Kochi blasts shake Jehovah's Witnesses, a minority Christian group spread across the globe
Jehovah's Witnesses, whose prayer meeting in Kochi was marred by devastating bomb blasts on Sunday in which two people died and 52 others are seriously injured, is a Christian religious group that traces its origins to 19th century America.
According to historians, Jehovah's Witnesses was considered an offshoot of the International Bible Students' Association, founded by Charles Taze Russell in Pittsburgh in the year 1872. Unlike mainstream Christian denominations, Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the Holy Trinity (God, the Father; God, the Son — Jesus; and God the Holy Spirit) but worship Jehovah as the «the God of the Bible and the Creator of all things».
Followers of the group see Jesus Christ as the son of God, and not God himself. They learn from the teachings and examples set by Christ; hence they consider themselves Christians.
The group follows certain strict social mores, which forbid them from receiving blood transfusions and prevent married couples from divorcing, expect in the case of adultery.
Known for its decentralised structure, Jehovah's Witnesses operate in local groups across various regions, and lacks a central leadership.
The faithfuls say what happened at their prayer meeting in Kalamassery has sent shockwaves through the community, as its members say the group is inclusive and open to people of all faiths and castes. «It is unprecedented,» one of them said after multiple explosions on Sunday morning claimed the life of one person and left over 52 individuals injured.
In a strange turn of events, an individual who claimed to be a Jehovah's Witness himself surrendered to police in Thrissur, claiming responsibility for the blasts. He released a video stating that the group's preachings were
