First published in Danish in 2006, Judgment Day Must Wait by Poul Bregninge is now available in English

The other day I received an email from a good friend, Barbara Anderson. Barbara wanted to let me know about a book on JW history by Ex-Witness Poul Bregninge. Originally published in Danish in 2006, Judgment Day Must Wait has now been made available in English.

The book presents a complete history of the Watch Tower Society’s ever-changing ideology, and explains why it has retained its obsession with the coming of Armageddon down through the decades.

Poul grew up as a Witness but left the organization in 1959 before formally severing ties five years later. Poul published his first book Jehovas Vidner under anklage (Jehovah’s Witnesses Accused) in the mid-Sixties. Judgment Day Must Wait is a reworking of that original that benefits from his subsequent research. Edited with the American reader in mind, it discusses key Watchtower developments right up to the present.

Barbara Anderson, pictured here with her husband Joe, left the Watchtower organization due to its child abuse policies

Apart from its detailed summary of Witness history, Judgment Day Must Wait was also the first book to introduce the world to Barbara’s remarkable story, which was written in the form of a chapter entitled “Discoveries of Barbara Anderson.” As Barbara acknowledges, “If it wasn’t for Poul’s request back in 2005 to write a chapter for his book, I don’t think I’d have ever written my life story.”

Barbara’s story has since been available for some time on her website, WatchtowerDocuments.com. It has helped hundreds of people, including me and my wife, to learn about Watchtower’s firmly entrenched problems with child abuse. Indeed it was because of Watchtower’s stubborn refusal to protect children that Barbara was disfellowshipped in 2002 following her participation in an NBC report on the issue. She has been shunned by her son ever since.

Barbara’s story is now being featured, along with many other interesting facets of Witness history, in a book that will prove useful for anyone seeking a rounded perspective on the organization.

 

 

 

 

 

Judgment Day Must Wait is available via Amazon on this link.

18 thoughts on “The Book Corner – Judgment Day Must Wait

  • August 13, 2013 at 3:05 am
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    Good work brother Cedars.

  • August 13, 2013 at 3:28 am
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    very very well ! dommage pas traduit in french because I speak not
    English.

  • August 13, 2013 at 6:59 am
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    Hello Cedar, On a semi-related point, are you aware that Witnesses are “encouraged” to have a go bag?

    This contains a change of clothes, passport, dried food, cash etc, and is to be kept ready.

    I think that it is a clear example of the psychological hold that the WTBTS has over folks. I asked my mum why on earth she was doing it, and just what “disaster” she was preparing for. It was explained that natural disasters occur all the time, and it’s a way for Witnesses to be prepared for them.

    In reality, it is a way to keep the poor people in a constant state of anxiety.

    I presume this is world-wide. It reminds me of the Mormon faith, with their alleged year of dry goods in the cellar!

    • August 13, 2013 at 1:09 pm
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      Yes george, I was aware of that. The “grab bag” as it is known in the UK was greeted with a degree of bemusement even by certain elders I know.

  • August 13, 2013 at 1:41 pm
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    “The “grab bag” as it is known in the UK was greeted with a degree of bemusement even by certain elders I know”

    What we had in the US instead was the Tuesday night Book Study which always instilled in us the macabre and looming idea that we could expect at any time to be imposed upon by the (evil Beastly) Government and thrust into an oppressive police like condition. If that were to happen, we were supposed to revert to our Book Study arrangements for contacts and information as well as direction and instruction. I think the fear principle was the same until they inexplicably flip-flopped as usual around 2009 and discontinued the Tuesday night Book Study altogether with no real, valid or substantive explanation…

  • August 13, 2013 at 4:58 pm
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    I believe our governments advise us to have go-to bags designed to help us get through just a few days, the usual time after a natural disaster before things can be returned to normal.

  • August 15, 2013 at 7:43 am
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    Yes, Erik, a valid point. It is a classic example of their cunning. There is nothing wrong, indeed, it can be seen as sensible to have a grab bag. A water main can burst or a fire can start etc.

    My point is that the grab bag becomes married to, not natural disasters, but Armageddon or the great tribulation or whatever it is they call it this year. The grab bag becomes a visual symbol of the end of days.

    What is the latest timeline? When I was disfellowshipped, the great tribulation was when all other religions simply gave up their profoundly held beliefs because the UN told them to, and the JWs were the only ones left. Persecution, then BLAM Armageddon! Is that how it is now?

    Lastly, I have just read all 4 articles on divine direction and I would like to say that they were brilliant examples of logic overcoming fantasy. Jesus was right. The
    truth will set us free. Thanks for those and respect to you, Cedar, for your honour and even handed ness.

  • August 15, 2013 at 7:50 am
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    Cedars sorry, Cedars! I wrongly referred to yours Cedar.

  • August 15, 2013 at 8:51 am
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    Thank you very much, Cedars, for all of the timely information. It keeps me up-to-date on what’s going on within the organization. I truly appreciate all of your hard work and dedication to making the truth about the truth publicly known.

  • August 15, 2013 at 10:38 am
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    I also used to have the veil over my eyes. But then I awakened and realized that there are so many people who have been fooled by the organization. It’s as if there’s no end to their trickery. By the way read Revelation 20. It gives a different picture in comparison to what the watchtower paints. The sequence presented according to the all knowing Governing Body is wrong! Also, did you know that 1994 was supposed to be another year that the society quietly slipped in as the end of the world? The God of this system (Governing Body) has their (JW’s) minds blinded.

  • August 16, 2013 at 5:11 am
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    Can you elaborate on the 1994, please?

  • August 17, 2013 at 8:47 pm
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    That is based on what Jesus said in Matthew 24:34 “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” That scripture means that the end will come first, then the generation will pass. What generation? the generation of the anointed… the WTBTS has as always been very confused about who they really are… sometimes they said that the generation applied to anointed born in 1879, then those who were 15 years of age by 1914, then babies born in 1914. Bottom line is that they were supposed to see the new world before they died.

    If you go to the watchtower online library and look up the term Generation. Then go into insight on the Scriptures. Under the subtitle of length, you’ll see the following: Today, much as it was in the time of Moses, people living under favorable conditions may reach 70 or 80 years of age. Moses wrote: “In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years”.

    1914 + 80 = 1994

    1994 was a supposition based on the assumption that a generation was supposed to live 80 years. However in 1994 they saw that the last anointed baby that was born in 1914 died and nothing happened according to their new-light calendar. In 1995, the WTBTS had new light on how to handle the matter and that was when they said that the new world was supposed to have happened at any given time…. That’s the reason the end has always been right around the corner.

    Now if you’d like to do further research on the matter, please go to http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/generation.php

  • August 19, 2013 at 10:22 am
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    Just to clarify….. 1994 was the deadline by which the new system was supposed to happen…. According to the society, by 1994, the anointed were supposed to be dead, and the end was supposed to come before that. Then in 1995 (after the fact), they came with new light that talked about the generation overlap.

    Now, imagine an illustration… You are living with your mom, and your dad is supposed to come home. But your mom made up a deadline for his date of return. He never came on that date. So, your mom said she has new information and he is coming very soon…. Sooner than you think. Eventually, you’ll realize that your mom has to be lying because he never showed up.

    So, do you think the society has been truthful with it’s followers? They have been lying. They are not even the Faithful and Discreet slave! 1914 never happened, 1919 never happened, 1975 was a big failure for the WTBTS just as the 1994 deadline. How many times do you have to be told a lie before you start believing that its a lie?

  • May 1, 2014 at 1:26 pm
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    Can someone please elaborate on this ‘to go’ bag? I’ve never heard of such a thing! I left in 1992 so of course I’m not privy to their latest teachings, but Why on Earth are they supposed to Have this ‘to go’ bag?? It gets crazier every year! Thank you.

  • May 2, 2014 at 4:35 am
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    Sally, as I sit here, I can turn my head and see my dear old Mum’s “go bag”.

    Witnesses are encouraged to have a small bag, with some essentials in it, if there is a “disaster”. This has not featured on the literature. I saw a photocopied, unletterheaded note from the elders, talking about getting one.

    It sits there, unused, as we live in a developed, Western nation that seldom has disasters in suburbia!

    It is, of course, a sipher for ” Be prepared for the Great Tribulation and Armageddon!!!”

    They take an odd but reasonable thing ” be prepared” and tie it in with their end of days fantasies.

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • June 18, 2014 at 11:36 pm
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    With the increase of natural and unnatural disasters around the planet, the Go bag is an excellent idea. I read an article in a newspaper that actually came up with something similar. Look at Ukraine. No-ne ever thought this would ever happen to Ukraine. I have been there 8 times, Crimea 3 times and it was like living in Australia except not such as good economically and the people are not generally obese. Yet now it is war and hundreds have been killer. Shops are closed and in several towns there is no water, electricity or gas. Stop picking on the JW’s when they have good ideas. Even worldly relatives say that a Go bag is a good idea. Give some credit when it is due instead of nit picking.

  • August 28, 2014 at 3:18 pm
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    This is in reply to Koalaboy (or more likely, everyone BESIDES Koalaboy!); why is it that everyone who defends the Watchtower society has such poor grammar and atrocious spelling? These defenders of The Governing Body and their minions also speak (or write) in the most ‘unchristian’ manner! They very often call names, put down other’s comments and beliefs and display great venom and outright hate.
    I don’t think that the JW teachings work in the way that they are advertised. It looks like the endless meetings and “Spiritual Food” deteriorates the brain and develops mean and angry people.

  • November 7, 2014 at 7:38 am
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    Good comment JJ. It’s exactly that way. This is what their
    (GB) planting reaps!

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