This essay aims to identify and illustrate, in relation to Stig Hjarvards (2013) theory of mediatization, the factors for defection that Swedish news media portray as decisive for women leaving Jehovah´s witnesses. The material consist of six news articles collected from four different news media who all published stories about women which defected from Jehovah´s witnesses. The method of the essay is a transversal text analysis and the program Open Code 4.03 has been used to assess the results. The process of coding was abductive which means, inthis essay, that the categories used in Open Code was mainly created based on the presented previous research on religious defection but also by a thoroughly reading of the articles. This genereted in five overall themes: family, external factors, organizational, world view and mental health. The factors for defection that is brought up by the articles is categorized in these themes. The result was then analyzed based on Hjarvards (2013) theory of mediatization and his explanations to it by these three metaphors of media; media as conduits, media as languages and journalism on media. The analyzed results indicated, among other things, factors for defection regarding deprivation of freedom, prohibition within the movement and unequal conditions for men and women. The results also showed medias aim to enforce factors connected to love and sex to create entertainment value. According to my interpretation of Hjarvards (2013) theory the results shows news medias desire to be an institution that criticalexamines religious organizations that do not fit in with secular norms of Swedish society.

The topic of the diploma thesis is ``The Nursing Approach to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses at Medical Treatment Units{\crq}q. The probability of a nurse coming across a Jehovah{\crq}s Witness is considerable. Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses form a large group within the Czech Republic, and therefore the nursing staff should also be ready to treat patients who belong to this community. All this in compliance with the current trend of applying the thoughts of transcultural/multicultural nursing while treating the patients. The present thesis is a contribution to this very discipline. Its task was to investigate the specifics of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community, and what the expectations of their members are when it comes to nursing care. With reference to the specifics and expectations, we attempted to detect the problem situations that may come up when caring for the members of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community. All this information was investigated in order to be able to offer culturally sensitive nursing care to the patients who belong to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community. For the empiric part of the thesis, four objectives were set that lead to three research questions and three hypotheses. Two research methods were chosen, the qualitative method: a semi-standardized dialogue with the respondents being members of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses; and a quantitative method: a questionnaire for the nursing staff of the medical treatment units. The conception of a Jehovah{\crq}s Witness in general is improved by the division of the information in the dialogue according to the Giger and Davidhizar transcultural nursing assessment model. For further clarification of the problem, questions concerning hospitalization and nursing staff were added. The results of the dialogues were drafted as case reports which were then categorized in transparent tables and charts. The questionnaire contained identification questions and questions clarifying the given problem. The remaining questions were aimed at direct or indirect verification of the hypotheses we have set. The outcome of the questionnaire investigation is introduced using tables and charts. The specifics of the approach of the nursing staff are summarized in a nursing care standard, which can be used by the nursing staff when caring for a client/patient who belongs to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses. The thesis offers information on the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community, and explains the singularities of the approach of the nursing staff towards them. The outcome of the thesis should serve as study material for the students of nursing disciplines, and at the same time we would appreciate it if it was published to become available to the professional community. The thesis should be a contribution to the improvement of the quality of nursing care.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:45:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Anderson Goncalves Pereira.pdf: 8548872 bytes, checksum: 692ed8eb4288df5e256b94b7ea2921f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-19 / This work intends to identify who is the reader of Awake! magazine and which are the main strategies used in order to convince the reader. To achieve this objective were analyzed the 12 main articles published in 2010 by this magazine in order to identify its implied readers. At first, it was presented a brief historical research about the Jehovah s Witness and the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, group and association responsible for publishing Awake!. After that, it was showed a brief historical research about Awake! and its changes since its creation until nowadays, in its contents and organization. This research showed the magazine s importance for the development of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and to spread Jehovah s Witness doctrines. Finally, it was presented who is the possible reader of Awake! based on its 12 main articles published in 2010, which are the main strategies used in order to convince the readers and the importance of the typographic elements to build the meaning of the articles. This work offers the opportunity to know who the target public of Jehovah s Witness is. / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo identificar quem é o leitor da revista Despertai! (Awake!) e quais são as estratégias de convencimento usadas pela revista. Para alcançar esse objetivo foram analisados os artigos de capa das 12 edições da revista publicadas em 2010 visando identificar o leitor implícito contido neles. Primeiramente, foi apresentado um breve histórico sobre as Testemunhas de Jeová e Associação Torre de Vigia organização grupo e associação responsável pela publicação da Despertai!. Em seguida, apresentou-se um breve histórico da revista Despertai! e as mudanças ocorridas na revista desde sua criação até os dias atuais, em sua organização e conteúdo. Essa investigação mostrou a importância da revista para o desenvolvimento da Associação Torre de Vigia e também para a divulgação das doutrinas do grupo religioso Testemunhas de Jeová. Por fim, foi apresentado quem é o leitor da revista com base na análise das matérias de capa das 12 edições da revista de 2010, e quais foram as estratégias usadas para convencer o leitor e a importância dos elementos tipográficos para a construção de sentido dos artigos. O trabalho oferece a oportunidade de conhecer quem é o público-alvo desse grupo religioso.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:48:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Yon Morato Ferreira da Costa.pdf: 2115256 bytes, checksum: a60adad461944f57dbe3d077c2f9a539 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-08-13 / The objective of this work is to do a critical analysis over the behavior of adolescents that belong to an internationally known religious group named The Watchtower Society. A report of the performance of this group was drawn from the origins, from its foundation to the current days. Their main doctrines and influences and how these determine their followers to be. After a brief definition of adolescent, their conflicts and challenges in this complicated period of the human existence, through the study of reports, testimonies, articles and Watchtower s literatures, a reflection was made over the adolescent's modus vivendi and the tensions which they go through and are constantly submitted, to guarantee that in everything they are faithful and prove their loyalty to the organization. When insubordination, questioning or confrontation happens, the disassociated adolescent suffers many profound and significant losses. For that reason, this work offers practical alternatives and solutions that aid to attend the recently disassociated in order to help in its social re-insertion. / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo, fazer uma análise crítica do comportamento do adolescente pertencente ao grupo religioso internacionalmente conhecido como Testemunhas de Jeová e sua representação máxima, a Sociedade Torre de Vigia. Foi traçado um histórico da atuação deste grupo desde os primórdios da sua fundação até os dias de hoje, suas principais doutrinas, influências e de como estas determinam a conduta de seus adeptos. Após a definição do conceito de adolescente, seus conflitos e desafios, neste período complicado da existência humana, averigou-se através de relatos, testemunhos, artigos e literaturas, o modus vivendi do adolescente e as tensões pelas quais são constantemente submetidos e para em tudo serem fiéis e comprarem sua lealdade à organização. Quando acontece a insubordinação, questionamento ou confrontação, o adolescente desassociado da Torre de Vigia sofre perdas muito significativas. O trabalho oferece soluções práticas e alternativas que auxiliam o acompanhamento do recém desassociado, em sua reinserção social.

This study explores the hermeneutical issues raised by critical approaches to the Book of the Twelve and their implications for the concepts of authorial intent, history, and canon. By means of a critical engagement with the Twelve’s modern reception history it seeks to demonstrate that with few exceptions, recent attempts to come to terms with the peculiar character of the prophetic intentionality at work in the Twelve reflect the continuing impact of historicism and its hermeneutical legacy upon the study of Old Testament prophecy. As a result the key roles played by theological pressures and the hermeneutical significance of canon in the Twelve’s formation history continue to be marginalized, particularly with respect to the eschatological and typological moves involved in the redactional expansion of prophecy. The study seeks to constructively address these problems by offering a theological exegesis of Hosea 1:5 and 2:23-25, arguing that the study of these ‘Day of the Lord’ texts and the larger theological significance of Hosea’s prologue for the Twelve has been virtually eclipsed by the central hermeneutical role assigned to Joel by the Twelve’s modern interpreters. The larger contribution to the hermeneutical logic of prophecy rendered by Hosea’s ‘wisdom coda’ (Hosea 14:10) has also not been given its proper due, exegetically speaking. With these concerns in mind, the study then proceeds to argue that Hosea’s prologue establishes a theological context for the logic of prophecy, eschatology, and typology in the Twelve which finds its hermeneutical ground in Exodus 32-34 and the continuing theological significance of Yahweh’s name for his providential dealings with Israel. In this way Hosea’s prologue constrains the interpretation of prophecy and the DOL in the Twelve by linking their theological function to the significance of Yahweh’s name for Israel. The wisdom coda both embraces and extends this agenda for readers of Joel through Malachi by instructing them in the proper stance toward prophecy and “the ways of Yahweh” toward Israel and the nations vis-a-vis his revealed character in Exodus 34:5-7. The book of Hosea thus ends by establishing hermeneutical guidelines for the “wise” interpretation of prophecy, a stance which is then further facilitated by the summons to wisdom in Joel’s prologue (1:1-4) and Joel’s own deployment of the DOL in Joel 1-2.

This project explores John’s portrait of Jesus in the Gospel of John and argues that John presents Jesus as the Servant of the Lord from Isaiah primarily through his allusions to the Servant passages. The Servant is not the predominant Christological title in John, but it is an important aspect of Johannine Christology. Chapter 1 surveys various works on John’s use of the Old Testament in general, and John’s use of Isaiah specifically. While Isaiah is a major emphasis in John, there have only been two other monographs on John’s use of Isaiah. Furthermore, other works have noted a few allusions to the Isaianic Servant, but no other works have systematically studied the Isaianic Servant in the Gospel of John. Chapter 2 proposes several criteria necessary to identitying allusions to the Isaianic Servant, with allusions classified as clear, probable, and possible. Chapter 3 contains an exegetical discussion of the relevant Servant passages in Isaiah, along with a discussion of the literary context of each Servant song. There is an excursus on the Second Temple Literature, which indicates there is no evidence of a Suffering Messiah in that period. Chapter 4 analyzes two quotations to Isaiah and other clear allusions to the Servant songs in Isaiah. This chapter, along with subsequent chapters, explores the meaning and significance of each allusion for the literary context of John. Chapter 5 identifies probable allusions to the Servant, including the Greeks coming to see Jesus, light and darkness, and Jesus obeying the will of God. Chapter 6 analyzes possible allusions, which have some overlap with the Servant songs, but lack the criterion of uniqueness that would assist an interpreter in connecting John to Isaiah. Chapter 7 discusses the theme of the Isaianic New Exodus and the Servant’s role in initiating this new exodus. John’s description of Jesus utilizes the same characteristics of the Servant to portray Jesus as the Servant in Isaiah. Chapter 8 summarizes the previous chapters and analyzes the implications of the study along with areas for further research.

The purpose of this study was to explore how interpersonal relationship can be affected by groing up in a New Religoius Movement such as Jehovah’s Withnesses and how it has affected them both in their youth and today. The aim was also to explore if there were people in the respondents' environment that was significant to them during their childhood and which support our respondents have received if they were in need of it.We have not found any previous research on children's social relationships within the Jehovah's Witnesses. We therefore believe that this study is of high relevance to both society and also for all the professionals who come into contact with these children. To discover a child in need, knowledge about how their social environment looks like is crucial. We chose to conduct qualitative interviews with six former Jehovah's Witnesses. The main theories we have assumed is the theory of social interactionism and cognitive dissonance. The vast majority of our respondents have grown up in a strong relationship with their faithful family and assembly. They believe that they have had a large social network but still felt alone in their concerns and thoughts. Several of the interviewees have experienced dissonance when their beliefs collided with societal values and norms. Some of our interviewees have only had contact with other witnesses (aside from the inevitable contact through school) because they have been taught that "worldly people", or non-Witnesses, are evil and their enemies. Others have had several relationships with people outside the organization and have never experienced this as wrong or strange. The genuine cohesion they experienced during childhood has had a sharp end in connection with the respondents' exclusions, when virtually all the faithful witnesses chosen to turn their back on them. Following the exclusion, several interviewees sought professional help in the form of therapy and they all allege that their upbringing has had negative consequences for them in adulthood.

There is a popular misconception in the world that Jehovah is too severe on occasion while Jesus Christ is always kind and merciful. The Latter-day Saint belief that Jehovah and Jesus are the same person presents a supposed conflict. There has not been much written on this subject by either non-Latter-day Saints or Latter-day Saints, thus, this thesis represents a unique contribution to a common perception prevalent in many Christian circles. The research of this thesis shows that the misconception is based on three problems: first, a misinterpretation of biblical stories in both the Old and New Testament; second, a lack of understanding biblical context and culture; and third, a lack of applying modern revelation to this subject. The research of this thesis focuses on these three areas in an effort to resolve this false perception. This thesis takes a deeper look into the acts of Jehovah and Jesus Christ as found in the Old and New Testaments respectively. Next, it looks as several doctrines related to this subject that have been revealed through latter-day prophets and incorporates them into the Old Testament. This analysis paints a broader picture of the Lord and illustrates that He was, indeed, merciful in the Old Testament but, at times, severe in the New Testament. Lastly, this thesis takes four of the most difficult Old Testament stories that seem to represent Jehovah as harsh, capricious, and unyielding, and puts them in their cultural setting. Though not every act can be completely explained, there is a high degree of similarity between Jehovah and Jesus. The study concludes, therefore, that much of the problem lies with perception and not with reality.

Because of the recent ban on a Bible translation, in part because of the renderingof God’s name as Jehovah, this thesis analyses what can be learned on the topic of the attitude in Russia towards that name from a historic viewpoint. Early occurrences of the name within the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as examples of prominent authors’ usage of the name in the secular literary sphere, are being discussed. Particular interest is paid to the literature of the 19th century, in an attempt to determine what knowledge the authors had access to, as well as to establish how familiar this rendering of the name was to the society. The analysis continues with literary examples from the 20th century, searching for indications that could reveal the time and possible reason for the altered connotations to the name. My interest is the cultural and historical perspective on the awareness of the name, whether it was a natural part of the cultural and religious heritage or not. And if it was – when and why was the general public deprived of that heritage?I believe that this interdisciplinary approach can provide a valuable picture, impossible to gain if the discussion would have been solely about religiousminorities’ rights.