Book Description
No other book answers the Jehovah's Witnesses' misinterpretation of Scripture so immediately and shows how to use the same Scripture in leading Jehovah's Witnesses to Christ. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

JW stump you?
This book is great to put verses into context that are twisted out of context by JW's.It is very informative and well researched by an ex-JW.

Nice work!Read this book for starters on the witnesses.
This is definitely a starter book for those that want to get into the subject.He doesn't go deep into it as much because of the tone of the volume.Unlike other Witness books, he holds back on the passion of his disdain for what the witnesses have done to those they hold back from knowing the truth.The Author stays on point and attempts to be as unbiased as possible, although it is sometimes impossible to do when dealing with this subject.

Can you say perversion of the word?
One Saturday morning I had a JW stop by my house.In the past, I have always been eager to engage w/o knowing the facts of their beliefs, all I used to know was that they didn't believe in the trinity and that their door to door work was their way to salvation.Ephesians 8 clears that right up but when I saw this middle aged man with a 8 year old boy named Marcel, who was adopted from infancy and taught this false doctrine, I felt led to seek out some answers on how to plant some seeds to the next visitor.David Reed gives you the resources and also a simple way to deliver, like some other reviewer wrote, first and foremost, with love.

Reed gives you FACTS in regard to failed prophecies (Christ return, Armageddon), revisions made in the NWT (new world translation)to suit their beliefs such as the changing of the verbage in Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58 where Jesus references "I am". Their own 1984 NWT study bible w/references has a footnote stating the original greek "ego eimi"means "I am".However the new watchtower translation does not even make the correlation!

This book is not just for the Christian wishing to share the good news to the JW but it is also a wake up call to the JW to read the bible, not thewatchtower, all scripture is God breathed why not read it instead of ANYTHING else.

David Reed is a Hypocrite
I do not know much about David Reed but he is obviously a hypocrite and a liar. His book should be banned from this site and all book stores. David Reed may you rot in*&&*&.

Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse
All in all, I was disappointed in this book.I left the religion after 45 years so I know the teachings well.Many of David Reed's comments on the verses were not proven with enough conviction that you could actually answer a Witness with his thoughts.
He has a lot of opinions, but without biblical backing the Witnesses would not even question their beliefs.I have trouble believing he was ever a devout Witness.
All of us have opinions, but without scriptural support, a Witness would not listen.
I believe the books by Ray Franz have much more force since he was on their Governing Body and wrote much of the literature.I really enjoyed his two books and believe what he said. ... Read more

Book Description
Winner of the Scribes Award Given by The American Society OfWriters On Legal Subjects

Finalist, Silver Gavel Award, American Bar Association

Washington Post Book World Notable Book in Religion and Philosophy

While millions of Americans were defending liberty against the Nazis, libertywas under vicious attack at home. One of the worst outbreaks of religiouspersecution in U.S. history occurred during World War II when Jehovah'sWitnesses were intimidated, beaten, and even imprisoned for refusing to salutethe flag or serve in the armed forces.

Determined to claim their First Amendment rights, Jehovah's Witnesses waged atenacious legal campaign that led to twenty-three Supreme Court rulings between1938 and 1946. Now Shawn Peters has written the first complete account of thepersonalities, events, and institutions behind those cases, showing that theywere more than vindication for unpopular beliefs--they were also a turning pointin the nation's constitutional commitment to individual rights.

Peters begins with the story of Walter Gobitas, a Jehovah's Witness whosechildren refused to salute the flag at school. He follows this famous case tothe Supreme Court where he captures the intellectual sparring between JusticesFrankfurter and Stone over individual liberties; then he describes the aftermathof the Court's ruling against Gobitas when angry mobs savagely assaultedJehovah's Witnesses in hundreds of communities across America.

Judging Jehovah's Witnesses tells how persecution--much of it directed bymembers of patriotic organizations like the American Legion--touched the livesof Witnesses of all ages; why the Justice Department and state officials ignoredthe Witnesses' pleas for relief; and how the ACLU and liberal clergymen finallystepped forward to help them. Drawing on interviews with Witnesses and extensiveresearch in ACLU archives, Peters examines the strategies that beleagueredWitnesses used to combat discrimination and goes beyond the familiar SupremeCourt rulings by analyzing more obscure lower court decisions as well.

By vigorously pursuing their cause, the Witnesses helped to inaugurate an era inwhich individual and minority rights emerged as matters of concern for theSupreme Court and foreshadowed events in the civil rights movement. Like theclassics Gideon's Trumpet and Simple Justice, Judging Jehovah'sWitnesses vividly narrates a moving human drama while reminding us of thetrue meaning of our Constitution and the rights it protects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Jehovah's Witnesses and the US Supreme Court
Very accurate chronology of the Supreme Court cases that not only spotlighted a religious group, that could have destroyed them; however, the court's visible determination to protect the Constitution turned the situation around to protect freedom of speech and religion for everyone.

Religious Persecution In the United States Of America
Many people believe that religous persecution has rarely or not occured in twentieth century U.S.This book makes it clear that there has been alot of religous persecution in the United States during the twentieth century.I found it very interesting that the Ku Klux Clan not only persecuted certain ethnic groups, but Jehovah's Witnesses as well, regardless of thier racial background.However the Author does not have an accurate view of certain Jehovah's Witnesses pracitices such as disfellowshipping. He should have researched furthur.

great history book
As a history major and a Jehovah Witness I ound this book to be absolutely amazing. The book discusses in detail the facts leading up to the presecution of JWs in America, and also the persecution itself. I was amazed to lean how lil "freedom" there was in America at that time, as will all readers. If it was not for the JWs who knows what the US would have been able to do to people if the people themselves did not rise up, as this book shows the JWs did.

5 stars great history book for anyone who likes history of the US, religion, or JWs.

To Been There
Sorry Wayne Rogers...all it takes is humility...usually ex-JW's are so irrate because religion does not cater or turns a blind eye to serious sinners. It's not to say it is a perfect organization by no means but overwhelming majority of "disfellowshipped" witnesses deserved their judgement.As far as supposed problems that are "plaguing" JW's, completely false, increase in numbers worldwide prove more people are attracted to JW organization than are leaving because of Jah's power.

An enlightening work from a legal perspective
I have been privileged to be one of Jehovah's witnesses since the time I was a teenager.I have made it a point to read anything I could regarding the unprecedented series of Supreme Court decisions in the late 1930's and early 1940's brought about by the activities of, and opposition to, Jehovah's witnesses. This is by far the most enlightening of these works, for several reasons.First, the author has thoroughly researched this work and included a great deal of information regarding the often ignored decisions of the lower courts.In many cases the eloquence of the lower courts and their grasp of the constitutional issues involved surpassed that of the majority of the Supreme Court.Second, the role of those courageous enough to champion the witnesses' civil rights was given a prominence I have not seen in other works.The ACLU, certain liberal clergymen, and the editorials of the Christian Century were given a prominence that has been downplayed or ignored in other works.In addition, the brilliance of the witnesses' legal team, Hayden Covington in particular, in orchestrating their strategy is acknowledged.Third is the author's uncomfortableness with, and in some cases dislike of, the teachings and practices of Jehovah's witnesses.Although I found some of the comments regarding the witnesses unnecessary (weird, odd, obstreperous, etc.), it made his acknowledgement of the witnesses contributions to freedom in this country all the more meaningful.Finally, the role that this series of decisions played in shaping the Supreme Court for its role as the guardian of civil liberties in the 1950's and 60's is explained in a way that makes me swell with pride to be a part of the group that helped to guarantee the freedoms that at one time in the not too distant past were in danger of being suppressed. ... Read more

Product Description
JEHOVAH S WITNESSES: THE ONE TRUE FAITH, OR CULT? For Daniel Clark a family man, devout member of the Watchtower Society and bringer of The Good News life had lost all meaning. Disillusioned with church teachings, he decided to leave the faith but had to find the strength to throw off the teachings programmed into him since birth and rebuild his life. In a harrowing account of growing up as a Witness in a filthy flea-infested house, visiting his mother in a hellish mental institution and handing out Jehovah s Witness pamphlets door-to-door, Daniel shares the story of his journey from an abusive childhood to his escape from the religious cult that held him and his entire family prisoner. I, Witness: The Shocking Insider's Story of the Jehovah's Witnesses reveals the truth about what it s like to grow up in a world where brainwashing, violence and religious, emotional and mental abuse are rampant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A true tale of growing up in a world of brainwashing, violence and ruthless religious indoctrination
Written by former Jehovah's Witness Daniel Clark, I, Witness: The Shocking Insider's Story of Jehovah's Witnesses is the shocking true-life story of a devout member of the Watchtower Society who became disillusioned with the church teachings after observing corruption, dysfunctional manipulation, and cultlike abuse of power throughout his entire life. He and his family were virtually held prisoner by the demands of the organization. A true tale of growing up in a world of brainwashing, violence and ruthless religious indoctrination, I, Witness is a sobering revelation of the darkness within corrupted religion.

Accurate and well reasoned account of WTS
Although I think the subtitle of this book is a little over the top I applause the courage it took for Dan Clark to write of his life experiences both while "in the truth" as well as outside the organization of the Watchtower Society. He does not gloss over the numerous and series mistakes he has made that had little to do with Jehovah Witnesses. I believe he also tells, quite accurately, of his experiences inside this organization and how their belief system and teachings effected almost every choice he made and the way he managed his life. At the conclusion of the book he reasons with some of the Watchtower doctrines and how they have changed in recent years. It is clear that he has come a long way on a very painful journey and is at a point where he can finally put into perspective the relationship he both desires and deserves with God.

I have read other books by ex-witnesses and most are full of anger and resentment. I think in this book Dan Clark has successfully put his emotions in perspective and has written an account without the "sour grapes" that come through so clearly in other accounts. Another book on this topic that is objective and very well written is Crises of Conscience by Raymond Franz, though it covers more of the history of the Watchtower Society as well as conscience issues Raymond Franz dealt with while serving in one of the highest levels in the organization while Dan Clark's book is more of an autobiography.

If you are an ex-witnesssearching for encouragement and/or someone else's experience as a Jehovah's Witness or a non-witness who is looking for perspective and insight on this organization, you will not go wrong in reading this book. It is an excellent, if painful, accountthat makes one want to applaud Mr. Clark. You really find yourself rooting for this guy!

I think it is important to add that while I also live in Colorado as Daniel Clark does I do not know him nor do I know anyone that he writes about in his book. This book was recommended to me by Amazon because I havepurchased books on this subject in the past. My opinion is totally unbiased and uninfluenced by any association or personal relationship and/or knowledge of Dan Clark or any one in his book. ... Read more

Book Description
The Johovah's Witnesses, members of a religious sect founded in 1872, see themselves as citizens of Jehovah's Kingdom, and thus decline to swear allegiance to any worldly governments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"Jehovah's Witnesses" or Bible students?
It is important that people realize the many groups that suffered during that time.This is why the following is so important:

The Jehovah's Witnesses in the U.S. changed their name in 1931. However, in Germany those Bible students affiliated with the Watchtower Society officially changed their in the 1950s. In the early 1920s there were around six thousand in Germany (and perhaps Switzerland) cooperating outside the IBSA (WT), which was typical in a few other populous countries in Europe, such as England. By the time Hitler grabbed power, the number was probably significantly larger. Two ecclesias in what was later East Germany had each reached 400 (one was Leipzig).

There were no distinctions between the TWO GROUPS of Bible Students. Thus the two groups were known as simply "Bible Students." During the Hitler Era, Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses were both lumped together as "Bibelforscher" in Bergen-Belsen and other concentration camps. At Auschwitz they were identified by wearing a violet patch. I don't know after World War II how many were in East Germany, but there had at one time been 400 in Leipzig. (For a few years they were able to publish 'Weinberg.')

The Bible Students were persecuted because of their pro-Israel stand, the Jehovah's Witnesses for their anti-Hitler stand. Both groups wore the Purple Triangle. In fact at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, some of the "Jehovah's Witnesses" pictured are actually Bible Students, NOT affiliated with the Watchtower.

Today there remain a number of Bible Students who are descendants of those WWII Bible students, who are not affiliated with the Watchtower in any way. In other words, not all Bible students became "Jehovah's Witnesses". And a number of those individuals suffered or died in the concentration camps too.

The Jehovah's Witnesses and the Nazis: Persecution, Deportation and Murder, 1933-1945
It is rewarding to read a book that has attempted to present the facts as accurately as possible, free from personal interpretation of events that they are not personally familiar with. I have read various accounts of the experiences of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Holocaust, as well as, in other lands. More often than not, the author has a personal opinion which obscures the reality. I appreciate the authors' attempt to put this book into the words of the victims. ... Read more

Book Description
What Diane Wilson reveals about the inner workings of the closed Watchtower Society will shock the average person who assumes the polite, well-dressed people who pass out leaflets are much like any other conservative religious group.Wilson contends that membership in the Jehovah's Witnesses demands obedience bordering on psychological enslavement and complete suppression of individuality--yet prohibits the questioning of the teachings of the Watchtower Society.

Her engrossing first-hand account will be of great interest to former Witnesses, students of cult phenomena, anyone who has ever experienced an abusive relationship, those who want to learn more about what compels people to enter this group, and all who have ever had contact with Jehovah's Witnesses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

Earliest Christians believed and taught Jesus is God.
Reading the writings of the early church fathers before the time of Constantine prove without a doubt that they
taught and believed that Jesus is God and not a god as Arius (A.D. 250-336) taught and now Jehovah Witnesses teach.
Here are some Examples of the earliest writings from Ignatius A.D. 30-107 who was a Disciple and student of the Apostle John.

There is one physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit.
He is both made and not made.
He is God existing in flesh, True life in death.
Ignatius (A.D. 105) Volume 1 Page 52

God Himself was manifested in human form for the renewal of eternal life.
Ignatius (A.D. 105) Volume 1 Page 58

Continue in intimate union with Jesus Christ, our God.
Ignatius (A.D. 105) Volume 1 Page 68

I pray for your happiness forever in our God, Jesus Christ.
Ignatius (A.D. 105) Volume 1 Page 96

Here are other Examples from the very earliest writings of the Fathers:

As a king sends his son, who is also a king, so God sent Him.
He sent Him as God.
Letter to Diognetus (A.D. 125) Volume 1 Page 27

It is said that God came down from heaven.
He assumed flesh and clothed himself with it from a Hebrew virgin.
Aristides (A.D. 125) Volume 9 Page 265

The holy, pre-existent spirit person who created every creature, God made to dwell in flesh, which He chose.
Hermas (A.D. 150) Volume 2 Page 35

The Father of the universe has a Son, And He, being the First-Begotten Word of God, is even God.
Justin Martyr (A.D.160) Volume 1 Page 184

He deserves to be worshipped as God and as Christ.
Justin Martyr (A.D.160) Volume 1 Page 229

He made Him known, being Christ, as God, strong and to be worshipped.
Justin Martyr (A.D.160) Volume 1 Page 237

If you had understood what has been written by the prophets, you would not have denied that He was God, Son of the only, Unbegotten, Unutterable God.
Justin Martyr (A.D.160) Volume 1 Page 263

But the two goats contained a representation of the one economy of God incarnate.
Justin Martyr (A.D.160) Volume 1 Page 301

We do not act as fools, O Greeks, nor utter idle tales, we announce that God was born in the form of man.
Tatian (A.D. 160) Volume 2 Page 74

He needed sustenance inasmuch as He was man; yet, He did not cease to feed the entire world inasmuch as He is God.
Melito (A.D. 170) Volume 8 Page 756

God was put to death, the King of Israel slain!
Melito (A.D. 170) Volume 8 Page 758

Being at once both God and perfect man, He gave us sure indications of his two natures...
He concealed the signs of His Deity, although he was the true God existing before all ages.
Melito (A.D. 170) Volume 8 Page 760

But inasmuch as Christ was God, Christ did not judge according to glory, nor Reprove after the manner of speech.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 423

But Jesus is Himself in His own right, beyond all men who ever lived, God, Lord, King Eternal, and the Incarnate Word...
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 449

God, then, was made man, and the Lord did Himself save us.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 451

He is God, for the name Emmanuel indicates this.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 452

Christ Himself, therefore, together with the Father, is the God of the living, who spoke to Moses, And who was also manifested to the fathers.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 467

He received testimony from everyone that He was very man and that He was very God.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 469

He was man, and He was God.
This was so that since as man He suffered for us, so as God He might have compassion on us.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Volume 1 Page 545

He is God in the form of man, stainless, the minister of his Father's will, the Word who is God, who is in the Father, who is at the Father's right hand.
Clement of Alexandria (A.D 195) Volume 2 Page 210

God the Word, who became man for our sakes.
Clement of Alexandria (A.D 195) Volume 2 Page 215

Our Instructor is the holy God Jesus, the Word.
Clement of Alexandria (A.D 195) Volume 2 Page 223

Nothing, then, is hated by God, nor yet by the Word.
For both are one-that is, God.
Clement of Alexandria (A.D 195) Volume 2 Page 225



If you don't believe it, look it up yourself.
I have listed the Volume and Page number where to find it at.
I used- The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 10 vols ISBN: 1565630823
A Book which is Excellent also is A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs ISBN: 1565638700.

Love it
The best book of its kind on Jehovah's Witnesses. Diane captures perfectly the life of the average Jehovah's Witness. (I should know I was one for over 30 years). It's honest and revealing and I couldn't put it down.Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness: Escape from the Watchtower Society

Review from a JW
I read some of this book a while back for only one reason. My mom knew Diane, because SHE was in OUR Santa Clara South congregation. Do you know where ALL those people that Diane talks about in her book are? They are out of the truth! Yes, ironic as it may seem, most of the witnesses in the congregation that Diane was in are not even Jehovah's witnesses anymore! It just goes to show that Jehovah takes care of his organization when there are bad seeds in the congregation, hyprocritical and demanding, unreasonable people as are mentioned in her book. Well they are all gone. I'm in that same congregation today and if anyone was to compare them to the one back then, they would see a dramatic transformation. The utter opposite.
It is a shame to cut off ones relationship with Jehovah God because of imperfect people that may seep into the congregation.But Jehovah always makes sure to cleanse his organization from such ones. My mom suffered an ulcer from these people pressuring her but she trusted in Jehovah, not allowing them to tear her relationship with God. Today she has so much blessings and has experienced proof of God's spirit.
Diane goes and blames the society because of these people's problems, people that were unable themselves to stay in the truth. No man has a right to judge but Jehovah--time and time again I have heard this all my life in meetings and articles by the Watchtower. These people who judged are no longer there.
Also Jehovah's witnesses don't even believe in hell, pergertory, which other people of religions may be in constant fear of; and they dont ever bear arms like Christendom. There have been more wars in the name of religion, and none of these wars did Jehovahs witnesses ever partake in.
This organization is not a cult because they dont follow a man leader, they follow the teachings of Jesus only. Cults generally don't survive either, but this organization has been growing year by year. They don't "control minds," they reccommend you read the bible on your own everyday, and they offer evidence from the scriptures and allow you to ask questions, unlike some churches where people can't even ask the pastors question, let alone get to know them. The witnesses are against self-condemning thoughts and feeling guilty when their is already repentance, their main concern is to encourage and build up. Ask the majority of Jehovah's witnesses who have not allowed a couple of self-righteous individuals to tear them down. You need to see Jehovahs witnesses as a whole, not for a tiny handful of bad seeds. The majority spent hours across the entire globe preaching the good news of the kingdom (which is fulfilling the prophecy at Mattew 24:14, the only religion who have) only because of love for neighbor and God and nothing else. They don't get paid, their not controlled, they really want to. I should know as I have been a Jehovah's witness all my life and the last thing I know they would do is try and manipulate. This book is just an emotional spew and she just let irrational people make her irrational.

I know my review will not be 'helpful' to those anti-JWs out there but among all other reviews for this book this is the most helpful regardless, because i know the facts.

Must read for all ex-JWs
Would be great if all JWs would read this, but that's not going to happen.A great validation for an ex-JW!

Eyes Wide Open Now!
I have a publication from the Watchtower Society called "The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life". On pg. 13 it counsels, "We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination."So I decided to put the Watchtower Society itself to this test. Jehovah's Witnesses seem to be so fearful of Ms. Wilson's book, that I read it to see what the stir was all about. And I am so glad I did! I think JWs are so against Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness because it reveals shocking information about the Watchtower that JWs would prefer to ignore. This book is not a book of allegations--it is a book of facts. It is also the author's personal experiences while a JW for 25 years. And it backs up its statements about the Watchtower with quotes (including page numbers)from the Watchtower's own publications. Like for example the Watchtower's instruction to its women to act respectfully to one's own rapist! And the book makes clear how crazy-making the Society's doctrinal contradictions are. I am grateful for this well-written book, which has opened my eyes so I can at last see this religious organization for the manmade cult that it is. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"Knock, Knock"
You have seen these guys on your doorstep, so instead of calling the cops, call AMAZON.COM and buy this book.YOu can match wits, if you are equal to the task.And boy, they will get it.

It covers all the topics in about as many pages.YOu will buy this book, by the time I amdone, so you can talk and speak with these guys.Share your mind, as I tell you!

Lots of topics, not many pages
If anything can be said about this work, it is that it tries to cover too much for a book of its size. The unfortunate result is that so many of the topics get a mere glossing, consequently, it doesn't always deliver on the "How to respond" part implied in the title.

The opening chapters briefly discuss ecumenism, fundamental Catholic beliefs (the creed, etc.), and key scriptural texts that support critical dogmas. Finally, there is discussion on approaching apologetics with a spirit of charity before moving on to the meat of the book, what to do with "Strangers at your Door."

The meat begins with the Jehovah's Witnesses. In about 20 pages, there is a brief history of the sect, an outline of its key beliefs, and common arguments that the Witnesses use to persuade potential converts to their point of view. Nevins does an adequate job of providing orthodox rebuttals to these propositions.

Next come the Mormons, about the same number of pages are devoted to history and doctrines. Nevins discusses the extra challenge of "reasoning from Scripture" presented by these missionaries, since they consider the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God, while the same can be of the Bible only insofar as it is "correctly translated."

Nevins points out that terms like salvation, baptism, and even God have radically different meanings to both these groups than may be expected by orthodox Christians. This demonstrates that individuals must have their terms correctly understood to avoid "talking past each other."

The rest of the book is rather disappointing from the perspective of "apologetics," though somewhat useful from an informational perspective. There are very brief discussions of The Way, Baha'i, Hare Krishna, and Moonies.

This reviewer found it odd that the Church of Christ, and some of the more common Televangelists are included in the book -- again more from an informational perspective rather than apologetical -- since he apparently is trying to focus on those sects far removed from orthodoxy. In his conclusion Nevins acknowledges this point, and mentions that it is not his "purpose to make them all equal, only to stress that they are out to capture you in one way or another."
In the final analysis, the reader is left wishing that the author would have been a tad more focussed on fewer topics, because while the information provided is certainly good, this reviewer left the table hungry for more. ... Read more

Book Description

Many outstanding features make this the complete handson guide to sharing the truth of Gods Word in aloving, gracious way. Includes favorite tactics used by the Witnesses andeffective biblical responses.

Customer Reviews (43)

Hmmm
I think, or so it seems, that one of the reasons why so many people that the Jehovah's Witnesses is that, well, all they are doing or trying to do is encourage people to read the bible more often. I have attended their gatherings and have come to know them as very very peacefull and a faithfull people, though as all religions , some have their bad apples and some imperfections cause we're not perfect, one of the misconceptions peple accuse the JW's is that they say or think they are perfect or that they are the right religion, yet, they offer that understanding that the person themselves can come to that conclusion if or when they want to. I have seen lots of "apostates" picketing and proping signs about the JW's I mean, come on already, get a life. If a person hates them then by all means that person should join another religion then, leave the JW's alone, live goes on. I mean I enjoy talking to them but I think that there are some who might be to over zealous.

Indeed they are a small group just as the bible would comes to say that Jehovah refers his people as "his little flock". I think people despise this people is that people want to live the way they do. The types of religion people follow today allow them to live in total skeptism therefore sinning or making mistakes one can say they didnt know, know what the bible actually teaches and having that knowlegde would make them think or have a guilty concience. I guess I explained right.

These are times of the end I do beleive that and the bible, not only the Witnesses beliefs, that these are times of the end. I am fascinated by the book of Revelations.

It's Great - Buy It!
This is one of the best books available on the Jehovah's Witnesses belief system. Mr. Rhodes argues his case extremely well and uses easily understandable language. I couldn't recommend this book any more highly. For a great book on what it is like to be an average Jehovah's Witness read "The Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness" by Diane Wilson. If you want to know what it is like at the top of the organization read "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom" by Raymond FranzReasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses

I have enjoyed this book
I have really enjoyed this book,purchased it for an added source for a class I am preparing to teach.I have received quite a bit of solid biblical references regarding this organization.Most of this info I was already aware of, but as aI stated earlier, it has given a great biblical foundation to suppport the position of Believers in Christ.

Bias hateful literature forms more bias hateful people
Why do people form opinions based on what they learn from people who appose the thing they are learning about?

It is obvious that people that read this trash are people that are affraid of any thing conflicting with their own belief systems. The guy above obviously was not interested in learning about the Jehovahs Wittness religion, culture, doctrines etc. But was actually just indulging in bias propaganda that affirms his own feelings and beliefs. Please. Out of all the branches of Christianity you choose to find fault with them? JWs are the one organized Christian faith that tries to worship without the constantinian dogmas weezled into the church. Go research your own belief system. Christianities Egyptian roots are more biblical than the Greco-Roman customs that have been used to dominate the world. Books like this regardless of who they are aimed at (Muslims, Mormans, etc.) are harmfull, and keep people ignorant. You want to learn about a religion? Ask one it's devotees to explain it to you, and listen with an open mind. Ask questions of one of its members who you feel is a good example of the faith. And when you ask questions, do it with the purpose of learning, not with motives of fear, spite, bias, and haughtiness that permiate readers of tripe like this books personalities.

Best book in print on refutting Jehovah's Witnesses!
I could not recommend this book more in dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses.No single book offers more information on how to reason from the Scriptures than this book.Being over 400 plus pages long, Ron Rhodes covers nearly every subject that could come up when a Jehovah's Witness comes to your door.In fact, I would go as far as to say that this book offers enough information for even a long term dialogue with a Witness.

Ron Rhodes not only reasons from the Scriptures, but he even provides documentation to show how the Watchtower organization is unreliable and shouldn't be trusted.Jehovah's Witnesses claim to follow only the Scriptures.But Ron Rhodes demonstrates that this is only lip service.They actually follow an organization.

What was most helpful to me is the questions Ron Rhodes provides the reader.Just as Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to give answers for just about any question that is asked of them, so too Ron Rhodes provides the reader with questions to ask the Witness in particular situations.Having been in a few encounters myself, i've found many of these questions to be very effective.

But be warned: widom is needed when dealing with JW's.We should never be suprised in they offer an answer to the question that is asked of them.We must always excercise discernment.Simply asking a question isn't going to be the end-all of the conversation.We must continue to press these questions in long term situations.Once they see that the Watchtower explanations aren't satisfactory, they will be able to think for themselves.

Although Ron Rhodes offers excellent advice, we must always remember that it is God who saves and God who pursuades.This means that unless God intervenes, no JW will ever accept your reasoning, no matter how convincing.This is why we must never give up.God may have a purpose in your witnessing to JW's.And if God is glorified through the proclamation of His truth, then that should be reason enough to patiently endure conversations with even the hardest Witness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Not what I thought it was
I thought this book was about the many deaths concerning blood transfusions.They are more or less inserted small paragraphs.This book is about the presidents of the Watchtower Society.

ALL I AM SAYING, IS GIVE REED A CHANCE!
When someone goes to the time and effort to expose the Watertower Bible Company and Death Brokers, they get five stars from me. America is overflowing with former Jehovah's Witnesses that are now living shattered lives. So, the more such books there are saturating the market, the more likely it is someone will read just the right book that will keep them from getting involved in this End Of The World death-cult. Or help a poor suffering JW find their way OUT. David Reed, thank you for both of your fine books. May they be read far and wide and in between!

NJM

Author of JEHOVAH UNMASKED and I WAS A TEENAGE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS.

Damn those things called "facts"
If you get to copy your statitistics then from other sites then I get to bring up mine from another site.

"We wish that we could provide some hard numbers, but for obvious reasons, the Society chooses not to document these deaths. We will attempt to illustrate the human cost. According to published reports, in 1994 there were 22.6 million surgical procedures performed in the United States. For the purpose of our illustration, we will assume that only 25% of these procedures would qualify as major surgery, or approximately 5.6 million cases. Based upon the WTS published figures, we can extrapolate that approximately 20,600 of these surgeries were carried out upon Witnesses (U.S. publisher ratio is 1:270). Since we know that a refusal to accept blood increases the mortality risk by approximately one percent, we can conservatively estimate that 206 Witnesses died in the United States, directly as a result of refusing blood therapy. Furthermore, there are 5.4 million Witnesses publishing the good news as of 1996. Less than one million of these were in the United States. So we can conservatively multiply this figure by a factor of five. The resulting estimate shows that approximately 1000 Jehovah's Witnesses die annually as a result of the blood prohibition. "

http://www.ajwrb.org/science/risks1.shtml

Also, what's so immoral about saving your life?The fact that you're "partaking" of blood through your veins? Using that logic, you're a cannibal for getting an organ transplant and you're giving oral sex to animals when you eat Spatzle Soup.(Not that any rational human being would.)


But getting to the reveiw though.Unlike these JW apologists, I actually read the book.It doesn't expose anything new about what I knew about the JW's.They're a totalitarian sect.

David Reed's book is a good demonstration of how the Watchtower's hopelessly legalistic.

Making an old woman whose prone to the cold not wear pants to her place of worship and instead making her wear a dress shows that the people in this church are about the farthest thing from Christlike you can ever see.It may sound like I'm nitpicking, but then again, why would the elders and the WT in general make an issue out of a woman wearing pants to a place of worship?

Bet you didn't know that was in the book, huh?Hopefully, you might read the book and you'll see how needlessly rule-based your church is.

clearly a work of fiction
These "tell all" books about Jehovah's Witnesses are absurd.As one of Jehovah's Witnesses I sometimes meet people we have read and believe this trash.It is always the same.The information about the structure of our organization is more or less accurate, but the way it works is completely misrepresented.

The matter of blood transfusions is an example.The Jehovah's Witnesses I know sincerly disapprove of blood transfusions and view attempts to force a (to them) morally repugnant therapy on them as a violation of their human rights.

If Mr. Reed really claims that 9000 Jehovah's Witnesses a year die as a result of refusing blood transfusions, then he is a fool.They have been receiving excellent and highly effective care, including major surgery and treatment in cases of acute blood loss, for decades now.We are now seeing methods first used to treat Jehovah's Witnesses being hailed as the "gold standard" for the treatment of all patients.

Articles in medical journals are a much more balanced source of information than books by disgruntled former members.(...)One excerpt:

Of the 498 patients the centre [at Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago] admitted in 1 year, 5 died. Indeed, mortality rates at a few other centres appear to be remarkably low. Dr. David Rosencrantz, a urologist who runs a large bloodless program in Portland, Oregon, told Justice Horace Krever in December that his centre hasn't lost a patient even though it has treated 500 to 700 patients annually since it was founded 4 years ago. "From a cost standpoint . . . our patients are out a full day earlier," Rosencrantz said.

To both "jonwordsmith" and "a reader"
It is always so sad to see a JW write a review. I am not a JW, and I do not believe their organization contains the "prophet" of God as they claim, so lets just start with that.

Do you not see that your reviews of these books speak to your own inablility to take in any information other than what you are spoon fed by your "leaders"?

Do you not know that you come off as totally brainwashed to those who dont necessarily have an opinion or your beliefs? Come up with some better arguments. If the word of God says "eat" and your organization suddenly decides to take it to an extreme and MISINTERPRET the bible, then arent you the ones spreading the misinformation?

This whole topic is so very depressing to listen to and read about. How can an orgnization determine how you should think? Shouldnt that be God's specific job. Does he REALLY need humans to intervene and continually change the meaning of God's word? Do you think that if your organization makes critical error's in judgement, then this means they are not to be questioned? So sad for you...so very very sad... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Dull Spots!
I think this subject is interesting so long as the writer keeps it that way.There are times in this book that the author seems to get off the subject and seems to just insert the topic casually as if to remember there was a purpose for the book.It is an easy read and could be put down in about an hour.

Lots of valuable information, but....
This is one of the better books for me that is a non-reader because it was easy to get through.The topics were fast paced.The negative that I have with the book is that it focused too much on the "great crowd" and not other subjects.There were times that the author would poke a stick in Judge Rutherford's side now and again and it left the taste of bitterness in my mouth, otherwise was an informative book.

Forget the JWs....Praise the Lord!
Oh dear, what a disappointment this book turned out to be. As an ex-jw (3rd generation JW until over 40 years old) I read the other reviews regarding this book and was encouraged by them to buy the book. Indeed, I am in the process of writing a book on JWs myself and was looking forward to another perspective.

What I now realise after reading it is that it is merely a vehicle of the author to push 'Jesus' and born-again Christianity. Now, of course, the author has every right to write about his experiences and his conversion from being a long-time JW to a full blown born again Christian, but sometimes the writing is a little over the top, to say the least.

For example, (as the complete answer to Question 13: How can you gain life in God's New Order if you are Condemned?) the author writes: "Lord Jesus, help us to see your grace and mercy. Bring all truth seekers into your family!! Especially bless those older Witnesses who have been misled. Lead them to you Jesus!"

Sorry but this is drivel unless it is being read out at a prayer meeting for the benefit of other fellow believers. What JW would even consider this as a question they cannot answer?

This illustrates where my problem with the book lies....the 20 Questions that Jehovah's Witnesses Cannot Answer are actually 20 fairly inane and repetitve questions that are only of interest if you want to move on to a different branch of Christianity.

Some examples are:
Question 2: Where specifically does the Bible say: "The Great Crowd will live on the earth."
(fair question as far as it goes)

Question 3: So do Jehovah's Witnesses teach a lie that the Great Crowd will live on the earth?
(just a progression from the last question rather than a new question)

Question 4: Why does the Watchtower Society say that the Great Crowd will live on the earth, when Revelation 19:1 says that the Great Crowd is in Heaven?
(again, okay as a progression from the previous point but hardly qualifies as a separate question)

....and so on.

The author does briefly touch on the history of the JWs as well as some inconsistencies in the JW belief system. Some of the 20 Questions may cause some head scratching by a JW. Unfortunately, most JWs will just look at them as a differing religious interpretations and dismiss them out of hand as the ramblings of a fundementalist Christian.

So if you want a book that will encourage you in finding 'Jesus', then it is fine. But if you want to ask really troubling questions of JWs, then I think it falls short.

However, I would recommend the following 2 books nailing a couple of serious issues for JWs:
"Captives of a Concept" by Don Cameron ISBN 1-4116-2210-3
"The Gentile Times Reconsidered" by Carl Olof Jonsson ISBN 0-914675-06-0

This was a GREAT book!!
I really enjoyed this book. You know, asking the "witnesses" the "hard questions" will make them vanish like a morning mist under the sun.

I was an active witness for more than 40 years. (I was "raised" in "the truth.") I did not just wake up one morning and say to hell with it. It was a long process for me. And it started when the Society changed the definition of the word "generation." For almost a hundred years, and all of my 40 plus years, they said from every platform and hundreds if not thousands of times in print that "the generation of 1914" would not pass away before the end came. At first (look it up yourself) they said a person born in 1895 would not pass. Then as they got old they said 1900....then 1910....then you just had to be BORN in 1914. THEN when most if not all of those were dead, in 1995 they changed the meaning of the word "generation" to something completely different.

This was just ONE of the MANY things they did and were doing that was wrong. They have made many false prophesies including the 1975 fiasco, I know, I was there. They have also made "bedroom laws" and try to regulate how a husband and wife make love to each other....and in the past have disfellowshiped for doing it the "wrong" way. I could go on and on, but I know most will just think I'm an "apostate" and do not care to hear any of this. - I used to be the exact same way, so I can't blame you. I just like to sometimes try to open peoples eyes a little faster than it took to get mine open.

The book 1984 could have been written with the JW's in mind. JW's are just SO Orwellian it is not funny. And the reason why you guys can't see this is right in the book...."They can't rebel until they become conscience, and they can't become conscience until they rebel." Yup, you guys can't think for yourselves,much less use any critical thinking skills. You all depend on the Society to tell you daylight is day, and darkness is night.

I will close with this....since I left "the truth," I have never been happier. I no longer feel like 12 MEN in Brooklyn are trying to micro-manage my life. I live a normal and moral life that now includes wearing a cross, giving blood, voting, celebrating birthdays, smoking fine 20 dollar cigars once or twice a month (with 18 year old scotch,) supporting our troops, training at Gunsite, and making love to my wife the way I see fit. The bottom line is that I'm free for the first time in my life, and I'm loving it.

I wish all the JW's well. Some people are always content inside the wire. May the chains of your oppressors weigh lightly on you.

P.S. ... You JW's really need to read "Crisis of Conscience."

Essential for Addressing J.W. Assertions
The Jehovah's Witnesses organization (The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)has claimed in its own writings to be THE ONLY channel through which God communicates His truth to the world. (WT, 4/1/1919, p.6414; WT, 1/15/1917, p.6033) Furthermore, it has described itself as a "Prophet-like" group that does not interpret what God's truth is, but merely puts in writing the truth that God delivers to the world through them, and only them! (WT, 7/1/1943, p.203; WT, 11/1/1931, p.327; WT, 10/1/1994, p.6) Considering these claims to posses the exclusive ability to communicate God's truth, the Jehovah's Witnesses must succeed in passing the highest Biblical scrutiny.

Deut. 18:20-22 and 13:1-4 give two tests for distinguishing between genuine Prophets of God and False Prophets. (1) If one prophesies in God's name and what they predict does not come to pass - they are a False Prophet. (2) If one prophesies in God's name and the prediction does come to pass, BUT they teach you to follow false gods - they are a False Prophet. Thus, recognizing False Prophets is achieved by simply applying these tests to the teachings and prophecies of the WTBTS to determine if the claims it makes about itself hold up to Biblical and reasonable scrutiny. If they are THE ONLY TRUE "Prophet" of God, then everything they have ever predicted should have come to pass.

Tragically, everything they have ever predicted has FAILED to come to pass. "Judge" Rutherford (the second leader of the WTBTS) wrote a booklet in 1920 entitled Millions Now Living Will Never Die. On pp.89-90 Rutherford predicted that in 1925 some Old Testament Saints and those listed in the New Testament book of Hebrews chapter 11 would return bodily to live once again on earth to rule over the New Kingdom they would inaugerate, stating, "...Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection." Needless to say, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still dead and did not return in 1925.

"Judge" Rutherford taught that in 1924, 1918, and 1925 all governments of the world would be removed and god's Kingdom would replace them as the governing body (Studies In Scripture Vol.2, early editions, pp.76-78; 98-99; Studies in scripture Vol.7,p.62; WT, 7/15/1924, p.211) When each year came and went without fulfilling Rutherford's prediction, he had the temerity to write in his book Vindication that "God's faithful people on the earth emphasized the importance of the dates 1914 and 1918 and 1925. They had much to say about these dates and what would come to pass, but all they predicted did not come to pass." (Vindication, Vol.1, p.146) Furthermore, in his book Light, he wrote that making false predictions is proof positive that someone is a False Prophet, Rutherford stating, "...their prophecies to date have not come to pass; and that alone is strong evidence that they are false prophets." (Light Vol.2, p.47) However, Rutherford conspicuously failed to apply this standard to himself regarding all the previous false predictions he has made in the official publications of the WTBTS! Such egregious false predictions, followed by equally egregious cover-ups, re-writings of history, and misleading statements are common throughout the writings published by the WTBTS. Their entire history is characterized by one false prediction after another.

In addition, doctrines taught by WTBS leaders as truth received from God, is contradicted by later leaders. Even though every leader involved claims to merely relay the truth received from God. For instance, the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Charles Taze Russell, taught for years that the Great Pyramid in Gizeh was designed, engineered, and supervised by God in its construction. He claimed that by by deciphering its dimensions and passage ways, one could unlock deep secret doctrines taught in the Bible. So much so that Russell called the Great Pyramid "The bible in stone." (WT, 3/15/1911, p.4790) In direct contradiction to Russell, the next JW leader, "Judge" Rutherford, taught that the Great Pyramid was not from God but instead was directly designed by Satan himself saying it was "Satan's Bible, and not God's stone of witness." (WT, 11/15/1928, p.344)

Given the events above, it is abundantly clear that the Jehovah's Witnesses organization (WTBTS) is not the ONLY CHANNEL of truth used by God to communicate to the world. In reality, they are False Prophets. They demonstrably and repeatedly fail the tests of a True Prophet of God. Anyone can read and study the WTBTS publications from 1879 to present and discover for themselves how deceptive that have been to their followers.

This book exposes the false predictions and contradictory doctrine of the Jehovah's Witnesses from an insider's point of view. This book will help anyone walk through the abundance of false and misleading statements held by the JW's in a simple and easy to follow manner.

in addition to this book, I highly recommend these others: (1) The Index of Watchtower Errors by David A. Reed (2) Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse by David A. Reed (3) Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Doctrinal Changes and Prophetic Speculation - What does the Record Show? by Edmund C. Gruss (4) Reasoning From The Scriptures with Jehovah's Witnesses by Ron Rhodes. All of these are available from www.amazon.com ... Read more

Book Description
Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians who believe that the Christian end times are upon us, and that "millions now living will never die." They share this news, which they consider to be extremely urgent, by witnessing with their neighbors door-to-door. Worldwide, approximately 6 million people practice the faith of a Jehovah's Witness. ... Read more

Book Description

Highlights false prophecies of Jehovahs Witnesses leaders,errors in the New World Translation Bible, their unbiblical views.

Customer Reviews (24)

Nice On
The 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Jehovah's Witness (The 10 Most Important Things)Great Little Book however my advice would be to shell out a couple more dollars and buy his Reasoning from the Scriptures with Jehovah's Witnesses - best in its genre.

Great Help!!
Has Great ideas on how to combat JW bible misconceptions. I liked the scripture references, that leave no doubt on how badly the Watchtower has twisted scripture to their own destruction. Invaluable for that next knock on your door!!

Why can't we all just get along?
Everyone is searching for a little peace in their life. Religion should bring a person inner peace, but instead itis a divisive force, causing stress and friction. I was a Witness for 27 years,pioneering and raising my children as witnesses. My husband served as an elder for many years. I think we helped a lot of people find hope in times of need. Today, although no longer witnesses, my family and I are not bitter or resentful. Certainly not in the mood to write a book discouraging witnesses. JWs offer people without hope a way out of their problems, some structure to their chaotic lives, help overcoming addictions, literacy and and a practical guide to daily living. -All good things really. People in the UShave the freedom to choose their own way of worship. May all people be peaceful and free and may the way we live add to the peace and freedom in the world. I encourage all to use their time constructively, positively encouraging others and avoiding tearing each other down.

Wishing all happiness in a world full of peace.

Conversation with a JW
If you want to have a serious conversation with one who is a Jehovah's Witness, and not have them talking at you without you having any input to the conversation, then you will be better prepared after you read this book.

Great
JW are a sad bunch.the have their own bible to fit their beliefs. ... Read more

Book Description
Written from the perspective of a teenager, Nate Merritt's skill as a raconteur is amply displayed in this engrossing tale wherein we experience the psychedelic sixties as well as life in the Jehovah's Witness cult. You'll be fascinated by Nate's progression from a physically and verbally abused--but idealistic--boy of fifteen into a dangerous gun-wielding psycho of nineteen. All brought about by a rageaholic father and the demented teachings of the Watchtower. The Watchtower prophecy that 1975 would bring the End of the World pushed Nate over the edge into a life that mercifully few of us have ever experienced. Even fewer writers have ever let their readers as deeply into their minds and hearts as Nate does, and we are rewarded with a tale that is as hilarious as it is shocking, as uplifting as it is disturbing, culminating as it does in a deeply moving experience of the redeeming power of human friendship. I Was A Teenage Jehovah's Witness is gritty, tough, real and no-holds-barred. With a unique and fascinating style, Nate takes us on an intimate but wild trek into two opposing subcultures. Through the author we vicariously enjoy his adolescent fantasies as he is lured into the Jehovah's Witness cult by the sexy come-on's of a female Jehovah's Witness classmate. Nate, however, is not a typical fifteen year old, and his clash with the Jehovah's Witness authorities is almost immediate. His rude awakening to life in a totalitarian cult as well as his discovery of his own burgeoning manhood is a tale that will keep your attention riveted and leave you begging for a sequel! Car chases, gang warfare, runaway girls, drugs, sex, crime, prostitutes, giants, dwarves and midgets are juxtaposed with tightly wound life inside the Jehovah's Witness cult. Coupled with the angst, rage, and disillusionment Nate experienced through it all, and you have a unique and exciting coming-of-age tale that ranks alongside Catcher In The Rye or Rule Of The Bone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Review By My Good Friend Didier Fougeras, in Belle-Eglise France
This review is from my good friend, Didier Fougeras, in Belle-Eglise France. Unfortunately, he does not have an Amazon reviewers account, so I am posting this review on his behalf:

"Nate is a great writer, with a remarkable sense of narrative structure in addition to devastatingly racy style. The result is a both exhilarating and heartbreaking, continuously thrilling story you are eager to come back to (if you don't read it in one night as 'justsomedude' did). No need to repeat the excellent summary in VM44's post. But one thought that came to my mind quite a few times while reading is: you cannot be faithful to your memories unless you dare reinventing them. This, I think, is just what Nate did, and brilliantly so. Instead of merely recounting "objective facts" -- or, even worse perhaps, assessing them in the deceiving light of later "mature" judgement -- he recreates the on-the-spot emotions, thoughts, fantasies and daydreams of the sensitive teenage prankster he was, embarking you on a breathtaking subjective ride he must first have lived as a writer -- a perspective way more fascinating than that of the fly on the wall we often wish to be as far as "history" is concerned. On the JW side, his neophyte enthusiasm, his nearly immediate disillusionments, his flip-floppings he really shares, with blunt creative honesty. This is well worth a couple of possible factual mistakes. This book will probably never make it into most churches' and other anti-cult libraries -- just too hard, in more than one sense. And it sure may scare the prudish or the faint-hearted. But it will delight many JWD posters, and probably enlighten many more lurkers. Just forget about the JWD posting guidelines when you get into it." -Didier Fougeras

A manual of survival for teen age years and predatory religions.
If there was ever a book that exposes both the deep scars of fundamentalist Christianity and the deep existential angst of teens in America this is it. Through a dark humorous eye, Nate reveals his journey through his younger years in the Midwest, traveling through all valleys and almost no peaks.At one turn there is the confusion and rage of maturing in a modern society, at another there is his escapism into either drugs or the drug of the Jehovah Witness Cult.In between, Nate deals with the usual demons of a dysfunctional family, the confusion of young love, and the constant bad decision-making of adolescents.Yet this is not a dark book, for it isseasoned with irony, the small victories we all taste in life and some very touching moments of clarity.In the end, it's a lesson about how nothing that glitters is truly gold except the inner shine of one's perseverance and the brilliance of loyal friends.

Oh, and a lesson about staying away from Christian cults.

Abraxas

The Accidental Witness
I Was a Teenage Jehovah's Witness is not a work of fiction; it's the true story of a boy, who liked a girl on the bus, and--oops! ended up in a brainwashing cult.A sort of slip, banana-peel style, into a pit of cosmic slime.Truth is always stranger than fiction.Nathan's descent into the network of fear and lies that are the bedrock of the JW's drafting policy, is a gripping tale of teenage angst like none you've read before.

As you make the painful journey with the author, from troubled teen to gun weilding maniac, you will laugh, cry, and become extremely nervous about groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The book illustrates how cults can use the vulnerability, intelligence, and natural curiosity of a teenager as a springboard for their own selfish designs.The way the JW's insinuated themselves into the author's life and mind is very disturbing, and the fact that much duplicity was involved will evoke a strong sense of injustice from the reader.

I highly recommend this book, especially to anyone who has had experience in freeing themselves from the bondage of a religious cult (and who love a hell of an adventure story).

What a suprise!A book with real literary merit.
This is not a ghost-written "How I became a Christian" spiel, but a wonderful look into a teenaged boy's point-of-view and a deeper and perhaps more frightening view of what life was like in the Jehovah Witnesses just before Jehovah was due back to kill all us no good non-JW's.I loved the pithy dialogue, the darkness, the incredible humor (worth reading just for his first acid trip alone), the whole flavor of the book is wonderful and not just of interest to those of a religious bent, but also a great view into the thought processes of a teen.It has a biting, wonderful taste of life and I highly recommend it.

Sometimes a book is every bit as good as it's hyped up to be

I read one of Nate's other books, Jehovah Unmasked, and liked it, so I bought "Teen Witness" directly from his web-site. I figured the book would be good, but not as good as the hype. However, it was everything the ads say! I read it all the way through in a single sitting and then started in again. Teen Witness has actual literary merit besides being a lot of fun. Nate Merritt is one of those writers who can take you directly to whatever or wherever it is he's writing about and it all comes completely alive in your mind.

Nate lived one of the most frightening, funny, intense, and crazy lives I've ever heard of. He enabled me to feel everything he felt as he opened his heart and mind in the pages of Teen Witness. The ads don't say enough. From having to deal with a racist homophobic "rageaholic" father to getting sucked into the Jehovah cult, to becoming a scary and violent gang member, and then a Jehovah again, then being kicked out and becoming a stone cold terrifying thug, to a wonderful ending that made me laugh and cry, this is the single most exciting and downright fun book I've read in many years.

There are some truly weird surprises here too, such as when Nate "dropped acid" for the first time after he ran away to go live with his Mom in San Jose. This is one of the funniest interludes in anybody's life I've ever read. Also, Nate protected a fourteen year od runaway rape victim and nearly got himself killed. There's just so much here. I hope he writes more about his teenage years!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Best if you're interested in truly REACHING in love and truth
Some of the reviews already posted I see are quite polarized.Yet, some don't seem to highlight the main theme. The point of the book is to know enough of the Watchtower organization background and history, and then to ponder questions and approaches that keep you from getting into fruitless arguing. Anyone who really has witnessed both to non-Jehovah Witnesses and also to Jehovah Witnesses, or has wanted to can appreciate this underlying theme.

It appears to the be the motivation for the author's writing, and is quite well done in the book, both factually, instructionally, and often times comes over in bits like a good conversation. I highly recommend it for personal reading, study, small groups, and Bible study or apologetics review and ramp-up.It is a good key on demonstrating how knowledge with loving application in a personal relationship approach can win some of the most difficult barriers to sharing.

However, if you're into just debating, Bible-thumping, and love to argue when you know you have the upper hand no matter what that does to others...then this book is NOT for you.

Don't waste your time!
It may seem to odd to most of you readers/authors out there that you just can't convince one of those "jehovah joggers" that they're just plain wrong.The truth of the matter is that jehovahs witnesses know exactly what individuals of every religion on the face of this earth believe, and yet they believe what they do, quite simply because they can not convince themselves of the truth of other religions.The failure of other religions within "christianity" and outside christianity is what keeps JW's from accepting a different religion.While you may feel comfortable (2 tim 4:3,4) with your various religion, it doesn't mean that your religion is void of paganism/false beliefs/teachings of demons.Note that within 1 tim 4:1-4 specific verses that point to : (1)forbiding to marry(ex.catholic priests), (2)abstaining from foods god made(catholics "used to say that you couldn't eat certain foods on certain days.As the bible says these same teachings are wrong, yet these same "teachings" are spoken of as be neccessary to follow in order to attain favor with god!This is simply the needles tip of a iceberg!Remmember before you condem, beat, harass, murder JW'S or burn down one of their churchs, that they are jehovahs witnesses because they don't want to be part of a religion that teaches that which is steeped in paganism. They want their worship to god to be acceptable, not just comfortable.

Waste of time
If you want to "witnesss" to one of Jehovah's Witnesses, do what Jesus commanded his followers to do, go out and preach and make disciples (Matt 28:19), and seek them out. If you are not interested, trust me it is not taken personally. Jehovah's Witnesses respect their neighbors and their beliefs. No organization has fought more for the first amendment rights, for everyone's benefit, not just their own. This book is a classic example of a bitter former JW, It's quit simple, in sports if you don't follow the rules, what happens? That's right you get disqualified or booted from the team. Likewise when God's high standards, outlined in his word are not adhered too, then that person is removed. Simple. The author, if he chose to not be one of Jehovah's Witnesses any longer, should first of all, stop being bitter and find something more productive to do with his time, as most former members should do also. (...)

Has he ever met any witnesses?
short and to the point:

WHERE did he get the idea that MOST witnesses do NOT want to go door to door? i am grandpa to a kid who LOVES the work! my daughter of 20 - single, sweet, still a virgin - is a pioneer and goes out for LOVE of JEHOVAH, not for some guilt or whatever.

He is all wet. Hence my question, which likely will remain rhetorical: has he ever MET any of Jehovah's people?

biased
THIS IS A VERY BIASED BOOK WITH MANY UNTRUTHS IN IT! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

MacGregor has been on both sides of the door!
This book is a written expansion of the successful video, "The Witness at Your Door." MacGregor tells the fictional story of how "Joe" enters and exits the world of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

On the way, Joe encounters "Beverly," who is equipped with Christian interpretations of powerful Bible passages which speak to the spiritual needs of a Jehovah's Witness. Beverly shares with Joe the identity of Jesus Christ, and, in the process, models an effective way to communicate the need of a JW to develop a personal relationship with Jesus.

As a former Jehovah's Witness, MacGregor gives insights into the stresses and thought processes of JW's. She also examines some of the claims and prophecies of the Watchtower Society which have been proven false. Reading her book is like having someone at your shoulder who's been there--on both sides of the door. ... Read more

Book Description
NEWLY REVISED, REWRITTEN, AND EXPANDED with TWO ADDITIONALCHAPTERS. This NEW EDITION contains a plethora of fresh material woven intothe text in response to reviewers, readers, critics, friends and foesalike! JEHOVAH UNMASKED is now more hard-hitting, controversial, andinformative than ever! ACHARYA S, best-selling author of THE CHRIST CONSPIRACY and SUNS OF GODhighly recommends JEHOVAH UNMASKED: "Rev. Merritt illustrates a powerfulpersonal journey that many people can relate to but may not yet have madethemselves. Like our individualized personalities, our conclusions tocosmic conundrums may be different. Nevertheless, JEHOVAH UNMASKEDrepresents another nail in the biblical coffin that contains a mummifiedand rotten god belonging to the violent barbarians and troglodytes of theStone Age." Acharya S, Archaeologist, Historian, Mythologist, Linguist,Member of The American School of Classical Studies at Athens Greece.

From LIVING TRADITIONS magazine, 5-13-2007:

Jehovah Unmasked is a controversial and confronting book; it will shockmany Christians who are used to accepting their faith without question. Theauthor is someone who has been seeking for a long time. After a lifetime ofsearching, with his youth in the "Jehovah's Witnesses", fifteen years as aBaptist minister and time as a Buddhist, he returned to the Bible once andfor all to really see what was "going on". What he discovered was arevelation, a Gnostic Revelation.

The view Merritt presents, will, at first, seem alien to most Christiansand may even infuriate many readers and yet it was a view held by manyearly Christians. While modern "fundamentalist and evangelical" authorslike to portray Gnosticism as a Christian heresy, the evidence nowavailable is quite the reverse. The early Christian faith including adiversity of opinions and Gnosticism was a normal segment of thatcontinuum; it was only with the ascendancy of the "Catholic Church" as apower structure that Gnosticism (and other alternatives) were suppressed.

Merritt offers us an excellent introduction to Christian origins and shows,quite conclusively I think, that the development of the Bible wasmanipulated and controlled by the various Church councils. It did notevolve under the inspiration of the "Holy Spirit" but was developed,censored and edited to fit the political agenda of a developing powerstructure. But there was more than power in the mix here.

Merritt explores Gnosticism and comes to the conclusion that the beingknown as Jehovah rather than being the father of Jesus and the God ofmankind is actually a violent demi-god, in the terms of Gnosticism, theDemiurge. Matter like spirit is eternal and Jehovah is one of many demigods (Aeons) who on the lower rung of spiritual hierarchy, he manipulatedman's creation and hence was the "creator of man's body", but it was theforces of light which breathed life into man. This conflict between thelord of matter and the true Lord of Spirit is central to the Gnosticvision. As outlined in v