Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness: Escape from the Watchtower Society | 
 enlarge | Author: Diane Wilson
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Category: Book
List Price: $30.98
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Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 228739
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 327
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 0.7
ISBN: 1573929425
Dewey Decimal Number: 289.92092
EAN: 9781573929424
ASIN: 1573929425
Publication Date: April 2002
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Product 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
 Great personal experience leaving the JW faith November 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Awakening is a well-written personal account of the mental and personal anguish leaving the JW faith.
In the JW faith, you do not realize the extent of the control the Watchtower Society has on your life and mind. When an active member starts having doubts, you get the ultimate dissonance. On one side the Society programs you to believe it is 'the truth' and everything outside the faith is absolutely evil. So when you start doubting 'the truth' it can be extremely difficult mentally. Diane Wilson does a great job describing her experience, where she actually would physically get sick going to meetings due to all her internal conflicts. Talking to other former JWs, this is not uncommon.
So deprogramming from the Watchtower mindset can be difficult. This is why some people may seem to go crazy. Some over-rebound, and experiment in things that were deemed evil while in the faith. Some just disappear from the JW network, not wanting or able to deal with the shunning they will be receiving from former friends. You see, anyone who leaves the JW faith is completely shunned by all members, including the best of friends, family, even parents!
So even though leaving may be difficult, once you learn 'the truth about the truth' most cannot stay. It is hard at first deprogramming and finding new social networks, but the pain is relatively short, and you will be much happier in the long run, since you will be true to yourself.
Diane Wilson does an excellent job describing her experiences dealing with all these issues, and amazingly in the pre-internet days. Today it is very easy to find information and support on the internet, but back in the 80's anyone with doubts was an island. You had no clue anyone else felt this way. This just shows the strength it takes to leave the organization.
For anyone with doubts I highly recommend this book to just show that you are not alone. Many many people have gone thru exactly what you are going thru.
Earliest Christians believed and taught Jesus is God. December 2, 2007
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
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 November 14, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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 September 24, 2007
11 out of 26 found this review helpful
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 June 12, 2007
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
Would be great if all JWs would read this, but that's not going to happen. A great validation for an ex-JW!
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