How do Jehovah's Witnesses feel about the book Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz which exposes the many flaws in their religion?

Answer 1

From a JWNever heard of it (or him), and as far as I am concerned, I don't care to.

Jesus prophesied about a faithful slave class that would be doing his will. (Matthew 24:45) He also spoke of an "evil slave" that would begin to "beat his fellow slaves" at Matthew 24:48-51, where he said: "But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, 'My master is delaying,' and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be."

We recognize that there will be those who were once associated with the organization that would "start to beat his fellow slaves." There have been, over the years, a few of these that were once of the faithful slave class that turn against his brothers and become part of the evil slave class. Even Satan himself was not always an evil creature. He allowed selfish ambition to rise in his heart so that he rebelled against GOD and became Satan (which means opposer) the Devil (which means slanderer).

We expect that there will be those, even from within the organization that will do just as Satan did, and as 2 Peter 3:3,4 says "For YOU know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: "Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation's beginning."

This is in fact, one of the signs of the "last days" according to that scripture. We expect it, and it builds my faith even more knowing that things are going exactly as prophesied.

Interestingly, these so-called "exposers" always dissappear into the background, while Jehovah's Witnesses continue to grow, thrive, and flourish. Further evidence of Jehovah's devine backing.

It appears highly improbable that the above JW has never heard of the book Crisis of Conscience or of Raymond Franz for how else would WVafan know that Raymond Franz was once associated with the organisaton of Jehovah's Witnesses? I quote WVafan "We recognize that there will be those who were once associated with the organization that would "start to beat his fellow slaves..."etc. etc.

Raymond Franz is not disappearing into the background nor is the Jehovah's Witnesses continuing to "grow, thrive and flourish". I remember seeing many Jehovah's Witnesses out and about on weekends, a few Israelites walking along in groups sad-faced and quiet - this was a few years ago, but I don't see groups like this anymore, the Witnesses are fading away. The evidence that the religion is cult-like is laid bare in the book Crisis of Conscience, a truly enlightening read.

The above er is wrong in his asertion tht JW's are fading. The facts are that there are now over 7 million JW's worldwide, with about a million more added every 3 to 4 years. Aproximately half of the number of JW's have come into the faith in just the last 20 years, and the number keeps exponentially growing faster and faster. Since we try to keep our congregation size to about 100 or so in order to serve all the members in the best way, my congregation alone has had to split into 5 additional congregations in just the past 20 years, one of those is a Spanish speaking congregation. So from my one congregation 20 years ago, there are now 6.

20 years ago, when I was baptised, there were about 50,000 congregations worldwide, and there are about 100,000 now, with a rate of about 50 new congregations formed worldwide weekly.

Was I wrong about WVafan's questionable claim that he had never heard of the book Crisis of Conscience or of Raymond Franz? I reiterate... 'how would he know that Raymond Franz was once associated with the organisaton of Jehovah's Witnesses?'

err, I've never heard of the guy either though it's pretty inevitable that if someone exploits the faults of a religion he'd have to have been a member at one point or another.

I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and can tell you that I ALWAYS knew who Ray Franz. Being Jehovah's Witness and not knowing, or at least hearing the name, Ray Franz is like not knowing who Charles Taze Russell was. The fact is that anyone that illuminates any inconsistencies in The Watchtower Organization is ousted as being an apostate. The fear of being associated with apostasy is so great that it paralyzes people from ever having honest and open discussions with anyone that may have information about the organization. The truth is that IF indeed Jehovah's Witnesses have THE TRUTH, should they not want to have these conversations to dispel any myths about their organization? What's furthermore, is Satan greater than Jehovah? Do so-called myths really shake the faith of those who hear them? Or is there some validity to these so called myths? I'm actually very excited to read this book. I've never read any literature about Jehovah's Witnesses other than that published by the Society but I've always had my questions regarding the organization... and yes, I was really raised JW, as was my mother and my grandmother. My great grandmother was a Jehovah's Witness so don't think I'm some newbie that just came on the scene and is young in the organization. But open your eyes...there is tons that just does not make sense. First and foremost, if The Bible says at Revelation 22: 18-19, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book", how can the New World Translation, which changes MANY things in the bible, be justified?

Also, someone above stated that the organization is growing, but during the annual report, I noticed that the same amount that join the religion leave the religion in any given year. It basically evens out.