Why Can't I Be a Jehovah's Witness?

In reflecting on my time as a JW, one thing that elders and Circuit Overseers would frequently say is: "We aren't like other religions. You can walk into Catholic or Baptist Church and become a member pretty quickly. But for us (JW's) you have to study first and get the accurate knowledge of John 17:3"

This is another attempt to put on a great front to a dubious method of Jehovah's Witness recruitment. Indoctrination.

Since I resigned my membership as a JW, I find it funny how so not true it is that you can walk into any church and become a member. JW's would like for you to believe that most churches are the Dollar General store equivalent of religion, cheap and easy. That simply isn't true. I will allow that there are many religions that simply ask if one has accepted Christ and are born again, but there are just as many churches, if not more, that would like for you to know a little something about them before you join.

JW's have a more cynical goal though. Because they have such amazing beliefs regarding the prophetic value of the bible, (i.e. most prophetic characters from Noah to Abraham to David to Solomon and Hezekiah all point to the modern day structure and hierarchy of Jehovah's Witnesses), it is necessary to prep the prospective JW with the soft stuff first.

JW's have books designated for study with new prospects. Here is a list

1969: The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life
1982: You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth
1995: Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life
2005: What Does the Bible Really Teach?

These books contain nothing of the very controversial prophetic view of JW's. It skims over and gives the greatest, one sided impression of such controversial teachings as blood based medicine and disfellowshipping/excommunication. It starts almost immediately with the thought that friends and family will be against you for studying the bible. (even though you aren't studying the bible, you are studying JW theology with cherry picked scriptures to back up the theology.)

During this "study" (i.e. Indoctrination!) the prospect is encouraged to attend all the meetings of JW's, where they are trained to basically "love bomb" new ones. New ones are impressed with how much attention they get, and just as equally miffed when, after baptism, interest in them and their problems fade. But it feels good in the mean time.

Of course, the goal for this indoctrination is for you to be able to parrot the basics of JW theology, agree that you want to be a JW, and get baptized. This takes several months or more. It changes after that, because now that you are baptized, you have them as the authority. You can no longer research their bible exegesis, you can no longer even have the private thought that you disagree with JW's on any subject, under pain of disfellowshipping and shunning.

For many, the more you learn, the less you like, but if you get baptized, its a little late to call them out on it and avoid the heartache that frequently occurs for associating with and promoting this group.

So if you want to be a Jehovah's Witness, be sure to study thoroughly, and on your own terms. If they have the truth as they claim, then the truth will stand on its own merits, and not on the merits of propaganda designed to bait and switch you into a lifelong, mafia like commitment.