It wasnt COC. It was Reasoning with the Scriptures. Does anyone else have the same experiance?
The book that changed my view on JW
by homme perdu 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
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robhic
Although I am not a JW, that book is very powerful persuasion. I did have a problem of sorts with Ron Rhodes' rabid evangelical/born-again stance on everything.
While he makes good points and arguments against JW doctrinal points, his (seemingly) hard-line Christian fundamentalist, wave-your-hands-in-the-air, close your eyes and say "JAY-SUS" attitude kinda gets on my nerves, too.
As a matter of balance, his "Reasoning From the Scriptures with Catholics" is another good read for debunking a lot of the catholics' nonsensical and man-made doctrines using his fundy attitude, too.
Facts are a good thing. Facts couched in all that "HALLELUJAH!!!!!" stuff just makes me weary.
Robert -
Ticker
Haha i thought you meant "reasoning from the scriptures" by the wtbts. Actually to tell the truth I did analize that book that the watchtower put out and it really helped me to see the controlling mindset and indoctrination that they use. Especially the part on where it comments that we are not to undertake reading the bible on our own and that doing so would label us as apostate. I read that and it really blew me away as to how corrupt and controlling the wtbts is. I never agreed with this view that they carry and that really showed me their reasoning from the scriptures was more of a reasoning to maintain dependance on an organization instead of God. This really burns me still, complete utter arogance and absolute ignorance on the orgs. part. How dare they try to steal Gods word from my hands, and then distort its view and hold it over my head. It was enough to get my head thinking in the early part of my exit as at the time I didnt know of all the channels of help that were out their.
Ticker
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blondie
Strange coincidence, I have been reading that book
Reasong from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses (should have left 'the' out for those persnickety JWs)
Ron Rhodes
While he makes good points and arguments against JW doctrinal points, his (seemingly) hard-line Christian fundamentalist, wave-your-hands-in-the-air, close your eyes and say "JAY-SUS" attitude kinda gets on my nerves, too.
I was having that same feeling while I read; I just filter it out, take what I can use.
Some points I disovered on my own as a JW and questioned carefully.
Many good usable points though.
Love, Blondie
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bennyk
When I was studying the WT with my (much) younger siblings, I felt the need to help them get the Bible's viewpoint on the subjects discussed in the study articles; accordingly, we actually looked up and read the cited scriptures. After a few weeks (months?) of this, it became increasingly clear that the WT had a marked inability to read things in context -- indeed, many of the cited scriptures had little or nothing to contribute to the discussion at all! I was forced to reassess my beliefs as I continued to look to the scriptures. What was discovered was not a very pretty picture: much WTS doctrine/dogma has no foundation in scripture whatsoever. The book that convinced me that the WTS was most emphatically NOT the one true religion was the BIBLE.
I will say other books were helpful, also. Anybody here read Russell's "Divine Plan of the Ages"? (...and compared it to current "new light"?) How about Rutherford's "Harp of God"? The WTS is its own worst enemy. (Prov. 10:19)
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Aude_Sapere
Anybody here read Russell's "Divine Plan of the Ages"? (...and compared it to current "new light"?)
Gosh. Back in 76 or so I was conducting a study with my younger sister. I wanted to study something different than the norm. (I was 16, she was 8) I was discouraged from using this book because it would just make for confusion of truth.
We used the book anyway. Behind closed doors. I don't think we ever finished it. Got too boring for us. But I do recall that there were doctrinal differences.
I'm out of the org for more than 15 years. She aux pioneers from time to time.
Guess it's the rebel in me!
-Aude.
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David2002
Is that the book by Ron Rhodes? I read selected parts of that book, including a pamphlet he wrote on Jehovah's Witnessses. I found it to be one of them to like those typical "How to Witness to a JW" book type, which contains very weak arguments. I of heard of former "evangelicals" who have become Jehovah's Witnesses as a result of reading those books. They feel strong enough to defend their views by using those books as a guide, but when a Witness comes along and defends the faith with the Bible, the "evangelical" will in some cases admit that the Christian Jehovah's Witnesses have made good points defending their faith with the Bible. I heard of a former "evangelical", who now attends the congregation my mother goes to. He had two Witnesses discuss the Bible with 2 pastors from his church. And the two pastors with the help of those "aids", were trying to prove the Witnesses wrong. But he noticed how the Witnesses constantly alluded to the Bible, and saw how much more sense a literal interpretation of Bible texts made. He now says that the true evangelicals are the Jehovah's Christian Witnesses since they are the only who actively and continously preach the good news of the Bible.
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AK - Jeff
He now says that the true evangelicals are the Jehovah's Christian Witnesses since they are the only who actively and continously preach the good news of the Bible.
That is a point that witnesses use to lock the mental hasp - in my opinion. It worked on me for years. The idea that no one else was 'preaching', also that no one else used the Bible well or often.
An honest eval told me that what we were doing was far from bringing a new message of salvation tied to the sacrifice of Jesus to the people - and that is what he instructed his followers to do. What we were doing was 'placing' [pronounced selling] magazines or books. It convinces, using activity, the message that we were alone in doing so. Having left the borg, I started to see quickly that many others use the Bible and accept it - for what it really says - without much interpretation. I have heard many radio sermons that have shown me that there are millions of sincere Bible believers out there - and they are making an effort not to 'convert' others - but to tell others the good news about the Christ. Some are crooked and twisted like the WTBS, some are sincere.
The WTBS has laid a well oiled trap to hold those in and capture a few more - I was part of that for 4 decades and am happy to have escaped. I hate to hear of others joining.
Jeff
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rebel8
For me it was the red Revelation book. It was so creepy. I already knew it wasn't "The Truth", but that book made me realize they were totally out of their minds.
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zen nudist
Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnessesby M. James Penton , James M. Penton
best in my view, not preachy, not trying to CONvert anyone to something else, just a thorough history of the JWs
from the beginning with solid facts
when I read it, I knew everything in it from JWs, but without trying to make excuses for the oddities, I could easily see
how JWs were nothing more than another man made scheme