I want to buy my first book about the WT what should I get?

by bohm 15 Replies latest jw experiences

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt
  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    It's got its faults, but Apocalypse Delayed by James M. Penton is the most up-to-date comprehensive history.

    The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses is also an excellent suggestion; one of my favourites, although it certainly goes over the top in making 1984-type comparisons, it's good fun.

    A People for His Name by Timothy White/Tony Wills is excellent, if a bit dated, but you said you are not interested in doctrines, and it majors on Rutherford and his doctrinal shifts.

    For detailed sociological analyses see Trumpet of Prophecy by James Beckford and Jehovah's Witnesses: A Contemporary Religious Movement by Andrew Holden.

  • peacedog
    peacedog

    Orwellian World was good. So was Releasing the Bonds. However, I would rate both Apocalypse Delayed (Penton) and Crisis of Conscience above these.

    I also highly recommend Wolves Among Sheep. Rarely do I pick up a book that I can't put down......

  • Farkel
    Farkel

    slimboyfat,

    :The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses is also an excellent suggestion; one of my favourites, although it certainly goes over the top in making 1984-type comparisons, it's good fun.

    I enjoyed that book immensely, especially the section on how the WTS uses pictorial imagery to mold the minds of the sheep. That being said, the best book that will tell you everything you need to know about Jehovah's Witnesses, isn't even about Jehovah's Witnesses. Trust me. I've read almost all of them.

    It is "1984."

    moggy,

    :1 Of the former the most eloquent, and well written, I found, has been "Visions of Glory - A History and memory of Jehovah's Witnesses" by Barbara Grizutti Harrison. The late Mrs Harrison was a Bethelite in the 50s and 60s whose disillusionment with the lack of spiritual qualities in an organization she expected to be dedicated to the task of "pure worship" is well recounted in her book. The crisis ridden journey from true believer to sceptic and finally to spiritual renewal, makes for a worthwhile read. Apart from this, a bonus is her superb command of the English language [she was an award winning professional writer of note] The book is an intense, sometimes hilarious, but always moving autobiography of a beautiful lady who found eventual peace with herself, and who went on to become an inspirational writer in own right.

    I spent about an hour speaking with Barbara in April, 2002, about 3 weeks before she died. She was a lovely, humble lady and just loaded with grace and class. She promised me she would send me signed copies of all her books, but became too ill to get around to it. Before Barbara Anderson, she was the only woman with an insider's knowledge of the Brooklyn Bethel who had the courage to step up and write about it.

    Farkel

  • babel on
    babel on

    Be wise as Serpants.....out of print but is free to download! interesting read and not so much on doctrine! Kinda like a dan brown novel only true!

  • moggy lover
    moggy lover

    Hi, Greenie:

    There are several examples that I can give which Penton brings out throughout his book. But I will start with CT Russell, the Watchtower founder. A carefully crafted myth among the Watchtower leadership, and percolating down to the rank and file followers, is that Russell was led by "god" to rediscover the original "truths" of 1 C AD Christianity. Penton points out that all of CTR's teachings, and certainly most of his more important ones, such as 1874, the yearly celebration of the Lord's Supper, and others, actually came from other men he associated with, such as Nelson Barbour, George Storrs, and George Stetson.

    On page 17 of the book Penton says: "The practice of celebrating the Memorial of the Lord's Supper once a year on the supposed date of the Passover was learned by Russell from George Storrs. This custom began among members of Storrs' church The Life And Advent Union in the 1860s". Therefore it was not as a result of a careful study of the Bible, but as a result of a precedent established by someone else, that the Watchtower began this observance.

    Other teachings of Russell, attributed to divine intervention, such as the "Parousia" of Christ being an "invisible presence" are also examined. This Russell got from Barbour, and Russell continued in this absurdity, even after Barbour himself repudiated this when he realized how silly this was.

    Another carefully crafted myth regarding CTR is that the two major schisms that fell upon his movement were the result of "satanic attacks" in an attempt to derail the infant Watchtower movement. Actually, Penton points out that this had a far more terrestial source. As CTR's theology was evolving, he began to construct doctrines that many found bizarre. One was that the words " The Christ" [as opposed to simply "Christ"] referred to the wider body of "anointed" followers of Russell. Many refused such an explanation and left the movement in 1878 and 1881, because they realized that what CTR was teaching was that the "anointed" actually participated in the redemption of mankind.

    Later Russell also stubbornly insisted on a version of the New Covenent that became controversial. Several prominent followers felt that CTR was secretly trying to smuggle in non biblical teachings into the movement, and failing to reason with him, left. So, far from being devilish in origin, much of Russell's ealy troubles were of his own making.

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