About Brandon Harper Expertise I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and was baptized for 21 years. I was a 4th generation Jehovah's Witness both paternally and maternally and am qualified to answer many questions regarding doctrine, doctrinal changes, historical basis for various doctrines, as well as offer rebuttal responses from the perspective of a former Jehovah's Witness. I can also answer questions from the perspective of an ardent Jehovah's Witness.
Experience I am 33 years old, became a publisher and gave my first public talk at age 4, was baptized at age 12, became an inactive publisher at age 32, and disassociated myself at age 33. My father has served as a congregation servant/elder continuously from the age of 17 on. Of my 9 uncles, 6 are elders. Of my 9 aunts, four are regular pioneers. My father is the presiding overseer of a congregation. When I began seriously investigating this religion I had to prepare for conversations with a very large extended family steeped in the history and doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. I have thoroughly studied many Watchtower Society publications that most Jehovah's Witnesses have never even read, if they have heard of them at all, seeking the origins of various doctrinal points. I knew I would need to have this knowledge to discuss the issues in detail with my family when I decided to disassociate myself.
Education/Credentials I read every Watchtower and Awake! magazine from at least age 8 through age 32. According to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society I have the equivalent of several four-year degrees (Reference available on request). I would hope that education would qualify me as an expert.
Question What made you decide to terminate your membership in the Jehovah's Witnesses after being in it so long?
Answer Jerry,
I'm not sure this is a question about Jehovah's Witnesses, per se, and being new as an expert here I am not sure whether this should be answered privately or publicly. It doesn't seem to me to stray far from the purpose of the service, so I will take a chance and answer you publicly.
I left because after I discovered that the organization was an Associate member of the United Nations Department of Public Information, I quickly discovered many other things that I had not known during my entire 21 years as a baptized Witness.
Here's a short list:
(1) If Babylon fell in 539 BC, then Jehoiachin was exiled in 597 BC contrary to what I was taught,
(2) Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is the mediator for only 144,000 people ever since Christianity emerged on the world scene,
(3) Judicial Committees are secret meetings which the accused are not freely permitted to record even if they desperately want to do so,
(4) Jehovah's Witnesses teach that mature Christians have no private ideas regarding Bible understanding,
(5) Jehovah's Witnesses regard the extent of activity (works) as an indication of spirituality and judge each other as weak or strong based on that criteria,
(6) The term "paradise earth" never appears in the Bible but of the three times the New Testament refers to paradise, it twice refers specifically to heaven. The remaining reference does not specify the location of paradise, but it is inferred to be located wherever Jesus would be,
(7) the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit directly teaches those who are Christ's disciples (John 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 2:18-29), so after someone becomes a disciple they are taught by a different means.
I hope this helps. If I need my wrist smacked for posting this publicly, I will hold you responsible <grin!>
