Suggestions Please

Lostandfound

My daughter is an ex JW as are all my children and my wife. She works at University and as seems to be the case with Uni staff, always looking for another degree to obtain. She has had some suggestions and is keen on something along the lines of research into cults such as WT and Scientology, more specifically why so many former JWs fo example, are living with the need to destroy and oppose quite loudly the WT. With a member of a "standard" church who leaves that they just move on and have no axe to grind, but many former witnesses are determined in their opposition to the org. Membership of a cult, when left, leaves a void, is this a cause of "apostates" almost adopting apostasy as a new religion?

She has read all commentary press stuff as I purchased that years ago, but would like suggestions of any books to add to her research list. Sadly my memory not very good but recall over years several suitable books mentioned here , so any reminders, suggestions please. I have of course suggested she joins up here as this place can be inspiring. Thanks for your help .

steve2

I really like the books by James Penton - very scholarly and authoritative.

In the 1980s,a Canadian ex-JW couple whose names elude me wrote a very stirring book on the organization called, "The Orwellian World of the Watchtower"

Then there is the crème de la crème of ex-JW books, Barbara Gruzutti Harrison's "Visions of Glory: Jehovah's Witnesses A History and a Memory" (1978). For sheer emotional impact, straight from the heart reading, especially from the point of view of a woman, there is simply no better book.

Giordano

Eric Hoffer's The True Believer can be purchased new or used for $4 to $5 on Amazon,

"Hoffer began writing The True Believer in the 1940s, as Nazism and fascism spread across Europe. Most analysts who were trying to work out how these movements became so powerful focused on their leaders and the ideas they trumpeted.

Hoffer focused on the followers. He saw that people joining mass movements all had common traits. Feeling worn down, they had lost their sense of self-worth and saw in the movement a way to restore some meaning to their lives.

A half-century after the book's initial publication, the terror attacks on the US of September 11, 2001 brought it renewed attention. Why? Because Hoffer created a work that explains not just the events of his day, but the events of ours, too, giving us a way to understand why people behave in seemingly irrational ways."

darkspilver

Hi steve2

Then there is the crème de la crème of ex-JW books, Barbara Gruzitto Harrison's (I'm just about to look up the title)

Nathan Natas said:

Barbara gave Randy Watters permission to publish "Visions of Glory" on line where I expect it will be enjoyed by the current "generation" of soon to be X JWs.
You can read it for free.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/30356/_post/392131

edited to add - check out:

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6258747057897472/barbara-grizzuti-harrisons-vision-glory-now-online-free

Ding

Unlike most religions, the WT doesn't allow JWs to have a normal life. It takes up almost 100% of their time. They can never do enough to measure up and always fear annihilation at Armageddon because they can't. It isolates them from everyone who is not a JW. It requires complete obedience to and trust of the Governing Body and the elders.

When JWs find out they've been deceived, they react much the same way as they would if they discovered that a trusted advisor was systematically swindling them out of their life savings.

redvip2000

With a member of a "standard" church who leaves that they just move on and have no axe to grind, but many former witnesses are determined in their opposition to the org.

If by "standard" church you mean the mainstream churches like catholic, evangelical, etc, then this is true. Like others have said, when it comes to JWs, the damage that it does to members is deep enough that many never really recover once out, and if they do, they are pushed to activism of some form as they recognize that others still inside are being harmed as well.

But this is not limited to JWs, other extremist religions such as mormons, scientology, etc, have the same situations. When their members leave they also often engage in activism for the same reasons.