Leaving the Witness

Leaving the Witness PDF Author: Amber Scorah
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 073522255X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
"A fascinating glimpse into the consciousness of being an outsider in every possible way, and what it takes to find your path into the life you'd like to lead."--Nylon A riveting memoir of losing faith and finding freedom while a covert missionary in one of the world's most restrictive countries. A third-generation Jehovah's Witness, Amber Scorah had devoted her life to sounding God's warning of impending Armageddon. She volunteered to take the message to China, where the preaching she did was illegal and could result in her expulsion or worse. Here, she had some distance from her community for the first time. Immersion in a foreign language and culture--and a whole new way of thinking--turned her world upside down, and eventually led her to lose all that she had been sure was true. As a proselytizer in Shanghai, using fake names and secret codes to evade the authorities' notice, Scorah discreetly looked for targets in public parks and stores. To support herself, she found work at a Chinese language learning podcast, hiding her real purpose from her coworkers. Now with a creative outlet, getting to know worldly people for the first time, she began to understand that there were other ways of seeing the world and living a fulfilling life. When one of these relationships became an "escape hatch," Scorah's loss of faith culminated in her own personal apocalypse, the only kind of ending possible for a Jehovah's Witness. Shunned by family and friends as an apostate, Scorah was alone in Shanghai and thrown into a world she had only known from the periphery--with no education or support system. A coming of age story of a woman already in her thirties, this unforgettable memoir examines what it's like to start one's life over again with an entirely new identity. It follows Scorah to New York City, where a personal tragedy forces her to look for new ways to find meaning in the absence of religion. With compelling, spare prose, Leaving the Witness traces the bittersweet process of starting over, when everything one's life was built around is gone.

Leaving the Witness

Leaving the Witness PDF Author: Amber Scorah
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 073522255X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Get Book Here

Book Description
"A fascinating glimpse into the consciousness of being an outsider in every possible way, and what it takes to find your path into the life you'd like to lead."--Nylon A riveting memoir of losing faith and finding freedom while a covert missionary in one of the world's most restrictive countries. A third-generation Jehovah's Witness, Amber Scorah had devoted her life to sounding God's warning of impending Armageddon. She volunteered to take the message to China, where the preaching she did was illegal and could result in her expulsion or worse. Here, she had some distance from her community for the first time. Immersion in a foreign language and culture--and a whole new way of thinking--turned her world upside down, and eventually led her to lose all that she had been sure was true. As a proselytizer in Shanghai, using fake names and secret codes to evade the authorities' notice, Scorah discreetly looked for targets in public parks and stores. To support herself, she found work at a Chinese language learning podcast, hiding her real purpose from her coworkers. Now with a creative outlet, getting to know worldly people for the first time, she began to understand that there were other ways of seeing the world and living a fulfilling life. When one of these relationships became an "escape hatch," Scorah's loss of faith culminated in her own personal apocalypse, the only kind of ending possible for a Jehovah's Witness. Shunned by family and friends as an apostate, Scorah was alone in Shanghai and thrown into a world she had only known from the periphery--with no education or support system. A coming of age story of a woman already in her thirties, this unforgettable memoir examines what it's like to start one's life over again with an entirely new identity. It follows Scorah to New York City, where a personal tragedy forces her to look for new ways to find meaning in the absence of religion. With compelling, spare prose, Leaving the Witness traces the bittersweet process of starting over, when everything one's life was built around is gone.

The Reluctant Apostate

The Reluctant Apostate PDF Author: Lloyd Evans
Publisher: Jle Publishing
ISBN: 9780995669109
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Jehovah's Witnesses, well known for their enthusiastic evangelism, are a global religious movement boasting over 8 million members. Despite being a familiar sight on doorsteps and street corners, little is known about their doctrines and practices. What are their expectations regarding Armageddon, and who do they believe will survive? How do they justify their ban on blood transfusions? What happens to members who decide to leave? In this remarkably candid part-memoir, part-history guide, former Witness Lloyd Evans comprehensively explores the religion of his upbringing, charting the organization's metamorphosis from unassuming 19th Century brethren to global brand in the modern age. The Witness rules on sex are dissected, as are their far-reaching ramifications on the private lives of millions of devotees. Evans also delves into the controversies surrounding child abuse and the prohibition on blood transfusions with the aid of first hand accounts from those who have been personally impacted. Intertwined with the historical narrative and commentary is the story of the author's journey from devout Witness youth to outspoken ex-Witness activist and atheist. Evans lays bare the circumstances leading to his "awakening" with startling honesty and reveals how the heartbreaking loss of his mother played a profound role in keeping long-held doubts suppressed. In the final chapters, the author discusses the various means by which Witnesses are controlled by their leadership. Evans analyzes the role of shunning (disfellowshipping) and the stigmatization of "apostates" in enforcing loyalty among Witnesses, and reflects on the indifference of society in general to human rights violations by high-control groups. The phenomenon of fundamentalist brainwashing, or "undue influence," is also scrutinized, and those in search of a new life free from its pervasive effects are given reasons for hope. Rather than being a sensationalist rant by an embittered ex-member, The Reluctant Apostate offers a relaxed, good-humored tour of Witness history and teachings supported by extensive references (to be found in the "Notes" section). Though written predominantly with the non-Witness reader in mind, special boxes are also provided for Jehovah's Witness readers. Reviews "Both memoir and reference book, Lloyd Evans' work is an extensive compilation of Jehovah's Witness history and theology. In his honest and exhaustively researched expose, Evans has written what is sure to be the most important book on the religion in this century. The Reluctant Apostate is a must-read for Jehovah's Witnesses and anyone else who has been touched by the faith." -Scott Terry, author of Cowboys, Armageddon and the Truth "Insight only an 'insider' can bring to a subject difficult to understand for those who have never been part of this world, and unthinkable to contemplate for those inside its bubble. Lloyd does a magnificent job of speaking to both audiences and everyone in between. Compassion for the plight of those still held captive bleeds through every page." -Mike Rinder, former senior executive of the Church of Scientology, as featured on the A&E series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath "A compelling and informative window on the world of the Jehovah's Witnesses that will be a vital and life changing resource for former members and many others too in forming an authentic understanding of this group, its beliefs, methods and effects on individuals and families." -Professor Rod Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. Co-Editor International Journal of Cultic Studies and co-founder RETIRN UK Dr. Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Ph.D. Co-founder RETIRN UK

How to Escape from Jehovah's Witnesses

How to Escape from Jehovah's Witnesses PDF Author: Lloyd Evans
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780995669154
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
Jehovah's Witnesses number into the millions globally and are well known for their public evangelism about God's kingdom. But beneath the facade of brotherly love and organizational unity lies a captive organization in which doubts are stifled and dissent is ruthlessly crushed. Once a Witness stops believing, they face being ostracized as a loathed "mentally diseased" apostate. They must navigate a labyrinth of obstacles and dilemmas due to the organization's cruel policy of shunning former members. Lloyd Evans is a well known ex-Witness writer and activist, and in his second book he draws on his firsthand, insider knowledge as a former elder to guide would-be escapees through the minefield that awaits them. How should elders be dealt with? What resources are available for objective research? What should someone do if they are threatened with judicial action? What about coming clean to family members? How does someone go about rebuilding their social circle? What precautions should be taken to maintain privacy when browsing apostate material online? All these questions and more are answered in How to Escape From Jehovah's Witnesses, described by Paul Grundy of JWfacts.com as "an invaluable tool in helping [former Witnesses] move on as efficiently and painlessly as possible."

Petting Tigers

Petting Tigers PDF Author: Elizabeth Stix Bernstein
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692131527
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 341

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Book Description
Petting Tigers is not a gritty, edgy "trauma memoir." Nor is it a shocking expose of a corrupt religious sect. It is the story of what can happen when a child's dreams are stolen, and the agonizing experience of watching as one's own light is snuffed out. It's about having one's mind washed away and replaced with hypnotic rote beliefs that are self-destructive and make no sense in the real world.Petting Tigers is a story about overcoming huge obstacles when you think you have no resources, internal or external to do so - and about reclaiming your life when everything around you tells you that it's too late. Petting Tigers is about imagining and achieving a way out and the slow, clumsy steps that inevitably follow a rebirth.

Crisis of Conscience

Crisis of Conscience PDF Author: Raymond Franz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783931880088
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Book Description


Summary & Analysis of Leaving the Witness

Summary & Analysis of Leaving the Witness PDF Author: ZIP Reads
Publisher: ZIP Reads
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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Book Description
PLEASE NOTE:This is a summary and analysis of the book and not the original book. ZIP Reads is wholly responsible for this content and is not associated with the original author in any way. If you are the author, publisher, or representative of the original work, please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. If you'd like to purchase the original book, please paste this link in your browser: https://amzn.to/33GjiAF Leaving the Witness is a candid and shocking story of cults, culture, control, and Chinese-level contradictions. Amber bares it all, through grief and sharp wit, proclaiming to the world her story of being trapped in, and escaping from, the Jehovah's Witnesses What does this ZIP Reads Summary Include? - Synopsis of the original book - Key takeaways from each section - Details from the inner workings of the church - Amber's journey to secretly converting Chinese people to walking away from the church and being shunned - Editorial Review - Background on Amber Scorah About the Original Book: Amber Scorah was so deeply entrenched in a cult that she was blind to how much she was missing in this one life on earth. Indoctrinated into the restrictive culture from childhood, she married young, and spent an entire nine-year marriage trying to remedy lingering discontent. Enlightenment came through the Internet, behind the Great Firewall of China, from a stranger with the handle, Taipan. When she was liberated, she found that an escapist life is much happier, but that reality is so much better. Now, she lives for today, with love. DISCLAIMER: This book is intended as a companion to, not a replacement for, Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life. ZIP Reads is wholly responsible for this content and is not associated with the original author in any way. If you are the author, publisher, or representative of the original work, please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. Please follow this link: https://amzn.to/33GjiAF to purchase a copy of the original book.

Court Decisions Relating to the National Labor Relations Act

Court Decisions Relating to the National Labor Relations Act PDF Author: United States. National Labor Relations Board
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Labor laws and legislation
Languages : en
Pages : 1378

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Book Description


The Texas Criminal Reports

The Texas Criminal Reports PDF Author: Texas. Court of Criminal Appeals
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Criminal law
Languages : en
Pages : 806

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Book Description


Elihu Root Collection of United States Documents Relating to the Philippine Islands

Elihu Root Collection of United States Documents Relating to the Philippine Islands PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Philippines
Languages : en
Pages : 628

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Reports of the Subversive Activities Control Board

Reports of the Subversive Activities Control Board PDF Author: United States. Subversive Activities Control Board
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Communism
Languages : en
Pages : 738

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Book Description