Brenda Thornlow shares her story of growing up in a controlling and controversial religious group and eventually marrying an a abuser with a position of authority in the faith.
Brenda Thornlow shares her story of being raised a third-generation member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, forbidden from celebrating holidays, birthdays and associating with anyone outside of her faith. From a young age, she struggles to accept what her devout family believes, to no avail. Eventually marrying an abusive member with a position of authority in her church, Brenda struggles to extricate herself from this dominating religious group who attempt to manipulate her into staying married to her abuser.
Excerpt
I feel that I should make clear to everyone who reads this story that My Short-Lived Life at Being Perfect is strictly a memoir about my personal life as a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s). Because of the direction I’ve chosen to take with my story, it is not meant to be a book used to teach others what the JW’s believe. If you are interested in learning specifically about their beliefs then I recommend studying with actual members of this group.
This story is written from my personal point of view and my personal experiences. Although I have had many readers express how they have experienced similar situations to mine, it stands to reason that not every single member had the same encounters.
Recently I’ve had several comments from readers informing me that what I have written in regards to Jehovah’s Witness teachings are incomplete or inaccurate. Please be advised that I’ve been gone from the organization for over twenty years. Every so often, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS) makes adjustments to their beliefs. (For example, research their multiple definitions of “this generation” and their stand on blood transfusions.)
Regardless, I do not go into explicit detail about their beliefs in my story. I touch on the very basics: they do not celebrate holidays or birthdays, they do not associate with people who have been disfellowshipped or dissociated and they do not believe that everyone will be saved. In other words: I am disfellowshipped (or excommunicated) but still have a relationship with God and Jesus. Since I am no longer a member of the JW religion, according to their beliefs, despite the fact that I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, this is not enough. Chances are I will not be saved unless I go back to the JW organization, confess my sins to the elders, and work my way back to getting reinstated. (If you would like to learn more about this, please contact your local Kingdom Hall and discuss it with one of their members.) As everything ends up being a game of semantics, I will probably get called out on how I worded that last part about being saved but, ultimately, what I just stated is true no matter what phraseology is used.
If you like reading memoirs and are looking for an easy read then you’ve come to the right place. If you want to learn more about the JW’s, contact them. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to them, there are many websites you can turn to that will answer any questions you have.
Thank you, my amazing readers!
Professional Reviews
Compelling Memoir
Very interesting look into a highly religious sect. It gives an outsider a view of how restrictive the JW lifestyle is and how difficult it is to be an individual or break away from the group. Kudos to Brenda for being able to do both and having the strength to write about her struggles. A highly recommended read. (Amazon review)
Great story from an up and coming author
This is Brenda's best work yet. Not only does she tell her story in a compelling way but she has the rare ability as an author to bring the characters to life in your mind's eye. I highly recommend this book. (Amazon review)
A GREAT read
a GREAT Read!! loved it from end to end! I could feel the emotion in every one of Brenda's word, 2 thumbs up! (Amazon review)
Want to review or comment on this book?
Need a FREE Reader Membership?
Reviews for "My Short-Lived Life at Being Perfect"
Reviewed by Misty Iputi
11/18/2017
unfortunately this book was lost in a move and i was unable to review. I can tell you.
The Psychic Dimension, Part II (558 pages) is a collection of 36 sci-fi/paranormal stories and the new work is the companion book to Jay Dubya's The Psychic Dimension.
In a near-future Baltimore, an unemployed bipolar journalist and a teenage hacker are the last hope for a dystopian world controlled by a giant media corporation.
Ninety-Nine Novellas, Part II (1,125 book pages) is a collection of 99 popular Jay Dubya stories and it is the companion e-book to Ninety-Nine Novellas (1,600 book pages).
