Research Request-JW or ExJW Aussie women

by Mim 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mim

  Hello! My name is Mim Hughes (that is my real name:)) and I am a Canadian, exJW (after 22 years) 35 years old. I am beginning my PhD at the University of South Adelaide in Adelaide SA in July of this year. My dissertation deals with the experiences of women who are currently JW or were JW. I would like a mix of each.

  I am interested in your life as a Jehovah's Witness, what induced you to join, how you feel now about the faith, and if you have left, why you have left, and how you are coping with that leaving. This is a bare outline, of course it can be deviated from.

  If you are interested in being a partner in my research I would LOVE to hear from you. I can assure you of confidentiality, this will be in writing, I sign it, you sign it, and as this work is done under the auspices of an IPRS scholarship for postgraduate research at UNISA I assure you this is a "serious" work, I will not be "playing" with your lives and experiences.

  I can be reached at [email protected] and I would be particularly interested in hearing from women in remote parts of Australia, or aboriginal women. To tell you a bit about myself, I am 35, have a Bachelor's degree first class in women's studies and history. I am easy-going, like to laugh, and am very passionate about working with JW women on this project. I can be relied upon to be discreet and compassionate. I was a Jehovah's Witness from the age of 5, with a break between 17 and 21, until the age of 30. I am disfellowshipped so I understand the need for discretion in this research so as not to disturb other's lives and I can assure I have no intention of doing so. If you are still a JW woman you can be assured no revealing details or indiscreet discussion shall come from me as to your identity or exact whereabout's in Australia.

  I would be happy to travel to come to see you. I hope to hear from you soon.

  I wish you all peace
  Mim Hughes
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  larc

  Hi Mim,

  Well, I am not female and I'm not Australian either, but I will give you my answers.

  1. What induced me to join? I was raised in it.

  2. How do I feel about the religion? I think it is a total crock of....

  3. Why did I leave? I read the early books of Russell and Rutherford.

  4. How did I cope? I went from a JW workaholic to a secular workaholic. There were no books like Franz's or Penton's and no support groups at that time. My wife and I were on our own....not easy. That was back in 1965.

  Obviously, I am not concerned about confidentiality, having been out so long. I hail from Ohio, if that is of any value. I suspect that the answers you get will be the similiar all across the USA, and probably similiar to the answers in Australia.
  
  I would bet that there are others who might answer your questions right here on the board.

  PS

  I have an e mail address, so you can write to me if you want any other details.
• 

  Simon

  I'll try and put something together for you when I get chance.
• 

  larc

  Mim,

  A couple of other thoughts. I think you would find the information about the Amish culture that I just mentioned on another thread to be a useful read.

  Also, on the interviewing of women who are JWs, I think it will be very difficult to get them to tell the truth. Protecting their religion, I think, is more important to them than telling you the truth.

  I am not trying to give you a hard time. I am just saying that this will be a very difficult barrier for you to overcome.

  Anyway, I think your efforts are noble and I wish you well in your endevours.