Amber Scorah

I dislike saying this but this comes off more as FICTION rather than NON-FICTION. It's too pat, not enough depth, more like someone who researched what it was like to leave JWs and wrote a story about it. The writing just feels wrong and so much is left out or doesn't make sense. I've known ex-JWs and this feels nothing like their stories. I'm not saying she's lying but the writing leaves so much to be desired if this was an actual autobiography. I know I sound rude but that's my opinion. You don't have to agree with me.… (more)

As someone who was raised Catholic and is now atheist, I have always been utterly intrigued by memoirs and books that depict one’s life inside other religions and those that have broken free. Such stories are often heartbreaking, maddening, and unflinchingly honest, and you can’t help but be in awe of the writer’s bravery to escape such a life. We may not have had the same experiences, but we do share the invisible battle scars of the dark side of organized religion. ⁣
Amber has grown up a Jehovah’s Witness, and she and her husband are now headed to Shanghai to try and convert others; they believe and have been taught that it is their duty to do so. Outside religious preaching is illegal in China, and if caught, Amber and the other members faced expulsion from the country or worse, detainment. They did find ways to deceive the authorities and not only find ways to bring their message to others, but to hold their weekly meetings as a congregation. They justify their deceit with their fervent belief that they are doing the Lord’s work. There are parts of Amber’s life that she is unsatisfied about, but she is afraid to doubt parts of her faith. Once Amber gets a job to help support her family, she begins to learn the truth behind her belief system, and decides that she needs to let go of the person she was, to become her true self. ⁣
I know only a few things about the Jehovah Witness faith, and the writer did a thorough job of describing the history and their practices. Though she had a difficult experience, never once does she chide those still actively practicing the faith, or any faith. She gives you the freedom to explore your own beliefs, a gift she didn’t receive until she was an adult. There were several personal musings and statements, particularly in her heartbreaking last chapter, that really spoke to me, and I even took pictures of them to add to my collection.… (more)