Jehovah's Witnesses Least Tolerant Of Other Religions: Study Shows

A recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has found Jehovah's Witnesses to be the least tolerant of other beliefs. When asked if many religions can lead to eternal life, just 16% of Witnesses answered "yes." Compare that to the 57% of Evangelicals, 79% of Catholics, and 39% of Mormons who answered the same way. When asked if there is more than one way to interpret "truth" in the respondant's religion, 18% of Jehovah's Witnesses affirmed, compared with 53% of Evangelicals, 77% of Catholics, and 43% of Mormons.

As a former Jehovah's Witness, I find those numbers shockingly high. Witnesses are taught from the moment they begin associating that the Watchtower Society is the only way to God, and all other religions are "false" and from the Devil. The belief that another religion could lead to salvation is simply not tolerated in the Jehovah's Witness religion. What's even more surprising are the even larger number who believe the teachings of the Society can be interpreted in more than one way. Openly questioning the interpretation of the Watchtower Society is tolerated even less than believing there is more than one "true" religion. However, these high numbers may have an explanation.

It means that almost 2 in 10 Jehovah's Witnesses have serious doubts about their religion, but are afraid to make them known for fear of reprisal. Being ejected from "God's Organization" means shunning by family members and friends in the church, completely cutting the former member off from normal human relationships. It is essentially solitary confinement.