Penton's book is poorly referenced: Apocalypse Unsubstantiated! (page 2)

mouthy

Say, this other book he is working on wouldn't happen to be a biography of Rutherford would it?

Slim

No it has something to do with JWS & Jesuits

cabasilas

I'd like to know when Timothy White's book A People For His Name will be republished. Anyone with news on that?

I have the Third Reich book. He makes claims, but when I check the footnote or reference, his "source" sometimes is hearsay. Also, for me, his caustic, mean-spirited tone detracts from his message. ...just my opinion.

carla

I haven't read his books in quite a long time, however, how odd you find him mean spirited when I felt he was sympathetic to jw's! I can't remember any good examples, just a general feeling I remember from when I finished his two books.

VM44

My hunch is that the lack of references is due to there being nothing in print to reference!

For instance, do you think any JW would put down in writing that they saw Rutherford drunk?

No! They don't dare write anything down, and they remain quiet! Or, at least most of them do.

This makes if very difficult for a historian to back up with documentation what he writes about the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Organization. Only a limited number of verbal anecdotes are available with which to work with.

Most of the people who knew Russell, Rutherford and Knorr never had the motivation or courage to write down and publish what they knew about the people under whose direction they lived and worked.

--VM44

buffalosrfree

if we want to read something without references, all we need to do is read the watchtower. It's lack of references is phenomal, in its we say this but we don't have to prove anything.

drew sagan

I too came across the same key points (and a few others) with a little frustration because they where borderline hearsay. It's not that I don't agree that what he says isn't possible, but the lack of pure %100 evidence makes some of the things he says more speculation rather than fact.
I think the book is great source for the ex-jw who can sympathize with the hard work done in gathering information from the limited sources available. But even a questionable source on one controversial fact can prove it to be not so conclusive and balanced for the JW publisher.

chiddy

Look man i'm a humble xjw from the uk who did not do good at school , can not read and write good , but your trying to split hairs , just read and njoy use MR J PENTON as a resource link because he helped me alot

RR

Timothy White (real name: Anthony Wills) is still alive and well living in OR. Robert Hill, who is in contact with "White" and is working on republishing his book.

slimboyfat

That is fantastic news about Wills' book! I am glad he is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

Is he updating it at all, or is it a simple reprint?

His book was written in the late 1960s and the only, very minor, curiosity in it is his statement near the end of the book that it was very unlikely the Witnesses would again set a date for Armageddon. That all changed within the year when the Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God book was published, of course.

He seemed to adopt a slightly Bible Studentish-type position in his book - no doubt his thinking on theology, as on other matters, has gone a long way since then. It would be great to hear what his current views on the Witnesses are. Is he active online at all? Is there any way I could contact him?