30 Years a Watchtower Slave: The Confessions of a Converted Jehovah's Witness

by William J. Schnell

At first, the Watchtower Society seemed harmless to William J. Schnell, even valuable as a way to develop his faith in God and pass it on to others. This book is Schnell's fascinating account of his involvement with the cult, which effectively enticed him in the 1920s and continues to lure countless individuals today. Readers will learn, as Schnell did, that the Jehovah's Witness religion he had joined was anything but innocent. For thirty years he was enslaved by one of the most totalitarian religions of our day, and his story of finally becoming free is riveting.
Readers will be alerted to the inner machinations, methods, and doctrines of the Watchtower Society, arming them to forewarn others and witness to their Jehovah's Witness friends, relatives, neighbors, and the stranger at the door. With more than 300,000 copies sold, 30 Years a Watchtower Slave is truly one of the classic testimonies of freedom from a powerful cult.

Genres: Cults, Religion, Nonfiction, Biography, Christian, Theology, Biography Memoir

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it only in the respect that it made me more aware of what the Watch Tower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) are all about. Especially since my grandmother was one of them. I, as a child, would go with her door to door. Except, when asked if i wanted to go with her or my grandfather I would choose my grandfather. He went to the neighborhood feed store and talked politics with other men. I liked the attention they paid to me. It was no fun going door to door, having the door shut in your face, or standing talking about something I didn't care about. The one thing that really turned me off was when a girl in my 12th grade class, whose parents were Jehovah's Witnesses, needed a transfusion and since they did not believe in that the girl died. My grandmother tried to explain it to me but I could never let that go.

[Granola~flutterby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a fascinating history of the Jehovahs Witness church. Schnell was in Germany when things started to change within the church, and it chronicles his experiences with the church. The interesting thing is how much the church has changed their basic beliefs to what they want it to be. How little the Bible is used is interesting too. I just let hubby use the last issues of Watchtower & Awake to start the bbq, so I will have to wait till next month to see how little in them is actually from scripture, but it will be interesting.

I totally recommend this to anyone curious about where this church came from and where it might be going.

[Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every sentence in this book drips with the religious self-righteousness of its author, William J. Schnell which gets tiring fast. Nonetheless if you can get past that suffocating authorial tone, 30 Years a Watchtower Slave is a very interesting account of the early years of the Jehova's Witness movement. It's hard to come away from this book admiring Schnell or the Watchtower society, but I do feel that I came away from it knowing more about the Witnesses and how they grew from a small but widespread network of bible study groups into an influential international religious movement.

[Michael David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was born and raised a Catholic, but I was also raised to be skeptical, independent, and free-thinking.

At the tender age of 14, I declared myself to be an atheist solely because of a passage in the Old Testament that declared that only 144,000 people will be saved. I reasoned that even if I sought to be as good or as decent a person as possible, I would have a hard time getting into Heaven because I wasn't a saint. I was a sinful person, and I still am.

It took my neighbor, who, despite being a Protestant, opened my eyes into understanding the Bible: the New Testament was God's update to man. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and it is our faith and belief in Him that will save us. I also read Ecclesiastes and other books of the Bible, which allowed me to have a broader understanding of God's message. (I'm not preaching; this has a point, I promise.)

I think my belief was strengthened when it was pointed out by our professor in Theology that God's time was not our time: he prefigured Pope Francis's statements that the Bible does not disprove evolution. In fact, interpreted as eons of time, it is an accurate depiction of the history of life. Reading Leviticus also bolstered this faith of mine, as I read an accurate implementation of epidemiology a millenium before it even became a proper science.

I have some qualms with my own religion: I think Catholicism dwells too much on ostentation and ritual, but I understand that it is a fundamental part of my religion. I try to respect other people's religions, however.

Again, I am a Catholic, but I am also a free-thinker.

I don't try to judge other people on what they believe in, although I sometimes fail, but I look up and try to be knowledgeable about what they believe in. Intelligent discourse is often founded on knowledge, and I cannot argue or state my case without a foundation in facts. I have observed, however, that faiths that seem to me as cults tend to be exclusive in character.

The major religions, for example, like Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam are not exclusive religions. Islam actually does not propose the destruction of non-believers, and jihad is actually the last resort in a worst-case scenario. Those who truly believe in Islam believe in peace and harmony. Pope Francis stated recently that 'there are bad Catholics, and good atheists.' From what I've gleaned of open-minded Protestant friends, they simply disagree with the ritualistic belief in the Catholic Church. To them, however, peace and harmony is also necessary.

Jehovah's Witnesses, however, seem to be violent against other beliefs. One of its books says that 'There is no such thing in existence as the Christian Religion, because all Religion proceeds from God's enemy, the Devil.' Protestantism is recognized as 'the offspring of the great Harlot.' It's eerily similar to a religion popular in my country: these religions claim that only they will be saved, while we (the nonbelievers) will forever rot in hell.

Mr. Schnell also describes the practices of their Society, and while some doubt may be put in his reflection (as he was also cast out from Jehovah's Witnesses), I looked up the list of books that their society produce, and they are rated a lot higher than the greatest literary classics of the 20th century. Take of that what you will, but the author certainly wrote a wonderful case for himself.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book is a good historical record of the beginnings of the Jehovah's Witness religion. The author gives his true account of having been a Bible Student (the precursor group to Jehovah's Witnesses) for 30 years during the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's. The author's family moved to Germany when he was 7 years old, as an adult he became a Bible Student, then returned to the US about 10 years after that. He talks about different brainwashing techniques, as well as techniques used to drive sincere Bible Students out the new Jehovah's Witness groups, and then when he returned to the US, he aided in implementing many of those same techniques in the Jehovah's Witness groups here. I learned a lot about the Jehovah's Witness groups that doesn't match their public image--i.e. while they give the impression of having great biblical knowledge, most Jehovah's Witnesses no very little about the Bible, except for a few proof texts they can quote. When I started the book, I was thinking the word "slave" to be an over dramatization, but indeed he recounts years spent working for the Watchtower while living in a dorm and receiving no pay. He also talks about how contrary to many people's beliefs that the Jehovah's Witnesses want to spread the good news of their gospel, the main tenant of the Jehovah's Witness religion is to sell books, pamphlets, and their Watchtower magazine, and that the members are required to keep records of the time they spend on this activity. He talks about how the Watchtower purposely would try to create controversy and get members arrested, to try to create sympathy for themselves, so that people would buy more books. Scarily he details how the Watchtower sees itself becomeing a supreme world power controlling everything. The author talks about how Jehovah's Witnesses live their life in a daze, knowing nothing except what the Watchtower tells them. He details their 6 step conversion plan to recruit new members, aka sellers of their material. At the end, the author talks about his conversion to Christianity, and the true freedom and love he has found. He also gives tips on what to say and what not to say, when talking with a Jehovah's Witness.

Issues with the book, it was hard to follow at times. I'm not sure if this is because most of the formative years of the author were spent speaking German, or if writing just isn't his forte. Also, he left out many personal facts that would have made the story more real. For instance, near the end of the book we find out he has a wife, but in the book he never talked about dating, getting married, or whether he had any children. Given that JW's often refuse to have anything to do with a family member who left the faith, it would have been interesting to know how his family reacted to his leaving the faith. Also, this book detailing the author's experience nearly 70 years ago as a Jehovah's Witness is dated, and can only provide a historical reference.

[Michael Dewey · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a former Jehovah’s Witness, I found the premise of this book to be interesting enough to pick up an original copy on eBay. Though dated, somewhat repetitive, and esoteric, it was an informative and unique window into the early and formative years of the Jehovah’s Witness religion and organization. But, having read it, I do not find that I can recommend this book to the average JW who may be curious about their own religion for a few reasons. (Read Crisis of Conscience instead, I implore you. Skip this one, or save it for last.) But, some context first…

I was born and raised as a JW, and so I can absolutely relate to some of the struggles portrayed here by Schnell who also came into the religion at an early age. The constant inner turmoil as one wrestles with their own conscience and the loyalty they feel to the organization cannot be understated, and in that, I can truly empathize with the author. I too found myself caught in a struggle of push-and-pull for many years before I finally embraced my critical questions and made my own exit from the religion.

However, and this is where I depart from him rather abruptly, Schnell does NOT succeed in convincing me that he had no personal axe to grind with the JW’s. He did not come across as sincere, and portrayed himself as someone who “played the game” of internal politics for many years…but somehow with justification which he refused to extend to anyone else. He’s sincere, but no one else is…they’re all spies and con artists with nefarious intent at all times.

As a result, his apparent insincerity and extreme bitterness calls into question any of the information he shares, which is extremely unfortunate for the reader with basic critical thinking skills. The author has tainted the material with his insufferable arrogance. I can’t bring myself to trust his portrayal of things without taking it with copious amounts of salt, and for me that makes the material almost worthless to read. He appears to be every ounce the sort of bitter apostate that the JW’s like to characterize ex-members as, and to the average JW he would absolutely reinforce that stereotype. He brags about challenging leadership routinely while characterizing himself as a spiritual coward in mock humility. In fact, I would ALMOST characterize his departure as a business dispute between his own paltry book-selling company and the organization. At no real point up until then does Schnell appear to take genuine affront to the organization’s teachings or policies; only in retrospect as he writes this book does he come across as a person with a plagued conscience. It feels like he lost his book-selling business to JW’s, and so he wrote a book about them to make up for it. Then he tries to convince us he did it as a vow to God. Bah. Pukey! I do not like the Jehovah’s Witness organization, but I do not like YOU either, William Schnell.

Now that said, let me give the book it’s due. It is a stunning look into the inner workings of the early Rutherford era, and a wide open window into the very HUMAN workings of a heavily flawed religious organization. In fact, it reveals the JW’s to be more like an early book publishing cartel than an authentic system of religious belief. How one can read a book like this and come away without worrying that they might be in a cult is beyond me, and so in that sense, there is value to be gleaned from the material. But only for the hardened reader.

But even where it excels, the book goes so deep into obscure and esoteric information that incessantly drones on and on, it would likely serve to bore most of your average readers. I personally find the subject deeply interesting, and yet I found myself tempted to put it down and leave it there more than once. It was a close first DNF for me…but I persisted. Not to be understated is that the author himself comes across as an extremely arrogant, self-righteous individual who constantly expresses his merciless scorn and inordinate paranoia over every single facet of the organization across every single page without letup. To him, the organization was Moloch himself…and its publishers, zombies who carry the “mark of the Beast”. Several times, he ascribes the organization as not only intent on becoming the dominant world religion (which is the goal of EVERY religion), but he expresses his belief that they were INDEED CAPABLE of taking over the world by means of constant and subversive tactics. This for what was then not even a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the general population! Never once does he ascribe any facet of the JW organization to a sincere belief or effort on their part, however misguided. Meanwhile, he characterizes himself as sincere but complicit; but only due to spiritual weakness which he blames on the constant spiritual malnutrition he suffered at the hands of his slave masters. He completely characterized every facet of the organization as cold, calculating, and ruthless in retrospect…but never human as he was. Never flawed or with good intentions. His portrayal of the organization is nothing remotely close to the organization I experienced, and I fully acknowledge that this is a cult with harmful policies and practices.

But these people, even the leadership, are victims of their own making. I’d like to think that the majority of them are sincere in their own way, though misguided. Do not mistake my attempt at understanding them as an excuse, because it’s not. I just happen to see them as human…like the rest of us.

In the end, I did appreciate the extra context I gained into the early inner workings of the organization. It reinforced in my already made up mind that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have the truth, never did, and never will. But the author came away as so paranoid, so bitter, so arrogant, and so unlikable that I could not recommend this book to anyone for fear of putting them off of the path to their personal freedom.

What is more…this will be my very last book on the subject, as it has managed to be so off-putting that it has cured me of any interest in learning further about the former religion and organization of my childhood. 2 stars for the historical information. -3 for the author.

[Cole Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up to learn more about present day JW. However, Schnell published this in 1956, and the Watch Tower has changed much since then. The history is still interesting from someone in the midst of the movement, and although Schnell is not the best writer, his work here is noble.

[Brit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is built on an interesting premise: a Jehovah's Witness "insider" writes a tell-all book about the organization that previously "enslaved" him. As an Evangelical Christian who knows little about Jehovah's Witnesses, I was deeply interested in learning more about their beliefs and practices. Unfortunately, that's not what this book provides. Instead, the book reads like a scathing letter about an ex-girlfriend posted on the internet to shame her. Schnell did not interact much with the theology of the cult--in fact, reading between the lines, Schnell seems to agree with much of their underlying theology. Instead, he chastises the organization for depriving people of their individuality, forcing them to conform to the "Theocracy." It's not a helpful book for understanding Jehovah's Witnesses, and it's not an effective critique of the cult. I appreciate the history lesson and the "behind-the-scenes" look at the organization during a pivotal season, but I doubt this book will impact my way of thinking or operating in the world at all.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old book, but very readable, but not written in a sensational style. It ought to move us to pity those poor people caught up in the false religion of the Watchtower Society, and to love them enough to pray that the true and living God, Jehovah-Jesus, may open their blind eyes to understand the grace of our precious Saviour Jesus.

[Sue Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have read this a long time ago:

First Bless Mr Schell for the beautiful book! The end was my favorite part. I had this in mass paperback in my bookcases for years, however for some reason it got looked over. Now I try and only read on Kindle or Fire tablet as I am older and my eyes are not as great on such small print like was in the old paperback. I loved the book but shed some tears also and learned things I never knew as I got out young and it didn't take 30 years so I don't have a lot of knowledge that he had. He has done all of us a favor and this book should stay a classic just as Mr Franz book is! Two intelligent and living .an to help all the generations, what a blessing! Be sure you follow his his instructions and do what he says to stay safe and free. I never got blinded by it as I am too darn independent, however now I am glad I was so sassy and independent! At least I got free young and without that terrible brainwashing that he had to endure.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at a teenager or maybe in my early 20’s so it has been too long ago for me to give a detailed review. I remember not being able to put this book down. I have always been a critic of organized religion and this book only confirmed my belief that it is a dangerous thing for society. I have had several friends who were outcasts in their family simply because they left this cult. It helped me to understand their position more and what really goes on in the mind of a JW. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is important that we lift the veil as to how religious beliefs are developed, usually through very controlling, eccentric people with oppressive ideas who are somehow so charismatic they get others to blindly follow them (this is true for any and all religions).

[Valerie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast Reading! Exciting Story!

Whoa! As an ex-Jehovah's Witness, I had heard (and been warned) about this book since I was a child! I have been out of the organization for almost 30 years, and finally saw it available on Amazon and so seized the opportunity! I was riveted! What a great storyteller! As much as I appreciate Ray Franz story, I felt sad he still seemed to deem some Witnesses as true Christians, whereas he never mentioned the deity of Christ as a point of contention with them. But Schnell got it. He was a true born again believer, as born out by his testimony! I highly, highly recommend this book. No wonder the Witnesses hated this book so much. It is the antithesis of the falsehoods they believe and blindly follow.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, though dated — Schnell provides a thorough (though, obviously, potentially biased) account of how the Jehovah's Witnesses became the Jehovah's Witnesses. As I read, I was struck by how similar some of their arguments are to the Hebrew Roots Movement's teachings, only to discover they share the same origins. I would recommend this if you are interested in the origin of the JWs or how cults form.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and insightful account of how the author joined the Jehovah Witnesses, how the organisation developed and changed and how he was finally able to leave it. The author was clearly embittered by the experience; however, he exposes the cult like nature of the JWs. Whilst it was written some decades ago, and has been on some levels superseded by more recent accounts, there are parallels between his experiences and those of more recent ex-JWs. Worth reading.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Testimony of Escape

This gripping testimony was strong and so well-written. A powerful tribute to the one true God, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think. Jesus Christ, Creator of Heaven, Earth, and You, is the living, loving God of Hope. May you find rest in Him.

I recommend this book - to all!!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best quote of the book," love, the language of God, and of Jesus Christ, of the apostles and of Christianity, cannot express itself in such a sterile atmosphere of book placing, time counting and quota performing. Love works through the heart and mind of the individual."

[Tricia Toney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating history of the Jehovah's Witness religion by someone who was there from the start and who rose to a high level within the organisation. We see the intentions of the leaders to portray themselves as martyrs and how well they succeeded.

[Joan K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good insight into the workings of Jehovah's Witness.

[Dulce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to the back story of the WT society as a book company and getting to know Rutherford a little deeper.

[Madi Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn’t know much about Jehovahs Witnesses until i read this, and i find the whole thing to be so interesting

[Ken Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down! This offered a great amount of history into a vital time in Jehovahs Witness establishment as a religious society and the pieces that they now choose to ignore.

[Ty Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much ad hominem and not enough reason and logic. Interesting story, though.

[Elysse Baumbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book to understand the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses

[ANTHONY THOMPSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never bought in

Even as a young boy being raised in the Kingdom Hall I always not just knew but I instinctively felt that there was something wrong with these teachings. I simply just never could bring myself to believe all this Happy Horseshit. Complete crap.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know that this was the abridged version when I ordered it, and it seems like an awful lot is missing. For example, we get a lot of information about how the leadership of the Jehovah witnesses (formerly called the Bible students) when about purging their organization of everyone who would disagree with them and how they would go into communities and deliberately provoke the authorities to arrest them and then use the fact that they were being "persecuted" to try and gain sympathy and therefore new followers, and it spoke a lot about how the doctrines of the watchtower Society changed over time in order to consolidate more power and sway more people, but a lot of details of the author's personal life are missing. For example, he mentions being arrested several times, but only touches upon one of them, and his narrative is more of a criticism than a memoir, while I was expecting more memoir type book. It was not a memoir at all – far from it. Another thing that annoyed me was I didn't know anything about his personal life – I remember wondering several times in the book whether or not he was married with children, and then, in the last 15 pages of the book and mentions his wife "and my wife" that is all the information we get about her – did she agree with him about leaving the watchtower Society? Did she influence him either for or against the Jehovah witnesses? How did he meet her? How long were they married? Did she have any children with him? None of these questions were answered, and I was frustrating. I was also hoping that I would learn more about Jehovah witnesses during the Holocaust, but the author did touch upon that at all – it was true that he was living in America during World War II, but he lived in Germany for a number of years before the war so you would think he could at least talk a little more about the interaction between the Nazi party, which was coming to power, and the Jehovah witnesses, were also vying for both political and spiritual power. He only touches upon this and doesn't really discuss it. Finally, his religious rhetoric – comparing the watchtower organization to the Whore of Babylon and repeatedly talking about how important it was to trust Jesus, grated on me after a while.

[Mark Nenadov · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating read. Though I found this book poorly written and was irritated by the author's attempt to interpret his experiences eschatologically (applying Rev 13 to the Watchtower) and found some of his fears of JW world domination a bit outlandish, this stands as an early first-hand expose showing the depths of enslavement, cut-throat leadership, surveillance, and organizational treachery which occurs in the ranks of the Jehovah's Witnesses. It really gives a window into the inner conflict and cognitive dissonance which occurs.

[Jonathan Brown]

Jehovah's Witnesses

[Stephanie Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful and at times touching and almost chilling. My only qualm is that I am not used to his language because of the generation gap. Interesting look into the world of Jehovah's witnesses.

[Renee Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating.