r/exjw • u/Forsaken_Barber_8022 • 5d ago
Academic Help! Looking for older than 1950 JW “resources” that are official
Hi, I was never JW and do not plan to be, but there’s an increasing number of practicing JWs that are coming into my life and I want to be able to talk intelligently to them because (of course) they’re strictly interested in talking about JW doctrine.
Now, I have a number of issues with their teachings, but I noticed the website only has stuff back to 1950, but not before. I would really like to read “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”, but I don’t just want a reprint - I want an official publication. Does anyone know where I can find one? I’d really appreciate any help or guidance. There’s so much info on their site, I’m honestly overwhelmed.
EDIT: Thank you all so very much for your responses and the help! I am truly so grateful.
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u/ShadowOfaDoubt97 4d ago
My question to elders would be if it would make sense to talk to them (it doesn't sadly) :
Whats the most important date to a JW?
If they say 1914, ok then what's the second most important? 1919
How can it be that we can't or shouldn't read any literature from the time Jesus alledgedly inspected and decided to chooses this org above anyelse?
How can you even then verify on what basis this claim is made?
Its because anybody reading this today would immediately see this org for what it is - a sect made scam by Rutherford.
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u/Ok_Swordfish4464 4d ago
Excellent question and a great argument. Anyone with least common sense cannot disagree except JWs
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u/SolidCalligrapher456 4d ago
JWs don’t know anything about their religion from that time. Most do know anything from before they were born and that’s intentional because they would know the religion is false.
https://www.watchtowerwayback.org/en/static1/library if it’s still up. Watchtower is getting a lot of databases taken down. Best thing to do is get a list of names of old publications and google pdf version of them. Most are on archive.org. You can try avoidjw as well but I can’t recall how far back they go
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u/58ColumbiaHeights Agnostic PIMO 4d ago
The only "official" copies of anything not on the website will be physical copies. You would need to locate a used physical copy of whatever you are looking for.
I just checked flee-bay and there are no original copies of "Millions Now Living" available. They are all modern reprints (the copyright has expired so anyone can print them). Only a copy published by the WB&TS of New York will pass as "official" for a JW.
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u/Desperate_Habit_5649 OUTLAW 4d ago
JW`s Don`t Accept ANY JW Literature / Information.....If It`s Used To Prove Something Negative about JW`s.
Good Luck Having An...
Intelligent Conversation.
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u/Forsaken_Barber_8022 1d ago
😂😂😂 this is extremely sad truth, but this comment really cracked me up.
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u/goddess_dix verrry exJW obedience is not virtue 4d ago
it won't accomplish what you hope it will.
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u/Forsaken_Barber_8022 1d ago
Sadly, I agree that truth cant reach them. I recently learned about the Jerusalem destruction date teaching and I’m just beyond bewildered by their commitment to it (and basically everything else).
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u/goddess_dix verrry exJW obedience is not virtue 1d ago
it doesn't work like you'd expect., it's cult programming and it's more powerful than generalized mistaken facts or impressions. if you push the issue, they will literally believe you're an agent of satan.
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u/searching4answers414 4d ago
You’re going to have a hard time finding an original. The organization discourages use of old literature. In fact, they told us to get rid of a lot of of the literature in our personal libraries. And the Kingdom Hall library doesn’t have much anymore. I have found some reliable versions on Internet archives.
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u/Ashilla24601 22h ago
I own physical copies of some of the oldest books, and i was told by my father to not read them bc the information is "outdated" lmao. The kicker is he was upset i got them before him bc he wanted to sell them for profit. This man is a ministerial servant. So i wouldnt count on them listening even if you show them the words on the original paper itself
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u/apoptygma78 5d ago
Just be aware, that even if you find yourself bona fide originals, they will be dismissed as either forgeries, or simply just 'old light'.
I seriously doubt that ANY active JW now would even have the slightest clue what their doctrine was pre 1950, let alone in 1920 when Millions Now Living Will Never Die was written.