Jehovah's Witnesses are an offshoot of Christianity founded as a bible study group in the 1870's by Charles Taze Russell.  They have since been evangelizing their unique view of the readings of the Bible all over the world and have grown to a membership, as they claim, of 7.5 million people worldwide.  They believe that we have been in End Times since 1914, the year that the whole world went haywire as the end of the "Age of the Gentiles."

 

Leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses is a difficult process because of the tremendous pressure to remain.  Once a member leaves, they are "shunned" by the society.  Even family members; sisters, brothers, parents, children along with cousins and uncles and aunts will refuse to have contact with apostate JW's.  James Zimmerman,  our guest, is a former Jehovah's Witness who could not believe the tenets of the faith.  His wife also left the church, and they are now members of the Minnesota Atheists.

 

James and I will talk about the beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses, how he came to question the faith and finally left it.

 

James is the editor the Minnesota Atheists newsletter, and frequent host of the Atheists Talk television show.

 

 

James Zimmerman's Correspondence with The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atheists Talk is produced with funding from the Minnesota Atheists, the Humanists of Minnesota and the generous support of our members and donors.  We also wish to thank Q. Cumbers restaurant for purchasing on-air advertising and for providing a great place to eat and gather. 

 

Today's show is produced by Mike Haubrich and Scott Lohman is the host.