"The reason why we did that is the reason we go from door to door: We consider life sacred," Hendriks said. "By giving people a powerful message and by loving our neighbors, these two principles drive our ministry. We had to put principle ahead of personal preference."
Watch Tower publications describe house-to-house visitations as the primary work of Jehovah's Witnesses in obedience to a "divine command" to preach "the Kingdom good news in all the earth and (make) disciples of people of all the nations".
Court often upholds religious solicitation
In Lovell v. City of Griffin (1938) and Schneider v. State (1939), the Court struck down ordinances requiring Jehovah's Witnesses and others to obtain the city manager's permission prior to engaging in door-to-door solicitations.
“To us, going door to door is an expression of our God's impartiality,” he said. “We go to everyone and let them choose whether they want to hear us or not.”
Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their efforts to spread their beliefs, most notably by visiting people from house to house, distributing literature published by the Watch Tower Society.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas, birthdays, or any holidays with a pagan origin. They are also prohibited from entering into what they consider unclean practices such as receiving blood transfusions, and entering military service is prohibited.
6. They limit contact with non-Jehovah's Witnesses. Followers are discouraged from having close relationships with those who are not part of the faith.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that when a person dies, their existence completely stops. This is because the Bible makes it clear that human beings do not have an immortal soul that survives when the body dies. Witnesses believe that Hell (as traditionally portrayed) does not exist.
The Jehovah's Witnesses Funeral Service
The service is brief (generally between 15 and 30 minutes) and the body of the deceased is usually present. Following the service, the body is transported to either the crematorium or to the cemetery for a graveside service and burial.
Jehovah's Witnesses fund their activities, such as publishing, constructing and operating facilities, evangelism, and disaster relief via donations.
Members who choose to leave the religion due to moral or doctrinal objections are shunned by the community. Members who sin in the eyes of their congregation are shunned as well (Pietkiewicz, 2014).
Jehovah's Witnesses believe they should remove themselves from the worldly influences of nonbelievers. Gambling, drinking, drugs, and tobacco are forbidden by the church. They also show their separation from nonbelievers by adhering to strict rules of modest dress and grooming.
There are typically two routes of leaving the JW: (1) disfellowship (forced exit), the result of contravening religious rules, and (2) leaving the group voluntarily (known as disassociation or fading).
DIET/FOOD PREFERENCE & PRACTICES
Jehovah's Witnesses abstain from eating the meat of animals from which blood has not been properly drained.
The Witnesses refrain from celebrating birthdays because they believe that birthday feasts have pagan roots. Jehovah's witnesses believe that evil influences and spirits get the opportunity to attack the celebrant during birthdays. Also, Jehovah's witnesses argue that early believers never celebrated their birthdays.
They don't believe in military service, national anthems or voting. Jehovah's Witnesses do not stand for national anthems, salute flags, vote or serve in the military. Followers believe their allegiance belongs to God alone, who runs an actual government in heaven.
Cremation is acceptable to Jehovah's Witnesses because of the belief that Jehovah has the ability to restore anyone whether they were cremated or buried. The Bible does not state what should be done with the body after death.
The atmosphere is modest with limited mourning. Almost all attendees wear dark semi formal attire much like mainstream Christian funerals. The funeral may or may not be open-casket. There is no reception but it is acceptable to take food or flowers for the deceased's family.
The Jehovah's Witnesses view marriage to be a permanent arrangement with the only possible exception being adultery.
There are no prohibitions against cremation for Jehovah's Witnesses, especially since they believe in the resurrection of the spirit.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that salvation is possible only through Christ's ransom sacrifice and that individuals cannot be saved until they repent of their sins and call on the name of Jehovah. Salvation is described as a free gift from God, but is said to be unattainable without good works that are prompted by faith.
Those who leave the faith are called "apostates" and are "disfellowshipped", a term for formal expulsion and shunning, where members are "prohibited from talking, and even from saying 'hello' to them", according to Ohmyjw.
Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to the Bible's view of marriage and divorce. Monogamy between one man and one woman and sex only within marriage are requirements in the Witness religion. But Witnesses do permit divorce in certain cases, believing that the only valid ground for divorce and remarriage is adultery.
Marc John Jefferies, who you'll recognize from films like “Losing Isaiah,” “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” and “Notorious,” was raised in the Jehova's Witness faith as a child. Like sister Serena, Venus was also raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith by their parents.