A Candid Interview with a Jehovah's Witness

Ricki Renee
I found out, rather by accident, that a friend of mine is a Jehovah's Witness. We were sitting in her shop one day when the topic of Christmas music came up. I said in a joking manner that my friend might be a Jehovah's Witness, and my friend replied, "I am, actually". Talk about open mouth, and insert foot! Over the next few days, I had the opportunity to ask her some questions about her religion and I was quite surprised by the answers, maybe you will be too.

Me: So, do you use a special Jehovah's Witness Bible?

Friend: No, just the usual Holy Bible that most Christians use.

Me: Really?

Friend: (amused) Yes, really.

Me: Ok, but you don't celebrate Christmas, correct?

Friend: That's correct. We don't celebrate Christmas because Christmas is based on a pagan holiday; it's not even the actual time of Christ's birth. In the past, this pagan holiday was a time of feasting, drinking, and orgies, and not a whole lot of Christ-like activity. It was decided that Christmas be linked with the pagan holiday in order to make Christianity more acceptable to the pagans.

Me: Interesting, and you also do not celebrate birthdays, right?

Friend: That's right, because the custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions.

Me: Do you have any time of year that you get to give gifts?

Friend: In my family we had "Surprise Day". We never knew when it was going to be, but we would come home to find gifts on the table for everyone. Now that our family is older, we still get together for Surprise Day.

Me: So what else is different about being a Jehovah's Witness?

Friend: Well, we don't believe in the Trinity. We believe in God, and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, but all separate.

Me: Oooh, yeah, that was always a hard one for me to wrap my head around.

Friend: (nodding)

Me: Okay, one last question, I swear.

Friend: (laughing) It's okay, I don't mind answering questions.

Me: Do you have to do the whole knock knock thing?

Friend: (smiles and nods) Yes, well you are encouraged to. Nobody is going to look down on you or say you can't be a Jehovah's Witness if you don't do it. I've been doing it since I was a little girl so it really doesn't bother me. It's funny, most people who convert say that is the one thing they will never do, and then eventually it's no problem at all. We get a bad name from pushy people. They tell you don't be pushy, if someone doesn't want to talk about it, it's okay! But, I just feel like I have a message, if you want to hear it, great and if not, that's okay too.

That was our conversation in a nutshell. I walked away enlightened. If I was going to change religions, this is the first one I would seriously look in to. I'm glad I no longer feel the need to hide in my house when the Jehovah's Witness car pulls into my yard, I think instead I'll put on a pot of coffee and prepare to be further enlightened.

Published by Ricki Renee

A veiw from the small town gal.  View profile

18 Comments

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  • Chad Updegraff3/29/2012

    Yeah? Ask him about the "Watchtower Rules" and then see what you think of this religion.

  • Charolette MW5/18/2011

    Beware! My friend at work was a Jehovah Witness. I actually spent an entire week with a busload of them and toured Bethel and their printing facilities, farms ect in NY with them. Their bible IS NOT the same King James version YOU USE. They claim the bibles are the same, but if you take it verse for verse many verses are different and some are even MISSING ! They choose verses that ARE the same to show you, but many verses are NOT the same.

    I puchased a small bible at their facilities / Watchtower printing plant for a donation down in the lobby.....it has an actual section in the back of the bible on HOW TO MISLEAD Christians to their way of thought.....It actually has....they will say this and you refer them to this verse ....ect ......I was SHOCKED ! They have a three year waiting list to work FREE as a volunteer in the printing plant ect and they consider it an "honor" to work FREE with only a small stipend monthly. They live in hotel like, rooming type houses that

  • R Baker4/4/2011

    No credible Greek or Hebrew Scholar will defend the NWT. The Watchtower even went so far as to quote Julius R. Mantey as supporting their twisted doctrine. When contacted by Dr. Mantey, they failed to correct their deceiving quotes to their readers. They tried to just quietly remove it form their literature. By the way, these are not Bible students, they are Watchtower students. The Watchtower's "interpretation" trumps the Bible. See John 1: 1, Zechariah 12: 10, most of Colossians, John 8: 58, Exodus 3: 14, ....the list goes on and on and on....A true Christian does not need an "organization" as the Watchtower claims with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. If you follow the WHOLE account, the eunuch never saw Phillip again, but went on his way rejoicing. It is the Holy Spirit that one must follow. It is the Holy Spirit that one NEEDS to understand the bible. It is the Holy Spirit that Jesus said He would send to instruct us in all the things he has taught. The Watc

  • Jim2/3/2011

    These people are Deceivers. Unfortunately, they don't know it!! Read in a REAL bible the verses in II John 7 thru 13. Guess who God is referring to. God Bless, Jim

  • anonymous1/8/2010

    To illustrate: Ephesians 5:25 reads "Husbands, continue loving your wives" instead of saying merely "Husbands, love your wife." (King James Version) "No other version appears to have exhibited this fine feature with such fulness and frequency," said Thomson regarding the New World Translation.

  • anonymous1/8/2010

    Why a New Bible Translation?

    In order to understand and proclaim the message of the Holy Scriptures, Jehovah's Witnesses have over the years used many different English Bible translations. While these versions have their points of merit, they are often colored by religious traditions and the creeds of Christendom. (Matthew 15:6) Jehovah's Witnesses therefore recognized the need for a Bible translation that faithfully presented what is in the original inspired writings.

    On December 2, 1947, the New World Bible Translation Committee set out to prepare a translation that would be faithful to the original text, would embody the latest scholarly findings gleaned from newly discovered Bible manuscripts, and would use language readily understood by today's readers.

    Various scholars were impressed. For example, British Bible scholar Alexander Thomson noted that the New World Translation is outstanding in accurately rendering the Greek present tense. To illustrate: Ephesians 5:25 reads

  • anonymous1/8/2010

    1:4-Did Job's children observe birthdays? No, they did not. The original-language words for "day" and "birthday" are different, each having its own meaning. (Genesis 40:20) At Job 1:4, the word "day" is used, denoting an interval of time from sunrise to sunset. The seven sons of Job apparently held a seven-day family gathering once a year. As they made the circuit, each son was the host of the banquet held at his house on "his own day."

  • Austin, SmilingJW@rocketmail.com8/19/2009

    Nope, I can use a King James Bible and it'd work out the same way. most people forget their history and forget the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses as Bible Students used King James.

    1 Timothy 6:12, Matthew 24:14. Very nice people, I became intrested when I started writing a documentary on Jehovah's Witnesses and persecutions

    http://www.webook.com/project/JWs-Christians-under-persecution-A-story-of-endurance.

    Every question I had, they kindly and effectively gave me answers... straight from the Bible, no more "You're not allowed to ask", or "Asking is showing a lack of faith to God."

    Never been happier.

  • A Levite8/14/2009

    They traverse sea and land to find one proselyte and then make them twice the son of Hell Satan that they are. Christ specifically instructed his disciples not to go door to door. When they come to my door%2C I rebuke Satan and tell them to depart from me you servants of the devil. And just as Christ promised%2C Satan leaves when rebuked. We will cut all of them to pieces when we fight with the mighty Christ. They are all dupes%2C stupid dupes%2C made to be destroyed by Gods prophets.

  • Sandra Lewis4/19/2009

    Your friend was not entirely truthful, unfortunately. They are only allowed to use the New World Translation of the Bible as incorrectly translated by the Watchtower organization. It is not "inspired" but is manipulated by the organization. I have attended their meeting with my adopted sister who seems to have glommed onto their message. She has not done any independent research before associating herself with these people, and after being baptized yesterday she was shocked to find out that they call her a "Publisher" now, and she has to meet a quota for magazine sales and performing the door-to-door activity. She's starting to wake up.

    I study the bible and also do research to understand what inspired certain books and to determine when they were written, translated, or "accepted" in order to understand the history of the people who claim the power. I urge everyone to understand the bible without the need for interpretation by someone else.

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