What is it like to Marry a Jehovah's Witness? Part 4

FAMILY TIME LIMITED: Jehovah's Witnesses are expected to proclaim their message "door-to-door," spending as much time as possible in recruiting others to their religion. If a "field service" report of how much time is spent in this activity is not turned in every month, there is pressure from leaders in the organization to get more involved, no matter how many meetings are attended per week.

BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS DENIED: The life of many Jehovah's Witnesses and their children have been cut short over the Watchtower's no blood transfusion policy. In spite of the inconsistencies in the Watchtower current position on blood, Jehovah's Witnesses turn a blind eye to these issues when told by the Watchtower organization that if they take a transfusion to prolong physical life, their spiritual life will be forfeited. To ensure that no blood transfusions are administered at any time, each year Jehovah's Witnesses sign a no-blood medical card and those who are married to non-Jehovah's Witness spouses are encouraged to have their no blood transfusion medical "power of attorney" signed by one of the Jehovah's Witness elders in the local congregation. Thus, the non-Jehovah's Witness spouse has no say concerning the administering of blood transfusions to the Jehovah's Witness spouse or child in the advent of a medical emergency.

NOT PRACTICING NOW—WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW? Although your prospective husband is not practicing the religion very strongly right now, this is no guarantee that he will remain on the sidelines of the Watchtower religion. Often, when a difficulty in the marriage or family issue arises, the first place the spouse will go is to immediately revert back to the Jehovah’s Witness religion for advice and security. This is especially true if the Jehovah’s Witness mate has family members involved. Don't underestimate the extent of the pressure Jehovah’s Witness relatives may exert to get the inactive mate back into the organization.

Even in cases where a spouse agrees not to bring the Jehovah’s Witness religion into the marriage, this does not prove effective when the children come along and there is a fight over which religion the children will be raised in. Furthermore, whether your Jehovah’s Witness friend realizes it or not, his thinking in nearly all areas of life is affected by the Jehovah’s Witness beliefs he has been raised with. Even though he may not attempt to consciously bring the religion into the relationship, his thought-processes and responses to issues as they arise in your marriage will ultimately be affected by what he has been taught. So, the religion will become a strong factor in your marriage.