The interview started with our standard question: Were you raised in this religion, or did you convert? We learned that L. first started attending the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall when she was five years old with her mother and then was baptized ten years later. Jehovah's Witnesses do not baptize infants. They believe baptism is for those who have studied the faith and are able to make choices.
We also learned that Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas because the tree, the presents, and even the date originated from pagan traditions. In fact, the Witnesses do not celebrate any holidays. They only remember the date of Jesus' death, and that date is not the same as Easter. Witnesses do not believe in celebrating birthdays because we were told that in the Bible, there are only two birthday celebrations mentioned and neither of those people were Christians. L. said it was sometimes difficult not to celebrate birthdays as child, but she understood the reasons. She added that most Witnesses prefer to marry within their own faith to avoid difficulties with holidays.
We also asked L. if Witnesses have any symbols in their Hall. She told us that they have no symbols, because the Bible says we are not to make any images of God. Witnesses do not have any images of the cross, either, because they believe that Jesus died on a stake. She told us that the direct translation in the Hebrew language amounts to "stake" and not "cross." They believe the cross is a pagan symbol.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that people go straight to heaven once they die. They believe that when people die, they are unconscious, unaware of anything, and stay this way until the Resurrection. They believe that 144,000 people will go to heaven to live with Jehovah and the angels at that time, and the rest will live on a paradise on earth.
Unlike most other Christian religions, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that because the Bible says people must abstain from blood, that this means they cannot receive blood transfusions. We felt odd asking about this because there was a card advertising a Red Cross blood drive on the table of the restaurant where we interviewed L. She told us that if Witnesses need a blood transfusion, they will refuse to have one. Even if it means they will die, Witnesses are awaiting the time of the eternal paradise and do not want to break Jehovah's law. L. told us that Witnesses can have problems when their children require blood transfusions and there have been cases where hospitals filed reports against them.
L. told us that Witnesses have been persecuted, which means that they are a minority group that others don't respect. They do not want to be involved in politics or government and because they are waiting for the paradise on earth, they do not vote in elections, and they do not join the military. She told us that Witnesses were taken into prisons and concentration camps along with Jewish people during World War II.
We asked L. whether she believes that hers is the one true faith. She said yes, otherwise she would still be looking for a religion. We asked if she believes that people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses can live in the eternal earthly paradise or go to heaven, and she said she is glad that people are not the judges of who will get eternal life, but that millions of people will go and they will not all be Jehovah's Witnesses.
-Soklabi
