People who try to get Jehovah's Witnesses to read such books are either misguided in their thinking or purposely trying to subvert the spiritual thinking of those who may be weak in their spiritual life.
It is God Himself who commands us to not read such perverted and slanderous books (1Tim. 6:3-5; 1Cor.5:9-13; Tit 3:10, 11; 2Jn 9-11, etc.).
So, are [opposers] going to criticize the Apostles and God Himself for telling faithful Christians to avoid such despicable individuals?!!!
Recommending such books is just simply illogical and reveals a person who has gullibly accepted a perverted and prejudicial view of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I do not believe that books like this are going to sway those who have thoroughly examined Scriptural Truth and are strong in their spiritual life. But, I strongly counsel others not to read such deceptive books. I would not recommend anyone read it any more than I would recommend anyone read an anti-Mormon book by an ex-Mormon, or an anti-Catholic book by an ex-Catholic, & etc. Any reasonable person would know that it would only contain prejudicial information and would twist the facts.
If I wanted to find the truth about Nissan I certainly would avoid reviews by Ford, Chevy and any reviewer who had a profit motive for knocking on Nissan!!
These anti-JW authors are not unbiased writers. Their books are full of half truths and misrepresentations. As such you will gain absolutely no accurate information on the Witnesses.
It is interesting to look at the research done by many scholars:
An article by Lonnie D. Kliever, Professor of Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University concludes:
"apostates always act out of a scenario that vindicates themselves by shifting responsibility for their actions to the religious group. Indeed, the various brainwashing scenarios so often invoked against the new religious movements have been OVERWHELMINGLY REPUDIATED by social scientists and religion scholars as nothing more than calculated efforts to discredit the beliefs and practices of unconventional religions in the eyes of governmental agencies and public opinion. Such apostates can hardly be regarded as reliable informants by responsible journalists, scholars, or jurists."–The Reliability of Apostate Testimony About New Religious Movements, 1995
Note Professor Bryan R. Wilson's description:
"The apostate is generally in need of self-justification. He seeks to reconstruct his own past, to excuse his former affiliations, and to blame those who were formerly his closest associates." "...he acts from a personal motivation, to vindicate himself and to regain his self-esteem, by showing himself to have been first a victim, but subsequently a redeemed crusader."–Apostates and New Religious Movements, 1994
Wilson utilizes the term atrocity story, [a story] that is in his view rehearsed by the apostate to explain how, by manipulation, coercion or deceit, he was recruited to a group that he now condemns.
....
Those who leave the Witnesses or were removed left a vibrant, growing, active and truly Christian organization. Now they have withered up and become just like any other religion of Christendom. They have nothing to offer.
These individuals often make common cause with other religions which are willing to go shoot members of their own church in war, allow fornicators, homosexuals, and adulterers to be accepted members of their congregation & etc. All of these things result in God's curse upon anyone who makes common cause with such imitation Christians (Mt.15:7,8; 23:27; 1Cor.6:9,10; Rm.1:24-32; Rev. 22:18,19).
So, those who leave the True Christian Congregation either abandon Christian morals themselves or become guilty by association. Literally or spiritually they are debased.
Peter's words have proved to be so true: "They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits ... A dog goes back to what it has vomited and A pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud." (2Pt 2:18-19)
Actual evidence irrefutably proves that Jehovah's Witnesses are the true Christian Congregation. On the other hand all other religions have abandoned following Christ, in actions and morals.
SOURCE: This is an Answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
Also see:
Apostasy / Apostates - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)
It is God Himself who commands us to not read such perverted and slanderous books (1Tim. 6:3-5; 1Cor.5:9-13; Tit 3:10, 11; 2Jn 9-11, etc.).
So, are [opposers] going to criticize the Apostles and God Himself for telling faithful Christians to avoid such despicable individuals?!!!
Recommending such books is just simply illogical and reveals a person who has gullibly accepted a perverted and prejudicial view of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I do not believe that books like this are going to sway those who have thoroughly examined Scriptural Truth and are strong in their spiritual life. But, I strongly counsel others not to read such deceptive books. I would not recommend anyone read it any more than I would recommend anyone read an anti-Mormon book by an ex-Mormon, or an anti-Catholic book by an ex-Catholic, & etc. Any reasonable person would know that it would only contain prejudicial information and would twist the facts.
If I wanted to find the truth about Nissan I certainly would avoid reviews by Ford, Chevy and any reviewer who had a profit motive for knocking on Nissan!!
These anti-JW authors are not unbiased writers. Their books are full of half truths and misrepresentations. As such you will gain absolutely no accurate information on the Witnesses.
It is interesting to look at the research done by many scholars:
An article by Lonnie D. Kliever, Professor of Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University concludes:
"apostates always act out of a scenario that vindicates themselves by shifting responsibility for their actions to the religious group. Indeed, the various brainwashing scenarios so often invoked against the new religious movements have been OVERWHELMINGLY REPUDIATED by social scientists and religion scholars as nothing more than calculated efforts to discredit the beliefs and practices of unconventional religions in the eyes of governmental agencies and public opinion. Such apostates can hardly be regarded as reliable informants by responsible journalists, scholars, or jurists."–The Reliability of Apostate Testimony About New Religious Movements, 1995
Note Professor Bryan R. Wilson's description:
"The apostate is generally in need of self-justification. He seeks to reconstruct his own past, to excuse his former affiliations, and to blame those who were formerly his closest associates." "...he acts from a personal motivation, to vindicate himself and to regain his self-esteem, by showing himself to have been first a victim, but subsequently a redeemed crusader."–Apostates and New Religious Movements, 1994
Wilson utilizes the term atrocity story, [a story] that is in his view rehearsed by the apostate to explain how, by manipulation, coercion or deceit, he was recruited to a group that he now condemns.
....
Those who leave the Witnesses or were removed left a vibrant, growing, active and truly Christian organization. Now they have withered up and become just like any other religion of Christendom. They have nothing to offer.
These individuals often make common cause with other religions which are willing to go shoot members of their own church in war, allow fornicators, homosexuals, and adulterers to be accepted members of their congregation & etc. All of these things result in God's curse upon anyone who makes common cause with such imitation Christians (Mt.15:7,8; 23:27; 1Cor.6:9,10; Rm.1:24-32; Rev. 22:18,19).
So, those who leave the True Christian Congregation either abandon Christian morals themselves or become guilty by association. Literally or spiritually they are debased.
Peter's words have proved to be so true: "They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits ... A dog goes back to what it has vomited and A pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud." (2Pt 2:18-19)
Actual evidence irrefutably proves that Jehovah's Witnesses are the true Christian Congregation. On the other hand all other religions have abandoned following Christ, in actions and morals.
SOURCE: This is an Answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
Also see:
Apostasy / Apostates - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)