Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses is an offshoot of Christianity, and is considered to be restorationist (with a goal to re-establish Christianity in its original form) and millenarian (basing some of its core doctrines on a “thousand year” concept). There are over 7 million Jehovah’s Witnesses evangelists worldwide, with convention attendance reaching over 12 million and yearly Memorial attendance of over 18 million. Jehovah’s Witnesses base their core beliefs on the Bible, prefering their own conservative, literal translation, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
The group emerged from the Bible Student movement founding in the late 19th century. Its first incarnation was called Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society, which eventually became Jehovah’s Witnesses (derived from the scripture Isaiah 43:10-12) in 1931.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the world will be destroyed during Armageddon.
They believe that those people whom God chooses to save — which will be comprised of survivors and resurrected individuals — will be given a chance to live forever in an earthly paradise that’s ruled by Christ and and 144,000 humans raised up to heaven.
Witnesses are known for their door-to-door preaching and widespread distribution of literature such as Awake! and The Watchtower, along with their steadfast refusal of military service and blood transfusions. The church also rejects Trinitarianism (the belief that God is triune, and that He revealed Himself in three co-eternal / co-equal Persons), hellfire and the immortality of the soul. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not observe “pagan-based” holidays such as Christmas, Easter or birthdays. Online gambling‘s okay, though, as I don’t recall any of the commandments specifically condemning online slots.
The church takes certain steps if and when members violate their moral principles or dispute doctrinal matters. Unrepentant members may be subject to “disfellowshipping”, a form of shunning.