World Religion Interview for a practicing JW

by Omnislash 7 Replies latest jw friends

  • Omnislash
    Omnislash

    Hello my name is Jake and I am in a world religion course currently and for my final project I must conduct a research paper other than my own. I have ten questions that I would like to ask a currently practicing JW. If you are interested please send me an email with a little bit about yourself and I would like to request that you respond to each question with about 200 words. [email protected]

    Here are the questions.

    1. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
    2. How has religion shaped your life?
    3. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
    4. How are followers of your religion portrayed in your community?
    5. What event in your life significantly impacted the choice you made to worship this religion?
    6. Please tell me in your own words any historical relevance of your religion.
    7. What factors contribute to someone being observed as a “model” worshiper?
    8. If you had to describe your religion in one word, what would it be and why?
    9. Is there any significance to your religions racial population? Why or Why not?

    10. Please tell me to the best of your knowledge who wrote or provided your written teachings, worship, song etc.

  • daniel-p
    daniel-p

    Jake,
    This is a board of primarily ex-JW's. Although, I'm sure you'll still get responses. Just keep that in mind when reading them.

  • heathen
    heathen
    1. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
    2. How has religion shaped your life?
    3. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
    4. How are followers of your religion portrayed in your community?
    5. What event in your life significantly impacted the choice you made to worship this religion?
    6. Please tell me in your own words any historical relevance of your religion.
    7. What factors contribute to someone being observed as a “model” worshiper?
    8. If you had to describe your religion in one word, what would it be and why?
    9. Is there any significance to your religions racial population? Why or Why not?

    I'm sure I can answer some of these questions tho I wasn't a dubby I had some contact with them . There really isn't a holiday for this religion but the night they celebrate the last supper but don't actually celebrate . The religion is their life . The main challenge for them is to not get kicked out over all their petty rules. Followers are portrayed as cultists in most neighborhoods . I don't know what event could possibly make somebody want to be one other than being a very lonely person that answered the door one saturday morning . Historical relevance is they came from the SDA church and are an end time evangelical style religion . A model worshipper never questions the current teachings in print and follows everything written to the T , takes part in raising money by going door to door and also participates in meetings by repeating answers that are given in publications . Most dubs would say one word would be the "truth". I notice more blacks and hispanics in the religion than anybody .Don't know if there is any significance

  • jwfacts
    jwfacts



    Good questions.

    I am an ex JW, so the short answers I provide are not necessarily of any use to your paper, but here goes.

    Here are the questions.

    • What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion? This religion is against holidays and tradition. The only tradition is the 'memorial' of Jesus death, which loosely corresponds to Easter.
    • How has religion shaped your life? It made me feel special in the eyes of God, special enough not to be killed when God kills everyone else at Armageddon. It also prevented me from needing to form my own boundaries as they are dictated by Gods earthly leaders. It has also prevented me from forming a circle of friends and family that will stick with me through life.
    • What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion? Abiding by 19th century ideologies in the 21st century. Accepting the cognitive dissonance of accepting illusion as reality.
    • How are followers of your religion portrayed in your community? High morals but aloof with unrealistic views. Occasionally as child murders due to the blood issue. Generally not well known and irrelevant to most people
    • What event in your life significantly impacted the choice you made to worship this religion? Birth
    • Please tell me in your own words any historical relevance of your religion. None. The teaching was that the end of the world would come in 1914. When that did not eventuate the end of the world was to come whilst people were still alive that were alive in 1914. As 1914 drifts further into the past the religion is becoming irrelevant and expected to fade out.
    • What factors contribute to someone being observed as a “model” worshiper? Generally being known as a 'company man'. A model worshiper will strive for 'privileges' such as devoting themselves to fulltime preaching. Being childless and unmarried is recommended if possible, in order to devote more time to serving the expansion of the religion.
    • If you had to describe your religion in one word, what would it be and why? Cult, because it is.
    • Is there any significance to your religions racial population? Why or Why not? It started in the 1870's as a white American religion. Until 2001 the leaders were all solely white. Since the 1990's it is growing largely in black and Latin American countries. This is due to the limited access these countries to the internet as a means of learning to evaluate 'truth' from many angles.

    10. Please tell me to the best of your knowledge who wrote or provided your written teachings, worship, song etc. A Jehovah's Witness would say God through his holy spirit. From the 1870's to 1916 the majority of doctrine was written by the founder, Charles Taze Russell. After his death Rutherford took over this role, though probably with help from Fred Franz. After the death of Rutherford the writings have been largely by anonymous writers, with approval for the final draft from the Knorr until 1976 and then the Body of leaders since then.

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    Damn, jwfacts, you took the words right out of my mouth!

    So I'll give some answers of my own, as might come from your standard-issue braindead JW:

    : 1. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?

    We have no holidays, and no traditions. We are a pure people and holidays and traditions are pagan practices. Except we can celebrate pagan traditions like wedding anniversaries, birthdays when no one outside the family knows, baptisms, and so forth.

    : 2. How has religion shaped your life?

    It is the basis for everything I do (except when I don't want to).

    : 3. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?

    Explaining many of our teachings and practices to knowledgeable critics. Trying to fit the 160 hours of personal study, formal study, meeting attendance, going out in service, and so forth, into the 168 hours in a week. Trying to keep a straight face at the end of district conventions when the speaker announces, "Brothers! Did we not enjoy these wondrous spiritual provisions from Jehovah?"

    : 4. How are followers of your religion portrayed in your community?

    As Bible scholars.

    : 5. What event in your life significantly impacted the choice you made to worship this religion?

    I was born into it and trained in the Truth.

    : 6. Please tell me in your own words any historical relevance of your religion.

    Ours was the religion of Able, Enoch, Moses, Jesus and the Apostles! It is the oldest religion on earth.

    : 7. What factors contribute to someone being observed as a “model” worshiper?

    Preparing for all meetings, answering several times at meetings, singing loudly, handling the mics without dropping them, obeying the elders in everything, obeying our wondrous Governing Body as if God were speaking.

    : 8. If you had to describe your religion in one word, what would it be and why?

    Truth. Because it is.

    : 9. Is there any significance to your religions racial population? Why or Why not?

    No. Jehovah is not partial but accepts all men. Women, too.

    : 10. Please tell me to the best of your knowledge who wrote or provided your written teachings, worship, song etc.

    Jehovah.

    AlanF

  • Dismembered
    Dismembered

    Here are the questions.

    1. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion? Absolutely none, except the ones we celebrate when we think no one is watching.

    2. How has religion shaped your life? It teaches one to be a sillyheart, a twiddler, a dreamer.

    3. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion? Not getting thrown off a porch, or bit by a dog in an attempt to expand membership.

    4. How are followers of your religion portrayed in your community? As bothersome nutcases.

    5. What event in your life significantly impacted the choice you made to worship this religion? A complete mental lapse while stoned on marijuana and case of bad judgement.

    6. Please tell me in your own words any historical relevance of your religion. None. To puny. Oops! Church leaders were jailed for a short time for seditionistic teachings.

    7. What factors contribute to someone being observed as a “model” worshiper? Going back, after being thrown off the same porch. Striving to be allowed to mow the church lawn. Owning a mini-van.

    8. If you had to describe your religion in one word, what would it be and why? Cult! Because it is.

    9. Is there any significance to your religions racial population? Why or Why not? None. All are welcomed.



    10. Please tell me to the best of your knowledge who wrote or provided your written teachings, worship, song etc. An obscure bunch, who wish to remain anonymous so as to not have to take blame for Draconian and revisionists' teachings. Karl Klien (now deceased) wrote much of the music/songs.






    Dismembered

  • MidwichCuckoo
    MidwichCuckoo

    Lol Alan - I hadn't properly read the beginning of your response, and was visibly shocked when I got to point 4.....

    An alternative for 10 - Jehovah, THROUGH His Faithful and Discreet Slave on Earth (well, in Brooklyn)

  • jwfacts
    jwfacts

    very good Alan

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