the topic of this video really resonates with me. About 6 months ago, after being a witness for years, I started to question my faith. I was very defensive of the religion still and would fervently defend any claim made against the organization. One night i couldnt sleep and after pondering my beleifs for hours i finally, after years, decided to listen to "apostate" material, and see what their problem was. I found one of your videos and by the end of literally one video I went from being a devote witness who was questioning things, to someone who relized I was in a cult. It took me being in my room, in the dark, by myself to let my gaurd down and genuinly listen to the opposite sides claims, and the video i found of yours was so effective for me because of how calm you are. I didnt feel like you were a crazy ex jw but I actually listened to what you were saying because you sounded so genuine. I have been disassociated for 6 months now and Ive never regretted leaving even once.
I remember all the “worldly” people I worked with at my job over the years, how they always would get me cute little Christmas or birthday presents but were respectful and would say ‘we know you don’t celebrate, but this gift is just because we appreciate the hard work you do and not for Christmas/your birthday’ and then I would never get them anything and never thanked them for their gifts because they were “pagan” or how I absolutely had to have meeting nights and summer convention and circuit assemblies and assembly days and the memorial off, but they were extremely short-staffed at work and everyone would jump through hoops to get my shifts covered. Jehovah’s Witnesses really turn us into selfish gasholes.
Amanda, Yes, we WERE selfish assholes as co-workers and as employees as JWs!!! And I, too, am ashamed of how "superior" I thought I was as a JW. 😢 Disgusting.
@@amandabomination691 similar things happened to me over the years when people would buy me a Christmas or birthday gift, knowing full well they didn’t have to and that they wouldn’t get a gift back. This shows that they were giving a gift out of love, not out of a sense of obligation as the WT say. Some would ask me if I would be offended if they got me a gift, and I was taught to tell them that they could by all means but that they wouldn’t be getting one back in return, they still went ahead and got me one! These people were very kind and I was taught to be an asshole! SAD
@@amandabomination691 Are you having fun feeling sorry for yourself? I hope so. I hope you have plenty of Kleenex on hand. Boo-Hoo poor picked on me. I have had such a hard life....Please feel as sorry for me as I do for myself so I can quit crying and feel better. Big Baby!!
My worldly friend asked me if a person had to be a JW to have a relationship with God. I never thought of it before, but later I realized anyone can have a relationship with God.
I had two experiences with "worldly" people that contributed massively to my awakening. First one: I was 12 yrs old, at school and a teacher made us all read aloud our homework, which was a little essay titled 'what would be your solution to humanity's problems', or something along those lines. You can only imagine what a great opportunity that was for preaching (🤦♂), so I wrote about god's kingdom and all that sort of stuff. At the end of it, everyone clapped and the teacher quoted E. B. Hall saying 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it'. That sunk so deep in me I still use the quote and the experience to point out the double standards JWs apply towards their cult beliefs (they crave the praise) and what they call 'apostate' beliefs (they demonise anyone/anything that disagrees with them). Second experience: nearly 20 yrs old, starting to have doubts but keeping them quiet, I go out in service for what would be my last time. And that's because of an encounter with an old man, a retired professor, such a calm, well-meaning and reasoning guy, who kept us at his doorstep for an hour because he wanted to know all that JWs were about; just pure curiosity, he never had the chance to talk to one until that day. He listened patiently, never expressing any judgement and at the end said 'your unconditional dedication and hope leave me so disarmed that I'm nearly afraid of saying anything that might insinuate even the slightest doubt in you, let alone ruin your faith'. Once back home, I thought 'I'm ready to have my faith tested, nothing can ruin it if it's true, right?' and, boy, what a rabbit hole I dived into! 😄
Another one: I gave my friend a watchtower to read. He brought it back a few days later and said it was just propaganda. I was shocked because first of all, he is a very intelligent person, and second, I'd never ever heard anyone say our literature was propaganda. That made me think. Now I know that it really is just that.
Oh I remember one. I had a boss at work that knew I was a JW. He knew I didn't celebrate any holidays, but after Christmas, we passed each other and he stopped and said "Aren't you going to ask me how my Christmas was?" I said no, I don't celebrate Christmas. He said "But I do". Then he smiled and walked off. That made me think.
I hope you get lots more replies I wasn’t baptized but studied the red “Live Forever” book when I was a young mom with small kids, and the changes in me nearly destroyed my marriage and other relationships. One of the things that helped me was an EXJW talking about the JW brag points, like, 1. Worldly celebrations. God doesn’t tell us we mustn’t enjoy our traditions. The Old Testament is full of celebrations and festivals. 2. Not going to war. If someone was trying to break into your house, wouldn’t you do your best to protect your family? If it was your village, don’t you think the men would get together and fight for their homes and families? If it’s your country that is threatened, same thing! AndChristmas… we know it’s not Jesus birthday, but isn’t it wonderful how’s Christians have taken the pagan festival and turned it into an opportunity to share Jesusbirth?
@@augiemusky You don't know Jesus Christmas is pagan Jesus stood for Christianity. You can't have it both ways. Christian and paganism are polar opposites and Christ does not support pagans.
There was a guy who was studying and attending meetings. We were talking in the lobby one meeting and he said "You people constantly talk about going out door to door and getting more people to join, but you don't seem to care as much about the people who are already here." Hmm, interesting.
Simplified Life 8607, WHOA!!! I never thought of it that way... but it's so sadly TRUE!!! In fact, once you have officially joined, all you seem to get is CRITICISM, JUDGMENT, and being GOSSIPED ABOUT behind your back!!! 😢
When I stood on his doorstep with magazines in hand, all the "householder" said was, "I feel sorry for you." That comment stayed in my mind for many years.
I worked with a born again Christian. I was POMI at the time and still dreaded Armageddon. When I told him I was raised a JW but no longer went to meetings he said in a very kind/surprised way “good for you!”. I was taken aback and it made me curious by what he meant by that. He really knew his Bible and when I brought up all those proof texts the Witnesses use to justify their prophecy he told me to read the Bible and not the literature and you won’t feel scared by what the Witnesses tell you and he was right!
I was POMI for a while, as well. A coworker really got me thinking after hearing about my situation (disfellowshipped, shunned) and innocently asking, "Wait, so when someone's having a difficult time and needs encouragement, that's when the church and the leaders STOP talking to them? Most people can count on their church to support them through the tough times." Almost 14 years later, I often think of that as my first "light bulb" moment that lead to my deconstruction.
@BrianBlight-n9g Is that supposed to make social ostracization better...? "Yeah, they're cut off from the only social connections they had as a JW, including their own family, but the men who made the decision to shun them are allowed to make phone calls to them!" Doesn't really help your case. And in my personal experience, the 3 elders never reached out to me. They wouldn't so much as look me in the eye after they told me I was being DFed. I had viewed them as family, and they never contacted me again.
@@deenadamico2673 Remember this. Anyone who is a Shepherd is going to be judged according to how they treated the sheep. I have had problems of my own in that department. But I always look at it like this. Anything I know I know Jehovah God and Jesus Christ know plus much much more. I am truly sorry you were mistreated. I have a brother who is 68 and was disfellowshiped as a teen. My brother was highly rebellious and did everything wrong with no intentions of changing. He still don't want to change but wants to blame Jehovahs Witnesses for all his problems. They didn't turn him into a drunkard. They didn't encourage him to get high or be immoral. He chose that. I think a lot of people look at people too much...He said this...,she said that...They totally forget about Jehovah. Also people complain about the annointed brothers. Do I think they all are doing Jehovahs will? Quite frankly NO!! This the thing....anyone doing wicked deeds along with their righteous works will NOT get eternal life!! I dont care how long or what position.....They will go down. Remember when Jesus said many not just a handful or few will come to me in that day and say.....Didn't we prophisize in your name? Perform works in your name? And expell demons in your name? Then Jesus will reply.....Get away from me you workers of lawlessness. I don't even know you! Now think on that for a minute. There will be many people thinking they are lined up for salvation and get rejected and this is including Jehovahs Witnesses that do wrong Shepard wrong or any other wrongdoing they are committing. Remember too Jehovah appointed King David. King David had everything a man could want. He didn't just have a woman....he had women because at that time frame they had concubines. Jehovah made him King.....not 8 imperfect men....but look what happened. King David committed the two most serious sins a man could commit! Adultery and Murder. Are we to blame Jehovah for it?? David did repent and Jehovah forgave him and even gave him back his Kingship. Now you can just imagine the people who thought this was all wrong because in that day people were put to death for such sins. What would you have done? See what I mean? We can get to a point where we can even judge God.......Not Good. Now here is an other man that Jehovah God appointed as King......King Solomon....once again not 8 imperfect men but God. Jehovah gave Solomon everything a man could want. He is another man who had women......What did he do in his older years? He decides to get involved with pagan women when Jehovah told him not to. He did it anyway and the Bible says King Solomon died as an apostate!! Once again......God appointed him......but people are free moral agents and they can make wise decisions and have Gods favor or make foolish decisions and lose Gods favor. The majority of mankind is anti-God. Look at the deplorable shape a lot of people are in today. I'm 67 and this world and peoples attitudes have changed a lot.....and not for the good. No this isn't coming from some Watchtower magazine this is coming from personal experience my experience. When I was a kid we went to grade school and never had a thought of a classmate coming to school with a gun and killing us. Wee didn't have queers marrying each other in a church. There was no such thing as Gay Pride and their parades. There was no such thing as a sex change. Boys were boys and girls were girls and if your queer you kept it to yourself or you might get beat up. Not today's world if you are not queer you better be supportive of them or you're a homophobe! They all say it is an alternative lifestyle. Funny God never said that did he? Oh let's not forget about all the folks that want to be identified as a Cat or some other animal instead of a human being. Now there's a dandy for you. My cousin who lives in Du Quoin, Illinois just recently wrote to me and said they are putting litter boxes in the school restrooms for those who wish to be identified as a Cat! This world is turning into Sodom and Gomorrah and we know what God eventually did to them. Now there are people in this world that proclaim that the world has always been this way. Really?? They must live in a different world than I do. You can join them if you like and run out this November and vote for someone who says they will make things better. They won't but knock yourself out. Remember when Donald Trump became president? What did he repeat over and over before being elected? We are going to make America great again! All those people wearing red ball caps with this saying on it. Answer this....If Donald Trump was really making America great again why wasn't he reelected? Joe Biden got in so I would say that the majority of voters didn't think America is getting great again!! Who knows? He is running for president again and no matter who gets in they will never ever make America great again. Those days ended sometime after my childhood.
My worldly next door neighbor was so sweet and kind to me. 50 years later we are still friends, but when I was a JW, I knew she would die at Armageddon, because I knew she would never convert, no matter how much literature I gave her to read. It hurt my heart that God would kill such a sweet kind person for not being a JW. Geez, how brainwashed I was. She is a better Christian than most Jw's I know.
Agree! Imagine in my congregation there is still an Elder who doesn’t take care of elderly, even his wife! One day I couldn’t take their behavior so I took along that elderly sister in front of that elder’s wife and tried to approach her, Aren’t WE true Christian that love each other! But that elder’s wife walked away as if we were not in her sight! She is a long time pioneer, attending pioneer school this week😂I wonder what do they learn actually in that so-called Pioneer School too😅
@@eyeswideopen8570 As a child, we were poor as dirt. Our neighbour's better financial position did not bother me one bit because during Armageddon my house would float in the flood waters and hers would sink. "Heh heh heh" I said like a gashole.
As a child, i was out in field service and i knocked on a door and this one gentleman's response really stuck with me. He first asked why I was preaching, but he said specifically me, not the witnesses, but actually me as a person. I gave him the same simple reply witnesses would teach us and showed him 2 scriptures to preach to the whole world. He wasn't confrontational but I remember the look in his eyes where I felt where he meant well and although I didn't trust him as he was a stranger, he seemed like a respectful and wise man. To finish our brief discussion, he said, "keep on studying, but always ask questions and keep on looking for the answers." Or course with the JW mindset i felt i was defending my beliefs, but it always stuck out to me because even though I felt I was defending for Jehovah as well, the gentleman was very kind, he didn't have any snark remarks, and wasn't trying to "snare" me away. He was the opposite of what the witnesses would say would be someone who would try to pry me away from the organization, let alone God. I really wish I could go back and find the man and personally thank him. I thought I left a mark in him with JW doctrine but he actually gave me the mark instead that led me to questioning many things in the Bible, organization and other things in my life that led me to broaden my critical thinking even to this day
It’s so funny, because one of the young witnesses at my hall brought her older brother with Asperger’s, and during the WT study, he raised his hand to answer, but instead of answering he ASKED a question into the mic! I was so embarrassed for her, but he really had the right idea. He was thinking critically instead of just regurgitating what the paragraph said.
One of the things that bothered me as a witness was experiences of those who prior to becoming a Witness were bad people, some had been violent, others belonged to violent gangs and many had been serious drug addicts or dealers living a life of crime. When they started to study and progressed to baptism we were told that this transformation was the result of the Holy Spirit operating on them and was only possible to achieve due to Gods help. For years this made my faith strong, until one day I happened to see a young man on tv who had lived a life of serious crime, abusing drugs and women too. Then he started to attend church and shortly thereafter gave his life over to Jesus resulting in him completely turning his life of crime around and becoming an honest Christian believer. When I heard this it completely confused me. At that point I realised that I had been told a lie and that people could change for the better without becoming a JW. This was one of those thoughts I had to “file away” in the back of my mind as you said. 🇬🇧
Imagine while was in school as JW thinking my worldly classmates here will not achieve their FUTURE PLAN. That was way back, and now it’s 2024. Most of my classmates had good job, has home, and some has grandchildren. Their plan were achieved😅I guess, some of my classmates who remembers me as JW is thinking, remember that student who was preaching the world will END, I wonder what she’s doing.😂
Once during "field service" a man told me that in the King James Bible if you go to Psalm 46, the 46th word from the beginning is "shake," and the 46th word from the end is "spear," so that's proof that Shakespeare wrote the KJV. Then he closed the door calmly. I was confused, because he seemed like an intelligent guy, and I wondered how anyone could think that. So, as you say, I filed it away. Years later I remembered it, and completely understood the point he was making. Gives me a laugh to this day.
I did what every good JW does when someone didn't accept my message: Question their ✨mOtIvEs ✨ "Of course they're not going to listen. They are PROUD." "They are not 'rightly disposed for everlasting life'." "Satan has blindfolded them." Etc, etc.
Wolfie 8012, Oh, yes!!! I remember telling myself those sorry excuses for "worldly" people not listening; it was all part of the "Watchtower Cult Programming." 😮
I remember as a PIMI showing a video to a friend and I had the same reaction-no reaction-and thinking, why not? Isn’t it obvious? But now, looking back, I can see just how convoluted our beliefs were! No wonder we didn’t get a reaction. Smart people don’t usually get sucked into cults, because they are aware they don’t need them.
I know what you mean, I have an older video "How WT inadvertently creates exJWs" along that line. We're well trained to proselytize, whether the message is JW or exJW.
When I was 15 or so I went to a door and an older opened and listened for a moment and then looked at me with a sort of frightened look on his face and said "you are in the wrong religion and you need to get out as fast as you can" and then closed the door. It scared me at the time but it always stuck in my mind.
@@sarahyoung6799 I look back at my teenage years with a tinge of shame. Imagine going door to door to lecture grownups on how to live and change their wordly lives. Small wonder so many patronizingly and pitifully smiled while I foolishly spewed.
I love your channel, Phil. I think it may be the best exjw channel out there. Well, at least since Dubtown isn't making new content, haha! I love that you are so chill and you pursue topics that aren't flashy and sensational, but are just interesting to you. Then you dig into it, and bring out some real gems. So, thanks for your channel, I'm happy you're here and happy to subscribe.
@@cherylseebreth328 I'm not nice? That certainly wasn't my intention, I meant to give a deserved compliment. Dubtown was a very clever, funny, and biting satire of JWs done in Lego animation. I don't think Phil would take offense at the comparison. I would be surprised if it weren't one of his favorites, too.
I remember a few instances where people made me think: 1. My 6th grade teacher- in our history book in one of the lessons it was talking about the history of the Israelites, archeology, etc. And it had some Bible verses quoted. My teacher was a Christian and she got upset that the verses were only partially quoted with the dot dot dot ... She made a comment about how they took some of the Bible verse out. I reacted internally with anger that she said that, mentally defensive of WT, bc as we all know, they have a habit of only partially quoting verses lol 2. There was a man who was evidently a Christian and he seemed very with it and sincere. He told us how one time God spoke to him when he was smoking and told him to stop and then he never smoked again. This was confusing to me because generally as a JW if you hear someone say God spoke to them you would think it was a demon. But this messed with my indoctrination bc logically a demon wouldn't tell you to stop doing something bad. And this thought came into my head- how do you know it wasn't God? Him and the JW sister I was with had a disagreement on a detail about something else in the Bible and he went and read the account later and humbly called the KH leaving a message saying she was right. One of the pioneers said she was impressed with his admitting he was wrong and that also stuck with me. 3. There was a woman out in service who tried to tell us about how she was clinically dead for x amount of time but came back to life. The JW she was talking to wouldn't really engage much in conversation with her, kind of cutting her off, but i remember this actually made me feel scared and uncertain bc what she was saying didn't line up with our beliefs. I can read people well and something inside of me knew she was telling the truth. But it was a foreign concept that i didn't know what to do with and couldn't mentally handle. Looking back now it seems like she had an NDE and was saying God brought her back. 4. Once i had dropped my wallet in the parking lot at my job and a man returned it. I was amazed that someone who wasn't a JW was honest lol
This was a long time ago, maybe 1974 or 75, when a co-worker talked about celebrating a birthday and we got to talking. I gave the only 2 examples of birthday celebrations in the Bible where bad things happened. The first ex. was when Harod celebrated his birthday and John the Baptizer was beheaded and the other ex. was Phar’aoh’s birthday- the chief baker was hanged. She replied: oh well, we don’t do those things at our birthday parties. I remember laughing but I had no idea how to respond. I did the same as you. I stored it in a nice little box (probably more like a big box!) in the back of my brain.
One of my experiences that stuck was in service- I asked the women the common question “what hope is there for the future?” She gave a good Christian answer that sounded familiar to our beliefs just tweaked a little. She believed that humans would live forever on earth. I thought that was only a JW belief and I started really wondering what other groups believe. I went back to see her a few times, she rejected a study but was still opened to talk. Then Covid hit, then I woke up. I ran into her since and I shared my story, we cried and now we are good friends. So much more to this story but this is the summed up version!
I guess a big WTH moment for me was a circuit overseer visit back in the 80s who said from the podium, we have to strengthen our resolve to overcome objections at the door, because how will you handle someone in the future who was ressurected, and its time for those ones to learn the truth about history, and they decline because they reason if I was good enough to be ressurected I dont need you to tell me what God wants. I was looking around the hall and I thought is it me or did he just come up with the most preposterous BS I ever heard even as a witness? You mean even after armageddon we STILL have to go door to door and we are STILL gonna have ppl tell us to take a hike? From ppl who were ressurected? In other words nothing will change after armageddon and I still cant mow my lawn on saturday morning because I have to go door to door to preach to ressurected ppl who tell me to get lost? I had to think about that for a long time. It was nonsense.
All those people in our lives were planting seeds. We never knew how or when they will germinate. I think back when I was in high school and our class had to present some information we had some knowledge about, and then address objections. Silly me, I decided I would preach my JW-isms. I had no idea how rude the class responses could be. And worst of all, I had no comebacks! I was humiliated. The teacher stopped the "debate" when I could not answer their objections. I could have crawled into a hole.
I remember telling my dad that a friend asked me why we preach - and I repeated my response to my dad “we realize you have your religion and we are not here to change it - we are just doing what we were commanded to do by Jesus - preach the good news”. My dad was so upset at my response to my friend - told me “that is not true - of course we are trying to convert her!” Well I reminded him when we are out door to door - that is NOT what we are telling the householder. So we must be lying to them! That always stuck with me. Among other things thru the years….Love your channel Phil!
Oh, yeah! I remember a couple who studied for a long time with my dad. They were very kind to me. They were very intelligent. Looking back, Im sure they were unwitnessing to us! Bless their hearts for the time they took. There were other studies & people at doors & "friends" who tried to warn me! You never know what may wake someone up!
Really liked this idea for a video. I have several times that ‘worldly people’ made an impression on me too that made me think. Enjoyed hearing your experiences.
this video was fascinating and revealing. I have seen many times that providing 'evidence of contradictions' and 'biblical evidence' is rarely a good method for exposing the false teaching of WatchTower. The main reason probably is the wall that is put up and that can't allow the person to think past what they have programmed. Your observations were internal and not physical proof. This makes me think that time, as usual, is more of a teacher than showing evidence through scripture. Amazing insight into this, thanks!
What an awesome subject for a video! EDIT: Okay, here’s one of mine. A study that I would go on with my dad: super kind older man. I conducted the study myself a few times, which made me feel special (lol). But he ended the study. He couldn’t get over the fact that God would allow so much violence, and that so much of the Bible documents violent wars on God’s behalf. It put us in the awkward position of having to defend the many massacres Jehovah made the Israelites carry out, and it always stuck in my mind.
I remember trying to convince a church minister who's response was Hmmm with a friendly look and simply took tract said "thank you" ..... This made me think!
Absolutely. I visited an author and a humanist. He was always kind and never pushed his beliefs. We always talked a long time and it was mostly him talking.
Since woke when I started researching everything that I wanted to search, I actually find lot of documentaries of GOOD people around the world either a religious person or not. It amazes me especially other religious believers besides Bible believer and Athiest can be a BETTER person or group than JWs😅
I always respected my teachers far more than JWs. My bro had cerebral palsy. I greatly admired the CP center PTs and speech therapists. Looking back, it hurt me so intensely to be told we were not Christian. It spurred me to go use Brittanica . Drips and drabs kept brewing. Then my schooling was threatened. That was war. I got lawyers.
And they recently just changed that “it’ll be too late when the tribulation comes!” To “hey … maybe y’know … when the tribulations happen maybe we’ll let you in”
Back in 2003 probably I was a witness, working full time and a part time student. I took a "gasp" Philosophy class. Logic. Debate encouraged. The final project was a essay you read in front of the class. I decided to do one on non blood medical treatments. I mean according to JW i should have been persecuted but everyone was polite, no one attacked me, they were a bit bored i guess. Just a single comment "theres no substitute " from a medical student. Even the instructor who was atheist was polite.
To quote the channel's 'About' section, "I named the channel The Blue Envelope because we talk about things which aren't always common knowledge. Special blue envelopes were used by congregations to send reports of judicial committees to Watchtower headquarters. The distinct color ensured that women working in Bethel mailrooms wouldn't open the correspondence. Service Department eyes only!"
One time a friend told me Jesus was a “magician”. I was offended and denied it on the spot. Later on I thought about it and realized it was technically true….
If people don't respond when you show them information on the Bible, they are not hungering and thirsting to know God. They have the mark of the beast.
Even if you don't believe what Jehovah's Witnesses teach, a person who has a spiritual interest will respond. Watch "Messiah 2030" to see how much you didn't learn from Jehovah's Witnesses. The Org. teaches "replacement theology" when Jesus said "salvation is from the Jews".
Check out the video I did "My time in an american theocracy." In brief, the big plus is you never have to decide anything for yourself; everything is pre-selected for you: friends, morals, entertainment, sexuality, choice of jobs and education, pool of marriage mates, the answers to all of life's big questions. It's nice (until it isn't).
@@theblueenvelope Thanks. Do you still believe in God, or did your experience harm your relationship? I watched your video about "Figuring Out Reality" too and I would say I'm a heterodox Christian mystic, and a witness of a different kind. I'm also on a quest to figure out reality, and I value the freedom to do so, but sadly many are not willing to hear an opinion they don't agree with, even if in the process they could learn truth, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Did your religion teach you anything about the symbolism and hidden meanings in the Bible? Or is it more of a literalist religion, like many Christian denominations.
My first moment of questioning was when my high school teacher taught us about evolution. I knew what evolution was at the time, and I knew it was wrong because that’s what I learned at the meetings. When she stated teaching , many students raised their hands to refute her points, (I wasn’t the only evangelical Christian apparently) and I raised my hand too. I asked her “how are humans animals if we are better than the animals ?” And she answered , “it depends what you are comparing by. We are more intelligent, but dolphins are better at eco location, and cheetahs are better at running. We only judge ourselves as better because it’s from our perspective”. Since she answered my question, I didn’t respond, but in my heart I still knew I was right. I didn’t have to take a biology class in college, so afterwards I never really thought about evolution. I don’t think I was able to refute my old religious perspective until I got out of college and became an atheist. It’s funny, because I took a “critical reading and thinking” class (which was required to graduate college) but I never learned how to think critically until after I graduated, stopped going to the KH, and started listening to The Atheist Experience podcast. (This is not an ad for AXP, I stopped listening to them because the quality of the newer episodes has gone down quite a bit, lol)
Wow, you lucky guy. The witnesses believe Jehovah sees „intelligance“ different than people does. It is kinda funny you missed this kind of view completely.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AND TEACH PEOPLE WHAT EVER FOOLISH NONSENSE YOU WANT TO TEACH THEM AND JEHOVAH WITNESSES CONTINUE TO TEACH THE TRUTH? CATHOLIC CHURCHES teach whatever they want, BAPTIST CHURCH teach whatever they want, Jehovah witnesses ain interfering with them?
The Bible clearly states that before humans appeared on the earth only Jehovah's family of witnesses existed in the universe. The first witness to leave the family was the angel who became "Satan" the first apostate. Today either one is serving Jehovah or the adversary Satan. There is no sitting on the fence.
Oh no.. do we have another Vusi here that just copies and pastes the same ridiculous comment on every ex JW video 😂😂😂 I’ve read that “Jehovah’s family of witnesses” before. 😂 So utterly ridiculous.
Is the future more important than the present? Does Satan reward people for serving him now, and God will reward people in the future for serving him now?
the topic of this video really resonates with me. About 6 months ago, after being a witness for years, I started to question my faith. I was very defensive of the religion still and would fervently defend any claim made against the organization. One night i couldnt sleep and after pondering my beleifs for hours i finally, after years, decided to listen to "apostate" material, and see what their problem was. I found one of your videos and by the end of literally one video I went from being a devote witness who was questioning things, to someone who relized I was in a cult. It took me being in my room, in the dark, by myself to let my gaurd down and genuinly listen to the opposite sides claims, and the video i found of yours was so effective for me because of how calm you are. I didnt feel like you were a crazy ex jw but I actually listened to what you were saying because you sounded so genuine. I have been disassociated for 6 months now and Ive never regretted leaving even once.
Congrats!! 💪🏼💪🏼
Welcome to your freedom!!
Wow, that's awesome, I'm so happy for you!
I love this ❤welcome to freedom.
@@MichaelMielDeLaRosa it definitely was his calmness that that attracted me when I listened the first time, and then the content sealed the deal.
I remember all the “worldly” people I worked with at my job over the years, how they always would get me cute little Christmas or birthday presents but were respectful and would say ‘we know you don’t celebrate, but this gift is just because we appreciate the hard work you do and not for Christmas/your birthday’ and then I would never get them anything and never thanked them for their gifts because they were “pagan” or how I absolutely had to have meeting nights and summer convention and circuit assemblies and assembly days and the memorial off, but they were extremely short-staffed at work and everyone would jump through hoops to get my shifts covered. Jehovah’s Witnesses really turn us into selfish gasholes.
@@amandabomination691 "... turn us into GASHOLES." Love it. Gots to use the word.
Amanda, Yes, we WERE selfish assholes as co-workers and as employees as JWs!!! And I, too, am ashamed of how "superior" I thought I was as a JW. 😢 Disgusting.
@@amandabomination691 similar things happened to me over the years when people would buy me a Christmas or birthday gift, knowing full well they didn’t have to and that they wouldn’t get a gift back. This shows that they were giving a gift out of love, not out of a sense of obligation as the WT say. Some would ask me if I would be offended if they got me a gift, and I was taught to tell them that they could by all means but that they wouldn’t be getting one back in return, they still went ahead and got me one! These people were very kind and I was taught to be an asshole! SAD
Nice workmates. I had good ones too. Many memories how Bad I behaved through those events.
@@amandabomination691 Are you having fun feeling sorry for yourself? I hope so. I hope you have plenty of Kleenex on hand. Boo-Hoo poor picked on me. I have had such a hard life....Please feel as sorry for me as I do for myself so I can quit crying and feel better. Big Baby!!
My worldly friend asked me if a person had to be a JW to have a relationship with God. I never thought of it before, but later I realized anyone can have a relationship with God.
Of course! Everybody can have the same imaginary friend!
I had two experiences with "worldly" people that contributed massively to my awakening. First one: I was 12 yrs old, at school and a teacher made us all read aloud our homework, which was a little essay titled 'what would be your solution to humanity's problems', or something along those lines. You can only imagine what a great opportunity that was for preaching (🤦♂), so I wrote about god's kingdom and all that sort of stuff. At the end of it, everyone clapped and the teacher quoted E. B. Hall saying 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it'. That sunk so deep in me I still use the quote and the experience to point out the double standards JWs apply towards their cult beliefs (they crave the praise) and what they call 'apostate' beliefs (they demonise anyone/anything that disagrees with them). Second experience: nearly 20 yrs old, starting to have doubts but keeping them quiet, I go out in service for what would be my last time. And that's because of an encounter with an old man, a retired professor, such a calm, well-meaning and reasoning guy, who kept us at his doorstep for an hour because he wanted to know all that JWs were about; just pure curiosity, he never had the chance to talk to one until that day. He listened patiently, never expressing any judgement and at the end said 'your unconditional dedication and hope leave me so disarmed that I'm nearly afraid of saying anything that might insinuate even the slightest doubt in you, let alone ruin your faith'. Once back home, I thought 'I'm ready to have my faith tested, nothing can ruin it if it's true, right?' and, boy, what a rabbit hole I dived into! 😄
Another one: I gave my friend a watchtower to read. He brought it back a few days later and said it was just propaganda. I was shocked because first of all, he is a very intelligent person, and second, I'd never ever heard anyone say our literature was propaganda. That made me think. Now I know that it really is just that.
Oh I remember one. I had a boss at work that knew I was a JW. He knew I didn't celebrate any holidays, but after Christmas, we passed each other and he stopped and said "Aren't you going to ask me how my Christmas was?" I said no, I don't celebrate Christmas. He said "But I do". Then he smiled and walked off. That made me think.
@@eyeswideopen8570 A sad bunch we were.
I hope you get lots more replies
I wasn’t baptized but studied the red “Live Forever” book when I was a young mom with small kids, and the changes in me nearly destroyed my marriage and other relationships. One of the things that helped me was an EXJW talking about the JW brag points, like, 1. Worldly celebrations. God doesn’t tell us we mustn’t enjoy our traditions. The Old Testament is full of celebrations and festivals. 2. Not going to war. If someone was trying to break into your house, wouldn’t you do your best to protect your family? If it was your village, don’t you think the men would get together and fight for their homes and families? If it’s your country that is threatened, same thing!
AndChristmas… we know it’s not Jesus birthday, but isn’t it wonderful how’s Christians have taken the pagan festival and turned it into an opportunity to share Jesusbirth?
@@augiemusky Good points! Thank you for sharing!
@@augiemusky You don't know Jesus Christmas is pagan Jesus stood for Christianity. You can't have it both ways. Christian and paganism are polar opposites and Christ does not support pagans.
There was a guy who was studying and attending meetings. We were talking in the lobby one meeting and he said "You people constantly talk about going out door to door and getting more people to join, but you don't seem to care as much about the people who are already here." Hmm, interesting.
Fair observation tbh
Simplified Life 8607, WHOA!!! I never thought of it that way... but it's so sadly TRUE!!! In fact, once you have officially joined, all you seem to get is CRITICISM, JUDGMENT, and being GOSSIPED ABOUT behind your back!!! 😢
When I stood on his doorstep with magazines in hand, all the "householder" said was, "I feel sorry for you." That comment stayed in my mind for many years.
I worked with a born again Christian. I was POMI at the time and still dreaded Armageddon. When I told him I was raised a JW but no longer went to meetings he said in a very kind/surprised way “good for you!”. I was taken aback and it made me curious by what he meant by that. He really knew his Bible and when I brought up all those proof texts the Witnesses use to justify their prophecy he told me to read the Bible and not the literature and you won’t feel scared by what the Witnesses tell you and he was right!
I was POMI for a while, as well. A coworker really got me thinking after hearing about my situation (disfellowshipped, shunned) and innocently asking, "Wait, so when someone's having a difficult time and needs encouragement, that's when the church and the leaders STOP talking to them? Most people can count on their church to support them through the tough times." Almost 14 years later, I often think of that as my first "light bulb" moment that lead to my deconstruction.
You have been misinformed. The elders can talk to disfellowshiped people.
What about family and friends?
@BrianBlight-n9g Is that supposed to make social ostracization better...? "Yeah, they're cut off from the only social connections they had as a JW, including their own family, but the men who made the decision to shun them are allowed to make phone calls to them!" Doesn't really help your case. And in my personal experience, the 3 elders never reached out to me. They wouldn't so much as look me in the eye after they told me I was being DFed. I had viewed them as family, and they never contacted me again.
@@deenadamico2673 Remember this. Anyone who is a Shepherd is going to be judged according to how they treated the sheep. I have had problems of my own in that department. But I always look at it like this. Anything I know I know Jehovah God and Jesus Christ know plus much much more. I am truly sorry you were mistreated. I have a brother who is 68 and was disfellowshiped as a teen. My brother was highly rebellious and did everything wrong with no intentions of changing. He still don't want to change but wants to blame Jehovahs Witnesses for all his problems. They didn't turn him into a drunkard. They didn't encourage him to get high or be immoral. He chose that. I think a lot of people look at people too much...He said this...,she said that...They totally forget about Jehovah. Also people complain about the annointed brothers. Do I think they all are doing Jehovahs will? Quite frankly NO!! This the thing....anyone doing wicked deeds along with their righteous works will NOT get eternal life!! I dont care how long or what position.....They will go down. Remember when Jesus said many not just a handful or few will come to me in that day and say.....Didn't we prophisize in your name? Perform works in your name? And expell demons in your name? Then Jesus will reply.....Get away from me you workers of lawlessness. I don't even know you! Now think on that for a minute. There will be many people thinking they are lined up for salvation and get rejected and this is including Jehovahs Witnesses that do wrong Shepard wrong or any other wrongdoing they are committing. Remember too Jehovah appointed King David. King David had everything a man could want. He didn't just have a woman....he had women because at that time frame they had concubines. Jehovah made him King.....not 8 imperfect men....but look what happened. King David committed the two most serious sins a man could commit! Adultery and Murder. Are we to blame Jehovah for it?? David did repent and Jehovah forgave him and even gave him back his Kingship. Now you can just imagine the people who thought this was all wrong because in that day people were put to death for such sins. What would you have done? See what I mean? We can get to a point where we can even judge God.......Not Good. Now here is an other man that Jehovah God appointed as King......King Solomon....once again not 8 imperfect men but God. Jehovah gave Solomon everything a man could want. He is another man who had women......What did he do in his older years? He decides to get involved with pagan women when Jehovah told him not to. He did it anyway and the Bible says King Solomon died as an apostate!! Once again......God appointed him......but people are free moral agents and they can make wise decisions and have Gods favor or make foolish decisions and lose Gods favor. The majority of mankind is anti-God. Look at the deplorable shape a lot of people are in today. I'm 67 and this world and peoples attitudes have changed a lot.....and not for the good. No this isn't coming from some Watchtower magazine this is coming from personal experience my experience. When I was a kid we went to grade school and never had a thought of a classmate coming to school with a gun and killing us. Wee didn't have queers marrying each other in a church. There was no such thing as Gay Pride and their parades. There was no such thing as a sex change. Boys were boys and girls were girls and if your queer you kept it to yourself or you might get beat up. Not today's world if you are not queer you better be supportive of them or you're a homophobe! They all say it is an alternative lifestyle. Funny God never said that did he? Oh let's not forget about all the folks that want to be identified as a Cat or some other animal instead of a human being. Now there's a dandy for you. My cousin who lives in Du Quoin, Illinois just recently wrote to me and said they are putting litter boxes in the school restrooms for those who wish to be identified as a Cat! This world is turning into Sodom and Gomorrah and we know what God eventually did to them. Now there are people in this world that proclaim that the world has always been this way. Really?? They must live in a different world than I do. You can join them if you like and run out this November and vote for someone who says they will make things better. They won't but knock yourself out. Remember when Donald Trump became president? What did he repeat over and over before being elected? We are going to make America great again! All those people wearing red ball caps with this saying on it. Answer this....If Donald Trump was really making America great again why wasn't he reelected? Joe Biden got in so I would say that the majority of voters didn't think America is getting great again!! Who knows? He is running for president again and no matter who gets in they will never ever make America great again. Those days ended sometime after my childhood.
My worldly next door neighbor was so sweet and kind to me. 50 years later we are still friends, but when I was a JW, I knew she would die at Armageddon, because I knew she would never convert, no matter how much literature I gave her to read. It hurt my heart that God would kill such a sweet kind person for not being a JW. Geez, how brainwashed I was. She is a better Christian than most Jw's I know.
Agree! Imagine in my congregation there is still an Elder who doesn’t take care of elderly, even his wife! One day I couldn’t take their behavior so I took along that elderly sister in front of that elder’s wife and tried to approach her, Aren’t WE true Christian that love each other! But that elder’s wife walked away as if we were not in her sight! She is a long time pioneer, attending pioneer school this week😂I wonder what do they learn actually in that so-called Pioneer School too😅
@@eyeswideopen8570 As a child, we were poor as dirt. Our neighbour's better financial position did not bother me one bit because during Armageddon my house would float in the flood waters and hers would sink. "Heh heh heh" I said like a gashole.
@@cherylseebreth328 😄 Out in service, we used to pick out which house we would get after Armageddon.
@eyeswideopen8570 So sad! Watchtower and Mormons might have the most nonsensical doctrines.
@@cherylseebreth328 Yes, and so much alike!! But Mormons are generally more humble.
As a child, i was out in field service and i knocked on a door and this one gentleman's response really stuck with me.
He first asked why I was preaching, but he said specifically me, not the witnesses, but actually me as a person. I gave him the same simple reply witnesses would teach us and showed him 2 scriptures to preach to the whole world. He wasn't confrontational but I remember the look in his eyes where I felt where he meant well and although I didn't trust him as he was a stranger, he seemed like a respectful and wise man.
To finish our brief discussion, he said, "keep on studying, but always ask questions and keep on looking for the answers."
Or course with the JW mindset i felt i was defending my beliefs, but it always stuck out to me because even though I felt I was defending for Jehovah as well, the gentleman was very kind, he didn't have any snark remarks, and wasn't trying to "snare" me away. He was the opposite of what the witnesses would say would be someone who would try to pry me away from the organization, let alone God.
I really wish I could go back and find the man and personally thank him. I thought I left a mark in him with JW doctrine but he actually gave me the mark instead that led me to questioning many things in the Bible, organization and other things in my life that led me to broaden my critical thinking even to this day
It’s so funny, because one of the young witnesses at my hall brought her older brother with Asperger’s, and during the WT study, he raised his hand to answer, but instead of answering he ASKED a question into the mic! I was so embarrassed for her, but he really had the right idea. He was thinking critically instead of just regurgitating what the paragraph said.
One of the things that bothered me as a witness was experiences of those who prior to becoming a Witness were bad people, some had been violent, others belonged to violent gangs and many had been serious drug addicts or dealers living a life of crime. When they started to study and progressed to baptism we were told that this transformation was the result of the Holy Spirit operating on them and was only possible to achieve due to Gods help. For years this made my faith strong, until one day I happened to see a young man on tv who had lived a life of serious crime, abusing drugs and women too. Then he started to attend church and shortly thereafter gave his life over to Jesus resulting in him completely turning his life of crime around and becoming an honest Christian believer. When I heard this it completely confused me. At that point I realised that I had been told a lie and that people could change for the better without becoming a JW. This was one of those thoughts I had to “file away” in the back of my mind as you said. 🇬🇧
Imagine while was in school as JW thinking my worldly classmates here will not achieve their FUTURE PLAN. That was way back, and now it’s 2024. Most of my classmates had good job, has home, and some has grandchildren. Their plan were achieved😅I guess, some of my classmates who remembers me as JW is thinking, remember that student who was preaching the world will END, I wonder what she’s doing.😂
Once during "field service" a man told me that in the King James Bible if you go to Psalm 46, the 46th word from the beginning is "shake," and the 46th word from the end is "spear," so that's proof that Shakespeare wrote the KJV. Then he closed the door calmly. I was confused, because he seemed like an intelligent guy, and I wondered how anyone could think that. So, as you say, I filed it away. Years later I remembered it, and completely understood the point he was making. Gives me a laugh to this day.
cool I heard that but did not know where. Thanks!
That’s awesome.
@@pamelasloan1664 I just looked it up. Wow.
I did what every good JW does when someone didn't accept my message: Question their ✨mOtIvEs ✨ "Of course they're not going to listen. They are PROUD." "They are not 'rightly disposed for everlasting life'." "Satan has blindfolded them." Etc, etc.
@wolfie Yeah, we justified their rejection with Watchtower-isms and held our head high -- in our ignorance.
Wolfie 8012, Oh, yes!!! I remember telling myself those sorry excuses for "worldly" people not listening; it was all part of the "Watchtower Cult Programming." 😮
I remember as a PIMI showing a video to a friend and I had the same reaction-no reaction-and thinking, why not? Isn’t it obvious? But now, looking back, I can see just how convoluted our beliefs were! No wonder we didn’t get a reaction. Smart people don’t usually get sucked into cults, because they are aware they don’t need them.
As an exjw I am hellbent on waking up and converting JWs. That be Watchtower's fault. They taught me well.
I know what you mean, I have an older video "How WT inadvertently creates exJWs" along that line. We're well trained to proselytize, whether the message is JW or exJW.
@@theblueenvelope A must listen. Thank you.
When I was 15 or so I went to a door and an older opened and listened for a moment and then looked at me with a sort of frightened look on his face and said "you are in the wrong religion and you need to get out as fast as you can" and then closed the door. It scared me at the time but it always stuck in my mind.
@@sarahyoung6799 I look back at my teenage years with a tinge of shame. Imagine going door to door to lecture grownups on how to live and change their wordly lives. Small wonder so many patronizingly and pitifully smiled while I foolishly spewed.
@@cherylseebreth328 I agree 100%!
I remember a similar thing with an ex-mormon!
I love your channel, Phil. I think it may be the best exjw channel out there. Well, at least since Dubtown isn't making new content, haha! I love that you are so chill and you pursue topics that aren't flashy and sensational, but are just interesting to you. Then you dig into it, and bring out some real gems. So, thanks for your channel, I'm happy you're here and happy to subscribe.
@@c.c.2320 Who is Dubtown? You are not nice, though.
@@cherylseebreth328 I'm not nice? That certainly wasn't my intention, I meant to give a deserved compliment. Dubtown was a very clever, funny, and biting satire of JWs done in Lego animation. I don't think Phil would take offense at the comparison. I would be surprised if it weren't one of his favorites, too.
@@c.c.2320 Quite frankly, I don't know why the hell I said that.
I remember a few instances where people made me think:
1. My 6th grade teacher- in our history book in one of the lessons it was talking about the history of the Israelites, archeology, etc. And it had some Bible verses quoted.
My teacher was a Christian and she got upset that the verses were only partially quoted with the dot dot dot ...
She made a comment about how they took some of the Bible verse out.
I reacted internally with anger that she said that, mentally defensive of WT, bc as we all know, they have a habit of only partially quoting verses lol
2. There was a man who was evidently a Christian and he seemed very with it and sincere.
He told us how one time God spoke to him when he was smoking and told him to stop and then he never smoked again.
This was confusing to me because generally as a JW if you hear someone say God spoke to them you would think it was a demon.
But this messed with my indoctrination bc logically a demon wouldn't tell you to stop doing something bad.
And this thought came into my head- how do you know it wasn't God?
Him and the JW sister I was with had a disagreement on a detail about something else in the Bible and he went and read the account later and humbly called the KH leaving a message saying she was right.
One of the pioneers said she was impressed with his admitting he was wrong and that also stuck with me.
3. There was a woman out in service who tried to tell us about how she was clinically dead for x amount of time but came back to life.
The JW she was talking to wouldn't really engage much in conversation with her, kind of cutting her off, but i remember this actually made me feel scared and uncertain bc what she was saying didn't line up with our beliefs.
I can read people well and something inside of me knew she was telling the truth. But it was a foreign concept that i didn't know what to do with and couldn't mentally handle.
Looking back now it seems like she had an NDE and was saying God brought her back.
4. Once i had dropped my wallet in the parking lot at my job and a man returned it.
I was amazed that someone who wasn't a JW was honest lol
@@alishaba- My God. Watchtower truly screwed with our heads.
@@cherylseebreth328they really did.
This was a long time ago, maybe 1974 or 75, when a co-worker talked about celebrating a birthday and we got to talking. I gave the only 2 examples of birthday celebrations in the Bible where bad things happened. The first ex. was when Harod celebrated his birthday and John the Baptizer was beheaded and the other ex. was Phar’aoh’s birthday- the chief baker was hanged. She replied: oh well, we don’t do those things at our birthday parties. I remember laughing but I had no idea how to respond. I did the same as you. I stored it in a nice little box (probably more like a big box!) in the back of my brain.
One of my experiences that stuck was in service- I asked the women the common question “what hope is there for the future?” She gave a good Christian answer that sounded familiar to our beliefs just tweaked a little. She believed that humans would live forever on earth. I thought that was only a JW belief and I started really wondering what other groups believe. I went back to see her a few times, she rejected a study but was still opened to talk. Then Covid hit, then I woke up. I ran into her since and I shared my story, we cried and now we are good friends. So much more to this story but this is the summed up version!
I would love to know the rest of this story if you would be happy to share it? 😊
I guess a big WTH moment for me was a circuit overseer visit back in the 80s who said from the podium, we have to strengthen our resolve to overcome objections at the door, because how will you handle someone in the future who was ressurected, and its time for those ones to learn the truth about history, and they decline because they reason if I was good enough to be ressurected I dont need you to tell me what God wants. I was looking around the hall and I thought is it me or did he just come up with the most preposterous BS I ever heard even as a witness? You mean even after armageddon we STILL have to go door to door and we are STILL gonna have ppl tell us to take a hike? From ppl who were ressurected? In other words nothing will change after armageddon and I still cant mow my lawn on saturday morning because I have to go door to door to preach to ressurected ppl who tell me to get lost? I had to think about that for a long time. It was nonsense.
@@pilotusaero9383 Cant find my funny emojis. Your comment is hilarious. Great writing skills.
Great comment!
Yea that is absolutely preposterous 😂😂 they love to invent these ridiculous scenarios.
All those people in our lives were planting seeds. We never knew how or when they will germinate. I think back when I was in high school and our class had to present some information we had some knowledge about, and then address objections. Silly me, I decided I would preach my JW-isms. I had no idea how rude the class responses could be. And worst of all, I had no comebacks! I was humiliated. The teacher stopped the "debate" when I could not answer their objections. I could have crawled into a hole.
Bless your heart....we really thought we knew the truth though!
@@eyeswideopen8570 Thank you, yes. I was a pious little JW, born into that cult. What else could I think?
I remember telling my dad that a friend asked me why we preach - and I repeated my response to my dad “we realize you have your religion and we are not here to change it - we are just doing what we were commanded to do by Jesus - preach the good news”. My dad was so upset at my response to my friend - told me “that is not true - of course we are trying to convert her!” Well I reminded him when we are out door to door - that is NOT what we are telling the householder. So we must be lying to them! That always stuck with me. Among other things thru the years….Love your channel Phil!
Oh, yeah! I remember a couple who studied for a long time with my dad. They were very kind to me. They were very intelligent. Looking back, Im sure they were unwitnessing to us! Bless their hearts for the time they took. There were other studies & people at doors & "friends" who tried to warn me! You never know what may wake someone up!
Good to see you again
Really liked this idea for a video. I have several times that ‘worldly people’ made an impression on me too that made me think. Enjoyed hearing your experiences.
When i had similar questions the Brothers would just say these people arent properly didpised for everlasting life or something lile that😂
@@Wallows19441 The should be renamed, 'Watchtower BS and Tract Society'.
this video was fascinating and revealing.
I have seen many times that providing 'evidence of contradictions' and 'biblical evidence' is rarely a good method for exposing the false teaching of WatchTower. The main reason probably is the wall that is put up and that can't allow the person to think past what they have programmed.
Your observations were internal and not physical proof. This makes me think that time, as usual, is more of a teacher than showing evidence through scripture.
Amazing insight into this, thanks!
What an awesome subject for a video! EDIT: Okay, here’s one of mine. A study that I would go on with my dad: super kind older man. I conducted the study myself a few times, which made me feel special (lol). But he ended the study. He couldn’t get over the fact that God would allow so much violence, and that so much of the Bible documents violent wars on God’s behalf. It put us in the awkward position of having to defend the many massacres Jehovah made the Israelites carry out, and it always stuck in my mind.
@@MarioJaker And the Israelites are still using God's name to unlive innocent children in 2024. Nothing has changed.
Book of Joshua took all remaining questioning from me. It also allowed me to learn what the term “hamstrung”meant.
Ur just the sweetest and most lovable person ever 😊😊😊
I remember trying to convince a church minister who's response was Hmmm with a friendly look and simply took tract said "thank you" ..... This made me think!
Placing a Reasoning book with a workmate? That's hardcore, brother, hardcore.
Thanks for the video!
Absolutely. I visited an author and a humanist. He was always kind and never pushed his beliefs. We always talked a long time and it was mostly him talking.
Since woke when I started researching everything that I wanted to search, I actually find lot of documentaries of GOOD people around the world either a religious person or not. It amazes me especially other religious believers besides Bible believer and Athiest can be a BETTER person or group than JWs😅
100% true. I thought all wordly people were scary, bad and evil. Found out they are mostly better that JW's
I always respected my teachers far more than JWs. My bro had cerebral palsy. I greatly admired the CP center PTs and speech therapists. Looking back, it hurt me so intensely to be told we were not Christian. It spurred me to go use Brittanica . Drips and drabs kept brewing. Then my schooling was threatened. That was war. I got lawyers.
Good job
And they recently just changed that “it’ll be too late when the tribulation comes!” To “hey … maybe y’know … when the tribulations happen maybe we’ll let you in”
Thanks
Thanks mate!
Hi Phil!
Hi!
Back in 2003 probably I was a witness, working full time and a part time student. I took a "gasp" Philosophy class. Logic. Debate encouraged. The final project was a essay you read in front of the class. I decided to do one on non blood medical treatments. I mean according to JW i should have been persecuted but everyone was polite, no one attacked me, they were a bit bored i guess. Just a single comment "theres no substitute " from a medical student. Even the instructor who was atheist was polite.
Why is it named the blue envelope ❓love your info🤓
To quote the channel's 'About' section, "I named the channel The Blue Envelope because we talk about things which aren't always common knowledge. Special blue envelopes were used by congregations to send reports of judicial committees to Watchtower headquarters. The distinct color ensured that women working in Bethel mailrooms wouldn't open the correspondence. Service Department eyes only!"
👋 👋 👋
One time a friend told me Jesus was a “magician”. I was offended and denied it on the spot. Later on I thought about it and realized it was technically true….
nurse gang!
@7:00
The reasoning book totally misquoted the source on the CROSS because they knew no JW was ever going to fact check it
If people don't respond when you show them information on the Bible, they are not hungering and thirsting to know God. They have the mark of the beast.
Hi Phil, may I ask a question please; do you consider yourself to be a Christian? - Phoebe . . .
Hi buddy 👋🏻
👏
Even if you don't believe what Jehovah's Witnesses teach, a person who has a spiritual interest will respond. Watch "Messiah 2030" to see how much you didn't learn from Jehovah's Witnesses. The Org. teaches "replacement theology" when Jesus said "salvation is from the Jews".
Can you please tell me the good things about the religion?
Check out the video I did "My time in an american theocracy." In brief, the big plus is you never have to decide anything for yourself; everything is pre-selected for you: friends, morals, entertainment, sexuality, choice of jobs and education, pool of marriage mates, the answers to all of life's big questions. It's nice (until it isn't).
@@theblueenvelope Thanks. Do you still believe in God, or did your experience harm your relationship? I watched your video about "Figuring Out Reality" too and I would say I'm a heterodox Christian mystic, and a witness of a different kind. I'm also on a quest to figure out reality, and I value the freedom to do so, but sadly many are not willing to hear an opinion they don't agree with, even if in the process they could learn truth, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Did your religion teach you anything about the symbolism and hidden meanings in the Bible? Or is it more of a literalist religion, like many Christian denominations.
My first moment of questioning was when my high school teacher taught us about evolution. I knew what evolution was at the time, and I knew it was wrong because that’s what I learned at the meetings. When she stated teaching , many students raised their hands to refute her points, (I wasn’t the only evangelical Christian apparently) and I raised my hand too. I asked her “how are humans animals if we are better than the animals ?” And she answered , “it depends what you are comparing by. We are more intelligent, but dolphins are better at eco location, and cheetahs are better at running. We only judge ourselves as better because it’s from our perspective”. Since she answered my question, I didn’t respond, but in my heart I still knew I was right. I didn’t have to take a biology class in college, so afterwards I never really thought about evolution.
I don’t think I was able to refute my old religious perspective until I got out of college and became an atheist.
It’s funny, because I took a “critical reading and thinking” class (which was required to graduate college) but I never learned how to think critically until after I graduated, stopped going to the KH, and started listening to The Atheist Experience podcast. (This is not an ad for AXP, I stopped listening to them because the quality of the newer episodes has gone down quite a bit, lol)
How come you never asked what they thought
My self-esteem/self-confidence was at level -37 back then. 😅I mostly just tried to be invisible.
Got ya lol, I would of been really curious to find out their thoughts
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Wow, you lucky guy. The witnesses believe Jehovah sees „intelligance“ different than people does. It is kinda funny you missed this kind of view completely.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AND TEACH PEOPLE WHAT EVER FOOLISH NONSENSE YOU WANT TO TEACH THEM AND JEHOVAH WITNESSES CONTINUE TO TEACH THE TRUTH?
CATHOLIC CHURCHES teach whatever they want, BAPTIST CHURCH teach whatever they want, Jehovah witnesses ain interfering with them?
Hey Archie what are you doing on this Apostate site....I hope the elders don't find out.....hope you make it to Wakeupville
Archie are you homosexual?
The Bible clearly states that before humans appeared on the earth only Jehovah's family of witnesses existed in the universe. The first witness to leave the family was the angel who became "Satan" the first apostate. Today either one is serving Jehovah or the adversary Satan. There is no sitting on the fence.
Welcome to your first apostate video. Please keep watching.
@@wolfie8012 It's not his first...he comments on all of them lol. Maybe he'll wake up soon.
Oh no.. do we have another Vusi here that just copies and pastes the same ridiculous comment on every ex JW video 😂😂😂
I’ve read that “Jehovah’s family of witnesses” before. 😂 So utterly ridiculous.
@@irisramos4702 😂That's what happens when people get brainwashed. They say stuff like that, verbatim right out of the WT.
Is the future more important than the present? Does Satan reward people for serving him now, and God will reward people in the future for serving him now?