[Jimmy]

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses churches have no windows? I have lived in five different states, and none of the churches I have seen have them.

User Detail :  

Name : Jimmy, Gender : M, Religion : Catholic, Age : 32, City : Edinburg, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Johnna29338]

I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, and while there’s probably no official reason for the lack of windows, my best guess is that it saves time and money. Witnesses rely on voluntary donations to raise money to build Kingdom Halls, so the building designs are kept fairly simple. Also, many of the Kingdom Halls that have been built in the last 20 years or so have been constructed in just a few days, so there isn’t time to put in a lot of extras.

User Detail :  

Name : Johnna29338, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : Montgomery, State : AL, Country : United States, Occupation : Librarian, 

[Carlina]

It’s funny you ask, because a friend of mine asked me that once. I didn’t know what she was talking about because the Kingdom Hall (church) I attend has windows. However, depending on the area, it may be safer to do without windows. I grew up in Chicago, and in the dangerous neighborhoods, the halls were either windowless or barred. So it’s not all kingdom halls. Probably just a coincidence that the ones you’ve passed haven’t had them.

User Detail :  

Name : Carlina, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 20, City : Bradenton, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Jim]

Most of my family are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and that is actually a pretty common question. I think the biggest reason is to avoid vandalism. Rocks through the window can be a pretty expensive replacement, and Jehovah’s Witnesses are an enitirely volunteer-based religion. They do accept donations, but don’t ask for them, so it’d have to come out of the elders’ (head ministers of the congregation’s) income, which they put food on the table with. I think it’s just more from problems they’ve had in the past, and working to try to avoid them. If you’ve ever been to one of their places of worship, though, you’ll notice that there usually are two windows right next to the door, but not always.

User Detail :  

Name : Jim, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 18, City : Grafton, State : WV, Country : United States, Occupation : Sales, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Julie C.]

While I’ve never heard the issue of windowless Kingdom Halls discussed until now, I agree with the answers stated here. It could be a safety issue as well as a financial one. I’ve attended several different halls, and some have windows and some don’t.

User Detail :  

Name : Julie C., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 38, City : Sacramento, State : OR, Country : United States, Occupation : Instructional Assistant, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Kent Steinhaug]

It’s not to keep the light outside – it’s to keep the spiritual darkness inside!

User Detail :  

Name : Kent Steinhaug, City : Skien, State : NA, Country : Norway, 

[Joe Blow]

I’ve heard it’s so that they don’t see the rest of the world burning during the Second Coming. Vandalism and lack of funds are a pretty weak answer.

User Detail :  

Name : Joe Blow, Gender : M, City : Reno, State : NV, Country : United States, 

[Joseph F.]

I have read the responses to this question about windows in the Kingdom Halls and still yet even the members who have answered do not give a valid reason. I live in Texas and have been all over the United States and have never seen a window in a Kingdom Hall. There is a more in-depth reason than vandalism. That explanation doesn’t hold water. Their churches are not the only ones susceptible to that, so why hasn’t anyone come up with the real reason? Hasn’t any of the congregation asked the higher-ups? Or are they given the same answers that they are giving us? I don’t want to know for the reason of being judgmental, I want to know because it is a curious thing! So let’s hear it, Witnesses, what’s the real reason?

User Detail :  

Name : Joseph F., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : American, Religion : Non Denominational, Age : 42, City : Kerrville, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Pastor, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Johnna29339]

My mom is a Jehovah’s Witness, and I asked her about this. She said that they stopped building Kingdom Halls with windows in the late 70’s and early 80’s for reasons of safety and energy conservation. There were problems with people vandalizing and burglarizing Kingdom Halls, so they stopped putting in windows so that the front doors would be the only way to enter the buildings. Not having windows is also a cost-saving measure, as it is cheaper to heat and cool a building without windows.

User Detail :  

Name : Johnna29339, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : Montgomery, State : AL, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Kris]

I wonder if this is a geographic phenomenon? I live in Michigan and, as a tradesman, am actively involved in the volunteer construction of Kingdom Halls. All the KHs built in our area have windows. The KH I attend is in the country and we have a beautiful view of fields and woods out our side windows. Maybe you are refering to stained glass windows such as many churches have? As to the response by ‘Jim’, he is correct in stating that our buildings are financed by volunteer donations as is the maintainence and repair, but the Elders are not solely responsible for this financially. The congregation as a whole cares for these, including repair.

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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, 

[Danielle27230]

Jim, the expense of paying for the windows would not come out of the elders’ income. Rather, like you made mention of earlier, it would come from voluntary donations by the entire congregation.

User Detail :  

Name : Danielle27230, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 16, City : San Antonio, State : TX, Country : United States, 

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