I’ve read so many propagated misconceptions about Jehovah’s Witnesses here on Nairaland. As a former religionist and an ex member of Jehovah’s Witness, I feel am in the best position to clear the obscurity and render a short head start, pros and cons to anyone wishing to know the real truth of the religion.
These article is not all about their belief system and doctrines, please refrain from engaging yourself in the debate. There are threads for that here on nairaland.

They take the preaching work serious - nothing dampens my spirit than going to preaching especially in a scorching Sunday sun. But not for JW’s, they are so keen to get the message across to you whether you are in the kitchen, doing laundry or having a solo time. If you like pack dogs for your compound, you must hear the good news. They are often seen preaching in families or group. They are the religion actually doing the proselytising work instructed by Jesus.

They are not an occult group - people have the general feeling that these group are occult group maybe because they are noiseless and calm during their activities.

Their kids are usually well-trained – maybe if you crave a trained, balanced kid you need to give them a try before its too late. They’re sure to do the training for you, one Ministerial servant or Elder is sure to be checking on your kids to make sure his sanity remains intact. Jw’s so much believe in early training and coordinated system. They integrate the kids more in their activities unlike any other religion in the world and that makes most of their kid to be bold, smart and obedient. Their kids are taught how to read and write at an early age too.

They believe in organised arrangement – organised planning is their surname, and they get things done quickly, there programme and curriculum is the same worldwide.

They don’t engage in excessive recreation – you’re allowed to have fun but trust me when I tell you that your fun activities will reduce, there is no written rule not to have fun yet you’ll see yourself scrapping it off your schedule. It won’t be the thing that tickles you anymore.

They are unified worldwide - Being united and sharing their brotherly love is their forte, from their worldwide salvage operation to their medical support, you’re entitled to receive it one day once you are a JW. for this quality, other religion jealous and try to imitate them. If you are a JW foreigner travelling to other country, just locate the nearest kingdom, attend meetings regularly and you’ll receive copious and overflowing assistance ranging from housing and work procurement. Don’t take advantage of this secret!

They believe in family – with the rate of divorce ravaging even young marriages these days, there is only one religious group that will make sure your sh1t isn’t settled in court unless the matter is too unmanageable, even at that they’ll promise you they will fix your marriage. When the Elders from the couple’s congregation failed to handle the marriage and steer it on track again, the country‘s headquarter intervenes by incorporating a new body (unknown faces) on that issue. They’ve achieved success in most cases. My own be say if it isn’t working, take a leave. ‘For better or for worse’ is not for 21ist century marriages. But if you still cherish marriage JW is a goal.

They take excommunication very serious – if you will sin, make sure no one finds out, their excommunication and estrangement will discourage you in coming back. To the extent that the members will run away from you and will not even return your greetings until they notice your repentant disposition.

They enjoy their own gathering – they live life like they are in paradise already among their fellows, warm smiles litter their faces whenever they are together. Don’t be fooled, they are humans and they do ‘beef’ too. If you are ‘beefing’, let no ones knows before the Elders gather on your matter, they will settle the beef and life continues.

They believe they are the true religion – yes, and they don’t care because you know what? They are going to convince you and give you reasons why they are the true religion. They believe they are no part of the world and you will be wasting your time telling them otherwise. Atheist, keep away from these group, you’ll be wasting your precious time. Its pretty easy to convince a hardcore muslim than doing that to a JW.

They have high regards to God over Jesus – Jw is the only Christian group that pronounce more Jehovah than Jesus and if you ask me that’s the way its supposed to be but don’t ask me, am irreligious now.

They have their own translation – before you go ahead shouting on how the Witnesses have their own bible, educate yourself now. There are more than 70 bible translations worldwide and out of that 70 is New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures translated by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. So even the bible you read in your church is subjected to many translations and they cannot mean exact same thing,never! That’s why I love the Quran and other religious text more.

They don’t accept blood transfusion – if you are a considering joining JW and you still love your dear ones then this should be enough to put you off unless you have a way of doing it stealthily. I will say am a victim of this (lost a sister) They have alternative medical procedure that supplies blood faster to the body though.

They are usually calm and peaceful – they exude a calm demeanour and that’s one characteristics of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They maintain peace and seldom be in the news for fighting. They don’t go to war! So unlike you who will go to war to massacre your fellow Christians in Ghana in the name of fatherland.

They hate the company of worldly people – I could remember the slogan so vividly ‘worldly people’
As a former JW, we use it often to describe anyone outside of our religion so in retrospective justification, we are the ‘heavenly people’ and don’t expect worldly to pair with heavenly smoothly. These justifies why they detest the company of random individual, but if you somehow discover yourself on their friends list then know you are special.

They don’t listen to church music – what you heard its true, my mom will switch the radio off in a jiffy when a church music is playing and we were taught to do same too. My brother’s own entered another thing when he stopped listening to secular music too, imagining not listening to soft and beautiful voice of Celine Dion. Religion could be so heart-wrenching.

They prefer to marry in the lord – I’ve heard of other religion that does that but do not take it too serious like JW’s. Two beautiful sisters in my neighborhood are wearing away in their 30’s with no suitors from the organization yet. they can excommunicate you if you go against this doctrine and they claimed it is in the bible and rightly it is. But the bogus is in understanding the bible verse in a broader way.

They don’t accept track and flyers from other Christian groups – but they’ll still expect you to accept their Awake and Watchtower, I call this a form of bound programming, it restricts the adherents from listening to other doctrines that is not unanimous with their teachings. That way the circle continues and the witnesses increases in numbers, and they are significantly increasing every year.

They pray too – there is a popular misconceptions that the Witnesses do not pray. This is a clear lie and I don’t recognise where those false info came from, probably from people who have not attended their meetings. They pray twice in each meeting, opening prayer and closing prayer and they have nice worship songs.

Less donation – if you value your hard-earned money and don’t want to toss it to random pastopreneurs then JW is a go to church. After leaving JW and trying other churches, I was intimidated with never-ending offerings and donations.
They have their own worship songs – the old ones were not appealing to me but the new songs is worth a try, I even recommended it to my secular friends. The songs made a lot of sense maybe because I love Classic and New Age music. They also have a lot of audio and video dramas, anyone can listen to it and its top notch. Its downloadable on their website.

Discipline – they practise discipline a lot in their organisation and they most times take it to the outside world. They hate to compromise their identity because people are always watching their backs to report when they erred, and whenever that happens people sound the barrels. It simply implies that people notice the virtuousness in them. Its like when Barcelona lost a match and it becomes a topic in everyone’s mouth
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They don’t celebrate most Christian seasons – no need trying to expound more on this. They are the people you should thank for each Christmas season for looking after your properties till your return. I probably enjoy the Christmas seasons in my town rather than the village, who said religion don’t have its toll on you? They sometimes travel during festive seasons though probably for meetings and seeing family members.

No birthdays for you – yes no birthdays for you! Its odd but you’ll get used to it if you were raised a JW. This one hit me hard that after more than 4 years of leaving religion I find it difficult to attend friend’s birthday talk less of celebrating mine. Your religious upbringing still runs deep in your vein even after breaking free.

Worldwide efforts – their worldwide efforts in assisting their members during a natural disaster is top notch and has no rivalry.
No tithes, No problem – if you are looking to avoid tithing and still maintain spiritual connection then Jw is there for you. To them there is no doctrine to not pay or pay your tithes, and they don’t demand or preach for it unlike other churches. So keep your tithes.

Marriage – marriage is what it is (a religious rite). Jehovah’s witnesses made it simple and fast and you can decide to choose between traditional and white wedding depending on your financial capabilities. If you only do traditional, they will accept you as married and if you still go ahead and invite them for your foreign wedding they’ll still come. But they encourage you to do only one type of marriage as they view both (traditional and white) as same thing.

Funeral ceremony – concise, short and fast is how their burial is. If you call them for wake keeping you’ll be wasting your time.

Religion is not my thing, I’ve long pass the stage of religion but if you ask me to rate them I will place them above any other Christian religion, at least their absurdities are less and they are simple and plain.