JW_Researcher

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Posts by JW_Researcher

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  9

  Looking for newest Watchtower CD Rom

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know that reexamine has it for download, but the site is down.

  any other ideas?.

  jeff .

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  JW_Researcher

  Is the "newest" still 2005?
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  5

  The Evocative Religion of Jehovah's Witnesses (Alfs)

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  will do look-ups and scans in:

  alfs, matthew the evocative religion of jehovah's witnesses: an anlysis of a present day phenomenon.

  minneapolis, mn: old theology book house, 1991.

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  JW_Researcher

  Book review of Alf from Journal of Church & State; Autumn92, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p883, 2/3p
  
  The Evocative Religion of Jehovah's Witnesses: An Analysis of a Present-Day Phenomenon. By Matthew Alfs. Minneapolis, Minn.: Old Theology Book House, 1991. 518 pp. $27.95.

  This short work (half consists of notes, references, and asides) deals with the major theological and secular beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses within a historical perspective. The author summarizes selected court cases involving Witnesses and describes various persecutions in the U.S., Nazi Germany, and elsewhere. He "mainstreams" the group by stressing its positive elements, often from Witness publications, and is uninformed in sociological and psychological theories. Nor is there any indication that the author talked to Witnesses or attended their services. The discussions of theological beliefs are extensive, though they are based on selective, often old publications. The more embarrassing theological beliefs and prophetic failures are ignored. There is no mention of the stress in recent years on obedience to anonymous and self-selected leaders, nor of the group's schisms and apostasies. While the Witnesses have many admirable qualities, the author strives to ignore any negative information. Nor does he mention the structure of the organization. There is no discussion of members' activities, membership designations, or who joins or leaves. Jehovah's Witnesses have grown 40 percent in the U.S. during the last decade, and almost doubled overseas. Yet there is little analysis of these trends. The group remains relatively small with 893,000 members in the United States and 4,279,000 elsewhere. ~~~~~~~~ By JON P. ALSTON, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  And, as stated, I'm sure he only provided access to firmly entrenched believers.

  Karen

  There wasn't a bad comment from the publishers to be found. Surprised? J
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  Can you post the whole dissertation? Would be interesting. I don't think a doctoral dissertation would in any way resemble a puff piece.
  
  S4

  You are correct that it is, in fact, a scholarly work. If you are interested in the dissertation, please PM me and we can make arrangements. It is in PDF and is 9.5 MB.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  RunningMan wrote: The whole thing looks like he is being set up by the congregation to write a puff piece about them.

  The data collection definitely looks fishy. It is not a "puff piece" really...it is a scholarly work...I just was intrigued by the data collection methods, which as I wrote, didn't match my experience.

  Also the naiveté of someone to use 'I was invited to the Memorial' as a sign of acceptance.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  Thank you for posting this.

  The dissertation was in 1995 so these directives were after that date. However, the directives certainly mirror what was my individual experience in the different congregations I attended and Bethel.

  Do you think the claim 'the fact that they invited me to the Memorial shows I was accepted' has much merit?

  We often invited any interested or marginally interested individuals.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  Wasn't there a directive against that?

  Thanks for the idea.

  I will check the BOE letters to see if this was ever addressed. I know Czatt was called an 'agent of Satan' or something for trying to secure surveys in the 1930s or so.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  JW_Researcher

  He could have saved himself a lot of trouble by checking here first to find out the meaning of "theocratic warfare."

  I agree. I saw a presentation about ethnographic research done with the Masai (Maasai) people of Eastern Africa. After the presentation a lady from Ghana explained (in a nutshell) that one of the problems with the study was that the Masai will tell you what they think you want to hear.

  If, in fact, the JWs allowed taped interviews in the back of the Hall, then it was to indoctrinate the researcher.

  And the whole piece about 'I was invited to the Memorial so I know they accepted me' defies my experience as a JW.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

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  3. 
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  JW_Researcher

  I don't call that an established relationship at all.

  I agree. The fact that the author is not aware that nearly everyone who has any interest in the JWs is invited to the Memorial is suspicious.

  Would your congregation have allowed over 40 taped interviews and focus groups? He reports that they were convened in the private rooms in the back of the Hall.
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  17

  Focus Groups and Interviews of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is found in a ph.d. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  this research was conducted in the usa.

  this never would have happened in any of the halls i attended.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JW_Researcher

  The following quote is found in a Ph.D. dissertation that purports to have secured permission from the congregational overseer to conduct interviews and focus groups with congregation members.

  This research was conducted in the USA. This never would have happened in any of the Halls I attended.

  Also notice what is given to support the claim that he was accepted (below).

  Any dissenting or corroborating comments welcome.

  ”The interviewees…were Jehovah’s Witnesses…I took steps to establish a good relationship with the congregation members. I attended weekly theocratic meetings and a District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was forthright with members before and during interviews as to my purpose for attending meetings and taping interview sessions. An indication of the level of established relationship was an invitation to their Memorial Dinner – the only (emphasis in original) day celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses.”