Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses

摘要

Jon Woronoff, the series editor, is absolutely right when he observes that the Jehovah's Witnesses are generally presented "with a string of negatives, namely, that the group disagrees with all mainstream Christian religions, starting with their translation of the Bible and continuing with their understanding of much of what it says. The religion rejects smoking, gambling, and premarital sex; refuses blood transfusions; and more broadly disapproves of politics and secular government". But surely, he continues, it is not the negatives that attract so many members, "members who come not only for their own private concerns, but more universal ones, and who engage in evangelization even at a cost to their own concerns and pocketbooks". So what is this "more"? What motivates these doorstep evangelists? What lies behind the stereotype?