At first, the Watchtower Society seemed harmless to William J. Schnell, even valuable as a way to develop his faith in God and pass it on to others. This book is Schnell’s fascinating account of his involvement with the cult, which effectively enticed him in the 1920s and continues to lure countless individuals today. Readers will learn, as Schnell did, that the Jehovah’s Witness religion he had … had joined was anything but innocent. For thirty years he was enslaved by one of the most totalitarian religions of our day, and his story of finally becoming free is riveting.
Readers will be alerted to the inner machinations, methods, and doctrines of the Watchtower Society, arming them to forewarn others and witness to their Jehovah’s Witness friends, relatives, neighbors, and the stranger at the door. With more than 300,000 copies sold, 30 Years a Watchtower Slave is truly one of the classic testimonies of freedom from a powerful cult.
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Overall, this book is a good historical record of the beginnings of the Jehovah’s Witness religion. The author gives his true account of having been a Bible Student (the precursor group to Jehovah’s Witnesses) for 30 years during the 1920’s, 1930’s, and 1940’s. The author’s family moved to Germany when he was 7 years old, as an adult he became a Bible Student, then returned to the US about 10 years after that. He talks about different brainwashing techniques, as well as techniques used to drive sincere Bible Students out the new Jehovah’s Witness groups, and then when he returned to the US, he aided in implementing many of those same techniques in the Jehovah’s Witness groups here. I learned a lot about the Jehovah’s Witness groups that doesn’t match their public image–i.e. while they give the impression of having great biblical knowledge, most Jehovah’s Witnesses no very little about the Bible, except for a few proof texts they can quote. When I started the book, I was thinking the word “slave” to be an over dramatization, but indeed he recounts years spent working for the Watchtower while living in a dorm and receiving no pay. He also talks about how contrary to many people’s beliefs that the Jehovah’s Witnesses want to spread the good news of their gospel, the main tenant of the Jehovah’s Witness religion is to sell books, pamphlets, and their Watchtower magazine, and that the members are required to keep records of the time they spend on this activity. He talks about how the Watchtower purposely would try to create controversy and get members arrested, to try to create sympathy for themselves, so that people would buy more books. Scarily he details how the Watchtower sees itself becomeing a supreme world power controlling everything. The author talks about how Jehovah’s Witnesses live their life in a daze, knowing nothing except what the Watchtower tells them. He details their 6 step conversion plan to recruit new members, aka sellers of their material. At the end, the author talks about his conversion to Christianity, and the true freedom and love he has found. He also gives tips on what to say and what not to say, when talking with a Jehovah’s Witness.
Issues with the book, it was hard to follow at times. I’m not sure if this is because most of the formative years of the author were spent speaking German, or if writing just isn’t his forte. Also, he left out many personal facts that would have made the story more real. For instance, near the end of the book we find out he has a wife, but in the book he never talked about dating, getting married, or whether he had any children. Given that JW’s often refuse to have anything to do with a family member who left the faith, it would have been interesting to know how his family reacted to his leaving the faith. Also, this book detailing the author’s experience nearly 70 years ago as a Jehovah’s Witness is dated, and can only provide a historical reference.