An online survey is anything but valid. I wouldn't accept its use by one of my students, especially for inclusion on an "honors" thesis. The results will be skewed toward the view of dirty, filty, apostates (us) and away from current believers. If you were submitting this for my review, I'd be asking you all sorts of questions about validity and procedure. You'd probably be fairly unhappy within the first minute.
If I were writing this I'd follow this outline:
1. State my thesis: "Jehovah's Witnesses claim political neutrality, but they have distinctive political view. American Witnesses tend to be politically conservative and socially liberal. Their political beliefs manifest themselves outside the usual political channels, showing themselves in social ways rather than through political activisim.
2. Analysis of Russellite era political statements - An examination of Russell’s writing in three areas: 1. Christian’s relationship to the state; 2. Christian’s view of international conflicts; 3. Christian’s social responsibilities
3. Same for Rutherford era. Examine anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi statements and expressions of American Nativism found in Rutherford era writings. Rutherford’s view of European colonialism. Rutherford’s “neutrality” doctrine.
4. Knorr-Franz era. As above. Examination of anti-Communist, anti-Socialist and anti-Colonialist statements.
5. The Governing Body era. As above. Also refusal to identify “King of the North.” This is an era full of socio-political statements couched in Biblical terms.
6. Rank and file views are mixed. Members tend to continue to hold to the political views entertained before entering active group participation. Their new world-view subverts active political expression. That warnings are frequently given to the membership to be “neutral” shows that many are not.
7. Examples and incidents where political neutrality doctrine fails. (Africa and Taiwan provide interesting examples. You will find more by searching google news archives).
8. Balance with false accusations of political activism. Restate your thesis and summarize proof.
Have you discussed this with your professors? No professor in his right mind (many are not in their right minds.) would accept a web survey. I wouldn’t. Rethink this.
