Today I got a review that left me scratching my head - what do you make of it? (page 2)

notsurewheretogo

The thing is, her post has nothing to do with the book, it is not a review of the book and therefore doesn't deserve to be posted there.

If anything Beth should post on here!

doofdaddy

Haven't you guys met these types before?

They study and study but can't live by the rules. They get guilty and "defend" the witnesses when ever they can and say how wonderful it all is but never can apply it to themselves.

I reckon I met dozens in my time as a witness.

She stated that she has been studying for 5 years. This is a long time to study IMHO. She is probably receiving a lot of love bombing. She has not been in this cult long enough to get a stab in the back. They are still "encouraging" her along. I have a relative that is in a similar situation. She has been abused all her life. Her study conductor is love bombing her so she thinks she is the cats meow. She can do NO wrong. I kind of equate it to a stray dog that has been neglected all of it's life. When someone picks the dog up and cares for it, the dog is eternally grateful for any love it gets.

username

She sounds like the average person the JW's target now. I hope actually gets wise to the watchtower bullshit before it really sucks her in.

I wouldn't worry about this review Brock, most prospective purchasers will probably give up reading the review due to the inconsistency in spelling and grammar.

By the way, I've read both your books, I hate reading due to my serious lack of concentration, but I can honestly say I couldn't put your two books down. Look forward to a third installment, should you ever write one.

Brock Talon

JeffT, thanks and I PM'd you back.

Disposable Hero, Yes. I was thinking that myself. I don't like to respond to reviews on Amazon, but I wanted to be able to point her here so that others can respond to her in order to break her from the propaganda spell. She is actually aware that some consider her potential religion a cult, but is STILL GOING FOR IT! And... making sure her daughter will be taught it. Terrifying.

punkofnice, thanks for the offer. I'll think about it. The thing is, my books have been out for years now and I don't think one review is going to change anything for them one way or the other. I actually don't care about the review itself that much, it's more of the fact that this is the type of person I wanted to help with my books. It was so obvious to me she didn't read it or she wouldn't have said the things she said. I am frustrated that she is going to ruin her life and that of her child with the key to remedy that right in front of her.

TheRebel, Ha!

KateWild, Exactly! How can we help her? Aaaaargh!

Xanthippe

Trying to fit in with them for five years before baptism and yet says they don't ask perfection from anyone. I said I found the review unhelpful because there's nothing about your book in it! Not sure she even read it but perhaps only wants to have a moan at people who write apostate books. Don't worry about it, you can't help everyone.

Brock Talon

notsurewheretogo, You know, it's interesting that Amazon doesn't have an actual policy you have to have read a book to review it. I hate it when I read someone's review of Crisis of Conscience or some other great book and they start out with "well, I haven't read this book, but...." and then go on a rant against it based on what they think is in the book. This is like posting a movie review on Rotten Tomatoes from watching a few commercials and hearing your workmates talk about a movie at the water cooler. Anyway, I wish Beth would post here too...

Doofdaddy, yup. But it's taking it to another level to go public with this. That's the disturbing part. She felt the need to post her self loathing and angst as a review.

ToesUp, yes, exactly. The interesting thing here is she is getting the love bombing, but for 5 years now. Isn't that a bit long to be studying without committing? How long can the JWs keep this up? She's obviously not "in" enough to know what the religion is really like, but not "out" enough to see it clearly either.

Username, thank you very much for the compliment. I'm so glad my books entertained you. I hope they made your day a bit better and strengthened your resolve that leaving the Watch Tower was the right move.

In the light of what Username said about prospective purchasers, I want to tell you all an interesting phenomenon about the occasional bad review for an otherwise well reviewed book: they can actually increase sales. I noticed this with Journey to God's House a few years ago when I first published. When absolutely everyone was giving it good reviews the sales figures were OK, but after somebody posted a 1 star review blasting the book (which I admit kind of hurt my feelings) I noticed it spike to #1 in the genre and stay there! Then, after awhile and many more good reviews, it went back to OK and then another bad review and it spiked again. Weird. After publishing Escape from Paradise, I was especially watchful about this because it got only good reviews at first, but once the first bad one hit, the sales spiked for it too. So, I want everyone to know that I really don't care about the 1 star bad slam reviews like that. They don't hurt the book at all... maybe they help it. (Although I suppose any book that got only bad reviews wouldn't survive...) I brought this up because it really hurt me to see a person who the book could help the most, a person studying with Witnesses who should get a more rounded exposure to the real truth, just pan the book with a blind obedience to a horrible religion, at the same time saying it isn't a cult, with the goal to indoctrinate her child in the same way! To me, this is frightening and sad.

Brock Talon

Xanthippe, You're so right. It IS ironic that she doesn't have to be perfect to be a JW, yet still doesn't feel she is good enough to be one. I thought Christianity was about accepting the undeserved grace of God and just believing in a savior, not waiting to be "good enough" to accept said savior to be baptized. What good is an all loving, all accepting savior if you have to jump through hoops to get saved from your own weaknesses so much that you can't make up your mind after 5 years? This works-based faith the JWs espouse really gets my goat.

sir82

Sounds like she is trying to convince herself she has "the truth", rather than trying to convince anyone else.

ToesUp

Brock

My relative has studied for years with no commitment. It is an easy way for a full time pioneer to put their time in. My relative thinks this study conductor is their friend. I just want to tell my relative..."tell your study buddy that you no longer want to study and see how long they want to be your friend." So frustrating! Sad too!

I wouldn't take the the review too personally. I think the person writing it has not yet experienced the "ah ha" moment. Once they have personally experienced the knife in the back or the doctrine that just doesn't seem right, they will come to the realization that the emperor has no clothes. Sometimes people don't get it until it happens to them personally. We all get it here on this forum, we personally FELT it.

Today I got a review that left me scratching my head - what do you make of it?

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