JW: Why does Kingdom Hall building have no windows?

Question

I recently found a Kingdom Hall building, or meeting house of Jehovah's Witnesses, in my neighborhood. Unlike most of church buildings, it didn't have any windows. It just looked like a huge concrete box with few doors.
And why is this? I don't find any reason why a building shouldn't have windows. Anyone with good clue? Help. Thanks.

Answer 1

Just a wild guess. They got tired of people breaking them.

Answer 2

Well... because it's cheaper and easier. My kingdom hall only has 2 small windows next to the door... my friend's kingdom hall has 6 HUGE windows in the auditorium... because the way we build kingdom halls have changed slightly... my kingdom hall was built about 13 years ago, my friends kingdom hall was built 2 years ago.

I think safety might have something to do with it, but not much... because my friends kingdom hall is right next to a high school! and has been egged a few times... but my kingdom hall is in a very good end of town... So older kingdom halls don’t (for the most part) have many windows... newer ones (for the most part) have more... we are NOT hiding anything, and people who say other wise are simply wrong.

Answer 3

Actually, some Kingdom Halls do have windows. Others do not have windows because of cost and for the sake of security. Generally, a Kingdom Hall is built without windows in areas which tend toward hate crimes and vandalism against houses of worship.



Pictures of some Kingdom Halls that *do* have windows:

http://defendingjehovahswitnesses.blogspot.com/2011/09/windows-and-kingdom-halls-of-jehovahs.html



We invite all interested ones to attend meetings with us at our Kingdom Halls. Just contact your local Kingdom Hall for times.



From the Jehovah's Witnesses Official Web Site:



"Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) At these meetings, which are open to the public, we examine what the Bible says and how we can apply its teachings in our life.



Most of our services include audience participation, much like a classroom discussion. Meetings begin and end with song and prayer.



You don’t have to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to attend our meetings. We invite everyone to come along. Seats are free. No collections are ever taken."



Full Article:

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/meetings/



Also see:



Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses meet together? What happens at those meetings? And what do visitors who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses say about the meetings?

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20090201/invited-to-the-kingdom-hall/

Answer 4

The first answerer hit it on the head. Among other reasons, people tend to be immature. You can't break windows that aren't there.



Also, it's allot cheaper and more convenient to build without Windows.



Insurance premiums are lower without windows, and it's easier to keep heating and cooling prices low.



Also safety is an issue. One Kingdom Hall in Macon Georgia had to build a brick cage around it's AC unit because, until then, they were repeatedly stolen.



That said many Kingdom Halls DO in fact have windows. There aren't any "religious" beliefs preventing us from having windows.

Answer 5

The Kingdom Hall I attend has about a dozen windows front and back.



It is a double auditorium. I recently worked on a new Kingdom Hall project in Kentucky. And the Hall we built had over a dozen windows all the way around. Plus smaller glass windows down each side of the front door, and a glass window over the front door.



So they are by no means all built without windows.

Answer 6

It's really a combination of a couple of the answers already given.



Many of the kingdom halls are in very rough neighborhoods. It's safer without them. For instance, my kingdom hall has two floors. The bottom one doesn't have windows. The top floor does. I guess it's not as easy to break in or break the windows that way.



It is also cheaper and easier to build the KH's without windows.



That said, I've seen Kingdom Halls with beautiful picture windows and in some areas in Africa there are no walls at all.



Some have speculated it's part of a campaign of secrecy. That's simply untrue. People can walk in any time and find out what's going on for themselfves.

Answer 7

Generally, a Kingdom Hall is built without windows only in areas which tend toward hate crimes and vandalism against houses of worship. It would seem that the questioner is from such an area.





One wonders if anti-Witnesses understand that Jehovah's Witnesses are proven to be true Christians, based upon the Witnesses' preaching work and the anti-Witnesses' bigoted hatred against them.

.. ..(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Answer 8

This is a popular misconception. Some, but not all, Watchtower churches or "Kingdom Halls" have no windows.



A primary reason why many have no windows is that they build the buildings themselves, with volunteer labor. It is easier and quicker to build without windows.



I have plenty of problems with Watchtower theology, but any sort of conspiracy theory about a lack of windows on their churches is just silly.

Answer 9

One reason is that it is easier and faster to build without windows.



It cost less to build without windows.



It also cost less to insure as well.



There are Kingdom Halls that do have windows.



A concrete box?.

Answer 10

Good question. Ours in Maryland used to have the whole back wall done in French windows (with all the little panes), but my friend Art spent a lot of his Saturday afternoons replacing broken panes wherre somebody's real Christian kid threw a rock through it.



So when they built a larger Kingdom Hall, they just cemented the windows and put pretty white gravel in the cement. Looked nice, and was a lot less trouble...Saved getting someone's child in trouble. "Turn the other cheek," I guess.



Best regards,

Michael

Answer 11

Because it's cheaper to build a building without windows. Besides the Kingdom Hall two blocks away from me has plenty of windows. According to them, they first built a small windowless building because it was cheaper. As the congregation grow, they moved into a new building that used to belong to another denomination that moved out because their building became to small for them too.

Answer 12

We live in a small town where crime is not a real problem. Our Kingdom hall has glass doors. But in other places this may be unwise because of vandalism or other crime related dangers. Ergo, no windows. It is a safety issue.

Answer 13

Rant. If you were REALLY happy with your new religion, you wouldn't be obsessed with the JWs or their lighting. Vot doesn't go whining or ranting at how little light enters the Catholic cathedrals through the stained glass windows. Why? Because Vot has a life and is happy with it.

Answer 14

some do have windows its all up to the building committee i believe weather the neighborhood is less than desirable and also it helps keep the distractions down by passing cars or people

Answer 15

From what I have gotten from them it's that it is easier to do their quick builds without having to install windows.

Answer 16

good question... i never thought bout it till now...

Well i guess there just saving money and i know people have broken in the one near my house so i guess thats why theres no windows

Answer 17

Jesus warned that being his follower would mean being an enemy to the world. He wasn't kidding. Our beliefs and our application and the adjustments we make in our thinking like not pledging alligence to *any* flag, not participating in Christmas, which isn't really Jesus' birthday, etc. All these things make us hated by even those who profess to be Christian.

Answer 18

To keep the light out.

Answer 19

so outsiders dont see the satanic rituals

Answer 20

To isolate people from reality. Cutting people off from the outside influences of daylight disorientates them and makes them more susceptible to things they'd otherwise reject.