As the Philippines celebrated National Bible Day on January 30, an average of three million people would visit JW.ORG, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where they may read the Bible online as well as access and download Bible-based articles, magazines, books, and videos.
The Bible holds the Guinness World Record for being the best-selling book, and it describes itself as “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in doing right”. Even the government recognizes its value in the “development of the moral character and spiritual foundation of the Filipino people” so that it designated the last Monday of January to be the National Bible Day.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are known worldwide to be dedicated advocates of the benefits of reading and studying the Bible. Since the early 1920s, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines5 have been sharing with their neighbors a verse from the Bible and, at times, giving them a Bible-based publication to read.
Now, in the internet era, many people have shifted from reading on paper to taking in information from their mobile devices. Jehovah’s Witnesses have adapted to this change by launching the redesigned JW.ORG, in 2012 and the JW Library app that contains most of the materials from the website, in 2013. To date, their website has been translated into 1,070 languages, including 100 sign languages.
JW.ORG examines current and persistent issues of interest such as worldwide inflation, severe drought, soaring global temperature, and war among nations in the light of the Bible’s message to offer hope to people. It also provides Biblical counsel to individuals who are seeking solutions to problems like resolving marital misunderstandings, raising kids, living on less finances, or managing stress.
The Sagado family from Laguna uses the website to find the appropriate Bible principle that can guide them in various situations they face. Willie Sagado schedules one day each week to study the Bible with his wife and son. He stated, “In our family study, we use the publications, activities, and videos on JW.ORG because they present the Bible’s message in a simple way. This helps us apply the Bible’s advice as the need arises.”
He and his wife, Irene, made great use of the variety of materials on the website to teach their son, Wilson, about the Bible. They started by downloading and printing picture cards to teach him about different Bible characters. When their child can already read and write, they used study guides and worksheets to help him understand the Bible verses he is reading.
What is the result? Wilson, now 13 years old, said, “I enjoy watching the animation videos on JW.ORG. They are fun to watch, and these helped me to love God and feel closer to him. I also benefit from the books and articles intended for teenagers like the book Questions Young People Ask-Answers That Work. These train me to consult the Bible to make the right choices as I grow up.”
With the prevalence of cyberbullying and fake news online, JW.ORG is truly a virtual oasis that provides good news for many.
