WHY DO JEHOVAH’S WITNESS KINGDOM HALLS NOT HAVE WINDOWS?

“As I’ve been driving across the United States, I’ve noticed a bunch of Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses that do not have windows. Most of the Christian churches have windows. So, why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses have them? Is it to keep their people from looking out the windows while they are trying to brainwash them? Is it to keep others from looking in and observing their meetings?”

Dear friend,

It is true that many, although not all, Kingdom Halls are built without windows in North America. When one asks Jehovah’s Witnesses why this is the case, many of their answers will vary, but these are the most common answers given:

– Security: For the building and contents. Unlike many churches, they do not have a parish residence attached or near by to keep an eye on their belongings inside the Hall.

– Cost: It costs more money to build and maintain a structure with windows. Installing windows takes more time to install during construction than a plain wall. Double-pane windows cost more per square foot than brick or siding. Windows produce higher heating and cooling costs because they have a much lower “R” rating than an insulated wall.

– Volunteer Labor: Kingdom Halls are built by Jehovah’s Witnesses who volunteer their time to work when available as quickly as possible. The typical build-time allotted for the complete structure is three days – Friday through Sunday. Their volunteer labor force has only so much time to give to construction, because, like most people, they work full-time jobs to support themselves and their families. Since the building costs are paid for by local congregations, whenever possible, they use standardized plans to keep costs and construction time down. Until there are enough members to afford a dedicated Hall, congregations will often purchase existing homes or small commercial buildings and convert them for use as Halls.

So in answer to your question, No, they do not build Kingdom Halls without windows or with only small windows to keep Jehovah’s Witnesses from looking out or the public from looking in. They welcome any and all visitors to their meetings. They are also careful to observe local government building codes and will install windows when and where required by law for a public building holding up to 200 people at one time.