Definitely the Bible and both of Ray Franz books. Recently 'Writing the Holocaust' by Zoe Waxman has made a big impression.
Loz x
Books and movies that have influenced you since learning the truth about the Truth
by JimmyPage 21 Replies latest jw friends
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Fernando
- God hates Religion (website)
- God Hates Religion (article)
- Christianity is not Religion (free e-book)
- Jesus: Victor Over Religion (article/book)
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Fernando
The stunningly accurate and profound 20 minute Holy Grail (gospel) versus poison chalice (religion) scene in Harrison Ford's 1989 movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
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Fernando
Pagan Christianity (book by Frank Viola & George Barna) - currently selling at 80% off on Bookdepository UK, free shipping "worldwide"!
Christless Christianity (book by Michael Horton)
The Lost Message of Jesus (book by Steve Chalke and Alan Mann)
The Mystery of Christ & Why We Don't Get It (book by Robert Farrar Capon who said: "Religion... has a failed past and a bankrupt future")
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Black Sheep
Anything by ex members of any cults. At first, I found it surprising that many of the excuses for remaining JW used by my family members had been used before by Manson Family members, but the more I read about his group, the more parallels I found. Now I am not surprised by anything.
I have managed to get JWs to defend cultish activities that most Christians would condemn, because not to would have been trashing their own behaviours. When the chips are down, my JWs will sell their souls to the Devil before confronting any evidence that they might have stuffed up.
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The Oracle
- Climbing Mount Improbable
- The God Delusion
- Crisis of Conscience
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- As a Man Thinketh
- Who Moved My Cheese
- The Tipping Point
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- Man's Search for Meaning
- Outliers
All great books that have helped to inspire me over the last 5 years.
Couldn't really imagine me being me without having read all of these books.
Highly recommend each one, but my favorite is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
The Oracle
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mouthy
James Pentons two books,
Ray Franz 2 books,
Joe.E.Hewitt"Rescuing Slaves of the Watchtower."
"Setting The Captives Free" By Austin Miles.
"The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller
June Caldwells "JIM" about a JW with Aids..>>>>.TRUE STORY -
Band on the Run
First, academic studies of many books and academic journals that are not fundamentalist. Books that address 1st century historical concerns and how Christianity was formed by social and political forces. I have greater faith with my doubts than parroting back what the WTS said.
Katzenzakis, The Last Temptation of Chreist, which stresses his humanity. It is a true classic. Martin Scorcese's film is well done. I encountered a Jesus that could exist in the real world. The last temptation is a hallucination he suffers during crufixion where God is love and does not demand blood sacrfiices. Jesus resumes a much married life as a carpenter.
I am now Anglican. Every church study group exposes me to broader ideas. Frankly, it worked better in NY at the Cathedraul Church of St. Jobn the Divine. The area around Columbia University is called the Protestant Vatican. I had interactions with seminaries at Union Theological, Riverside Church, Woodstock Jesuit Seminary and even theologicans from Fordham.Acting stupid is not encouraged.
Ray Franz' books were the first salvo that I was not weird in my doubts.
Pasolini, The Gosepl according to Matthrew?,
C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, Carl Jung -- I was so enthused to read there books. It nourished my soul. I felt happier and clearer in mhy belief. Aslan is a worthy figure.
Also, I am drawn to mysticism so Dark Cloud of Unknowing, St Therea, St. Catherine, Thomas Merton's autobiography, The Jesus prayer in the Russian Orthodox field, and Mertons' Wisdom of the desert were major turning points in my life. Studying Koine Greek with seminarians.
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undercover
This may be odd, but one source of influence to me as I was awakening, were comedians. Not Jay Leno types, but George Carlin types. People like Carlin, Lewis Black, Bill Hicks, Bill Maher (to name just a few, but there were more) are(were) commentators as much as comedians. They are comedians first but they point out the absurd, the ridiculous, the hypcorisy, of politics, religion, and other sacred cows.
They may be looking for laughs, but when you look past the comedy effect, you start to realize, "hey...George is right. Religion is a crock of shit". When I watched Carlin when I was younger and a JW, I'd laugh because he really nailed those Catholics...AHAHAHA, never realizing he was lumping all religion in together. As I started to question/doubt the WTS, I applied his observation and critique to the WTS...and it fit just as easily as it did Catholicism or any other religion.
And from those comedians, who were easy to access, even as a JW, it lead to reading their influences... the Rands, the Vidals, the Dawkins (and others) who took a serious tone when commentating on issues.
