Overview

Deliverance at Hand! is James Zimmerman's enthralling account of growing up as a zealous Jehovah's Witness, and of the all-consuming nature of belonging to an insulated, apocalyptic community. James is held up as a shining example for other youths in the religion, is given unprecedented privileges, and spends his youth proselytizing. He may very well have knocked on your door. But as he matures, fissures begin to form in the bedrock of his fundamentalist Jehovah's Witness belief system. And as James doubts grow, so does his predicament: Leaving a religious community that teaches its members to shun former members would have deep and painful ramifications. He must make the decision between intellectual honesty and his way of life.

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9780988493803

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Reviews

"Minnesota-native Zimmerman grew up a devout Jehovah's Witness but slowly began doubting his faith until he became convinced that the God of his religion and the Bible does not exist. In young adulthood, he devoted hundreds of hours to service and was regularly called upon to give talks and be a leader at his Kingdom Hall. His personal experiences and struggles during these years form the basis for this glimpse into the everyday life of devout Jehovah's Witnesses. Unlike Jocelyn R. Zichterman, author of I Fired God, Zimmerman did not experience abuse; he simply began questioning the dogmatism he had been taught as he witnessed double standards, inconsistency, and illogical thinking by leaders within the ""balsam of Gilead"" (New World Translation of the Bible). A memoir, his book does not attempt to cover what the Watchtower Society believes and teaches but simply relates his personal understanding and experiences. VERDICT An optional purchase for most libraries, this fascinating glimpse inside a largely unknown lifestyle will appeal to memoir readers as well as those especially drawn to post-religious accounts like Zichterman's, mentioned above, or Lauren Drain's Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church. --Library Journal James Zimmerman demonstrates how persistent inquisitiveness can liberate an individual from the repressive and anti-intellectual religious group known as The Jehovah's Witnesses. From his independent and intelligent research on the viability of Noah's Ark to his realization that Armageddon's date was based on faulty historical chronology, Zimmerman's lucid and gripping narrative gives hope to those who may think that convincing Jehovah's Witnesses of the truth is always a lost cause. --Hector Avalos, Professor of Religious Studies, Iowa State University From reluctant paragon to resolute pariah, James Zimmerman takes us through a story that will be at once familiar and exotic to former believers. While Zimmerman focuses on the intellectual challenges to his faith, his emotional journey is every bit as important, both heartbreaking and heart-warming. --Stephanie Zvan, author of the Almost Diamonds blog"

Author Information

"James Zimmerman was a contributing editor to Atheist Voices of Minnesota: an Anthology of Personal Stories (Freethought House, 2012), in which his essay ""Losing My Head"" appears. His writings have also appeared in The 2013 St. Paul Almanac and Breathing In: Stories from the Century College Community, Volume II, and several periodicals including The Humanist, American Atheist, and Free Inquiry. He is a frequent host of Atheists Talk television show and is a former editor for The Minnesota Atheist. A lifelong Minnesota resident, James currently lives in St. Paul with his wife, Jennifer, and their son, daughter, and cat. James is also a licensed minister who has performed several weddings in the Twin Cities area."

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