Ethics
Jehovah's Witness ethics
Witnesses believe that worshipping God properly means living properly - which includes living honest, truthful and sober lives.
They base their moral code on the Bible, following the words of Proverbs 3:5, 6: "Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight." and Psalm 32:8 "I shall make you have insight and instruct you in the way you should go. I will give advice with my eye upon you."
The essential elements of Witnesses' ethics are summarised in this statement:
Love and reverence for God, along with a healthy respect for his power and authority, result in our hating and avoiding the bad things he hates. Clear thinking ability, coupled with godly knowledge, helps us recognize dangers that can poison our mind, heart, and spirituality. We come to abhor selfish and greedy attitudes that can wreck our family and destroy our relationship with Jehovah.
Jehovah's Witnesses want to live lives that are spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically clean.
Among the principles to which Jehovah's Witnesses are commanded to adhere are:
Sanctity of life
- Jehovah's Witnesses regard life as sacred
- Jehovah's Witnesses avoid taking unnecessary risks with their own lives
- Jehovah's Witnesses avoid violent sports that deliberately hurt people
- Abortion is wrong
- Killing animals for sport is wrong
- Jehovah's Witnesses avoid surrogate motherhood as well as any procedures that involve the use of donated sperm, eggs, or embryos
Witnessing to a worker ©
Food
Jehovah's Witnesses avoid eating the flesh of animals that have not been properly bled because they believe it is wrong to eat blood. (See also medical ethics.)
Dishonesty
Witnesses do not approve of:
- Lying
- Gambling
- Stealing
An honest person is truthful and free of fraud. He is fair in his dealings with others-straightforward, honorable, not deceptive or misleading. Moreover, an honest person is someone with integrity who does not cheat his fellowman. Honest people contribute to a climate of trust and confidence, which leads to healthy attitudes and promotes strong human relationships.The Watchtower November 1, 2000
Sexual misconduct
Witnesses do not approve of:
- masturbation
- sex outside marriage
- Sex outside marriage includes petting and oral sex.
- unnatural sex within marriage
- unchaperoned dates
- excessive public displays of affection
- homosexuality
Substance abuse
Smoking, chewing betel nut, and taking drugs for pleasure are wrong because they make people their slaves, they harm the body and they are unclean.
Angry behaviour
Witnesses do not approve of:
- Fits of Anger
- Violence
- Profanity
Superstitious behaviour
- Witnesses should shun the teachings or customs of false religion
- Witnesses should not celebrate birthdays
- Witnesses should not be afraid of the dead
Drunkenness
Soiling the mind
- Witnesses should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil their minds
- They should fill their minds with clean thoughts by studying God's Word
Jehovah's Witnesses accept that divorce is sometimes unavoidable, but except in the case of adultery, remarriage is not permitted.
Race
Jehovah's Witnesses come from all racial and ethnic groups and believe that all races are equal in the sight of God. They oppose any movement motivated by racial or ethnic hatred.