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IMPORTANT NOTICE

"Due to the lack of public interest in sincere encouragement and a personal perspective of life as one of Jehovah's Witness, I am ceasing my work on this cite. It is clear to me that in today's ambivalent and emotionally numbing world that my responsibility lies with my own family and it is towards my own family that I now will focus. While this site was never brought forth in order to reap the applause of men, it has also failed to reach those who sincerely wish to make informed decisions about any religion they may join. Most individuals would rather allow others to make their decisions for them, or be swayed by the opinions of others: it neither is nor ever was the intention of this site to do either. Enabling others to make their own decisions, and then trusting that their Bible-trained conscience would guide them in the correct path should be a goal we all have in common, directing no person to anyone but Christ and our heavenly Father, Jehovah God-- never to any organization or church that originates with men."

--Timothy B Kline, October 19, 2000

 

I began working on Shadows of the Mind: Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses in the fall/winter of 1999, with the intention of bringing to the public a candid portrait of the movement known worldwide as "Jehovah's Witnesses" by examining the history, doctrines, and the impact on followers, ex-followers, and prospective followers, using a wide array of information I had obtained. It was to cover the three major eras of the organization, from Charles Taze Russell to the modern-day Governing Body's role as leader.

I obtained a book titled Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses, by M. James Penton in August 2000. Here was a book, intensive and widely accurate, that meant that someone had already accomplished what I had set out to do, with only a few variations on approach. I would highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to have in their possession an impressive study of the movement. A search at either BN.COM or AMAZON.COM will provide you with further information about this book.

So the question now is where do I go with this project now? I am doubtful that I could approach the goal so succinctly as did M. James Penton, so I am now giving due consideration to allowing Shadows of the Mind: Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses become a more specific work, perhaps addressing the challenge that faces the individual Witness today, and the ex-Witness, who is abandoned by all friends, family, and relationships that they were surrounded by because of a conscientious decision to question the organization. I would also like to bring attention to the numerous resources available to those that leave for conscientious reasons but were not aware that there are others who have tread the dubious path before them.

There is no pre-determined date of completion for the book at this time.

(From the back cover)

In the organization we are told that there is “nowhere else to go” for salvation. Most of us believe it. But with a careful re-examination of what we believe, what we’ve been led to believe, and a willingness to accept God’s Word as our guide, we can discover that it isn’t where we go for our salvation, but who we turn to for that salvation.

Through an examination of the patriarchs Noah and Abraham we find the strength to stand alone with Jehovah God as our guide.

Through several other biblical examples we will find the same fears that we carry with us during “departure” were fears faced by others long before us, and the same answers they were provided are available for us today within the pages of God's Word.

Facing the Challenge of Departure is written for those who are facing day-to-day depression and uncertainty about what to do when they have come to see that their faith has been misplaced and they’ve fell victim to “religion by proxy.”

While there are several encouraging thoughts within these pages, there is never any claim to being the only Way or to having all the answers, or having a "God-directed" understanding. These words are based on experience only and was written for my wife to encourage her to stand firm in her resolve to serve Jehovah God wholeheartedly, even in the face of possible isolation from all those who once claimed to love her unconditionally until she began to voice her questions aloud.

Available online: December 2000

Also available online in html format are treatises on Community Responsibility and the Christian, as well as Propaganda and Jehovah's Witnesses. These works are currently undergoing some adaptations before they will be made available online for guests to download in booklet form for easier reading sometime in October 2000.

 

 

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Last modified: October 16, 2000