I will also post the questions here if anyone would like to answer them.
I would like to start off by saying thank you for allowing me to ask you these questions. I want to mention ahead of time that I know very little of your religion. The purpose of this interview is simply for my education. If you feel uncomfortable with any question, you are more than welcomed to not answer. The questions are not intended to offend you in anyway. However, some of the topics being addressed may be controversial but are intended for my education.
In terms of belief, how do Jehovah’s Witnesses differ than other sects of Christianity like the Roman Catholic Church?
I was baptized as a Roman Catholic, but never really practiced. I let go of religion completely as a teenager and now consider myself an Atheist. Everything I know from the Bible has been taught to me in an academic setting. How do Jehovah’s Witnesses approach the Bible? What can I learn from it in your setting that would be different from what I have learned in mine?
How does your place of worship differ from a church? Do you conduct mass on Sundays like other sects of Christianity?
From the observer’s eye, Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to place a lot of importance on the education of those who do not belong to their church. What is the purpose behind the distribution of your literature? Is the literature meant recruit others to the church or simply as a means of education?
In my brief research of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watch Tower Society was brought up very often. Who is the Watch Tower Society?
There is a huge stigma associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. In fact, I know very little about your methods of worship beyond the negative stereotypes associated with your religion. Can you comment on these negative stereotypes and how Jehovah Witnesses deal with them?
Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the celebrations and holy days other Christians observe? Do you observe any other sort of celebrations or holy days?
Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses allow themselves to receive blood transfusions or enlist in the military?
What is your approach to the topics that are often scrutinized in other religions such as divorce, homosexuality, and marrying someone from a different faith?
In some religions, the people who practice are allowed to interpret and criticize religious scriptures to how they see fit. In others, scripture is considered incredibly sacred and cannot be questioned. Are the scriptures and literature of the Jehovah’s Witnesses open for interpretation and criticism? Has there been a time where you yourself have questioned the teachings or scriptures? If yes, can you be specific about what you have questioned?
Final Question
What are the most important lessons other people can receive from Jehovah’s Witnesses?
