other religious-based holidays are rejected as unbiblical and pagan.
politics varies by denomination; most encourage full involvement minimal involvement
Mainstream ChristianityJehovah's Witnesses
blood transfusions accepted rejected