This is a long article. The writer's e-mail address is provided at the bottom. In reading this, you will see how the JW's are misleading, how they use fear and/or scare tactics, and how women get no respect. What things in this article ticked you off? Are you going to send any clarifications to the writer of this article? I plan to.
Here's the article. My thoughts are in RED. 
View from the Pew
A look inside Hawaii's houses of worshipBy Mary Adamski
Saturday, July 27, 2002
FL MORRIS / [email protected] A biblical drama with elaborate, realistic costuming and makeup was held Monday at the Jehovah's Witnesses District Convention. Glenn Tateishi, Harold Kim and Clarence Minami, from left, waited backstage prior to the start of the play. (These fellows look fake, don't they?)
Modesty and simplicity
Here they were, more than 1,000 people who make their pitch by going door-to-door, so a first thought was to compare their annual conference to a sales group convention.
seen as virtuesIndeed, there were three days of pep talks and how-to tips and role model speakers reminding conventioneers about the corporate goals. But bragging was not to be heard, not even about the numbers of those sold and brought into the fold.
What could be further from a sales convention than Florante and Leah Nacion's story about simplifying their life, letting go of one car, the cell phone, and gym membership and working toward the goal of low-paying jobs at the headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Low paying jobs?!? They are called "volunteer's" for a reason. It's called no-paying jobs. I wonder where she got the idea that they recieve a paycheck?)
Another preconception held by this visitor to the Jehovah's Witnesses 2002 District Convention last weekend in their Mililani Assembly Hall was to expect the hullabaloo of an arena event so predictable in a modern church gathering. Get more than 1,000 church people together in one big hall and there's bound to be major music and speakers revved to an entertainment pitch and flamboyant, wordy prayers, right? How else can you hold the crowd for three days? (The prayers weren't wordy? She must've missed the cloing prayer on Sunday!)
Wrong again. A few hymns were interspersed amid dozens of lectures, giving an occasional opportunity to stand. Only one brief prayer was expressed all day, just before the baptism of two dozen people. (This can't be accurate. There had to be an opening and a closing prayer, right?)
The program was speakers, speakers and more speakers. There are no big name guest keynoter, members are groomed to be speakers. Each congregation has a Theocratic Ministry School in which youths are assigned subjects, do research and develop discussion skill, under the guide of elders. (I guess a member of the Governing Body didn't make this one, eh? There were some big names at the convention's on the East Coast. Regarding the TMS, she is under the impression that only youths are enrolled. She must not realize that every publisher must be enrolled in the school if they want any respect from the elder's.)
FL MORRIS / [email protected] Danielle Sanches applied finishing touches on Monday to the makeup of Aima Pahukoa for a religious drama. All male, except for a few women participants in mini-skits, they were earnest, low-key, relentlessly citing Biblical chapter and verse. The conventioneers were as serious as students on the day before the test, taking copious notes and flipping to each of dozens of scriptural sources. (Women are only good for sex, cooking dinner, and mini-skits! LOL! Ahhh, life as a JW woman...)
Most impressive was the fact that many of the note takers were teenagers. Dressed up in Sunday best -- not a slipper, shorts or T-shirt to be seen --- the youths scribbled away, chin to chest. One speaker focused on modesty -- and why it rules out bared navels and the Goth and grunge looks -- and another had suggestions for steering common gossipy, sports or "secular" conversation into spiritual subjects. (Rules out bare navels? Those damn belly buttons are the key to immorality! Didn't you know that the angels overlooked the breasts and the butts of the women and keyed in on their navels? THAT'S what REALLY happened. Jehovah left that part out of the Bible. Oh, and JW's can't talk about sports or secular things? I guess from now on the socializing that occurs after the meetings will sound like a Television on MUTE because anyone who is anyone knows that JWs love talking about sports, secular things, and they ESPECIALLY like to gossip!)
"All nations, corporations, individuals today want to be the best. Modesty is viewed as a failing," said Larry Nelson. (Nice of Mr. Nelson to sterotype ALL nations and corporations and people to view modesty as a failing. I guess this means that only Jehovah's Witnesses practice being modest.)
"Modesty is a realistic evaluation of your competence before Jehovah. Lack of modesty is what led to the sexual abuse of children by priests. It led to large-scale thievery by corporations." (I will leave this comment alone. I want to see how this comment makes you feel. You may add your commentary to this one.)
The July 20 session drew families from Pearl City and Aiea. It was one of 14 three-day conventions drawing more than 14,000 church members throughout the summer to the Witnesses' two-year-old meeting hall in Mililani Tech Park.
Years of encounters with "publishers" -- those people who go door-to-door -- and "pioneers" -- they do it full-time -- led me to expect dire predictions and descriptions of Armaggedon. They teach that this "time of the end" has been underway since 1914. But, they believe, once God eliminates the present system of things in a great battle, a kingdom under Christ will rule the earth in righteousness and peace.
Speakers didn't grind on it but it was a throwaway line in many a talk. (Great term: "throwaway line". That's exactly how they use it. They flaunt it around so freely. Continue reading to see what the throwaway line is.)
"Each day brings us closer to Jehovah's Day," Dun Uchimura told the crowd. (Fear tactic. "I better wise up. Jehovah's day is almost here!")
"Nationalistic wars are a sign the end of the present system is near," said Joseph DeMoor. (Fear tactic. "Crap! I am running out of time. I need to do better so that Jehovah doesn't destroy me!")
"We need faith in the last days as we approach the great tribulation," Ron Miyamoto told candidates for baptism. (Fear tactic. "Oh, no! The Great Tribulation. There's no time to waste. I better get baptized as a JW so that I can receive god's protection.")
"God's Kingdom of 1,000 Years" was one hymn, and another asserted "Jehovah's Day of Vengeance is drawing ever near. God's watchmen must give warning, each stands his position, the time is getting short." (Fear tactic. You'd better be nervous if you're not one of Jehovah's Witnesses!)
Members don't get bonus points for people they add to the flock, although they may keep personal track, he said. People aren't going to be tested on their notes but they, particularly the youth, will be prepared for future discussion groups in individual Kingdom Halls. (Puh-LEEZE! No bonus points??? If you're a male your bonus points will be commendations, respect, adjulations, power, and authority. For a woman, however, there are no bonus points. Sorry.)
"Jesus is the son of God but is not God," said church leader GaryWong, and they also reject teachings common in Christianity such as hellfire, immortality of the soul and "worldly holidays based on pagan beliefs." (Hmm. I notice that the Writer refers to non-JW religions that claim to follow Christ as Christianity. I guess she wasn't listening when the JW speakers referred to them as Christendom.)
You won't find Jehovah's Witnesses participating in any interfaith gathering: "Our beliefs are very different. We don't believe we can share with them," Wong said. "We respect them." (How can Mr. Wong state that JWs respect non-JWs, especially when, at the JW conventions and meetings, they blast the Catholic church (see one of the quotes above), Christendom, and any other non-JW religion? You can flip through many a Watchtower and read articles and view drawings of non-JW religions being ridiculed and slaughtered.)
A member who is seen to stray from the belief system may find himself or herself "disfellowshipped." It's a decision made by an individual congregation, for such things as drunkenness and immorality, such as living with someone not your legal spouse, Wong said. (Mr. Wong forgot to mention "or, having doubts".)
Smoking is on the list of forbidden behavior. Research done in the 1960s convinced the church that "tobacco is ... addictive, it is inviting the demons in," Wong said. (Someone else here at JW.com needs to explain this one to me. Inviting the demons in??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
The people who decided to be baptized had to demonstrate knowledge of beliefs, have faith and be repentant. It is seen as "a symbol of unconditional devotion to Jehovah" and is not required of church members. (Am I reading this wrong? NOT required of church members???)
The assembly hall contains a small waist-deep tiled pool behind doors that were folded open to allow the crowd to watch the immersion baptisms. Two strong men helped dunk men and women who donned shorts and T-shirts for the experience. No words were said -- they don't believe in the Trinity.
The baptisms provided the only touch of drama for the day. But, said information officer Bruce Wakukawa, "We don't believe there is any magic in it."
RELIGION CALENDAR
Mary Adamski covers religion for the Star-Bulletin.
Email her at [email protected].
