Recommended Reading
Jehovah Unmasked- Jehovah Unmasked answered all the questions I’d ever had about the Bibles depiction of God, questions that had really bothered me. I always wondered why the God of the Old Testament lost his temper and murdered millions of people. Why was he so full of rage that he engaged in genocidal wars and even commanded the execution of helpless babies and children and elderly people? Why did the OT God command countless helpless pregnant women to be raped and their unborn children ripped out of their wombs and dashed against stones?
Misquoting Jesus - When world-class biblical scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study the texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and intentional alterations that had been made by earlier translators. In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman tells the story behind the mistakes and changes that ancient scribes made to the New Testament and shows the great impact they had upon the Bible we use today. He frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultraconservative views of the Bible.
Crisis of Conscience - A former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses gives a unique insight into the authority structure of that religion. The book allows the reader a view of the decision-making sessions of a religion's inner council, and the powerful, sometimes dramatic, impact their decisions have on people's lives. Although initially written in 1983, the book reveals a distinctive and basic pattern, a pattern which, as the updated information in this new edition shows, continues essentially unchanged. Rather than reducing the book's relevancy, the passage of time serves to manifest the validity of the evidence offered and the currency of the issues and principles involved. by Raymond Franz, Commentary Press, 420 pages,
The Gentile Times Reconsidered - The idea that the "Gentile Times" referred to at Luke 21:24 form a period of 2,520 years has led to speculation and disappointment among many who expected Christ's return during the past two centuries. How did this belief originate and develop? This book presents the historical evidence, along with a remarkably extensive study of ancient Assyrian and Babylonian records which date the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylonian conqueror Nebuchadnezzar, as well as an enlightening study of the Biblical prophecies regarding the "70 years" of Babylonian domination of Judah. Fourth edition (2004), Revised and Expanded, by Carl Olof Jonsson, 390 pages, paperback
The Sign of the Last Days, When? - Is Christ's return identified by unprecedented war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, crime and other calamities? Evidence that this claim is based on a misunderstanding of Christ's own words; accompanied by historical facts demonstrating how surprisingly little the 20th century has differed in these areas from past centuries. By Carl Olof Jonsson & Wolfgang Herbst [edited by Raymond Franz] 288 pages, paperback
In Search of Christian Freedom -Freedom is crucial to genuine Christianity. How erosion of Christian freedom began in the early centuries, how it can and does occur today, and the means for resisting the invasion of personal conscience and thought; a sequel to Crisis of Conscience. Discusses teachings of organizational loyalty, door-to-door activity, disfellowshipping, blood, and many others. by Raymond Franz, 736 pages, paperback
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