Become Jehovah’s friend – Video Lessons. Animated films by Jehovah’s Witnesses for children in the light of critical discourse analysis

Abstract

This article presents the results of a critical discourse analysis of the animated film series Become Jehovah’s Friend – Video Lessons, aimed at children and published by Jehovah’s Witnesses on their official website. The research focuses on three main areas: children’s obedience, rejection of secular elements in favor of complete devotion to religion, and the child’s relationship with God. The findings indicate the promotion of a conservative, patriarchal family model in which obedience and hierarchy are fundamental values. The analysis reveals the organization’s efforts to raise children in a spirit of submission to authorities (parents and God), while simultaneously building tension between “the world” and the religious community. The films construct an image of God as an omnipotent being whose love, however, is conditional and depends on following specific rules. The study shows how Jehovah’s Witnesses use materials for children to strengthen a sense of uniqueness resulting from belonging to the only “true faith.”