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Rating: 
Summary: GREAT PARADIGM SHIFTING MATERIAL
Review: I feel about this book the same way I felt about Blood On The Altar. This is also a great book that shows that organizations do make mistakes. I advise my readers to read this book with a grain of salt - as they also read other publications. David Reed is one of my favorite authors on what goes on in the Watchtower because he authors without contempt or trying to turn people away from "the truth". He delivers a very interesting objective viewpoint about this organization. Please delight yourself with another excellent expose of what I still believe to be an excellent organization.
Rating: 
Summary: A book that fails
Review: I try and keep an open mind, but the authors of this book clearly already had their mind made up long before they wrote this book. I guess the thing that strikes me most about this book is that the authors could not find one positive thing to say about these Jehovah's Witnesses in their entire publication.While some may have different beliefs, a more balanced viewpoint is definitely needed. These authors were not balanced, they were out to discredit the witnesses at all costs. Don't buy this book if you want to hear both sides, but feel free to buy it if you are interested in a one-sided view.
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Summary: A book that fails
Review: I've learned a lot about the Watchtower Organization from reading this book. I'd like to get my hands on some of their works just to find out more since I've just recently been studying about them. I've learned that arguing with Jehovah's Witnesses won't help. It'll just go back and forth. So posting an argument will only result in a refutation. I don't have any hatred towards any Jehovah's Witnesses. But some of their teaching seems....I don't know....contradictory to what the bible teaches. This is definetely a very hard but important subject. If you want more information about the Watchtower Organization, then get this book. But remember to research what both sides have to say, know the bible, and come to a conclusion as to whether or not this organization is what it claims to be. I pray that we all may see the truth clearly.
Rating:
Summary: very helpful
Review: I've learned a lot about the Watchtower Organization from reading this book. I'd like to get my hands on some of their works just to find out more since I've just recently been studying about them. I've learned that arguing with Jehovah's Witnesses won't help. It'll just go back and forth. So posting an argument will only result in a refutation. I don't have any hatred towards any Jehovah's Witnesses. But some of their teaching seems....I don't know....contradictory to what the bible teaches. This is definetely a very hard but important subject. If you want more information about the Watchtower Organization, then get this book. But remember to research what both sides have to say, know the bible, and come to a conclusion as to whether or not this organization is what it claims to be. I pray that we all may see the truth clearly.
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Summary: ERRORS ? Just a few...
Review: This book is a must for anyone interested in witnessing to the "Witnesses". Written by a former full-time minister, elder, and presiding overseer of Jehovah's Witnesses; David Reed has compiled a valuable tool to aid those wishing to reach these lost souls otherwise trapped in this, a most deceptive cult. His book is a compilation of massive contradictions published by an organization that claims to be infallible through a direct "channel" from God Himself -- the author and editor of 'Watchtower' publications. Among the more insightful data collected through this divine endeavor are these, two of my favorites: "Rev. William Draper, once black, is now white in answer to prayer." (Watchtower Magazine 10/1/1900, p..2707) "White people living in China eventually produce Chinese offspring -- without intermarrying -- due to the influence of soil and climate." (Watchtower Magazine 7/15/1902, p.3043) Okay, with a track record like that you've got to know they're "SERIOUS."
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Summary: Great resource for Watchtower quotes
Review: This book organizes quotations from Watchtower literature both by categories and in historical order. The quotes concern both false prophecies by the Watchtower and its reversals on many of its doctrines through the years. My favorite example of how the Watchtower has reversed itself of it teachings is on page 116: The men of Sodom will be resurrected. WT 7/1879, p.8 The men of Sodom will not be resurrected. WT 6/1/1952, p. 479. The men of Sodom will be resurrected. WT 8/1/1965, p. 479 The men of Sodom will not be resurrected. WT 6/1/1988, p.31. The men of Sodom will be resurrected. "Live Forever," earlier editions, p.179. The men of Sodom will not be resurrected. "Live Forever," later editions, p.179. The men of Sodom will be resurrected. "Insight, Vol.2, p. 985. The men of Sodom will not be resurrected. "Revelation," p. 273. It's interesting to note that the last two books were both published in the same year, 1988. And this is not a minor issue as whether the Sodomites will be resurrected or not has a bearing on whether a JW's departed, non-JW loved ones will be resurrected or not. Since the Watchtower claims to be "God's Channel of Communication" and a "Prophet" as Reed documents in this book, these false prophecies and reversals on doctrines are very damaging to the Watchtower. If the Watchtower was truly what it claimed to be it should infallible. But these quotes clearly show that it is not. In addition, it is very sad that many JWs have struggled extensively due to some doctrines that were later changed. For instance, the teaching that vaccinations were wrong forced many JWs to find creative ways to get around their schools' requirement that their children be vaccinated. But since the Watchtower has now rescinded this directive, this means previous generations of JWs suffered needlessly. Could the same happen in regards to blood transfusions in the future? However, JWs are conditioned by the Watchtower not to view anything that appears critical of the Watchtower. So to get a JW to actually consider the information in this book, one would have to attain the cited books themselves or write out the quotes and their sources on a separate sheet of paper and give that to the JW. Also, pointing out the false prophecies and reversals of doctrines of the Watchtower is only one way to deal with JWs. Another way is to address the doctrines of the Watchtower. And Reed has other books that look at what the Scriptures have to say about Watchtower teachings. And there are three chapters on the Trinity and one on various other Watchtower teachings in my book "Scripture Workbook: For Personal Bible Study and Teaching the Bible." So get this book by Reed to prepare yourself to address this area of the Watchtower, and get one of Reed's other books or my "Scripture Workbook" to prepare yourself for Biblical discussions.
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Summary: Cannot be corroborated
Review: Two oft quoted references in this book (see Sept/01 review below) refer to "Watchtower (n.b. one word) Magazine", issues 10/1/1900 p. 2707 and 7/15/1902 p. 3043. The expression "Watchtower" is not unique to Russell's writings or to Jehovah's Witnesses. George Storrs published a book in the 1850's called The Watch Tower: Or, Man in Death; and the Hope for a Future Life. The name was also incorporated in the title of various religious periodicals of the gilded age. Its use stemmed from the idea of keeping on the watch for the outworking of God's purposes. The monthly publications printed by C.T. Russell, beginning in July 1879 were called Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence (note that "Watch Tower" is TWO words here). The issues were published monthly, and therefore could not have had bi-monthly dates of 10/1 & 7/15 respectively. Each issue of Zion's Watch Tower was identified by Volume & Number, not by pages. Each publication consisted one page, not over 3,000 pages, as indicated by the page reference numbers (pp. 2707, 3043). These allegations certainly sound fascinating & would have warranted hours of enjoyable research to discover the context within which they were written. It is common knowledge that Russell used Zion's Watch Tower & other publications of the time (Peoples Pulpit, Old Theology Quarterly, Everybody's Paper, Bible Students Monthly, Plymouth Bethel, et al) to refute false religious teachings and human philosophies that contradicted the bible. One might very well have expected to discover the references of black skin turning white or soil & environment affecting skin colour - it was a time of religious frenzy, after all. But in context, were these ideas being refuted or proclaimed? We will never know, my friends, because they cannot be corroborated by ANY publication of Russell's that I've ever come across. The only thing that rings true is Reed's anger at the choices he's made in his life. Perhaps it's time to get ON with your life & cease flogging a man who has been dead for 89 years???
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Summary: Note the Lack of Careful Scholarship
Review: When a person leaves a loving organization such as Jehovah's Witnesses and becomes bitter, an objective person can easily detect that the author is focused primarily on tearing down with negativity rather than constructively dispensing anything valuable to build faith. So much so in fact, that his bias gets revealed by his lack of honest presentation. For example, in the (above) presentation of the resurrection of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, there have only been two real adjustments. First in the 1965 WT and the second in the 1988 WT. The "Insight" volume and "Revelation Climax" books were published before the 1988 WT and so were reflecting the understanding of the 1965 material. But do you notice how it is presented to "shock" the uninformed reader to impress that perhaps it was adjusted more? What is also missing is the reasonable explanation of why these adjustments were made. It became clear with time that Jesus' words were hyperbole rather than literal. The adjustment in understanding (1988) reflects the humility of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses who adjust to increased understanding of the bible rather than dogmatically and proudly sticking to century-old and biblically erroneous creeds. Therefore, I must caution the potential purchaser against what is presented as "shock" material designed to disturb faith without an underlying and honest portrayal of dates and explanations of why material changes. Rather than get your information from such a questionable source (as demonstrated with the above example), why not contact one of Jehovah's Witnesses and ask them? Another fine option is to purchase Greg Stafford's book _Jehovah's Witnesses Defended : An Answer to Scholars and Critics_ ... ... and read the chapter "False Prophet - An Undeserved Reputation". Mr. Stafford presents a reasonable and balanced view, but more importantly an *accurate* view of the occasional adjustments made by Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Mark Taylor
Rating: 
Summary: Great refernce book
Review: Wonderful how this book uses the watchtowers own hand writing to expose their bad history and how they had distorted Gods word.Hope David Reed updates this book to the present.The UN,child molestation and etc
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