Strict and strong, or why rigorous religion works
Doors represent both the barriers to entry and the high levels of commitment common to strict churches
Saturday morning I was cleaning the house in my pajamas when the doorbell rang. Two young Jehovah’s Witnesses stood amid the leaves on my porch, and after excusing myself to change clothes I invited them in for a moment, as I try to do when they appear from time to time. Perched side by side on my couch with Bible in hand, the pair brought to mind my own experiences as a young Mormon missionary in Portugal, and I was happy to read a verse of scripture with them.
Something about this young man and woman prompted me to put the conversation on a more personal tack, and I asked them to tell me how they came to be affiliated with the Witnesses. Despite the friendly front-room visits I’ve shared with Jehovah’s Witnesses over the…









