Saying goodbye to discontinued literature - Cedars' vlog no. 105

In this video I pay tribute to the long list of Jehovah's Witness publications that Watchtower is consigning to the "new light" scrapheap. jwsurvey.org/ce...
You can check my inventory of Watchtower publications on the following link. If you are able to fill in any of the gaps in my collection, please email me at [e-mail]... docs.google.co...

[@AndySmallbone]

I'm really hoping I see the end of this cult in my lifetime!

[@RitaMalikfour]

I’m hoping the rebellion is this Summee convention, with all the loonie g b and delegates are think they are Gods should get enough pimos angry

[@orionpryme]

I personally find it ironic that a religious group that calls themselves "The truth" changes there teachings and publications so often.

[@Ballykeith]

+orionpryme 1984, by George Orwell: "I tell you Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes: only in the mind of the party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the party holds to be truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party." For 'Party' substitute 'Society'.

[@johnfreeman8445]

+Alan Flynn after 50 years in the borg collective i have to say bang on.

[@spanishgypsy1618]

+orionpryme right on the nail! x

[@barbarahedges1791]

+orionpryme All the truth I learned years ago is now not truth. So how would I know if I went back if they are teaching truth this time ?

[@orionpryme]

+a guest well you answered your own question.if you went years ago and went back now how would you not notice changes.

[@jennareed1638]

Page 8, paragraph 8 says "..reason for publishing this book is the need to keep up-to-date with PRESENT TRUTH.. as we draw closer to the great tribulation." - Revelations It's grand climax at hand. This book messed me up real bad as I was a 7 yr old child at the time it was printed. Now it's old light? Thanks for all the nightmares GB.

[@Pursuepeace0715]

me too! I was a teenager thinking of going to college and they tried to stop me the CO! girl we " Escaped from witch mountain".. (old Disney movie reference) 😆 🤣 when he held up that red book it triggered me!

[@jenm9099]

Yes! It terrified me!

[@satanderteufel9479]

Well, even spiritual food has an expiry date :D

[@adu5335]

Go figure

[@theresefournier3269]

And i get all 33's, even with this "like" & myriads of other times. Just as many 4's, though. And fives, and nines, etc..

[@locustlocust9749]

that's so fucking good

[@Sequin5]

Best comment 🏆

[@johnfreeman8445]

we spent hours studying and underlining the revelation book .i think studied 3 times in our book studies. so all that "truth" we took in is not now "truth"?? im ever so confused. a sister in her 80s said to me at the meeting recently " this new tv thing and these new meetings have got me so confused .i dont know what they are on about anymore " so sad for elder ones

😕

[@johnfreeman8445]

Dont understand comment?

+John freeman poor mrs

[@johnfreeman8445]

+Crecer como testigo de Jehová well ive known her for 40 years .her and her elder husband (was) were alway at the front of everything devoted every waking hour. now confused and disalusioned especialy over the lies and cover up of the crimes against children

+John freeman mom has been a jw for 40 years and yesterday she called me to celebrate my birthday for the first time, I guess the new changes are too much for the older ones.

[@daisymae4048]

Thank you for the information. Keep up the good work. Amazing how many books are discontinued. I remember studying the revelation book 3 times! How it constantly condemned the UN as the wild beast and to have nothing to do with it and then to find out the watchtower was part of the UN for years!!!

[@jflores24]

Daisy Mae Yup, that's when I woke up, I cleaned recently my house still had old books threw them out.

[@awakeatlast3894]

For a while they haven't let us "reason" with householders. We were told that if a householder is asking too many questions and wants to argue with us to not waste our time. An elder even told me that we should simply tell them "we're here to discuss the bible, if we can't agree on that then there's nothing to talk about".

[@kylereese3343]

I''m going to miss the Revelation book. It had the most epic pictures ever.

[@bennypagesaunders6895]

It was a great book just for the research, but the illustrations were epic. Any eighties heavy metal band would be proud.

[@rapperhostile]

I want a copy so bad

[@jenm9099]

Scared the shit out of me as a kid. I hated the Tuesday night book study when we did that. The Trinity book was boring but didn't scare me at least.

[@hektorlinko]

@@jenm9099 I knew I wasn't wired to be a witness because those scary pictures didn't scare me but I was infatuated with them especially the seven headed red leopard with horns and bear claws with the harlot. I would have gotten that as a tattoo if I was in my 20's with that fresh state of mind back then. lol

[@hektorlinko]

Yeah that book had some great artwork that would have been great for some metal, goth, industrial bands. Great artwork. I was never scared by those photos but I was intrigued by them so much even at a young age. They were just bad ass. My mom is still a witness and I told her I was going to buy that book on eBay just for my collection and she was like.."Oh no son..I have a few copies I'll send you one." I was like...Okay mom Love you. Yeah my mom is back in the hooks of the cult and not going anywhere sad to say and she text's me and writes me letters here and there...not to say hi or how I'm doing but to talk about Jehovah. So yeah...I always tell my pop and brother that she needs this to count her time since she's pioneering again. Of course... lol

[@gerryhatrick9277]

As an elder I often wondered about the Revelation book. Why did we have to study it so many times.. I just thought at the time there must have been a writers block on the writing committee. And the Daniel book I guess that was the awakening. How could they apply a prophecy written over a thousand years ago to some date for a convention or some announcement. I would be preparing for the study and saying to myself this is a joke. Forgive me if I am a bit loose with my facts. Over 13 years since we have been to a meeting and all my JW. books were thrown out so I do not have the references. Mind you we managed to keep a couple of gems which we have passed on for someone's special library... Love your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@johnfreeman8445]

its all going digital . many older ones will leave or just fade out as i am .even my keen jw wife is concerned with whats going on. .i think we are seeing the making of history . the cracks are becoming wider . the WT is suffering the great tribulation.

[@squirrly001]

Their evolution from a printing company to a digital one will soon be complete. So weird to think how much time I spent "studying" all that irrelevant nonsense. Either it was so simplistic, that you felt like a child reading it or it was so convoluted that you felt like an idiot because you couldn't wrap your head around it. So much wasted time.

[@johnfreeman8445]

i agree sitting through those book study groups .im sure its damaged my brain. now at the new style meetings when i have to take my wife i havent got a clue what they are on about ?

[@squirrly001]

John freeman ...poor you. what do they "study" now?

[@johnfreeman8445]

+squirrly001 ha ha dont ask me its all nonsense now .none of ot makes sense. the study book is called imitate their faith all about people of faith in old test. and a lot of stuff from book of chronicles .nothing about jesus. yet its supposed to be christian meetin

[@beanm9948]

Exactly!! I thought at times it was "too deep", but it was just stupid!!

[@SmashMD]

+squirrly001 i will try searching for an onnline version of the book and the way the new meetings are held.

[@bbuttercup7204]

John cedars, you need a silent partner with his own library. Think about this, WT could burn down your house and you/we would loose all your sources. One month ago I was a true beliver with hurt feelings, and 5 months before I was zealous and positive about my faith. Now, I know how dangerous they are. Please be careful with yourself and family too.

[@jarretjordan3837]

many libraries still exist. many in my ex congregation kept theirs. especially the older ones they have big libraries!

[@nadiabishop5650]

Hope you are doing well!

[@onesunnyday5699]

You need to call in with your story

[@williamchylik7992]

It just dawned on me lloyd, the reason for all these discontinued publications is because of the discontinuation of the ministry school. They NO longer want them to refer to these books for research material to give talks. And of course there is a reason for this, and of course there not telling their members. And I'm quite convinced the reasons are corrupt and misleading.

[@theresaakins2317]

William Chylik what are the reasons? This is intriguing me!

[@qbasicmichael]

Their dropping of antitypes probably has something to do with them getting rid of all the prophesy analysis books. In one fell swoop, they abandoned a huge chunk of their own doctrine. It's the same religion in name, but the teachings and style are very different.

[@jimbobaggans1564]

John, I'm really glad that your keeping all of these publications. The watchtower may try and deny what was printed. You will have proof.

[@roidroid]

It makes sense for them to be tightening their purse strings to become a 100% digital media company. But they're deleting these books from their official digital library too - that's the real kicker. There's no reason to do that, the data storage costs them nothing. It's trying to erase history. :(

[@LetsgoBrendanFJB]

“erase history” 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏼

[@tanyareda9909]

Hi John. I commented negatively on one of your videos about two years ago and since then...I've looked a tad more deeply into this issue of Jdubs and the negative impact they've had on people. From my own viewpoint, I never was a believer, although raised as one, but know quite a few who are/were, and who are not coping well or who are afraid of leaving or, having left, (become inactive), are scared of rocking the boat due to relatives still being in. Anyway, my apologies. I have seen loads of your videos and admire what you are doing, alongside others who are also putting a lot of information out. I am now sharing and actively encouraging others to do so in order to help free them and to enable a healing process, which clearly, many need. So, forgive my insensitive comments two years ago..ish? I do now understand. 😀

[@AgapeStudios.LeighManzer]

Wow! It's crazy how many books they're getting rid of! We used to call the reasoning book our "shield" that complimented out "sword" the new world translation. I'm quite jealous of your publication collection! I lost a lot of my collection when my basement flooded. And the crazy revelation book! I couldn't say enough about that! It put the fear into many of us! Thank you for this video and all of your time you invest into helping others see the real truth!

[@cardboardbox9977]

Leigh Manzer I remember going thru the Revelation book at bookstudy, sitting in someone's basement for the meeting. Everybody was talking about how when all this stuff happens, we'd be sitting in this same basement with our bookstudy group, hiding from the authorities waiting for the end to come.🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@octosimp1717]

Something I’ve never thought about before: if the gb is really anointed by god why do they need “new light” wouldn’t they have it right from the start

[@charlenewatkins9126]

Sing To The Clouds yes God doesn’t make errors and adjustments to His word only con artists WTBS and governing bullies

[@Thelmajeanne]

I NEVER LAUGHED SO HARD IN MY LIFE AS WHEN YOU WERE SKEPTICALLY READING THE LITERATURE !!!! YOU PORTRAYED ME VERY WELL AS I WAS LEARNING "THE TRUTH" FOR THE FIRST TIME !!! LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL I AM ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING !!!! YOU ARE WONDERFUL, I LOVE YOU !!!

[@leicafox4403]

The skeptical reading followed by the slow zoom-in on the paradisaic Ken doll wannabe had me in stitches!

[@bobz1736]

Great video. Ironically you have more WTBTS publications than most witnesses ... ha ha ha 😊

[@mb-the-enby]

Wow! So many of the books I remember are gone. I left in 2002 or so; I hardly recognize the organization anymore! Good riddance to the Revelation! book especially. I feel like we studied that trash 2 or 3 times in the book study.

[@richardhoward4592]

ok so I asked an just asked an elder of I could borrow the book "Shepherding the flock" he said no I couldn't. so I asked if there was a reason why I a baptised witness wouldn't be allowed to borrow a copy. and his answer was " it was issued by the branch for qualified elders only. and they tell all elders to keep the book confidential." sounds like a secret is being hidden from us. I would love to know what it says.

[@bernardsebranek8957]

richard howard I have googled it and read it online.

[@joannecheckley1280]

Ive read it, ooh! a woman, fancy that! But didnt find anything that shouldnt be common knowledge. Silly male egos!

[@Robert_W7]

If i was still a current witness I would be horrified at these publications being discontinued. Some key books/brochures that would appeal to certain groups of people AND no replacements! Along with that, think of all the money they are going to save in printing.

[@nora_nayeli]

I remember when we had to read the book of revelation on Bible study and in the meeting they would tell us to start ordering it because everyone at the last minute will order it and run out for weeks. I of course waited till the last minute and they were all out so a sister let me borrow her older revelation book and told me with my kingdom ministry to get a pen and cross things out and make those corrections. It didn't feel right. I didn't say anything but in my head I said "well what's wrong with this copy? Shouldn't it be the same?" I feel the nostalgia with the Draw Close to Jehovah." That was my first book I was given when I was first preached to.

[@debora1553]

Do not throw them away, they may be worth a fortune one day.

[@barbarahedges1791]

+Debora Shelby What they are worth is proving when they deny ever teaching or saying a certain thing it can be proven yes, they did and here it is.

[@gregsmith190]

Amazing. I see a major theme here that I'd like to mention. Notice, almost ALL of the books that dealt with prophetic books of the bible are being discontinued. Certainly, this is to cover their asses in the future when their prophecies continue to fail. And the ones that are still available on JW library App will continue to be revised a la 1984 through constant app updates that redact small portions at a time, as has been documented already.

[@johnfreeman8445]

i still take wife to meetings although im mentaly " out" ive noticed the the WT studies are mainly themed aroung obiediance to the FDS .in the new replacment book for the greatest man book has removed mention of UN being the disgusting thing .im sure as time goes on there will be very little prophetic stuff .they have had their fingers burned too many times. it makes me wonder how they are gona keep the interest going especialy with young ones .the new meetings are so boring ive started to doze off in em .

[@spanishgypsy1618]

+John freeman Haaahhaa! Well, that's one way to keep out the brainwashing......get away from them freind...x

[@lindayeager3126]

the ones who are still blind in the org. will be forced to wake up by the holy Spirit , and then there nashing of teeth will begin towards the elders and the gov. body for all the lying and tricking and fleecing the flock !

[@johnfreeman8445]

yes since my last post i realise that the holy spirit has surely helped me wake up ti jesus

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

Well of course ... some of those lazy ass prophecies need help to become self-fulfilling ;-)

[@makeitmondos]

I was raised a witness, but no longer believe, however, I can't help feel a little jealous of your library! And imagine all the passages I'd read that no longer apply to current day doctrine. What a laugh I would have!

[@peterbeadman9010]

Me too. I had the hard back 'my book of bible stories' it's now a magazine type thing. Also. The book for youths. And in fact all the home bible study group books. I was forced to raise my hand and give parroted answers to the the questions at the bo of the page. Every child had to raise hands. We didn't get home till. Mad o'clock 3 times a week. And we're still. Expected to be bright and shiny for school at 6. Because we had to listen to a scripture every morning and if I didn't agree I got a slap before being called jezabel before the school bus.

[@pixels2u]

Ooooh the Revelation book - when we studied it at the book study, I remembered breaking the Big Rule of never criticizing WT or WT pubs and going to my husband and saying that it was nuts, reading him pages, and he completely agreed. Too bad we stayed in another 10 or 15 yrs :/

[@anonb4632]

Pixilate U Is that the Revelation Climax one? I've actually got a copy. Can't remember how as I've never been a JW.

[@amayfield64801]

It seems a bit ironic that they show a soccer ball on the one brochure (Jehovah's Witnesses- Who Are They?). I guess football is ok as long as you don't play with the wordly people!

[@4jesus4truth38]

No even playing football or soccer with other JWs might become too competitive. Best just to kick the ball around by yourself in your sad, friendless JW life.

[@gregsmith190]

One young guy got hurt playing football (American football) at a witness gathering in my area a few years ago. After that, they were only allowed to play basketball and all the ministerial servants were counseled against playing football because of how "gladiatorial" and "violent" it was. Just another anecdote about how sheltered JWs are and how a normal, enjoyable life escapes then.

[@dreamrealitysyndrome]

I grew up in the Spanish congregation. Soccer is DEFINITELY an activity most of the Hispanics partake in. Its actually a weekly ritually. Every Sunday brothers from local Spanish congregations would play a game for several hours.

[@morningglory9288]

I remember we had to edit the Revelation Grand Climax at Hand book as well. Ruling out specific lines and rewriting in other wordings in its place.

[@anonymousvon5159]

Food is expensive: they can't afford to print it. Also, many of the publications are in conflict with the light. The Internet is the cheaper, and easier to erase old teachings.

[@mindycope7582]

Good riddance, especially to Revelations and the Youth brochure. One gave me nightmares, the other made me cry for a future I didn't want but thought I had no choice but to pursue. Pretty much all the WT literature in my library is now "old light".

[@spanishgypsy1618]

+Mindy Cope All their old rubbish..............in fact all of their publications......would make a damn good bonfire! But sadly, those who are now waking up are realising the whole thing has been a complete scam and waste of time. Wasted and very damaged lives. Very sad how many lives have been touched and tainted by wt.

[@netihansen3034]

Would be nice to see Watchtower...aka...JW.ORG be discontinued!!!!

[@kellywallin2641]

Nostalgic remembrance. I was 15yrs old in the kingdom hall library found a box of super old watchtowers. 1940's era. Read through and found out the jitterbug dance was really demonic posession. All those contortions weren't humanly possible without demons help. I thought then, they are nuts.

[@OnlyDaria7250]

No More Revelation Book!! WOW!!! damn! and the Reasoning book? I am going to remember the page 200 1914 comments.

[@edithknox-freedomfighter905]

Now I understand why there were no new releases this year. That, and the fact that they have all those pedophilia cases to pay out.

[@annearls26]

My dad was born into the "truth" in 1949. Since he was about 10 he has collected almost all of them. My parents basement is all jw books. They follow it to a T. I never wanted to be baptized as I just never got it. So I am not shunned like my older sister as she was baptized. I feel very sorry for them all. Just so insane.

[@annearls26]

The revelation book scared the crap out of me as a kid.

[@soliver701]

Your parents may have the Paradise Book. Thats as far back as i go.

[@celialehannehollon8567]

Wow, so many huge publications retired. Makes me wish I had kept my library.

[@satinbarbi]

What comes now? New brighter new light revised third edition? Why the year 2025 is important to Jehovah's Witnesses. New Memorial! Now everyone partakes and instead of wine we have Blue Kool-Aid. Nothing the GB spews out now would surprise me.

[@mervjohnson2140]

why is the.year 2025 important to the Witnesses. um Not A Witness. Can you Explain. please

[@jamespilcher5287]

Merv Johnson it's a sarcastic reference to how they made similar remarks about 1925 and 1975 in the past. they predicted the end of the world for those dates

[@mervjohnson2140]

What is The year. 2025 important? ? What's going To Happen??

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

+Merv Johnson. NOTHING, which is the point. satinbarbi just put random "prophecies" in words that she clearly expects to be just as untrue as the last hundreds of prophecies which never came to pass. Her post just says "they will continue to make shit up and to secretly wipe the egg off their face when they AGAIN will be caught at not having been correct. Like they did in the past they'll do in the future".

[@godislove544]

Someone on KZbin also read an official letter that was instructing elders to take a list of books off of the shelves of the Kingdom Hall Library.

[@monsterhobbiesonlinestore]

Wow! Your collection of "Books of Lies" is very impressive! :D

[@AuntieClimactic]

Someone may have already posted this, I didn't read all 249 comments, but I heard that "A book for all people" had to be re-released with a new cover because something happened with either the original couple on the cover (divorce) or the brother did something and was disfellowshipped. Maybe they just cut out the old guy and dropped in the black guy, or maybe it's just a rumor like Smurfs walking through the Kingdom Hall, swearing and talking about satanic things in the mid-80's (did you hear that one? I know I did, but I don't think my parents did, because I got to keep all of my Smurf toys - and I had a lot!)

[@adris79]

hilldiggity Wow! I remember that one back in the 80's. Lol! I was about 7 yrs old. That news even traveled all the way to our congregation in Puerto Rico. I wasn't allowed to have any Smurfs toys at all or even watch the cartoons on tv. Supposedly one got up and walked all the way to the platform because it was posessed!

[@rayeregan8114]

@@adris79 I grew up hearing this story too- My parents took away my baby smurf doll

[@mikewilkins2153]

In addition to discontinuing literature, has the Society, over the last 5 or so years, been encouraging individuals, directly or otherwise, to get rid of their older publications? I've been working at a recycling facility for just over a dozen years. We accept all paper products from newsprint to magazines to hard cover books. And we get a LOT of books. About 5 or 6 years ago I started to notice Society publications being dropped off - sometimes in quite large amounts. Several times I've seen decades worth of Watchtower and Awake bound volumes dropped off in one shot, yearbooks and study books from fairly recent back to the '50's, several copies of books like "Aid to Bible Understanding", "Reasoning From The Scriptures" About the only one I haven't seen yet is the "flock" book.

[@mileidyperez4543]

Lloyd, we all got amazed by Watchtower at one point. They built kingdom halls in three days, magazines being printed simultaneously in several languages. As you mentioned, the "insight on the scriptures " book. Well, false prophets, and false Christs will arise, performing many signs and wonders, misleading. .............

[@dockspa]

Faith on the March was excellent for showing one of the big prophecies debunked! They were all standing on the Brooklyn Bridge in N.Y. on the night they prophecied as true. They litterally had suitcases packed and waiting for Jesus to come grab them. Then A.H. McMillan had to give the morning prayer the day after at Bethel! A Must have!!!

[@Tizocgringo]

He should at least put his library on microfilm and distribute copies to major universities around the world.

[@bubblestar2314]

I really enjoyed this. Wow! This was a huge amount of additional literature being dumped. Goes to show what little value it actually was, and each new release we received at the convention assemblies, we were (according to the writers of the Watchtower so "thrilled" to have received at the time. Sheesh, what a waste of time. Goes to show that all those Bible study aids, were not even necessary.

[@DiabloDisablo]

I am shocked that so many books I remember as being pivotal to the JW's are now obsolete. It really is struggling now, isn't it? I think it will take decades yet for it to fully decline. I doubt I'll see its demise in my lifetime. At least the internet is now educating this with the will to be educated.

[@grantpritchard7492]

It's spiritual fast food and Stephen Lett is the Ham Burglar!

[@MsHuntfor]

False prophecies in their books, no way 😉. I remember being encouraged to burn discontinued books by Elders who read those announcements from Gov. Body. I remember all of the ones you'd shown, aparat from maybe two of them. It now scares me how much money they have, how much time I dedicated to read all of them, as encouraged at Kingdom Hall instead of reading Bible or play volleyball with friends, hang out when young.l

[@opietwoep1247]

Wow creation book, that was what got me back interested in JWs. So sad seeing so many publications discontinued. Think about all those people who missed the last talk and payer to be first to get this discontinued masterpieces by standing in line

[@elyctricdisaster]

is it right that they changed the Bible and some words in the "old" translation? Could you do a video on that?

[@swwagner1]

In Canada, when the Insight books came out, only certain people were allowed to have it. I can't remember the list but it was basically from a pioneer up. That meant that the majority of the people there could not get it. You had to beg a pioneer to be able to look at it later.

[@cynnaratregarth2009]

I'm gasping at some of my books I read being discontinued. Some of them were fun, some annoying, especially as a science specialist. The My book of Bible Stories, so sad, though. It was one of the only books I kept once I left. Reasoning, too? See, the horror! Good thing I left. I'd be having a fit, demanding answers.

[@nhatphutruong9568]

Thank you so much.Respect from Vietnam

[@barbarahedges1791]

They don't want them to know what they taught was all wrong. If the books are gone they can deny saying things in them.

[@thetruthrover]

I wonder how many of the old Watchtowers were used as toilet paper back in the days of outhouses.

[@gregsmith190]

Not often I would assume, they are to inky. Better off as kindling. Or sent to Lloyd.

[@subtractivemusic]

I remember going to weekly Bible studies pouring over Isaiah's prophecy and I was at the convention in 2001 when they released volume two. I had Cancelled that from my memory banks. I left ten years ago, but I still haven't dealt with the memory loss due to ptsd. You are helping me deal with it.

[@charleslomanto]

Thank you so much for making this video... And all the other videos you do.

[@ginam64]

If it’s all on line, it can be updated or changed without notice.

[@ourdyingsun5141]

I vividly remember them... I am shocked! Quite nostalgic...

[@kellywallin2641]

I remember bringing the creation book to school to set our science teacher straight. Laughable.

[@Satchmojones]

I feel your pain bud, dont let it get you down as children we just didnt know any better.

[@katb945]

I also think it is very telling to discontinue "Draw Close to Jehovah" book as this is many JW favourite book studied a few times at the book study and only just recently. I think many JW are going to be shocked by some of these being discontinued, I do know last year that it was announced that all old books be brought back to the Kingdom Hall including the older BTB. They used to have a month here and there in the KM where older books were to be placed for the monthly offer to get rid of the older stock, most of in teachings were old light, so they didn't mind giving the HH apostate literature.

[@jamesevans1036]

My family had so many of these , I wish I hadn't got rid of them because several of the ones you don't have copy's of we had. Unfortunately when given the chance I destroyed them promptly before my parents got sucked back in.

[@subi-brz]

I remember seeing that revelations book when I was 7 or 6 and that shit scared me!

[@anonb4632]

I actually have that Revelation book! There's a terrible double entendre in the title. I've never been a JW and can't remember where I got it from. I've shown it to quite a few people. Certainly one of the wilder publications I've seen from the JWs.

[@beanm9948]

As usual, informative video. As a born in, I cannot believe some of the staples they're discontinuing or "suspending ". Thank you for all your hard work. Cannot WAIT for your book! Funny music video at the end. I, like you, was scared poopless of the artist renderings and writings of Armageddon in the Revelation Climax book. Good riddance indeed.

[@gregdiamond5355]

They change their minds so much so what was the current thinking in 2010 isn’t the thinking in 2016.

[@peterbeadman9010]

My husband died. One day later my mum gave me a leaflet saying what happens when someone we love dies. I said wellhe won't be in paradise, and the elder with her said. Quote 'Christopher didn't know jehovah but he (jehovah) will give you Christopher back in paradise if you yvonne(me) come back into what we know (my mum elder and wife) you know, is the truth' end quote. I know you know what quote means but I have to tell you honestly that was was I was told by an elder. Yes I was adopted by a jw and brought up to the age of 11 in. It. I never believed and was sent back to care because I would not conform. But I love my mum and want to wake her up.

[@stacyyoust]

I still love Make Sure of All Things, Hold Fast to What is Fine. No reasoning just topics and relevant scriptures.

[@gypsylove539]

Fascinating I’m so long out and when I was in had a library that looked like yours that caused me so much trouble. I had moved into an old house that had a crawl space in the roof and there I found old watchtower and awakes going back to when they first arrived. I read everything and compared and incorporated things in my answers at meeting so no wonder they hardly ever called on me. The revelation book was my big wake up everyone was raving about it when it was released I read it and could not agree with a thing in it. I could not comment on it when studied and got in trouble for refusing to use it when it was to be sold at the doors.

[@watchtowerreviewz7978]

Wow. I am genuinely surprised at how many books are being retired. Especially the "reasoning" book. That one got the most use from rank and file JWs in my area. The "Ministry of Truth" changing the past here under the guise of "new light" as usual. The next generation of JWs will have no idea that any of this stuff even existed. It's weird seeing all of this unfold before us. Most of this literature will be labeled "apostate" in no time.

[@stephaniejacobs2281]

Oh my god, the flashbacks!

[@SkorpyoTFC]

What the fuck? They discontinued everything I remember seeing at the literature counter! What's even left!?

[@roidroid]

*My Book of Bible Stories* is now old light?! awwwww

[@whiteorchid1957]

+roidroid It was a rubbish book. I read it as a kid but would not read it to my child although I was going to the KH at the time. It's poorly designed and poorly written.

[@roidroid]

ya it was hilariously bad tho, a good laugh

[@jamessteel1740]

...some of them are still available in the web site: this means that the interpretation of some scriptures in Isaiah, Jeremiah, for example, are still advocated. I think that the discontinuing of some of them is to save money in printing and posting. Nice video and well presented.

[@MarcVesseur]

No matter how much new light they will receive, sadly enough it will never cause them to become humble and return from their wicked ways. How low can these men go? Oh Lord, free all members so they will find the Truth in person: Jesus Christ🙏🏼

[@sparklecanada0112]

John; Your comment on your website about the "shelf fillers" is Spot On! Good Job!

[@boesposito]

As the ex-literature servant I secretly giggled with that letter saying to discard those books....trash them immediately. Suddenly the members wondered where all the books went. Little did they know it was a cover up for all the problems and legitimacy. And I did have a home book burning which took days...

[@mellonlord4616]

I cannot believe they held on to the creation book that long. That was the one thing I wanted to ask a JW if I met one. Yeesh.

[@mellonlord4616]

Yes, the Daniel book played a large part in my waking up.

[@eastbaysf]

I think the study groups studied the Revelation book 3 times to make sure we did not forget the information in it..1914 again a big point. They are certainly FLIP_FLOPing on subjects and this proves they are not Gods prophets on earth. Jesus was and he got nothing wrong and loved women and showed them the greatest respect. (Unlike the suits up in the WT).Where the sisters could only clean toilets and make beds. Jesus made no great claims but PROVED things by miracle's and showing love and kindness. HE DID NOT SHUN anyone.

[@cameronreekie6519]

Also the mother tells me they are discontinuing books because and I quote, "nobody reads nowadays, and the society know this, so we're moving with the times, and you lot still have a go!!" 😂She says they take their mobiles, tablets whatever and show people jw org on them. She says people are more receptive to the online format, funny tho she pioneers but still has no studies!! I think though that they are trying to put everything online, I guess it's a lot easier to delete an incongruous file, than recall thousands of books. Also it's easier to engross kids in cartoons on a device, than get them to read, bear in mind some of those cartoons are disturbingly aimed at the under threes. Yet they all think this is awesome! Mandy x

[@PhineasPhule]

This makes me wonder about the governing body of that faith; I can very easily imagine that the central question at every one of their meetings is 'How can we further consolidate our absolute rule over every single aspect of our membership's lives?"

[@griffruby8756]

Regarding creation/evolution and public schools, the very first Watchtower publication I ever saw was an ancient booklet (1950) Evolution versus the New World which my high school biology teacher had thumbtacked to the wall in his classroom. I took it off the wall, took it home and read it many times (devoured it), and then had to return it to the wall. The teacher had no sympathy or interest in Jehovah's Witnesses, but a peculiar sense of humor, ironic or laconic, which I had really enjoyed from him when I sat in his class.

[@peachykeen692165]

I remember the blue evolution book. We were expected to preach to our teachers and place them with them for them to read

[@briceoverman486]

I was 8 years old when Dad came back in my life, I had until then lived in Japan with my mother and I could barely read English. I learned how to read English on the very publications that are being discontinued. Honestly I only have an 8th grade education but because of the way that witnesses study I have been very successful and nobody would ever know that I hadn't gone to college.

[@squiggles5639]

John I've never seen you look so excited as in this video!!

[@no1shere710]

How was the Raymond Franz incident treated in the Proclaimer's book? I heard that it was mentioned but in a very fragmented way in an attempt by Watchtower to diffuse its validity.

[@glorialeach7301]

The music video got laughter from me. So Spot On, Lloyd. Made me think of when my Aunt passed away, she had a whole wall of shelves, specially built for this purpose, of bound volumes of the Watchtower and Awake. No One wanted them and that’s because every ‘Good’ Witness had a ton of their own. 😄😁😆😆😆😆

[@griffruby8756]

It might do to have an update on this - some that went away but then returned, more that came back revised or even rewritten and retitled, while others are permanently gone. Watchtower and Awake are now yearly publications, yearbooks gone, Kingdom Ministry School closed. Everything is now dumbed down as a way to screen out anyone with a brain. How vastly different from the time of my own sojourn with them 1974-1979. All the books being used back then, the 1968 Truth book (the "blue bombshell"), the thick serious study books published 1958-1975, true peace and security - from what source, and so on. All seemed then so final, so definitive, so ready to serve for the long haul, doctrines all tweaked and honed to virtual perfection, yet all are gone now so very long ago. So many religions have their established literary base: Christians and Jews have their Bible, Hindus their Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, Muslims their Koran, Mormons their Book of Mormon, and Christian Scientists their Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Even the Russellites have their editions of Pastor Russell's six volumes. Only the Jehovah's Witnesses have their ever changing literary base of ever newer and newer different books that come in and out of fashion, even being quietly repudiated once they have been replaced. I find that fascinating. It was really neat being there at the peak flowering of Nathan Knorr's stress on education, with a fully fleshed out Kingdom Ministry School and also the Gilead school for foreign pioneers, the Aid to Bible Understanding, the Interlinear New Testament, the Comprehensive Concordance, the beginnings of a real and standard Bible commenary (on the Book of James), a real semblence of actual intellectual activity, when being able to think was actually appreciated. Not long after I left, most of the main proponants of this intellectual progress were booted out for "sucking the tits of the whore of Babylon" (Raymond Franz covers that purge in detail). From then on, they had nowhere to go but downhill; I'm glad I left them when I did, but I also appreciate the time I spent with them.

[@Tizocgringo]

So by discontinuing these publications, does that make the J.W.'s apostates from their own "truth?"

[@tedlumley4470]

Ok so the publications are discontinued but I don't think they intend that the information in them is obsolete. i.e. .. perhaps 'World Book' Encyclopedia isn't printed in hard copy anymore but that doesn't mean that the articles and information in those original hard copies are invalid. It's just a realistic cost saving measure in this digital age.

[@oflyf]

...at first glance you have a strong point, but you only mention one half of the equation EVERY one of those publications is not available in an electronic form also, and there's where the real "truth" is. Fine stop putting it on paper, let me print it out my self & download a pdf what's 100mgs on a Terabyte. But that's not an option they want this stuff no longer thought of because it raises legit credibility questions. They are being raked over the coals w the way they are handling child molestation, this has cost them over 100million on the low side of estimates in payouts defense cost and expenditures related to attending these summons please go online and see for yourself. The now want you to sign up for recurring automatic withdrawal donations give me a break.

[@falling043]

@dagobah Not entirely true, for instance the Isiah books are still available on the Watchtower library. However I'm sure once they stop printing the books it's easier to make them 'disappear' without many people noticing in the near fututre.

[@j3in725]

@@falling043 exactly my point, maybe also the reason at conventions almost everything is download able. On the Internet you can easily chance something without noticing. Hackers can steal millions of company without them knowing for years. Wich comes to my next point. When it's online they can excuse people in and outside of the organisation (like 1975) of changing the teachings online by cyber attacks and other things. Better start screenshotting everything on the website. Also, wouldn't surprise me if the website and app would start to get weekly updates to "remove buggs from the servers"

[@griffruby8756]

There is a real difference between a book being merely abandoned like an old print encyclopedia versus being suppressed by putting out quiet calls to turn them in for destruction.

[@abeldtyson]

This almost feels like a thievery - such an odd response as I don't believe any of it anymore. Especially Revelation and Isaiah being the first and last books I remember studying in depth when I was in the cult. The Revelation book was a great source of paranoia and fear for me as well as a child. Good riddance, but there is something about it being essentially redacted that feels like a theft - almost like the trauma is trying to be delegitimized.

[@DoveAlexa]

Look upon my bookshelf and weep, for it is all discontinued!

[@mchobbit2951]

Burned it all about two or three years ago- DAMN! I had a few of those.

[@jeffogara8661]

My people are jws and all the meeting I went to as a child I never knew that your average jw is suppost to answer to the gov body and not Jesus

[@eduardoprado2092]

Thank you, John, for this video on books that were discontinued by the Watchtower Society. I’m Mexican and I’ve never been a JW, but I have read several books by this organization since the early 80s. For me, reading what they had to say about the Bible was the best way to discover that they were not using neither interpreting it correctly. I knew they had published a book on Revelation and another on James (I think it was Raymond Franz the one who wrote the latter). I recently learned they had also published books on Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel. What you said in this video about their book on Daniel confirms my suspicion about the interesting fact that this religion has never even tried to publish a complete series of commentaries on the whole Bible: they wouldn’t have any other option but to show how artificial and unnatural their whole approach to the Holy Scriptures is. By the way, I would like to ask you if they (the WT Society) have ever published anything that looks like a manual on Bible Hermeneutics. I will appreciate your answer to this question.

[@woketointelofjws6670]

So glad you have new audio gear.

[@Bamboozled607]

It looks like they're really dumbing down the whole thing.

[@fnaffamily862]

They are still making calenders. I am holding a 2016 calender in my hands.

[@peterclinch6740]

Daniel's prophecy....The writings on the wall....