Do JWs buy old JW books to destroy?

by mickbobcat 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  RolRod

  I'll tell you a story. Back in the early 80s, there was a letter read from the Society. It basically stated, that with all the new Bethels being build around the world, they were in need of older literature to stock their libraries. It was asked that any books pre 1960s be packed up and sent to the Society, particularly Russell and Rutherford era literature. At the time I lived in the Bronx, and we had several Bethelites. Our Hall was the first Hall built in NYC, it even had a baptismal pool in the basement (no longer in use). That Sunday, the library was packed and hauled off to Brooklyn. We had a lot of old books dating back to Russell. I was later told by Randall Watters that the Society had a bonfire with them.

  RR
• 

  Disillusioned JW

  skin wrote "the branch had a letter read out about 6 years ago asking for all old publications to be returned to them." RolRod said "I was later told by Randall Watters that the Society had a bonfire with them." I remember the WT literature used to say that the WT does not produce a list of banned/forbidden books. It is disappointing to read that the WT is now trying to confiscate WT books and likely intending to destroy them. This sounds like one way, out of several ways, they are starting to act like the Catholic Church (or the way the Catholic Church used to act).

  After I stopped attending KH meetings, (and maybe starting a few years before) I read quotes online from the old books and I read some PDFs of pages of the old books. I thought the quotes, especially the PDFs were probably accurate, but I wanted to obtain the actual WT books to be certain. Over a number of years I ended up finding and buying many of the books at a thrift store, and I bought some of the books from eBay auctions. Another reason why I bought them was because I was simply curious o what they say, including that which I didn't find in quotes. I think some JWs are buying them for each of those reasons. Later I sold (at a profit) nearly all of the pre-1965 books on eBay since I Iearned what I wanted to learn from them, since most can be read online, and since I didn't think I could persuade JWs by showing the books to them. When I listed the books on eBay I quoted some strange statements in them (including failed predictions and abandoned doctrines) in order to attract potential buyers who are JWs that have begun questioning the WT religion and to thus get higher prices for the books. However, to some extent I worried that some of the people buying the books might be doing so to destroy them, and that they are doing so in order to prevent other people from seeing what those books say.

  A number of years ago my mom (a JW) had a JW elder visit me at my door (to try to change my views and/or answer questions I have). Immediately after I told the elder that I have (or had) some Rutherford books and read them, the elder angrily asked me where I obtained them. I did not answer that question since I wanted to prevent him from obtaining (with the intention of destroying or hiding) the literature from those sources.
  
• 

  Diogenesister

  Immediately after I told the elder that I have (or had) some Rutherford books and read them, the elder angrily asked me where I obtained them.

  This and many other similar experiences with angry JWs, including Randall's tale of the bonfire, leads me to believe that there are many witnesses fully acquainted with old literature. Yet they don't leave. Why? Position, prestige and business. Witnesses are not always witnesses because they wish to serve God and truth. A minority have other motives.
  
  
• 

  Disillusioned JW

  After the elder left my door, my mom told me that the elder told her I am very nearly an apostate, but what the elder did not know is that I was already an apostate (from the WT) though not an outspoken one. I was shocked that the elder was angry of me learning the truth of what the WT literature written by Rutherford says. I didn't even say anything negative about Rutherford's book (such as mentioning crazy teachings or failed predictions, though I was saying something critical about biblical prophecy). Instead I said (and I paraphrase since I don't remember the exact wording) that "even Rutherford in one his books taught that the prophecy about Tyre becoming completely destroyed, by the king of Babylon, for forever, did not come true literally." It was right after I mentioned that, that the elder got angry regarding me reading Rutherford's books.
  
• 

  smiddy3

  Every so often other Christian denominations have talks or literature about the JW`s ,I wonder if any of them would be interested in the old JW publications ,so they could warn their flock to the dangers of getting mixed up with JW`s and proving that they are false prophets / and only exist for profits.?
• 

  Beth Sarim

  Whether you have any 'older' books,,,er um, old light...please do make sure you hang on to them like gold. Because they are in fact worth their weight in gold.

  Books like 'Aid to Bible Understanding'(1971), 'Live Forever' (1982), 'Revelation Climax'(1988), Proclaimers Book (1993 which I gladly have in mint condition), Reasoning from the Scriptures(1985) and 'The Truth That Leads to Everlasting Life(1968). Those are only a few which comes to mind at the moment...obviously there are many, many more.

  If, you happen to have any of these above books,,,,hang-on to them,, dearly. With each passing year then decades, these publications become more and more damming all the time.