The OP mentions that the recent publication "Imitate Their Faith" is:
'like "My book of Bible Stories" but for adults but is full of inaccuracies and outright falsehoods'.
That was a major irritation I had with that book too. Congregations studied it together for a few months a couple of years ago, and although it seems a good idea to have a book that tells the stories of specific Bible characters - a collection of biographies, if you like - I also found there there were too many assumptions and suppositions made in the book that are completely unsupported by the scriptures. It follows a recent pattern of them simply making up elements within the Bible accounts (such as the recent convention video where they invented a sister for Jonah, just to have scenes of dialogue).
For example, in the chapter about Elijah, describing the account where he is waiting for a coming storm that God has promised and he has his attendant watching for a sign of its arrival, the Bible account at 1 Kings 18:42-44 says:
Then he [Elijah] said to his attendant: “Go up, please, and look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said: “There is nothing at all.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time his attendant said: “Look! There is a small cloud like a man's hand ascending out of the sea.” He now said: “Go, say to Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariot! Go down so that the downpour may not detain you!’”
However, the section about this in the "Imitate Their Faith"book says this (bold mine for emphasis):
"Because Elijah had confidence in Jehovah’s promise, he eagerly sought evidence that Jehovah was about to act. He sent his attendant up to a high vantage point to scan the horizon for any signs of impending rain. Upon his return, the attendant delivered this unenthusiastic report: “There is nothing at all.” The horizon was clear, and the sky, evidently cloudless. Now, did you notice something unusual? Remember, Elijah had just told King Ahab: “There is the sound of the turmoil of a downpour.” How could the prophet say such a thing when there were no rain clouds to be seen?
[...]
Next, notice how watchful Elijah was. He sent his attendant back, not once or twice, but seven times! We might imagine the attendant tiring of such a repetitive task, but Elijah remained eager for a sign and did not give up. Finally, after his seventh trip, the attendant reported: “Look! There is a small cloud like a man’s palm ascending out of the sea.” Can you picture that attendant holding his arm outstretched and using his palm to gauge the size of one little cloud coming up over the horizon of the Great Sea? The attendant may have been unimpressed. To Elijah, though, that cloud was significant. He now gave his attendant urgent directions: “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Hitch up! And go down that the downpour may not detain you!’”
If you read the Bible verses, there is absolutely nothing to suggest the attendant is "unenthusiastic" or "unimpressed". He is obedient to what is asked by his master, he keeps doing what he is told without any sign of resistance or complaint, and he gives accurate observations. The attendant obviously also obeyed in going and notifying Ahab when asked, as the next verses state Ahab acted on the news. Yet the Org seems determined to paint him as somehow reluctant or negative. I've no idea why, and it irritated me.
The only thing I could think of is that they were trying to emphasise Elijah's watchfulness by downplaying or ignoring the role his attendant played, making it seem that only Elijah was keen and observant. But they could've just as easily made the attendant an example of 'obedience' (which they're usually so keen to do), who kept doing what his master asked even though being sent back seven times, and it would have fitted the Bible account more accurately.
There were other examples of assumptions like this at various points in the book which ruined the whole supposed biographical approach for me, and I was glad to see the back of that book when the study was finished.
Interestingly, in common with many recently published books, after it was released with some fanfare and had been studied in the congregations, it has barely been referred to since! 🤣
