The Nebula version of this video contains two minutes of additional content. Check out the Director's Commentary on Twitch - www.twitch.tv/videos/1114326613
Why listen to you when I can go ask one what he/she believes? This type of content makes it seem like you have some insider info or secrets. This sort of content is like listening to rumors and gossip about something rather than finding out from the source.
@@PaperMario64 I see you trying to defend this religion in the comments, and while you mean well, I have been in the same place. So please clarify what is rumors and gossip and provide a proper defense with evidence.
Wait, I didn’t read Apple’s term and whatever, but I learned Apple is the only corporation is and willing to kick Mark Shit Zuckerberg’s ass, which I feel great to own an iPhone.
wow, just when you thought you knew all the weird things about one of your favorite fan-fiction clubs. thanks for this fascinating and informative video, as always.
This is fanstastic. I was born in to the JW "religion" and leaving left me without family, friends or a career path. 5 years later, I couldn't be happier.
Right there with ya. 25+ years for me. Only gets better after all the end of the world dreams :). Real friends and family relationships are on this side. Stay with it.
As a witness that’s currently PIMO (physically in mentally out)…holy shit. I can’t describe how kind blowing this is. I’m currently 23 and was raised a witness my whole life. None of what this guy said about their beliefs is a lie and hearing more about how insane Russel and Rutherford were is wild. We literally praised those 2 guys for how strong in the faith they were and revolutionary. I’ve been going through a rabbit hole of the dirty sides of the religion the last few weeks. The religion doesn’t allow us to actually look at outside info. I’ve never head about the child abuse scandals. I’ve never heard about the letter to hitler or any of it. They’ve always told me it’s the one religion you can’t find dirt on which they can keep saying because like I said we aren’t allowed to look anywhere. I can’t tell anyone about this without being labeled an apostate and kicked out. You might say well it’s easy to find the info but when you’re raised in it for so long the second you hear about outside sources and info your gates come down and you instantly stop listening. I was like this for years and just started to actually listen. The mental damage the religion has done to me and others is indescribable. If anyone has questions I’d be glad to answer. For anyone reading this that’s PIMO like myself…I wish the best for you. I understand the weight on your shoulders juggling freedom and happiness with not being able to ever see your family and the friends you were raised with ever again
I was born into jw cult too, I’m 24 almost 25. I got out at 22, fuck being PIMO, if you’re able, you need to get out as fast as you can and leave everything behind. Might sound harsh but family isn’t worth it, especially ones that raised you in a cult, run fast and run hard
Got baptized when I was 13, and disfellowshipped when I was 21. I'm 43 right now, and I haven't seen or spoken to anyone of my blood relatives since the day before I was disfellowshipped. I was born into the organization, the youngest of 7, and the only one to get baptized as a teenager. I knew that I didn't believe in any of the stuff that I was being taught but I was terrified of admitting that to my parents. I only got baptized because I thought it would make them happy. After a year I decided that I would disassociate myself when I had enough money to move out on my own. I haven't been back since. I suffered through loneliness, and abandonment for years, even contemplating suicide on more than one occasion. But I didn't give in to despair. I decided to let my family members go. I have 27 nieces and nephews that I've never met, and my children have no idea that they have family apart from their mother's side of the family. And I'm okay with that. I promised myself that I would never expose my children to the harm I experienced within the organization, and I will stand by that decision until my last breath.
Shits hard bud. I'm sorry you had to go through that. But maybe you can look to see how your family is doing on that side. It might help some of your relatives to know that they have people on the outside in case they want to leave themselves. So, they will know that they aren't alone.... Unloved, unless they toe the line and keep face. It's a luxury for them compared to what happened to you, but what would you have wanted if you have to experience that first day on your own again? It's okay if you don't. You went through a lot. But statistically, a couple of those 23 nieces and nephews are just like you. Edit: sorry 27
I'm like 20 mins in, but the only thing I've caught wrong is that JW do believe Jesus was physically resurrected, they just don't care to celebrate it. If Jesus wasn't physically resurrected, the story of Thomas and Jesus wouldn't make sense. Otherwise, everything else seems spot on.
This is upsetting to read. Like all religions; if you barely scratch the surface the falsehoods pour out beyond measure. And with such obvious absurdity the JWs should have the easiest time giving up their orthodoxy and faith for actual existent things like your own family and children. But I’ve noticed as religions become easier and easier to disprove, those that still can will try and clamp down where they can. I’m not sure I’ve heard anything more insane than that clip of the JW propaganda where the guy is questioning JW theology and says “that’s the problem, I’m relying on my own thinking.” That’s literally the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. I think
I am glad you wrote this. I feel like I am in a different yet a bit similar situation. I made a similar promise to myself: "I promised myself that I would never expose my children to the harm I experienced within the organization, and I will stand by that decision until my last breath." I want nothing to do with Mormons. People who think teaching children to grow up in religion is a good thing trigger me a bit and I am repulsed by them.
Oh boy. I was raised a JW. This will be hard for me to watch, when I turned 18 I got away as far as I could. My mother is still in and she doesn't listen. It's scary seeing not only the indoctrination, and how they bleed money from members and straight into leadership's pockets, but how much they twist the Word to guilt people into those donations. Then there's the disfellowships. My sister married someone from outside the congregation, so now our own mother feels like talking to her is a sin. It's insane.
i’m so sorry. my mom thinks that “the witnesses have a point” but she doesn’t really like organized religion. my dad is still really into it, although he’s definitely not the best witness in the world, sinwise and everything. he does like thinking that men are better than women tho
what made you turn away from the faith? for me it was the one video drama where they were shitting on LGBTQ people, with the asian real estate agent and everything
I'm an ex Jehovah's Witness, which is the theme of my RUclips channel. This video was highly accurate. Most Witnesses don't know half of this information and would denounce you. Thank you for holding other religions under the same scrutiny as well. Although I've found Watchtower to be especially harmful in my life, I realize there's always a danger in placing faith above critical thinking, reason, and empathy.
I’m an Exjw and this video was actually the very first video that helped me wake up and deconstruct JW indoctrination. It’s been several months since I left the religion and I’m grateful for videos like this
I had a buddy in grade school whose parents were JW. From what I can remember, they really discouraged him from having any fun. When the two of us were laughing together, they were frowning. His dad took us to see _The Private Eyes,_ a comedy with Don Knotts and Tim Conway. My friend and I laughed all the way through it (It was the perfect movie for 9- and 10-year-old boys). Afterward, the father angrily denounced the movie and attacked its premise. I thought at the time that he was just too dumb to understand it. Now I think he was upset that his kid was having a good time, so he had to yell at him to make him feel properly bad again. My friend died at 19 years old after heart surgery. Now that I know about JW medical restrictions, I have to wonder if their religion killed him.
JWs vary from person to person. Also sorry to hear about your loss. It probably wasnt the restrictions. I had a friend who died of leukemia and they told him he was gonna die whether he had blood or not so....
@@megajaredx9679 there's a difference between leukemia, cancer which has to be cured with radiation therapy, and heart surgery which requires a constant supply of blood
Jehivahs witnesses are not supposed to have friends of any sort outside of the religion. Young kids sometimes skirt by this rule because, you know, kids. But his father probably didn't like seeing him getting close to any non JW children period, hence the attitude you frequently saw. Also, heart surgery with blood transfusions completely taken off the table? I would say there is a very good chance they killed him. Source; born and raised in the cult
I actually let my local Jehova's Witnesses in every week for about three years and talked to them. I knew from the beginning it's a cult that I never want to get into, but I took the opportunity for what I back in the day thought as interesting conversations. (I don't regret it, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.) They even took me to their Kingdom Hall twice. The second time was really worth it... because the topic of the day was basically how to isolate from the world. Teachings about how not to get too close to your co-workers, how to slowly let down friendships that are outside of the congregation. It was SO surreal. And everyone was super nice and happy all the time (on the outside). Having experienced that, I totally get why some people may be drawn to it. But I'm pretty sure exactly that kind of expectation to be nice and happy all the time, regardless of what's actually going on, is just another nail in the coffin. Heavy "there is no war in Ba Sing Se" vibes.
@@Thelaretus I know a meth addict. If me and my friends sit about and use a load of heroin, we can save the meth user, by convincing them heroin is better? Praying to an imaginary friend because another person doesn't agree with your stories about the imaginary friend is about sensible as my idea above.
Than where exactly is the 'bad' ? They have no connections with the gov or any pedo stuff( like some baseless people believe). What makes you think they are a cult or evil.
I recently was disfellowshiped a few weeks ago. This is after being a born-in witness stuck as a silent non-believer for almost 10 years (gaining internet access almost certainly gave me my crisis of conscious). I'm still hurting over not being able to be around my family, at least in the familial aspect, but I'm learning how to have a family that chooses me for who I am instead of my religion Edit: holy shit! Didn't expect this amount of recognition. Things are significantly better since I wrote this (my housing/job situation was precarious since leaving). But I have a happy life with my SO, our 2 cats, starting therapy, and I'm looking forward to starting college within the next couple of years!
General Public: "These JW's are annoying. Let's ban doorknocking." JW: "OK, we'll just have cars with giant speakers on them to blare our message to the whole neighbourhood." General Public: "You know, on second thought, the doorknocking wasn't so bad after all."
they should have done the Russian way: kalash go's ratatatatata.... now in all seriousness in Eastern Europe you will not see them much, not only are they persecuted, but they are not recognized as an official religion, so... слава Богу i guess
I currently have the displeasure of being in a JW family with no way out (yet). I do not believe in the religion therefore i would really want to leave and abandon all the tasks and policies i have to do in accordance with the religion, however I am 14 therefore there is no way for me to be able to get out of the religion with out dying on the streets. I would be shunned, and ultimately have my life ruined if I left now. My life can be characterized by having to lie to my ownfamily about my faith, and having to not have myself found out as non believing. Until I'm in the position where I don't need my family to survive all I can do now is to wait it out. Thank you for listening.
I probably live in another country than you do, but in our schools there are social workers you can talk to in such situation, they probably could help...
@@burgerman5335 yeah I understand it, absolutely, just meant if you would want to go into the pain of being disfellowshipped and probably sadly loosing your family but at least not living on the streets afterwards, then you could go to such a social worker. But I totally understand when this would be to much since its a huge step
It's absolutely incredible that the guy's response to "couldn't you just CTRL-F for real bad stuff to find the child abuse?" was "yeah, but it would be mixed in with loads of other bad stuff we knew about too!"
A guy from my hometown committed suicide because his parents forbade him from studying to become a surgeon due to Jehova's randomly flip-flopping stance on blood transfusion
Just goes to show that Jehovah's Witnesses do eat blood, they just do it symbolically by killing off as many humans as they can, in effect eating their own children.
Is it flip flopping? I was raised in the religion. 1981 to 1999 it was a solid rule. Im no longer "in the loop" but as far as I know it is still a major rule.
@@Phenom98 First of all, saying that someone didn’t have an excuse good enough to commit suicide is disgusting. Second, his parents wouldn’t help him financially and would disown him, cutting all ties to his family. Also, I imagine that was just the stroke that broke camel’s back, and he committed suicide due to his overcontrolling JW family.
I was a JW for 27 years until 2019. Thank you for your hard work on this video! A few corrections, "Colporteur" is now a "regular pioneer" (70 hours per month.) A "publisher" is your rank and file JW that is still required to go out door to door but they don't have an hour requirement. The org would like for them to get at least 10 hours per month. "Pilgrim" is now "circuit overseer" not pioneer. I can see why you thought the back room at the Kingdom Hall was some kind of "penalty box" for disfellowshipped people but in reality not all Kingdom Halls have a back room and they are for anyone who comes into the meeting late, or has rambunctious kids. It is a fact that disfellowshipped people must sit in the last row of seats, but they don't have to sit in the back room unless they want to. Raymond Franz didn't disassociate himself. He left Bethel in 1980 because he had disagreements in doctrine, but it was in 1981that he was eating with a friend who had disassociated himself from the org. and Raymond Frantz was disfellowshipped for continuing to associate with a disassociated person. (I'm sure they wanted him out and this was their way to do so). JW's wouldn't consider you, Knowing Better, to be an "apostate." An apostate to them is someone who was a baptized witness, who left, and who speaks out against the org. Since you were never a member, you would just be considered an ill informed outsider who is spreading "misinformation" against them. That's what they claim against anyone who speaks negatively about them, however they never try to prove that with any examples. Finally, I think your example of the two publishers going door to door and the child not counting as two witnesses is incorrect. I believe they would consider the child and the other witness as two witnesses, but I agree that they may not report the crime. The fact that they haven't been reporting was a shock to me when I learned about it in 2019. BTW Watchtower makes it's money from donations and from selling real estate, they have been selling lots of Kingdom Halls (built with free, volunteer labor) all over the world. They stopped selling literature in 1990. It takes people years to learn the JW stuff and they change things so frequently, so you did an amazing job, thanks again for the video!
@@mzstealth5762 which congregation? Cause I know for a fact if you are disfollowship you have to sit at the back, the last row and have to leave when meeting is over and should not speaking to anyone. And every congregation I know if you are disfollowship you have to sit at the back.
Well that occult stuff is creepy. Have you seen the Vril and Hyperborean memes going about in dank corners of the net. They still want the occult to bring the Zeta Reticuli blonde aliens here to wipe out inferior non Aryans and make Earth a paradise. So yeah that is specifically what we should oppose.
As a former member, you really knocked this video out of the park. You used the language from the religion so well, I could have been convinced you were once in the religion. Thank you for making this. It's very important that people learn about how this religion functions. And hey, maybe a Jehovah's witness will see this video and gain some much needed insight into their religion. Former member, left in 2019. Still live with the family who is in the religion and it's really put a strain on life. The hardest part was leaving the community I grew up with. But I'm going to school with the goal of entering a STEM job. I wish the reader well, and remember: do not lose hope in life. It is very precious and pleasure can be found everywhere, in nature, in space, in food, in beauty, in music. Live life!
Stay strong and keep out of this high control group! Lovely to hear you made it out. Never been a member, but I occasionally talk some JWs out by presenting arguments by the literature carts. Never seen any results (people leaving the Watchtower) though :(
As someone who was raised JW, the whole disfellowship thing really hits home for me - my mother left the faith when I was around 9 & almost everyone on her side of the family still acts like she doesn't exist...though they don't act any different to me; I was never baptized thus I never "made my pledge". It's a cult parading as a quirky book club.
At least with the average religion its a book they follow Here its a hierarchy within hierarchy of Humans All obsessive with covering their righteousness Complex with a (somehow toxic) humbleness Complex
Thats why Bangladeshi Muslims are great or arleast most of them if you tell them you are gay they just show indifference for the average guy not the fanatics (even some imams will show indifference) a very libertarian society tho its likely best you never talk about it the fanatics might hear it and you may have to bribe the police to keep you safe
@@tasibsharar7357 Just being a secular blogger is enough to get you killed in Bangladesh. Several of them have been brutally murdered in the streets. Islam is a toxic cult that turns normal people into homicidal maniacs. Islam is far worse than JW or any other religion. JW will shun you but they wont kill you. Around 20,000-25,000 people die every year from Islamic violence.
The Catholic Church accepts any baptised Christian as long as they were baptised with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That includes practically every group of Christians since Christains accept that God is a Trinity. This leaves out the Mormons and the JWs. If a former Witness is going through the Catholic Rite of Christian Initiation fur Adults, they will need to receive a proper baptism.
I am an ex JW, and my whole family dissociated. We are all currently reading Crisis of Conscious, like a book club. This video was really insightful and very well done. Thank you for educating people on them.
Crisis of conschience is a treacherous book from Franz who left the truth of the witnesses and because he was an insider he knows what to say to mislead the unexperienced ones . Stay away from blood ; it is in the bible and Franz denies that .
My granda always pretends to be a vulnerable old man when they come to the door and speaks to them for a good 5 mins. Then he hits them with the what would you do if your child needed a blood transfusion? Then waits for them to answer and goes. Thank you but I don’t want to be a part of your cult and shuts the door hahaha
Well this brings back some memories. My first girlfriend was a JW, and me being an atheist her going out with me was a big no. We met at work, both teenagers working at fast food place in a theme park. We clicked amazingly well with each other but after she gave me a brief explanation of all this, we realized we couldn't be together normally. We basically had a year long affair. We would meet in secret after she went to college or when she finished work. She was training in college to be a hairdresser, because hairdressing was a good job that could be flexible around missionary work. I even got her a job at my aunties salon so her work was close. Eventually though we got caught by her family. She nearly got dissfellowshipped, I even met her dad at one point who was heartbroken by the whole thing. I never saw her again after that and she was forbidden from communicating with me. Immediately after I began to despise this religion, always just thought of them as the annoying people who knock on your door, but after realizing they are pretty much a widely accepted cult I was furious. Been years since that happened, now I feel so sorry for anyone still involved in this organization.
@@waddysoap4868 Christian based religions are basically communist. I don't give credit for 20th century communists declaring themselves atheists, bc they only really did it to crush competition from religion.
This video was downright heartbreaking. To know that every modern day Jehovah's witness will lose everything by leaving the cult is soul crushing. I want to help these people in every way that I can, but I know they won't be able to get out without abandoning everything, including their family and lifelong friends. To any Jehovah's witnesses who read, we all welcome you in this world
@@Cherno35 Yeah you want to get the inexperienced ones, the ones who don't understand the Biblical reasons for why the Witnesses believe certain things
@@lifeswhatyoumakeit3696 the Bible isnt a one book solves everything, it's very outdated and the fact that people are shunned for not wanting to follow it anymore is the main issue. It's not okay
56:08 As an ex-Jehovah's Witness, the statement "I want to hate what Jehovah hates" sends a chill down my spine. It created a crisis of faith for me when my sister came out as a lesbian to me; I remembered all of the meetings in which our elder had spoken against the sin of homosexuality. in that moment I realized I had a choice to make, to hate what, or rather who, Jehovah hates, or to love my sister. Thankfully, I made the right choice. Which made it much easier to accept myself when I realized that I was gay years later. Thank you for creating such a detailed and non-vitriolic outlining of Jehovah's Witness beliefs, and their origins. There were a few things in here even I hadn't had heard of!
That's actually a typical theme of getting out of a cult or other such authoritarian organisation. You realize that someone you're close to actually is part of an outgroup and you're forced to choose between them and the one you love, so it's interesting to hear that come from you aswell
@@MlNORlTY at least most Christians will say, "Hate the sin, love the sinner." Not that that's good, or that they actually follow through on that, but it's at least better
Glad you made it out the other side, and im sorry that you felt like you had to make that sort of call... Nobody should ever have to feel like that... I also know the feeling all to well
That's a crucible. No one should have to go through it but that you did and came out the other side (in two ways) with your bond intact gives you a rare and powerful insight into your character that most people will never have. It's kinda like being punched in the nose. Most boys will say they could definitely take it but most people collapse, and there's no amount of muscles that makes the nose less of a panic button to predict it. So be proud. I hope I never have to find out what I would do in your shoes.
Ex witness here 🙋🏽♀️ I have a chronic blood disease called sickle cell anemia and blood transfusions are a major treatment for the disease. Unfortunately, I grew up a witness and have several traumatic references in my childhood where I was sick and had to refuse blood transfusions. Shit was wild.
@@sycophantic0such a nasty and callous thing to say. yeah, still alive after much unnecessary pain and suffering. they were sick when they didn’t need to be. that’s not a win.
@@Thelaretus as the good sir Innuendo Studios says ago "it's almost like there is no belief system under which people can't rationalize crappy behaviour"
The video is really good and doesn't really stray away from what's true. Though the comments are mostly people shitting on Jehovah Witnesses like people shouldn't be one of them. People can choose their own god damn religion no matter how logically false it is, I say.
@@Thelaretus Could you provide an example of your claim? Reason I ask, is similar with politics, ya know republicans. It's called asymmetric polarization. For instance, CBS News which is owned largely by shareholders and controlled by a hedge fund, which is seen after by a republican and 88% of the controlling large shareholders vote republican. Yet, radical right wing pundits such as Ben Shapiro and Glenn Beck will make unsubstantiated claims much like religious people using what psychologists and researchers are calling "asymmetric polarization". Just because someone reported a factual story that is negative about a republican, the radical right immediately claims it is "liberal" or "liberal agenda" Yet, the person reporting is no such thing and has no such agenda. The religious do this about atheists. A radical evangelist will make an extraordinary claim, yet when the atheist calls it just that, because it is, the Christian will claim persecution and the atheist was radical. So, I'd like to just one or two examples of such atheists if "thats what most of them do". Truth is, you're just peddling Christian persecution propaganda. This is very similar to how atheists are portrayed in Christian films, as "angry" because they are "angry at God" for something that some Christian hasn't has the chance to explain. The problem Christians have today is that there are atheists that challenge and confront, push back Christian agenda that has and continues to be shoved down our throats. Atheists are the persecuted minority. We are represented by a right wing government and have since MAYBE Roosevelt. For instance, despite the radical right calling Joe Biden a "leftist" Joe Biden is 100% right wing. As is Kamala Harris and the DNC. Outside of He might not be a white nationalist (which anyone not hardcore right wing is a "liberal" today... again asymmetric polarization), but he is right wing based 100% on his voting record.40 years. 91% of our Congress is Christian. Joe Biden has been to church probably more times than the entire republican senate combined. So I ask if you for a couple examples of the atheists you speak of, because it sounds like asymmetric polarization and Christian persecution complex. I'd like to help break you from it.
One of my dad's more badass moments was when he invited two JWs into the house because they knocked on our door during Sabbath dinner (Friday night). He spent the entire night enlightening them. After about an hour they completely stopped talking about JW. They came back two more Sabbaths. The second time they weren't dressed up. They were laid back and casual.
It sent shivers down my spine when I watched the "that's the problem, trusting my own thinking" clip. Now, with much retrospect, I can see how disgusting and dystopian this is, but when I was still there, things like these were the norm and felt completely rational and self-evident.
i was raised in a mainstream protestant church and "trust in the lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding" was hammered into my brain every week in sunday school. this is not at all just a JW way of thinking.
As an ex JW brainwashed from birth, you have gotten the nuance and context throughout this entire video completely spot on. I can not emphasise how difficult this would have been to be so comprehensive. well done!
i mean considering the rule of not getting any information from anywhere but the leaders or approved sources, its like escaping North Korea levels of brainwashing, its a miracle to get exposed to facts, reality and objective truths when they use fearmongering to bully people into staying in the cult. any literal interpretation of myth like that is so dangerous, like flat earther levels of detachment and delusion from reality. ive met religious people i respect who can accept facts like evolution, heliocentrism, 4.5 billion year old earth, it doesnt contradict their belief in a deity. its just when people get bogged down in extremely minute details and mythology that gets so convoluted they have to detach from any and all information since it falls apart so rapidly, thats just so dangerous. i think its deeply disturbing to raise children into religion like that when they have no choice, whether its this or scientology or flat earth haha
I grew up as a JW and I have to say in my 25 years out, this is the most comprehensive history of the cult and all its propaganda and weird quirks rolled all into one that I have ever seen! I can tell you put a ton of effort into this video and I just want to thank you for doing that and bringing awareness to others.
Maby you can explain why Jesus would let Satan be in control... That's just dumb... "We are enemys and we are at war but hey.... Please be the king for now
@@theblackgoatofthewoods If you paid attention to the video, you would realize your question makes no sense in regard to JW belief. Jesus wouldn't let Satan be in control of anything, and isn't the one to make that decision. God (Jehovah) and Jesus are not the same thing. If you're asking why God would allow this...they believe because Satan said the only reason humans worship Jehovah is because he made such a perfect world for them. They would forsake him if things weren't so easy. Yeah, it makes no sense...but God then let Satan try to prove his point and make life tough for everyone. I guess Jehovah has an ego and needs to be proved right, and will allow everyone to suffer to prove this point. Sounds like a real character flaw to me.
As someone who studied in this religion for over half their life, you did so much research into it. So crazy to see your dedication! Also the Apple terms and conditions part had me rolling 😂
I'd like to say I burst out laughing at the clip of the guy saying "That's the problem, trusting my own thinking.." It was so out of nowhere and incredibly dystopian. With the addition of that "I want to hate what Jehovah hates" bit, that really solidified my thinking that dear God this is a cult. That bit at the end also had me facepalming and incredibly disappointed in people, especially that Israel part. I try to have faith in humanity but sometimes things like this make it a bit hard.
@@Shenaldrac the brother in the video "how did i not see this" is seeing a that a women that he's hanging out with could later have a romantic relationship and cheat on his current jw wife.
This video is old so this will likely go forever unseen, but I'm happy you mentioned the blood transfusions. My grandmother was a witness, and died over the transfusions. She had cancer, and it got to the point where she had multiple tumors in her chest. She underwent surgery to remove the tumors, but denied transfusions in any event, and as such she bled to death on the operation table. This religion took my grandmother from me, and I've never forgiven them
They've taken many lives. None of us should forgive "them"....which is really a minority of dudes in New York affecting the rights and freedoms of closed off / isolated children born to everyday Bible-reading parents who decided to swallow this poison at some point. They are guilty of so much. Obstruction of justice. Sophistry and fraud. 3rd degree Manslaughter and felony murder due to all of the shunning policies that drive so many to suicide or fear of getting a life saving medical procedure during and emergency. It's time to bankrupt them in the courts. Thankfully Pennsylvania and New York are trying their hand at it right now.
The only way out while keeping your family is to never get baptized. I was raised a JW as my mother began attending their meetings when I was 7. As a kid it was fine but by around age 11 I was able to start seeing the nonsense in their religion, which exists in most other religions as well. Wisely I was never baptized and I was able to walk away at age 18 while still getting to keep my mother. Now I'm 35, Mom is still a JW and I'm agnostic but we're also best friends. Just imagine if I got baptized as an adolescent not knowing what the hell I was doing like so many other children bamboozled into baptism. There's no way I would still be a JW. I suppose that also means I wouldn't have a relationship with my mom... We'll never agree on religion but she's the only Mom I've got. The JWs do some evil deeds when it comes to smashing families apart.
Yeah same here. my mom and dad met at the JW congregation in Mexico and got married, with all of my siblings being raised into the religion. When my parents moved to the US, we still kept with the religion and when we moved to where we lived, we continued to follow the religion since everyone else in my mom’s and dad’s family went to the congregation. However, my dad never got us baptized, which at the time I thought I was missing out, but now I see that he didn’t want us to go through the problems of the religion if we ever chose not to continue the religion. As well, my mom and my oldest sister got into some really bad marital drama between us and another family in the congregation we went to, which really shook up my parent’s beliefs in the religion. As well, I never believed what I was taught since I was a kid, as well as my siblings. To be fair, looking back at our time at the JW congregation, my parents were like halfway Jehovah’s Witnesses, with believing in the religion but not really fanatics of the religion. We went from going to church 3 times a day (wednesday, Saturday, Sunday) and going door to door when I was in elementary school to now only going to Memorial every year. I’ve stopped going in general and don’t even think about the congregation, especially because I myself am queer (which is a huge no-no). Plus, my parents got divorced a bit after we stopped going to congregation, which caused allot of emotional problems between my mom, dad and my mom’s family (who are still JW). So yeah, they’ve sort of left the religion but still consider themselves JW because that’s all they’ve known, especially for my dad since most of his family has passed away with only my grandpa remaining. It’s his way of connecting with his mom who passed away before I was born and something he just passively does.
Not even that anymore. I know people who didn't get baptized but are "no longer recognized at a publisher" so they can still dock you even if you never get baptized. They know their numbers are shrinking and they're desperate.
I was born into it, I'm baptized. 21 years old and at this point I'm so far in that I wonder if faking it / being legit with it on the off chance it's real is worth it. I just don't know anymore.
@@mra0479 legit we all gotta meet up someday at a mall or something. Wear a motorcycle helmet if you're too scared to get seen lmao! I only got baptized out of fear of homelessness but I regret everything to be honest. I'm almost 30 and it honestly feels like it doesn't make a difference anymore whether I'm in or out, all my young years are gone. I'm just focused on building pathways for the youth these days so they don't have to experience what I did.
I feel like if JHVH really wanted EVERYONE to get into paradise, His plans wouldn't hang on an 8 year old's ability to convert her classmates' parents. Major stumble. Seriously considering disassociating.
But who are YOU to question the pronouncements of GOD (as translated 100% flawlessly by a bunch of weird, old men who keep changing thier mind about stuff... but still, WORD OF GOD!?!?)
The first time I met a JW was when my mom invited a coworker over to do some home repairs. It's important for context to mention that I was a girl in high school. He, a middle aged man, literally cornered me when I was home alone and started questioning me about my salvation. I just smiled and nodded along through his mini-sermon. I was just a little terrified lol. But that interaction did help embarrass me out of pushing my own religion on people (mormon) To any exjw, exmo, or exfundie - I'm happy you made it out!!
In all honesty, JWs are way crazier than Mormons. Most Mormon missionaries are young generally polite and reserved 19 year old kids. Alot of JWs are grizzled and elderly, and if you refuse to have their religion shoved down your throat they will close off all debate and condemn your home to the devil.
Yeah. In my home town we have both Jehovah’s and Mormons. Now the mormons here, are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. They’re less about prosteltyzing and more just being a good neighbour and friend. Jehovah’s have thrown rocks at me for being pagan. What does that bloody tell you.
Shoutout to Chris Stuckmann who shared his very real personal experience growing up in all of this insanity on his channel for anyone circumstantially unaware.
When you mentioned blood transfusion it reminded me of a story my friend told me (her dad's side is Jehova's Witnesses and her mom's side is Catholics). When her mom was giving birth she had some complications and lost a substantial amount of blood. She couldn't allow the doctors to perform a blood transfusion herself, so they asked my friend's dad who declined. Thankfully she survived with no consequences but it's scary to think she could have died for a religion that's not even her own...
@@kjh4112 oh yeah, absolutely same. It's nice when religion gives strength to someone, but I think people have different priorities I like to honestly know whats true and not what feels nice, but I think we all can agree when religion gets toxic and far from reality like this its not good
I bingewatched your whole channel these last two weeks and I was precisely thinking that after Mormons and Scientology, JWs was the next logical step. Thank you, it is as good as the two preceding videos !
@@alliesakat what ab the cults from the 30's to the 80's? Ik the Heavens Gate cult was featured a bit in the Ancient Aliens vid, but wouldn't it be nice to have a vid that rounds out the religions that have/had the status of a cult like following? Like Jonestown or Waco (maybe with a moderate guides feel to it since we all know those types of cults are much more polarizing?)
I used to be friends with a witness in college, he seemed like a cool guy, (or well, the opposite of "cool"- he really liked star wars and anime but that's why I liked him) We were just like, regular teenage friends until I got thrown out of my house for a week by my parents because I slept with another boy for the first time (or at least the first time they knew about)- and he and his mother let me stay with them for a couple of days. From that day on I just remember the constant attempts to convert me, fucking bizarre outbursts like the time he stormed out of my house because he overheard me helping my little brother with his science homework (iirc it was literally a tantrum over how crude oil couldn't be decayed sea life that had become oil over millions of years, because the world isn't even that old!) and ultimately just getting like, weirdly offensive attacks on my bisexuality- like imagine a good friend who had always seemed really chill and accepting just randomly come out with "oh btw you realise you are just a vector of plague directed by the ultimate evil in the universe right?, you deserve every ounce of suffering your sin has ever brought down on you". This shit pissed me off, but I could see that he was a decent guy being made to act like this, I wanted to show him that ~worldly~ people weren't all monsters. The moment where I finally had to just stop talking to the guy, was when we were sat on a wall by his house- in a little cul-de-sac where every house in the neighbourhood was a witness family. We were about 16 years old. An 11 year old girl was playing in the street on her own, riding a pink scooter around. My friend told me, completely deadpan, that he was probably going to marry her one day, one day soon probably. I said that was a weird as fuck thing to say, even for him. He explained that he knew this because it had already been explained to this 11 YEAR OLD GIRL that she would have to marry another witness, and given a choice between the only two guys "of her age group" in the community. My 16 year old friend- and a 19 year old mechanic who had already caused a family to dissociate from the witnesses after he repeatedly beat the absolute shit out of their daughter. I remember standing up, flicking my cigarette, and making one last appeal to how absurd this all was- before having this impassioned plea passively shrugged off as another attempt to stumble him. Like he had already been made to rehearse how to respond to my ~predictable~ attempt to attack his faith that would come when I eventually learned of this. I walked away, caught the next bus out of that little village, and never spoke to him again. "High control group" is right imo. I find something deeply disturbing about any community that operates like this. Nothing scares me more than the thought of being brainwashed into some little herd of obedient families, unable to recognise how deeply fucked up everything you are taught would sound to a regular person.
Often times I find it so difficult to verbalize WHY this religion (really cult) is so fucked up to normal people because explaining individual components is so dreadfully tedious and so much of their legislation is carefully worded. This comment however perfectly encapsulates why this system is so fucked. How does ANYONE think that this is acceptable behavior? What factors in this person's environment has led him to the belief that he will marry that little girl...viewing her no more than a simple object? Everything, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in Witness culture allows and even fomments this type of thinking. His parents were probably the goons to bring up that idea, the elders in the congregation probably openly joke that this little girl is so-so's betrothed...and an emphasis on marriage not on the basis of true actual love....but rather their supposed "spirituality ". I sincerely hope and wish that the girl finds her freedom from that God-forsaken cult. Being born as a witness is a special type of Hell.
Something about this story terrifies. Maybe it's the grouping of a bunch of zombies as a community with a common goal like a hive mind, the possibility that such a community could be raising and promoting child predators, or that some of these communities could send some of their own out into the world and gain power, authority, money, influence and sway public opinion on their kind. Like being convinced an infection is good for your body
I appreciate the fairness applied to JW in here. Some liberties we as Americans may take for granted were won by religious folk. And while it may have been pointless, not renouncing your faith in a concentration camp IS a very brave thing to do. As somebody who left religion a long time ago and actively criticize it, it is very important to not let our criticisms blind us.
While I'm not disputing your overall point, I do have take some issue with the whole "people came to America in search of religious freedom" idea. The Puritans weren't actually a meekly oppressed sect in Britain - they held power and, if you ask the Irish, actually did rather a lot of religiously-motivated oppressing. Cromwell was not a secular dude. If anything, most Puritans left Britain in the 1620s-1640s because they couldn't force through the reform they wanted in the Church of England at that point. They weren't protesting state religion, they were upset the state religion didn't suit them.
As a former JW, I agree with your statement to a point. The only distinction I would make is that while you may be able to find some virtuous or even advantageous aspects of religion, the negative points tend to outweigh those virtues, ESPECIALLY when the religion in question crosses the line into a cult that causes real world harm to unsuspecting people. And when those groups deny or even outright defend those behaviors, it's even harder to take an apologist stance on the virtues
While maintaining ones principles in the face of hardship is commendable, the act of defiance would be the same for any principle one is accosted to surrender. If the prison guard tells you 2+2 =5 and tortures you as long as you resist, holding onto your faith in mathematical truth would be comparably commendable, this is an optimistic stance. Not meant to say holding onto ones religion is lesser than other principles, to be clear, im stating it is only comparable or equal to standing by any other principke and should not be considered "special". Although it can be said, It will vary from religion to religion, but if you're more scared of eternal punishment, than the guards temporary punishment, then holding your religion is itself an act of fear, they didnt really have a choice
@@nimapocalyse9569 Absolutely. My point was more about people who hate without warrant or knowledge, and refuse to acknowledge something that might be inconvenient for them in their blind hatred. I usually expect a full-throated condemnation in these videos, so it is unexpected when subjectively good occurs.
Whenever I learn about groups like this, as a former Evangelical, I always think back to Matthew 24:36, "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."
In the university I worked in in the UK, Witnesses targeted their recruitment on newly arrived international students who had no connection to the area, no family and no friends. Some of their British workers were fluent in Chinese / Korean etc. They'd reel them in by inviting them to 'make friends' with others at some community events. It was really shady and we tried our best to warn them away from it.
Funny you'd mention Chinese people: a guy from my high school, who was in a JW family and wanted to become a designer, ended up kinda forced to take English courses in order to go become an English teacher, in... China! His task there was of course not to teach English, but to convert Chinese kids whose families would be unfamiliar with JWs. Not sure what happened to him after that, though :/
I grew up a Jehovah’s Witness for the first 14 years of my life. It definitely shaped who I am today, and in all ways bad. I grew up being pressured that no one outside the congregation mattered to my family and I and I felt judged every single day by “worldly” people in school and from every door slammed shut when we would be forced to go door-to-door every Saturday morning. Social anxiety was a huge consequence of this upbringing. We had to log our times doing so and were ranked among others by how many hours and “return calls” we made to people interested. There’s nothing better as a child like learning that people don’t want to talk to you or think you’re crazy for dressing in full suits and walking around neighborhoods knocking on doors. Also, in my city, the Kingdom Halls mysteriously had no windows until around 2004. Cult-like now that I think about it. They were very private in that way. Here are a few things I witnessed as a JW: We were told only 144,000 souls would be taken to Heaven after death/Armageddon. All other JWs would be reincarnated as themselves in Paradise on Earth after the doomsday. At the Memorial Holiday (JW version of Easter), we passed crackers and wine and only those who BELIEVED they were of the 144,000 chosen souls could drink and eat. The ceremony was done in silence and it was quite awkward. There were arranged marriages in the church between families. These were restricted to wedding ceremonies only in the Kingdom Halls. College attendance was heavily discouraged. Instead, we were taught to go to Bethel, NY to be a Bible Student and nothing else. The congregation is organized with ranks of leadership and women were not allowed past a certain level. “Elders” were the leaders of the individual congregation. My father was one. One of my immediate family members had a troubled stage as a pre-teen which resulted in being r*ped by someone she had been dating (outside of the church). Consequently, my father was stripped of his Elder role because his lack of leadership at home “caused” that incident to occur. My father would never quite forgive my family member for this. An old family friend from the church had cheated on his wife while being a JW. He was “disfellowshipped” and we were not allowed to make any contact with him again. Years later he would beg forgiveness from the Elders to rejoin with his new family and children. We were now allowed to speak to him again. Less than a year ago, he died due to CoVid. His wife had passed years ago and he left behind his two orphaned children. He dangerously refused vaccination, which the church was against, and it resulted in orphaning his teenage kids. His family were also JWs and tried to take the children in on one condition: that they go to church with them and become full-time JWs. They refused. They were then shunned by their entire family and now are struggling to survive with no parents or family that will care for them. Children! Disfellowship is the most disgusting part of this cult that I have witnessed and there is no remorse taken by church members. In my experience, JWs are very nice to each other and those who show interest in Jehovah but pure evil and hypocritical to anyone they do not believe serves their interests. They are heavily private and exclusive and take part in indoctrinating each other through the Watchtower and Awake! magazines that were read in the 3 weekly meetings. I still feel the trauma from this religion to this day and I would never encourage anyone to join. If you made it this far, thanks for reading.
The truth is not for cowards, or those without faith. As a JW, I have never seen an "arranged marriage". And the college discouragement appears very wise at this point. Considering most colleges are indoctrination centers.
@@lunarus5805 Not really for adults. But I could see why some may considered it that way for children. Indoctrinated in the truth of God's word. Parents have the responsibility to train and guide their children. If you want to call that indoctrination, that is up to you. I wouldn't. As opposed to colleges, that more recently teach crazy things like gender studies, or the like, speaking against actual truth of reality.
@@777Tralfaz777 even for adults I would tbh. They are led on with the idea of living forever, then once they are in deep enough, they are essentially told, if they stop they WILL be killed. Sounds like a cult to me
you are getting a massive response to this. yeah, as an Ex-JW I'm glad that there are people never involved who can take a dispassionate look and call crazy out. But your last couple minutes are so important. Evangelical Christianity is becoming more and more like the JWs (and to a lesser extent Mormons). It is tough as someone who has a somewhat heterodox faith but mostly aligns with the faith claims of evangelicalism to see them become that kind of political cult of personality. It also is weird to watch the JWs go from decrying televangelism up until I left in 2004 and now have these weird fawning videos of the Governing Body. I sometimes wonder if I"m not watching these two worlds collide like some fever dream from Alice in Wonderland.
Hey there. Could I ask you a few questions? No pressure. I've asked these questions before on some ex-JW videos on here, but I've never received a single response. Any insight would be appreciated. Anyways, I always feel terrible when JW's come to my door which happens about twice a year. It's always some old lizard with a poor child who looks extremely uncomfortable and nervous. Who wouldn't be? I wouldn't want to spend my weekends (or childhood) doing this. It must also royally suck being a JW if you're super shy or have an anxiety disorder. Then again, you probably stop caring after awhile. Do you absolutely HAVE to knock on doors? I know this is probably a rediculous question, but is there a waiver you can apply for? I mean, what if you're handicapped or have a severe mental disorder? I've never seen one in a wheelchair and I can't picture one with paranoid schizophrenia knocking on doors. Recently a young woman handed me a pamphlet while I was pumping gas (which royally spooked me because I was wearing headphones) and I immediately noticed "watchtower" on the back and thought "oh no". I genuinely felt sorry for her because I knew she was probably robbed of a normal childhood and would lose everything if she ever decided to leave. Plus I've heard that women are expected to be submissive and everything for them is decided by church elders (old men). I've also heard stories about being under a lot of pressure and stress. My main question is this: is there anything I could say to the next JW who approaches me to help guide them towards questioning things, or would I just be wasting my time? I just want to plant a little seed that says "life can be so much better outside the church". What would YOU personally say if one knocked at your door right now, besides that you've been disfellowshipped? What made you decide to leave? Was there a trigger moment or was it a slow progression? Do most ex-JWs decide to leave on their own because they've had enough? Could you become disfellowshipped for going to college? How big of a deal is it? Is it actually banned or is it just heavily discouraged? I also saw that "touching yourself" is considered absolutely haram, which seems downright impossible...especially while growing up. If you did give in to this ultimate sin, would you have to confess to your elders? Do you celebrate holidays and birthdays now or does it feel weird? I just read that birthdays are considered sinful because they're selfish, have pagan roots, and are not mentioned in the bible (if I'm understanding this right). I don't understand how so much value could be placed into something so innocent. I also feel bad for the kids who aren't allowed to participate in school celebrations. Did it ever make you feel isolated or disconnected from everyone else, or did you really not care? Did you ever secretly celebrate anything? Do JWs not believe in dinosaurs because they're not mentioned in the bible either? I was just looking at the official explanation for not celebrating on the official JW website. It feels like propaganda. They actually quoted a six year old on why he doesn't care about birthdays. It's so obvious that this was written by an adult. I apologize if any of these questions came out wrong or were disrespectful. I hope I don't sound like the stereotypical militant atheist/redditor. It's just that after watching Lea Remini's "Aftermath" episode about JW's, I want to help somehow without making anyone feel uncomfortable or defensive. Thank you friend.
@@tnorthrup1986 thank you tremendously for your response. I genuinely appreciate it. You answered everything I was curious about. I'll definitely check that out too. Your insight is super interesting as well, you could make your own channel talking about your experiences. I'd sub. I also have no idea anymore where I stand on the political spectrum anymore, but I agree with your last sentence 100%. I used to be far right when I was younger, then I got frustrated and understood the left a little more. Now I hate both sides and don't know what to believe anymore. I'm just tired of everything. Anyways, I'm glad that you got out and hope you're living a better life. I'm glad you shared your story with a total stranger like me. I wish you the absolute best.
is your family still in the faith? my mom said really weird things when i brought up my criticisms of the organization, like how “other apostates she knows” are really terrible people and are sexually promiscuous or something
It's true, as a Mormon I watched the whole Mormon video. It was rather well balanced. I am shocked at how brutal the Jehovah's Witnesses are in their community to keep members in at all costs and to shun those that leave. This is not how love works.
I don’t mean to say one religion is better or the other, but there’s a reason your faith has more members and are predominantly in Utah with some communities in nearby states like Nevada and Idaho. The JWs don’t have much members compared to Mormons and they don’t predominate in a state.
@@ranelgallardo7031 I went to a really small island called Eluthera in the Bahamas and they had a kingdom hall there. Like there's only one highway on this tiny island and they had JW's there
Had a local JW who visited my family for decades, my parents were Socially Anglican (attended church and church functions for the community aspects and the "morality" lessons of religion, but fundamentally disagreed with most of the Bible due to their understanding of science) and I was Athiest for as long as I can remember, so nobody was interested but my parents thought it polite to at least have a short conversation with him whenever he came around. On the front porch though, the one time they invited him in he talked their ears off about his religion and refused to recognize common polite hints that he should leave as they had other things to do. He was eventually arrested and charged as part of a CP bust. I was not surprised.
I grew up Protestant (Churches of Christ), we looked at the JWs largely with confusion. They seemed to follow the teachings of their weekly magazine more than the Bible. In fact, they made their own version of the Bible to better fit with their teachings.
Ex JW, of the OG variety. My grandfather attended some of the first JW meetings in Allegheny as a kid in the 20s and 30s. Had all the old books. I have never seen someone explain it as well as you have. But an important PSA for the comments crowd here: There IS some regional variance to JW beliefs and customs. Especially with minutia. Even some congregations have their own tiny adjustments. I remember my dad always wore a white shirt to give public talks on Sundays, just because at some halls they wouldn't let you on stage with another color. Every family adheres to a different degree in private. Some drink more than they should. Some watch movies they oughtn't. A lot of them fuck around until they get caught. Even though the JW culture tries to force everyone to be the same, each of our experiences is unique.
And I also was going to comment on the same. I was raised in it and I learned from my mother about the regional differences. About the f'ing till they get caught I can't attest to but it happens I'm sure. I'm never ever one to use I'm only human as an excuse or reduce my accountability for my actions. But in their defense their only human and married couples are not always equally invested/ invested to varying degrees in the JW beliefs so leading to varying degrees of participation and level of belief. One partner might never of fully truly committed or converted for personal reasons but stayed. I can tell already from there comments made that there is some misinformation and maybe over reaction. And to those screaming bloody murder in concern for the witnesses still engaged and active with their congregations I would assure you not to worry to any hyper extreme and understand why you might regardless but I'm not knowing the full spectrum of all the regional differences and to what extent the differences potential collateral effect on the whole. At the time of first learning about the regional differences I can only parallel it to some degree with the Catholic churches expansions if you noticed that everywhere they went to spread their churches influence the church doctrines never escaped some meshing / integration with local belief systems and local customs from the indigenous peoples of whatever area the new church's installation resided in. Now to evaluate the veracity of the video/ film,..,
I was asked by a Jehova's Witness once - after telling her that I was an atheist - what I thought the meaning of life was. I told her that life is just nature's way of keeping meat fresh. She said "That's what fridges are for"
Many years ago I was shot during an armed robbery. Was out later than I thought it was, wrong place, wrong time. My chart notes show that I lost 9 liters of blood while trying to patch me, and then the burst blood clot that nearly killed me again that night. That's 19 pints. The average adult male holds 10-11 pints of blood. If I were a Witness, I'd be dead.
My father is a huge JW, though he was actually disfellowshipped (for marrying a non JW 😑) but still believes in it. I think that their entire belief system is super fucked up and cruel, and it’s kinda sorta messed a lot of things up in my life
Same boat brother….my bio dad burned out on drugs and fell back into JW which he had been born into. We barely have a relationship anymore despite his constant proscelatyzing
No one can get disfellowshiped for marrying outside the faith. I'm calling straight up lie. No one born a JW only upon becoming dedicated and baptised does one become liable. It is your lies that make me hardcore not the G.B.
the thing about the blood is so true, not completely sure about the storing your own blood but i remember when i had to go do surgery i wanted blood to save my life in case i needed it but my mom told the doctors not to give it to me no matter what, i was so glad to hear the doctors told her since i was underage they are forced by law to give it to save my life
Yes this is a common misconception. Many people think JWs can refuse blood transfusions on behalf of their minor children. They cannot. We can and are required to give blood transfusions when indicated, and not just autotransfusions, but banked blood as well.
My husband works at our local hospital, and a similar scenario happened with a little girl who needed emergency surgery. The witnesses made a big deal out of it, but ultimately the law got involved because they can't just let a little girl die due to religious beliefs. Doesn't matter which religion. They're going to do what they have to do to save a child, religion be damned.
@@Elegant_Sausage we don’t need legal to get involved, but we can pull hospital legal in to help explain. We are not required to abide by a parents wishes to deny lifesaving treatment and are not required to get an ethics board or a court order involved.
@@michaelgoldstein8516 That's good to hear. Reminds me of that Scrubs episode where Dr. Cox had to find another way to help a JW member bc she refused blood. The story made it seem like he needed to be tolerant and he comes up with another solution we aren't actually privy to. Imo it's an idiotic sentiment. It's not culturally sensitive to ignore basic fact to save a life; caring about that takes precedent over faith. Glad at least for kids you can tell the parents to f**k (YT really is censoring curses smh) off and do your job. And that doctors and the law don't generally think it's ok encourage this dangerous madness.
"Ever since Adam failed to read the Apple terms and conditions" has got to be the best way to phrase the original sin I've ever heard. That's just fantastic.
I'm an Ex-JW born into this particular cult. Having experienced being DF'ed as a minor, I'm not sure I could characterize raising a child in this belief system as anything less than child abuse. I became a better critical thinker as a result of leaving, but that's akin to throwing a child in the ocean to teach them to swim-- it certainly could have had different outcomes (i.e. suicide).
@@kylegreen5600 Am I judgmental for calling you hysterical ? You claim parents who raise thier own children to adopt there belief system is akin to child abuse. Yeah...... I find that hysterical. And SUPER judgmental. So it's odd you would claim I'm the one who's judgmental 🤨
The more I learn about Jehovah’s Witnesses, the weirder they get. They are the strangest, most bizarre sect of Christianity I have ever seen. Edit: As a side note, it also seems like the JW organization is becoming more extreme, reclusive, and delusional over time, which is concerning for its members. I really hope this doesn’t become a full on cult tragedy.
there is nothing Christian about them. they are non-trinitarian, deny the Resurrection, and don't follow actual scripture. even Mormons are closer to being actual Christians than JWs.
@@lifeswhatyoumakeit3696 Get a hobby, man...what on earth do you get out of badgering traumatized people opening up to us about their past? I'm quite certain you're some flavor of Christian cultist and your posts come off as unhinged as one would expect given the source
I'm a recent xjw and I just want to give you a HUGE compliment on how well done this video was! For someone who was never in, you have an amazing understanding of the history, nuances of the culture, and even the language. "Theocratic English" isn't that easy to get the hang of😋 I was PIMO for a year during the pandemic and then when they reinstituted in-person meetings I decided I wasn't going back. Now I'm "inactive" and I just celebrated Christmas for the first time in my life😊 Btw, I love the smurf in the background!
I always thought the Smurfs was stupid. But I recall in the 1980s JWs was telling people not to get those toys for the children. I still got one for My Son and allowed him to watch the cartoon. By that time I hated The Queendom Hall since age 10 My Mother stopped forcing Me to go when I became a teen mother at 15.
Ex-JW and former Ministerial Servant here. I appreciate this video immensely. It was well researched and you nailed along of the lingo. Though I do have one small correction. When you noted that you're considered an "apostate" source, that is not completely accurate. You would generally be referred to as an apostate source for speaking on this material because it all gets grouped together and those who would want to dissuade others from viewing your content don't care what or who you are, but you are not an apostate yourself. JWs classify apostates as those who turn their back on the faith (specifically their religion, not Christianity in general).
Have you ever read or have seen one of those spiral bound elders books or whatever. I have no affiliation with JDubs or have even been one before but I've become so interested in learning how people fall into this kind of thing. I feel like the elders manual is probably like a really big insight into this isn't it?
@@Marlyjade People are born into it, or marry into it for the most part. For 18 years as a child I never saw the door to door service result in many conversions. The ones that did were people who were having a terrible life. As crazy as the JW's are, there is even worse ways to be raised. How many parents are drug addicts, alcoholics who abuse their children, or neglect them. Most conversions are from people who grew up with horrific parents and are now addicts themselves. In that respect the JW's help them clean up their life, have a sense of purpose, family, etc. So from where they were it was a positive for them actually...even though now they have a whole new set of crazy in their life.
@@Marlyjade people are either born into it or are wrapped up in the religion in a time of grief. a common recruitment tactic is to focus on the prospect of paradise and the raising of those who passed away. people who have recently lost a loved one often feel bargaining and want to see them again, so the offer that if they join this religion they can is tantalizing. it, and the isolating nature of the religion and shunning, also help keep people in, because if they don't they won't be able to see them again.
I used to have a JW housemate.... he was fine, his mother that decided to live with us rent-free was insane.... It took a year to get her to move out. I almost got evicted in the process.
@@horushyperion76 Chess... she drank all my booze then blamed me for it being in the house. It was like having a dictator live with us... my wife is still mad about it 5 years off. Funny how their rules only apply when the elders know...
As someone who was raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church it would actually be interesting to see a video about it. I actually saw a lot of similarities in what I was taught as a child in this video. Like how Adventist are always told that they are the only true religion chosen directly by God himself, no one else has a legitimate claim to call themselves Christians.
I was raised as SDA too. Lot of similarities teachings and in the language (worldly, the truth, etc). Luckily SDA don’t shun, so I can still visit my parents and my sister. Would be great to hear video about SDA - although they are more boring than JW.
Yo dude, as a current SDA I kinda want to see that video too. It's always good to take a critical look at what one believes or that they're raised in. I mean I wasn't taught anything like "Like how Adventist are always told that they are the only true religion chosen directly by God himself, no one else has a legitimate claim to call themselves Christians." But I do know Adventist who do believe something like that.(There's even some of that here on RUclips) And your experience is valid, religion can mess ppl up. I think most SDAs would say that God has sheep in other flocks, and the point is to accept Jesus not a specifically any denomination.
This is not at all uncommon. I was raised partly Mormon and among the many questions I was asked before being baptised (my 2nd of 3) was 'Do you believe the LDS is the one true church of God?' (They were not amused by my answer, 'I'm 8, how am I supposed to know?')
ExJW here. I can’t get over how well researched this is. The common verbiage is even on point. Love that you’ve simplified the teachings making it very easy to identify as a cult. Well done. (And the overlapping generation! I couldn’t believe that this was the new teaching. )
36:39 “Don’t eat blood!” Me, a Vietnamese Catholic who occasionally eats pork blood jelly because it’s a common ingredient in certain Vietnamese dishes: “Oops”. 🤭 But if cooked properly, it’s actually perfectly safe for consumption.
I would be interested in seeing a video on Evangelist Christians more broadly, although I understand that might be kind of hard to track seeing as that’s literally dozens of groups
Thousands actually. But they all broadly follow from the same sources and influences so there's a lot of overlap. Usually the difference is more in who is leading the cult, excuse me, "religion" than any major doctrinal disagreements. If KB does that, he's gotta delve into the rise in christian nationalism. Especially with the ending of this video. That part about who will be Trump's #2 (ew) was pretty chilling tbh.
There’s a small community on RUclips that talks more specifically about various fundamentalist/evangelical groups. For starters, I recommend checking out Fundie Fridays!
The term "Evangelical" even has a bunch of different meanings, from political to theological. It's well-known that a large portion of black evangelical church members don't use the word evangelical to describe their faith due to the connotations it carries politically. It's to the point where polls which group by religious beliefs and use the word "evangelical" can be considered misleading because some people use the word to describe more political beliefs whereas others use it to describe theology.
@@courtneyheidenreich2818 A lot of her topics are not fundamentalist nor Christian though, nor is evangelicalism in much of the world extremist, so I'd suggest being mindful of that when coming across stories about particular cults. Evangelical nationalism in general is far more mundane which in fact is the core of it's effect and potential danger. And all evangelicalism is not nationalist either. The terminology gets quite complicated and we should be careful. "Evangelical-Lutheran" means something completely different in the Nordics than the "evangelical movement" as multi-denominational orientation does in America or e.g. Asia. There's a tone difference that can be compared to the slight difference between the words "evangelic" and "evangelical".
I'm an EX JW. I was born into it. I never liked going to the meeting as a child. I've always been a creative person who love to contribute in the world. Watching this video and reading the comments here just made me realize why my relationship with my Dad has gone bad over these past few years that I decided to narrow down on my creativity and contribute to the world. Unlike other exJWs here in the comment I never felt rejected by them because my head was never there but my relationship with my dad keeps getting bad by the day. I now fully understand why we are growing apart. I think I need to be the bigger person here to reach out to him about our relationship. Thanks for this video.
I used to be a Jehovah’s Witness. It was a really hard time in my life. I don’t wish that lifestyle on anyone. They try to control every part of your life and when you can’t live up to their standards, they kick you to the curb…
@Yang Wen Li Right they preach about unconditional love but fail to show it in any sense of the word. They are brainwashed to be cold fake and highly judgmental. The amount of gossiping and hypocrisy amongst themselves is INSANE.
They definitely do not try to control every part of your life. You are confusing counsel with orders. Outside of standard Christian precepts you can live any way you want to.
I am. They're too long for me to watch while I'm folding laundry now. How dare he continue to provide us with exceptional content! I won't stand for this! **sits down**
"Don't trust your own thoughts." "Wait, shouldn't that go for you, too?" "Well I have jehovah on my side." "How do you know that?" "Stop asking questions."
One of my dance teachers was a Jehovah's Witness. To this day it still surprises me, given that she owned her own studio, taught classes to easily hundreds of kids, and therefore dealt with "worldly people" all the time. There were a few students I remember who were also Jehovah's Witnesses (and a handful of Mormons, if I recall correctly), but it definitely wasn't the majority. She was forced to close the studio earlier this year due to covid, but she always seemed like a relatively well-adjusted, kind woman and she helped me gain a lot of confidence as a kid. It's very unlikely, but I hope she leaves the church one day, for her own well-being.
JWs vary person to person so they are all different. Also this video had some inaccuracies and its not as cruel as it describes. I guess a better way of calling JWs would be to refer to them as acting or imitating First Century Christians as in the greek scriptures it refers to disfellowshipping, elders, circut overseers ect. Do look in your own Bible if you want. No pressure
Thank you for continuing to shed light on how much people believe we're in the end times, it's really disturbing. I recently found out several extended family members believe it, and it's a wake up call to hear this. Every generation thinks they're the last. It's a dangerous coping mechanism of self importance and it should be talked about more.
I agree and think that this subject warrants a video of it's own and sooner rather than later (as it could well turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy).
@@v21829 The difference is 'secular guys' will do all that they can to prevent it. (Some) evangelicals do all that they can to usher it in it as they believe it's god's plan.
Duuuuude…now I’m thinking about reading the Bible stories book as a kid and how much joy I felt looking at the pictures of the kids playing with the animals! I’ve been out a little while now but, I choose to believe that one thing only. Someday I’ll be peacefully playing with allum!
Tried dating a JW once. Nice girl; she was gorgeous and and enjoyed our philosophical conversations. But romantically it was doomed. In retrospect, I underestimated how much of a grip JW has in its people.
Its cause she( and every jw) has to love Jehovah more than anyone else. Are you going to make her perfect, will you keep all your promises, will you give her everlasting life?
On that final note regarding the protection of predators, I used to go to secondary (high) school with a bunch of Jehovies for my last two years for it. Eventually met my ex through them (she had left the cult but still had to live with her parents at the time, while not completely shunned it wasn't much better. Eventually she told me her oldest brother had molested her when she was 5 and because of their rules, her family covered it up and pretended it didn't happen because she was the only witness. Shit made me sick to think about, started looking at the group of them differently after hearing that
A bad environment will twist anyone's sense of self. They probably aren't bad people, just people stumbling in a fog of their own making. Also, sorry that happened to her and that the relationship didn't work out for whatever reason.
@@confusedwhale you're not wrong. A perfect example of that is when she went on holiday with a bunch of other Jehovie family members over in Scotland. They pressured her back into the whole thing until she got home and sent her on a whole downward spiral. Also part of why it didn't work out, it was like they completely changed who she was over there and I just wasn't able to handle that. Shit was Fubar
I was typing “it’s disturbing to me how much of this was taught in my American evangelical church growing up,” then you hit us with that FUCKING MIRROR AT THE END
I had a friend who was JW, her mom joined when she was a pre teen, so for the most part of our friendship she didn't really believed much of it, but it was scary to see her changing how fast the brainwashing happened. at first she was a normal kid who loved Harry Potter and Jules Verne, then she started preaching how read about magic was bad and she didn't want to make god sad with her behavior, then her mom said I could go to their house if didn't studied the Bible, I was forced into that for few months, because I didn't want to lose my best friend. But at one point it became unbearable, her mom was mean and condescending, my best friend started to treat me as someone she couldn't trust, because since I was an atheist with a family that did not practiced any religion, I clearly had something wrong. and she had a lot of health problems, but she would not have surgery because even her dad trying to help, the mom had brainwashed her and her sister into believe they'd be doing something wrong if they go against the religion. I grow up with a catholic background but a mostly non religious upbringing, my sister and I are both atheist, and we have family members in various religions from shamanism to evangelical, but I don't trust JW, I saw up close how they fractured a family and brainwashed my friend.
i’m so happy you did a video on this. my grandparents raised me as a JW, and put me in an arranged marriage when i was about 10, telling me over and over that when i was an adult i would be marrying the student my grandfather taught. luckily i escaped it when i was 17 but it was so heart wrenching to constantly be told as a female that you don’t get any freedoms
@@cityatsea8507 i think the issue was i came from a line of elders, like my great grandpa was a district overseer and my grandpa was a the head elder at our kingdom hall (forgot the title) so i think there was pressure to keep that succession going
As a Christian myself, I never understood all that numerology and end of days prediction stuff. It’s my job to love God and love others. Though I fall short every day, I endeavor to do that to the best of my ability in both the short and long terms. Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you friends. :)
I'm a Noachide (believes in Judaism but never converted and has less rules) and I completely agree. G-d will decide if and when the world ends, not randomly plucked numbers that were usually rough estimations anyway
I was a witness for the first 33 years of my life. I've been out for about 7, and am still recovering. This video is FANTASTIC. Thank you for making it. its a trip, and some more shit to unpack.
I was once invited to a JW church, and must say the experience was bizarre; half the sermon was techniques and demonstrations for going door to door to minister. Also had a brief intro into the religion in my childhood, a relative would visit but only to discuss the religion and when my mom told them they were welcome but to visit and not to minister, they didn't come over anymore. Even as someone who was deeply religious for seven years, I found that specific sect and the practices strange. What bothers me the most is the refusal of blood transfusions; if someone doesn't want it for themselves that is their choice but denying children care on the basis of the parents religion is infuriating.
Hah they must have invited you to mid-week meeting which has training bits, weekend meeting is bible talk that should be accessible to general public and then "deeper truths" through watchtower magazine
Just starting this video, I can already picture what's in jt. I was raised as JW, and programmed the world would end before I got to high school. I also had the fortune to survive a life threatening surgery at 4 years old that my parents refused the use of any blood transfusions for....so it's lucky I'm even here.
@39:55 It's not that non witnesses are going to die so why bother. Anyone that isn't a JW is "worldly" and bad association. I still remember coming home from school and accidentally calling someone from school a "friend". You would think I drowned a puppy. I had to be talked to by the elders, and it was made very clear those were my classmates and NOT friends...they are "bad association".
When I was a kid my friend who was a JW told me his family didn’t celebrate his birthday. He said Jesus didn’t receive presents for his birthday so why should he. Fair enough for you I thought, but on thinking of it Jesus did receive presents at birth. Gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Let's be 100 fair, besides that what did he got on his other birthdays? Nor kings or even moses got presents either. Its not that i agree with them, just saying that it's kinda fair, I think.
@@toobig7150 I mean the Bible isn't exactly a perfect account of events. Does scripture ever mention Jesus taking a shit? Nope. By an extension of this logic then the Son of Man never defecated. However this is certainly untrue; the Savior is both man and God as one. So in conclusion Jesus dropped fat deuces and Moses partied like it was 1999 (BCE). Also Moses most definitely got blackout drunk on wine and stripped his clothes off. That's in Bible. It's the wildest book I swear lol.
@@Austin-gj7zj one would imagine that something like that would be mentioned for someone else in the Bible, be some of the judges, kings, or someone. But I can see your point.
I’m an ex-JW, and literally knew almost none of this history, especially in relation to incorrect predictions, etc. They do a really good job of erasing ‘old light’. I didn’t leave because of any of the inconsistencies, I left because I didn’t agree with their treatment of LGBTQ+ people, in addition to that of people with mental or chronic illnesses - as due to my mother’s illnesses we missed many meetings growing up and were ‘bad association’.
They are NOT allowed. But there are some who are married/single. Many of the beta-males are soft & smell like pussy _(figuratively)._ They might as well be that. Many are not good protectors of women & family _Leave it in Jehovah's hands._ However, they're respectful when mingling with *_"Friends."_* My Mother wanted males like that to wisk Me away when I grew up and Marry Me like in some Snow White Walt Disney Movie. Not a Alpha Man like My Father. My Father _(Baptist)_ already married to My Mother for 9 years when she joined. He never really accepted that religion studying briefly once every few years. Without him Me & My Brothers would not have had any real fun. Many black males talk all nasally like Al Roker/Bryant Gumbel, having to take the bass out of their voice & most are corny. All types of Child Abuse goes on. Alcoholism, Prescription drug abuse. I was born into SlaveHovah's Kingdom via My Mother. I stopped liking it at age 10 when I started really thinking about SlaveHovah's Wickedness WitchTower Authority forming My opinion about it.
@@777Tralfaz777people leave for many reasons, and the organization is rife with “moral corruption”. They just hide it. Greed and control by men run it, not God.
My late father was a Jehovah’s Witness and he did try to convert myself and siblings. All he managed to do was turn my siblings into atheists. He choose for a very long time not to have a relationship with his family. That all changed when my younger sister died of alcoholism. Any religion that encourages you to cut off your family is a sinful. It hurts the people you should be the closest to but succeeds in alienating love ones.
@@bobbycecere1037 no they did not 😂 there is literally a past piece of JW literally where they condemned shunning and said that it was a pagan tradition. Then they changed it when they got “new light”
@@julieperez7505 Of course they did. So did the Catholic Church & the Amish. Even Jews today can find scriptural precedent within the Torah To justify believers distancing themselves from non believers. It's ALL throughout scripture.
@@bobbycecere1037I hate to break it to you, but scripture is meant to guide you in your relationship with God, but JW governing body doesn’t allow for anyone to critically think about the Bible itself for themselves. It’s either you believe what THEY say the Bible is telling you through scripture, or you’re wrong and spiritually sick.
@Captive Cat I hate to break it to YOU, But there is no christian denomination who doesn't sell a doctrine to its masses That isn't incontrovertible. Go to the catholic church and tell them you want to believe Something about scripture that they don't teach. Let me know how that goes for you. Or go to a calvinist church And tell them you don't believe in Limited atonement. Hell, pick ANY major denomination, Attend The Bible college for THIER religion and explain to your teachers that Your understanding of scripture doesn't line up with thiers. After they expel you, They will explain to you that you are spiritually sick and will probably offer to pray for you. How you think jehovah's witnesses operate is literally how religion operates In general.
I've been out and inactive for a year or two after 17 years raised a witness and my god is this video the nail in the coffin for me. I'm not gonna pass the torch of family disfunction, drama, and "dissociations" down to my future kids. I can't say I regret being raised as one. But now that I see all the BS that was hidden from me, there's no better sign telling me to not go back.
Do you still have any contact with your family? How did you leave and how it's like being by your own? (if you don't have contact with them anymore, that is)
@@ErickeTR It's a bit of a long story. So on my moms side of the family there is radio silence. My mom was an abusive religious nut that even an elder who sometimes calls me said she wasn't right. Her parents are usually on her side and only care that I come back rather than any of them including my mom acknowledge how she treated me my brother, sister and I. They don't care enough to talk to us and we couldn't care less. On my dad side, he has been disfellowshipped so his mom never talks to him unless she needs something from him. I still live with him and normally talk to his side of the family since I left unbaptized. Me and my siblings kind of just started attending less meetings for mostly the same reason. When my mom lost custody, it was up to us to go ourselves, but over time we just lost our interest of going on.
That ending... Yeah. I grew up in a very "evangelical" time and place. Most of them don't really consciously think about the craziest stuff, but enough is internalized to make them dangerous. A whole lot of them are authoritarian followers and tend to avoid thinking much for themselves at all. PS: Watched on Nebula... Commenting and upvoting here because this is important.
I was raised as a Witness, though we got started late; I was about 9 at the time, and my grandparents pressured my mom, and by extension, my dad into it in the late 90s. We were never taught almost any of this history. I only got out in my late teens due to learning a lot about history and other religions. My application of the outsider test to my own religion based on my new knowledge, and the elders' inability to ever give me a satisfactory answer about any logical inconsistencies, led me to abandon the faith. I gave up a large social network to do so, but I'm personally glad I did.
When my dad was dying of cancer the Jehovah Witness tried to convert my family, they got my dad to go to their church and me and my brothers went with him just to spend time with him and holy fuck that shit gave off hardcore cult vibes. Took about 3 years of ignoring and dodging them after our dad died to get them to stop showing up at our home lol
The crazy maths and their crazier reasonings are just incredible to me. And I can't understand how anyone continues to believe in the "oops, it must be this apocalypse instead."
Religious people have the weirdest relationship with ego They hate being proud of yourself "You're human, flawed and bad, thus god is good" They want "humbleness" Yet they preach about being "gods chosen" and "righteous" and all assume that theyre going to heaven The average person might have an inferiorty Complex and cover that with a superorty Complex as a defence mechanism "im bad? No im the best the best i say" Religion feels ike the reverse they have a superiorty Complex and cover it with an inferiorty Complex "We must join in our Great suffering unlike these unfaithful Satan subhuman wicked people"
![Summer Walker - Heart Of A Woman [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SFddctbZzw8/mqdefault.jpg)
The Nebula version of this video contains two minutes of additional content.
Check out the Director's Commentary on Twitch - www.twitch.tv/videos/1114326613
One day nebula, one day
Why listen to you when I can go ask one what he/she believes? This type of content makes it seem like you have some insider info or secrets. This sort of content is like listening to rumors and gossip about something rather than finding out from the source.
Sexy additional content?
@@PaperMario64 I see you trying to defend this religion in the comments, and while you mean well, I have been in the same place. So please clarify what is rumors and gossip and provide a proper defense with evidence.
Love the yoohoo woohoo
"Adam failed to read the Apple's Terms and Conditions"
Blessed
3 minutes ago
But... I thought he got cursed?
Lol.
That was Eve, though.
Wait, I didn’t read Apple’s term and whatever, but I learned Apple is the only corporation is and willing to kick Mark Shit Zuckerberg’s ass, which I feel great to own an iPhone.
I love your videos.
wow, just when you thought you knew all the weird things about one of your favorite fan-fiction clubs. thanks for this fascinating and informative video, as always.
Omg it's Jesus
Hey Jesus, total bro move to die for our sins like that, thanks homie
Hey JC! Big fan! Subbed
Heyy it's our boii JC hahaha
Wait it’s actually Jesus! Hey, how’s my dad doing? Or is he not with you either.
This is fanstastic. I was born in to the JW "religion" and leaving left me without family, friends or a career path. 5 years later, I couldn't be happier.
Based
Right there with ya. 25+ years for me. Only gets better after all the end of the world dreams :). Real friends and family relationships are on this side. Stay with it.
Im not an ex jw but i am an ally to the cause of exjw activism.
Love you friend, stay strong and congratulations on standing up to what you were born in.
BASED
As a witness that’s currently PIMO (physically in mentally out)…holy shit. I can’t describe how kind blowing this is. I’m currently 23 and was raised a witness my whole life. None of what this guy said about their beliefs is a lie and hearing more about how insane Russel and Rutherford were is wild. We literally praised those 2 guys for how strong in the faith they were and revolutionary. I’ve been going through a rabbit hole of the dirty sides of the religion the last few weeks. The religion doesn’t allow us to actually look at outside info. I’ve never head about the child abuse scandals. I’ve never heard about the letter to hitler or any of it. They’ve always told me it’s the one religion you can’t find dirt on which they can keep saying because like I said we aren’t allowed to look anywhere. I can’t tell anyone about this without being labeled an apostate and kicked out. You might say well it’s easy to find the info but when you’re raised in it for so long the second you hear about outside sources and info your gates come down and you instantly stop listening. I was like this for years and just started to actually listen. The mental damage the religion has done to me and others is indescribable. If anyone has questions I’d be glad to answer. For anyone reading this that’s PIMO like myself…I wish the best for you. I understand the weight on your shoulders juggling freedom and happiness with not being able to ever see your family and the friends you were raised with ever again
Have you escaped yet?
My only question is: How are you doing?
You must be going through a lot, even after 2 months, hope you can find a support network
I was born into jw cult too, I’m 24 almost 25. I got out at 22, fuck being PIMO, if you’re able, you need to get out as fast as you can and leave everything behind. Might sound harsh but family isn’t worth it, especially ones that raised you in a cult, run fast and run hard
Have you escaped??
Got baptized when I was 13, and disfellowshipped when I was 21. I'm 43 right now, and I haven't seen or spoken to anyone of my blood relatives since the day before I was disfellowshipped. I was born into the organization, the youngest of 7, and the only one to get baptized as a teenager. I knew that I didn't believe in any of the stuff that I was being taught but I was terrified of admitting that to my parents. I only got baptized because I thought it would make them happy. After a year I decided that I would disassociate myself when I had enough money to move out on my own. I haven't been back since. I suffered through loneliness, and abandonment for years, even contemplating suicide on more than one occasion. But I didn't give in to despair. I decided to let my family members go. I have 27 nieces and nephews that I've never met, and my children have no idea that they have family apart from their mother's side of the family. And I'm okay with that. I promised myself that I would never expose my children to the harm I experienced within the organization, and I will stand by that decision until my last breath.
Shits hard bud. I'm sorry you had to go through that.
But maybe you can look to see how your family is doing on that side. It might help some of your relatives to know that they have people on the outside in case they want to leave themselves. So, they will know that they aren't alone.... Unloved, unless they toe the line and keep face.
It's a luxury for them compared to what happened to you, but what would you have wanted if you have to experience that first day on your own again?
It's okay if you don't. You went through a lot.
But statistically, a couple of those 23 nieces and nephews are just like you.
Edit: sorry 27
Not much to say other than I'm glad you're still with us and glad you were able to move on.
I'm like 20 mins in, but the only thing I've caught wrong is that JW do believe Jesus was physically resurrected, they just don't care to celebrate it. If Jesus wasn't physically resurrected, the story of Thomas and Jesus wouldn't make sense. Otherwise, everything else seems spot on.
This is upsetting to read.
Like all religions; if you barely scratch the surface the falsehoods pour out beyond measure. And with such obvious absurdity the JWs should have the easiest time giving up their orthodoxy and faith for actual existent things like your own family and children.
But I’ve noticed as religions become easier and easier to disprove, those that still can will try and clamp down where they can.
I’m not sure I’ve heard anything more insane than that clip of the JW propaganda where the guy is questioning JW theology and says “that’s the problem, I’m relying on my own thinking.”
That’s literally the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. I think
I am glad you wrote this. I feel like I am in a different yet a bit similar situation. I made a similar promise to myself: "I promised myself that I would never expose my children to the harm I experienced within the organization, and I will stand by that decision until my last breath." I want nothing to do with Mormons. People who think teaching children to grow up in religion is a good thing trigger me a bit and I am repulsed by them.
Oh boy. I was raised a JW. This will be hard for me to watch, when I turned 18 I got away as far as I could. My mother is still in and she doesn't listen. It's scary seeing not only the indoctrination, and how they bleed money from members and straight into leadership's pockets, but how much they twist the Word to guilt people into those donations. Then there's the disfellowships. My sister married someone from outside the congregation, so now our own mother feels like talking to her is a sin. It's insane.
i’m so sorry. my mom thinks that “the witnesses have a point” but she doesn’t really like organized religion. my dad is still really into it, although he’s definitely not the best witness in the world, sinwise and everything. he does like thinking that men are better than women tho
what made you turn away from the faith? for me it was the one video drama where they were shitting on LGBTQ people, with the asian real estate agent and everything
It completely destroys families. What kind of God would ask that from his followers?
@@user-id9bn1ic9v I read the Bible and noticed all the contradictions. I've become Protestant now. (PS, Romans 1:26 - 1:31)
@@DeadBaron wow, i just became an atheist
I'm an ex Jehovah's Witness, which is the theme of my RUclips channel. This video was highly accurate. Most Witnesses don't know half of this information and would denounce you. Thank you for holding other religions under the same scrutiny as well. Although I've found Watchtower to be especially harmful in my life, I realize there's always a danger in placing faith above critical thinking, reason, and empathy.
Glad you're enlightened and no longer a slave to dogma :)
GG mate, I understand what loosing faith and being disillusioned feels like (ex-Catholic)
Its seems like a lotta these religions don't know that much about the history of theirs.
Congratulations on getting out from another ex JW
faith and religion is always bad, just look at the state of a country like Afghanistan today..
@@backsfx and America today lol
I’m an Exjw and this video was actually the very first video that helped me wake up and deconstruct JW indoctrination. It’s been several months since I left the religion and I’m grateful for videos like this
This was the same for me!
Welcome to freedom. Been out for decades, it’s awesome.
I’m so sorry that that happened to you. I’m glad you were able to get it.
Good luck, stay safe, and best wishes! You are not alone!
Congradulations, Christ welcomes you with open arms to accept him and put your faith in him as the Son of God.
I had a buddy in grade school whose parents were JW. From what I can remember, they really discouraged him from having any fun. When the two of us were laughing together, they were frowning. His dad took us to see _The Private Eyes,_ a comedy with Don Knotts and Tim Conway. My friend and I laughed all the way through it (It was the perfect movie for 9- and 10-year-old boys). Afterward, the father angrily denounced the movie and attacked its premise. I thought at the time that he was just too dumb to understand it. Now I think he was upset that his kid was having a good time, so he had to yell at him to make him feel properly bad again. My friend died at 19 years old after heart surgery. Now that I know about JW medical restrictions, I have to wonder if their religion killed him.
JWs vary from person to person. Also sorry to hear about your loss. It probably wasnt the restrictions. I had a friend who died of leukemia and they told him he was gonna die whether he had blood or not so....
@@megajaredx9679 there's a difference between leukemia, cancer which has to be cured with radiation therapy, and heart surgery which requires a constant supply of blood
@Yang Wen Li touch grass
Jehivahs witnesses are not supposed to have friends of any sort outside of the religion. Young kids sometimes skirt by this rule because, you know, kids. But his father probably didn't like seeing him getting close to any non JW children period, hence the attitude you frequently saw.
Also, heart surgery with blood transfusions completely taken off the table? I would say there is a very good chance they killed him.
Source; born and raised in the cult
"The Private Eyes"? Never heard of it, but I loved Apple Dumpling Gang as a kid, so maybe I'll check it out. Thanks . :)
The Bible: No man can predict the end times.
Absolutely everyone: *Observe.*
One of my favorite sayings from the Bible.
@@Thessalin it is as if Jesus knew someone would try and make a prediction.
The Bible is a cryptic mess but the few times it's explicitly clear weirdos are like "I do not see it"
@@flourislioness A lot of the "cryptic mess" is linguistical.
Bible: No one knows the day or the hour.
People: OK, but I can figure out the month and week!
God: Facepalm.
I actually let my local Jehova's Witnesses in every week for about three years and talked to them. I knew from the beginning it's a cult that I never want to get into, but I took the opportunity for what I back in the day thought as interesting conversations. (I don't regret it, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.)
They even took me to their Kingdom Hall twice. The second time was really worth it... because the topic of the day was basically how to isolate from the world. Teachings about how not to get too close to your co-workers, how to slowly let down friendships that are outside of the congregation. It was SO surreal.
And everyone was super nice and happy all the time (on the outside). Having experienced that, I totally get why some people may be drawn to it. But I'm pretty sure exactly that kind of expectation to be nice and happy all the time, regardless of what's actually going on, is just another nail in the coffin. Heavy "there is no war in Ba Sing Se" vibes.
It feels more like an corporate thing than what you would expect from a religion... it kinda misses the spirituality aspect
@@Thelaretus I know a meth addict. If me and my friends sit about and use a load of heroin, we can save the meth user, by convincing them heroin is better?
Praying to an imaginary friend because another person doesn't agree with your stories about the imaginary friend is about sensible as my idea above.
Than where exactly is the 'bad' ? They have no connections with the gov or any pedo stuff( like some baseless people believe). What makes you think they are a cult or evil.
@@ErickeTR once you go in with a open mind and see what their about you can talk.
@@lugi3392 Bold of you to assume there is no bad people in the JWs.
I recently was disfellowshiped a few weeks ago. This is after being a born-in witness stuck as a silent non-believer for almost 10 years (gaining internet access almost certainly gave me my crisis of conscious). I'm still hurting over not being able to be around my family, at least in the familial aspect, but I'm learning how to have a family that chooses me for who I am instead of my religion
Edit: holy shit! Didn't expect this amount of recognition. Things are significantly better since I wrote this (my housing/job situation was precarious since leaving). But I have a happy life with my SO, our 2 cats, starting therapy, and I'm looking forward to starting college within the next couple of years!
The ExJW community is really welcoming! I’m so sorry!
I am in the same situation.
@@mylittlepimo736
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
I wish you all the best. I hope 6 months later you're doing well 💗
I'm sorry, wish you the best in your new life
General Public: "These JW's are annoying. Let's ban doorknocking."
JW: "OK, we'll just have cars with giant speakers on them to blare our message to the whole neighbourhood."
General Public: "You know, on second thought, the doorknocking wasn't so bad after all."
I personally want to bring back the megaphones. The sandwich boards would also be cool.
😂 that was a epic gamer move
they should have done the Russian way: kalash go's ratatatatata.... now in all seriousness in Eastern Europe you will not see them much, not only are they persecuted, but they are not recognized as an official religion, so... слава Богу i guess
@@weiserwolf580 yeah, no way Orthodox Christians will accept these guys, they are radical as fuck.
My relatives and a bunch of strangers have just been mailing me shit for a year now
the early Jehovah's witness being an MLM is incredibly accurate and as a bonus is also hilarious
If only he could've gotten Illuminaughtii to collab on this video
But salvation
@@Julianna.Domina this comment aged amazingly
I currently have the displeasure of being in a JW family with no way out (yet).
I do not believe in the religion therefore i would really want to leave and abandon all the tasks and policies i have to do in accordance with the religion, however I am 14 therefore there is no way for me to be able to get out of the religion with out dying on the streets. I would be shunned, and ultimately have my life ruined if I left now. My life can be characterized by having to lie to my ownfamily about my faith, and having to not have myself found out as non believing. Until I'm in the position where I don't need my family to survive all I can do now is to wait it out. Thank you for listening.
Hope you both can hold firmly and wait during this madness.
Stay strong and stay safe!!! Rooting for you
I probably live in another country than you do, but in our schools there are social workers you can talk to in such situation, they probably could help...
@@burgerman5335 yeah I understand it, absolutely, just meant if you would want to go into the pain of being disfellowshipped and probably sadly loosing your family but at least not living on the streets afterwards, then you could go to such a social worker. But I totally understand when this would be to much since its a huge step
@@burgerman5335 no I actually meant in case they would throw you out, when you come out to them
It's absolutely incredible that the guy's response to "couldn't you just CTRL-F for real bad stuff to find the child abuse?" was "yeah, but it would be mixed in with loads of other bad stuff we knew about too!"
A guy from my hometown committed suicide because his parents forbade him from studying to become a surgeon due to Jehova's randomly flip-flopping stance on blood transfusion
Just goes to show that Jehovah's Witnesses do eat blood, they just do it symbolically by killing off as many humans as they can, in effect eating their own children.
That's retarded. Not an excuse for suicide. If he's old enough to study to become a surgeon, he is old enough to leave the house.
@@Phenom98 are you slow or something?
Is it flip flopping? I was raised in the religion. 1981 to 1999 it was a solid rule. Im no longer "in the loop" but as far as I know it is still a major rule.
@@Phenom98 First of all, saying that someone didn’t have an excuse good enough to commit suicide is disgusting. Second, his parents wouldn’t help him financially and would disown him, cutting all ties to his family. Also, I imagine that was just the stroke that broke camel’s back, and he committed suicide due to his overcontrolling JW family.
I was a JW for 27 years until 2019. Thank you for your hard work on this video! A few corrections, "Colporteur" is now a "regular pioneer" (70 hours per month.) A "publisher" is your rank and file JW that is still required to go out door to door but they don't have an hour requirement. The org would like for them to get at least 10 hours per month. "Pilgrim" is now "circuit overseer" not pioneer. I can see why you thought the back room at the Kingdom Hall was some kind of "penalty box" for disfellowshipped people but in reality not all Kingdom Halls have a back room and they are for anyone who comes into the meeting late, or has rambunctious kids. It is a fact that disfellowshipped people must sit in the last row of seats, but they don't have to sit in the back room unless they want to. Raymond Franz didn't disassociate himself. He left Bethel in 1980 because he had disagreements in doctrine, but it was in 1981that he was eating with a friend who had disassociated himself from the org. and Raymond Frantz was disfellowshipped for continuing to associate with a disassociated person. (I'm sure they wanted him out and this was their way to do so). JW's wouldn't consider you, Knowing Better, to be an "apostate." An apostate to them is someone who was a baptized witness, who left, and who speaks out against the org. Since you were never a member, you would just be considered an ill informed outsider who is spreading "misinformation" against them. That's what they claim against anyone who speaks negatively about them, however they never try to prove that with any examples. Finally, I think your example of the two publishers going door to door and the child not counting as two witnesses is incorrect. I believe they would consider the child and the other witness as two witnesses, but I agree that they may not report the crime. The fact that they haven't been reporting was a shock to me when I learned about it in 2019. BTW Watchtower makes it's money from donations and from selling real estate, they have been selling lots of Kingdom Halls (built with free, volunteer labor) all over the world. They stopped selling literature in 1990. It takes people years to learn the JW stuff and they change things so frequently, so you did an amazing job, thanks again for the video!
Thanks for the information!
Excellent breakdown there
This should be pinned
Disfellowshipped people do not have to sit at the back. Atleast not where I'm from. They can sit anywhere
This guy JWs
@@mzstealth5762 which congregation? Cause I know for a fact if you are disfollowship you have to sit at the back, the last row and have to leave when meeting is over and should not speaking to anyone.
And every congregation I know if you are disfollowship you have to sit at the back.
JW: We disagree with H!tler!
Everyone: Oh good.
JW: But only on the occult stuff.
E: Oh no
Well that occult stuff is creepy. Have you seen the Vril and Hyperborean memes going about in dank corners of the net. They still want the occult to bring the Zeta Reticuli blonde aliens here to wipe out inferior non Aryans and make Earth a paradise.
So yeah that is specifically what we should oppose.
@@therubicon Yeah, but we should also oppose all the other bad stuff the nazis believed in, which the JW did not
@@manospondylus "we hate HìťIer too...........But he isn't THAT bad" - Piest belivers in goodness
@@therubicon That's your problem with Hitler???
@@therubicon Im a lot more concerned with their actual oppression and genocide than I am with their stupid magic alien beliefs.
As a former member, you really knocked this video out of the park. You used the language from the religion so well, I could have been convinced you were once in the religion.
Thank you for making this. It's very important that people learn about how this religion functions. And hey, maybe a Jehovah's witness will see this video and gain some much needed insight into their religion.
Former member, left in 2019. Still live with the family who is in the religion and it's really put a strain on life. The hardest part was leaving the community I grew up with.
But I'm going to school with the goal of entering a STEM job. I wish the reader well, and remember: do not lose hope in life. It is very precious and pleasure can be found everywhere, in nature, in space, in food, in beauty, in music. Live life!
Is there a way for you to contact me?
I am so glad you are in school & hope it goes well. We need more STEM professionals.
Awesome! Welcome. Freedom rocks. 40 years out Woohoo!
Stay strong and keep out of this high control group! Lovely to hear you made it out. Never been a member, but I occasionally talk some JWs out by presenting arguments by the literature carts. Never seen any results (people leaving the Watchtower) though :(
As someone who was raised JW, the whole disfellowship thing really hits home for me - my mother left the faith when I was around 9 & almost everyone on her side of the family still acts like she doesn't exist...though they don't act any different to me; I was never baptized thus I never "made my pledge". It's a cult parading as a quirky book club.
At least with the average religion its a book they follow
Here its a hierarchy within hierarchy of Humans
All obsessive with covering their righteousness Complex with a (somehow toxic) humbleness Complex
Thats why Bangladeshi Muslims are great or arleast most of them if you tell them you are gay they just show indifference for the average guy not the fanatics (even some imams will show indifference) a very libertarian society tho its likely best you never talk about it the fanatics might hear it and you may have to bribe the police to keep you safe
@@tasibsharar7357 Just being a secular blogger is enough to get you killed in Bangladesh. Several of them have been brutally murdered in the streets. Islam is a toxic cult that turns normal people into homicidal maniacs. Islam is far worse than JW or any other religion. JW will shun you but they wont kill you. Around 20,000-25,000 people die every year from Islamic violence.
Same
The Catholic Church accepts any baptised Christian as long as they were baptised with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That includes practically every group of Christians since Christains accept that God is a Trinity. This leaves out the Mormons and the JWs. If a former Witness is going through the Catholic Rite of Christian Initiation fur Adults, they will need to receive a proper baptism.
I am an ex JW, and my whole family dissociated. We are all currently reading Crisis of Conscious, like a book club. This video was really insightful and very well done. Thank you for educating people on them.
Crisis of conschience is a treacherous book from Franz who left the truth of the witnesses and because he was an insider he knows what to say to mislead the unexperienced ones . Stay away from blood ; it is in the bible and Franz denies that .
@@afterraincomessun Please stop
@@RandomVidsforthought i am not an ex witness but a witness in these times of the end ; why woud i listen to you ?
@@afterraincomessun bruh shut
@@The_Jazziest_Coffee tell me whats bothering you
Ah yes, the “religion” that _definitely_ wasn’t harmful to my existence.
"Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?"
me too man. i’m out and i’m living, but sometimes i miss the community, however fake and forced it felt
@@user-id9bn1ic9v You're better off out. That 'community' is highly toxic.
@@bossdog1480 that’s exactly what makes it toxic. it’s like gaslighting, you know?
@@user-id9bn1ic9v Are you just making up words right now?
My granda always pretends to be a vulnerable old man when they come to the door and speaks to them for a good 5 mins. Then he hits them with the what would you do if your child needed a blood transfusion? Then waits for them to answer and goes. Thank you but I don’t want to be a part of your cult and shuts the door hahaha
Blood transfusions are not good tho
@@SAF-Films Yes they are, get out of here
@@SAF-Films Stop spreading misinformation.
@@the_rose_garden01 send me a link that says their healthy
@@starling1226 🤔
Well this brings back some memories. My first girlfriend was a JW, and me being an atheist her going out with me was a big no. We met at work, both teenagers working at fast food place in a theme park. We clicked amazingly well with each other but after she gave me a brief explanation of all this, we realized we couldn't be together normally.
We basically had a year long affair. We would meet in secret after she went to college or when she finished work. She was training in college to be a hairdresser, because hairdressing was a good job that could be flexible around missionary work. I even got her a job at my aunties salon so her work was close. Eventually though we got caught by her family. She nearly got dissfellowshipped, I even met her dad at one point who was heartbroken by the whole thing. I never saw her again after that and she was forbidden from communicating with me.
Immediately after I began to despise this religion, always just thought of them as the annoying people who knock on your door, but after realizing they are pretty much a widely accepted cult I was furious. Been years since that happened, now I feel so sorry for anyone still involved in this organization.
Dude.
So Lenin was right?
@@Drigeolf community college has programs for hairdressing
@@waddysoap4868 Christian based religions are basically communist. I don't give credit for 20th century communists declaring themselves atheists, bc they only really did it to crush competition from religion.
@@suserman7775 bruh
This video was downright heartbreaking. To know that every modern day Jehovah's witness will lose everything by leaving the cult is soul crushing. I want to help these people in every way that I can, but I know they won't be able to get out without abandoning everything, including their family and lifelong friends. To any Jehovah's witnesses who read, we all welcome you in this world
If you know someone who’s studying show them these videos early on.
Same as most of Ex muslims btw
@@Cherno35 Yeah you want to get the inexperienced ones, the ones who don't understand the Biblical reasons for why the Witnesses believe certain things
Neighborhood Puffin. Yeah that's what happens when people turn their backs on God
@@lifeswhatyoumakeit3696 the Bible isnt a one book solves everything, it's very outdated and the fact that people are shunned for not wanting to follow it anymore is the main issue. It's not okay
56:08 As an ex-Jehovah's Witness, the statement "I want to hate what Jehovah hates" sends a chill down my spine. It created a crisis of faith for me when my sister came out as a lesbian to me; I remembered all of the meetings in which our elder had spoken against the sin of homosexuality. in that moment I realized I had a choice to make, to hate what, or rather who, Jehovah hates, or to love my sister. Thankfully, I made the right choice. Which made it much easier to accept myself when I realized that I was gay years later.
Thank you for creating such a detailed and non-vitriolic outlining of Jehovah's Witness beliefs, and their origins. There were a few things in here even I hadn't had heard of!
That's actually a typical theme of getting out of a cult or other such authoritarian organisation. You realize that someone you're close to actually is part of an outgroup and you're forced to choose between them and the one you love, so it's interesting to hear that come from you aswell
funny how they teach "God is love" yet have a whole list of things they say he hates and wants to completely wipe the earth of, huh?
@@MlNORlTY at least most Christians will say, "Hate the sin, love the sinner."
Not that that's good, or that they actually follow through on that, but it's at least better
Glad you made it out the other side, and im sorry that you felt like you had to make that sort of call... Nobody should ever have to feel like that... I also know the feeling all to well
That's a crucible. No one should have to go through it but that you did and came out the other side (in two ways) with your bond intact gives you a rare and powerful insight into your character that most people will never have.
It's kinda like being punched in the nose. Most boys will say they could definitely take it but most people collapse, and there's no amount of muscles that makes the nose less of a panic button to predict it.
So be proud. I hope I never have to find out what I would do in your shoes.
Ex witness here 🙋🏽♀️ I have a chronic blood disease called sickle cell anemia and blood transfusions are a major treatment for the disease. Unfortunately, I grew up a witness and have several traumatic references in my childhood where I was sick and had to refuse blood transfusions. Shit was wild.
I am so sorry fren :(
Oh Jesus, you do not mess around with sickle cell treatments. I hope you're alright now
How has your health been? I hope your sickle cell anemia is now better (I’m assuming you now are getting blood transfusions)
still alive 🤷♂️
@@sycophantic0such a nasty and callous thing to say. yeah, still alive after much unnecessary pain and suffering. they were sick when they didn’t need to be. that’s not a win.
I love how this guy doesn't make epic atheist making fun of religion content, but instead interesting, informative videos. I really enjoy them.
because mostly atheist content creators are pretty dogmatic and even more fanatical than christian videos, even at level of JW proselitism
@@Thelaretus as the good sir Innuendo Studios says ago "it's almost like there is no belief system under which people can't rationalize crappy behaviour"
He's really good
The video is really good and doesn't really stray away from what's true. Though the comments are mostly people shitting on Jehovah Witnesses like people shouldn't be one of them. People can choose their own god damn religion no matter how logically false it is, I say.
@@Thelaretus Could you provide an example of your claim? Reason I ask, is similar with politics, ya know republicans. It's called asymmetric polarization. For instance, CBS News which is owned largely by shareholders and controlled by a hedge fund, which is seen after by a republican and 88% of the controlling large shareholders vote republican.
Yet, radical right wing pundits such as Ben Shapiro and Glenn Beck will make unsubstantiated claims much like religious people using what psychologists and researchers are calling "asymmetric polarization". Just because someone reported a factual story that is negative about a republican, the radical right immediately claims it is "liberal" or "liberal agenda" Yet, the person reporting is no such thing and has no such agenda.
The religious do this about atheists. A radical evangelist will make an extraordinary claim, yet when the atheist calls it just that, because it is, the Christian will claim persecution and the atheist was radical.
So, I'd like to just one or two examples of such atheists if "thats what most of them do".
Truth is, you're just peddling Christian persecution propaganda. This is very similar to how atheists are portrayed in Christian films, as "angry" because they are "angry at God" for something that some Christian hasn't has the chance to explain.
The problem Christians have today is that there are atheists that challenge and confront, push back Christian agenda that has and continues to be shoved down our throats.
Atheists are the persecuted minority. We are represented by a right wing government and have since MAYBE Roosevelt. For instance, despite the radical right calling Joe Biden a "leftist" Joe Biden is 100% right wing. As is Kamala Harris and the DNC. Outside of He might not be a white nationalist (which anyone not hardcore right wing is a "liberal" today... again asymmetric polarization), but he is right wing based 100% on his voting record.40 years. 91% of our Congress is Christian. Joe Biden has been to church probably more times than the entire republican senate combined.
So I ask if you for a couple examples of the atheists you speak of, because it sounds like asymmetric polarization and Christian persecution complex. I'd like to help break you from it.
One of my dad's more badass moments was when he invited two JWs into the house because they knocked on our door during Sabbath dinner (Friday night). He spent the entire night enlightening them. After about an hour they completely stopped talking about JW. They came back two more Sabbaths. The second time they weren't dressed up. They were laid back and casual.
Bro your dad's a good person :)
Your dad may very well have saved two people.
L’chaim!
Have you got any info on what he said to them please?
@@John420Bro Afraid not. When we had guests the kids ate at a separate table. Our house was small.
It sent shivers down my spine when I watched the "that's the problem, trusting my own thinking" clip. Now, with much retrospect, I can see how disgusting and dystopian this is, but when I was still there, things like these were the norm and felt completely rational and self-evident.
i was raised in a mainstream protestant church and "trust in the lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding" was hammered into my brain every week in sunday school. this is not at all just a JW way of thinking.
It's some real 1984 shit.
there's a reason I'm a big supporter of theology in my own religious beliefs
Exactly! This is what caught my attention too. What even can be more cultish, more 1984-ish than that?
That one and “I want to hate what Jehovah hates” literally had my mouth agape
That’s some horrifying shit
As an ex JW brainwashed from birth, you have gotten the nuance and context throughout this entire video completely spot on. I can not emphasise how difficult this would have been to be so comprehensive. well done!
i mean considering the rule of not getting any information from anywhere but the leaders or approved sources, its like escaping North Korea levels of brainwashing, its a miracle to get exposed to facts, reality and objective truths when they use fearmongering to bully people into staying in the cult. any literal interpretation of myth like that is so dangerous, like flat earther levels of detachment and delusion from reality. ive met religious people i respect who can accept facts like evolution, heliocentrism, 4.5 billion year old earth, it doesnt contradict their belief in a deity. its just when people get bogged down in extremely minute details and mythology that gets so convoluted they have to detach from any and all information since it falls apart so rapidly, thats just so dangerous.
i think its deeply disturbing to raise children into religion like that when they have no choice, whether its this or scientology or flat earth haha
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
I grew up as a JW and I have to say in my 25 years out, this is the most comprehensive history of the cult and all its propaganda and weird quirks rolled all into one that I have ever seen! I can tell you put a ton of effort into this video and I just want to thank you for doing that and bringing awareness to others.
Maby you can explain why Jesus would let Satan be in control...
That's just dumb...
"We are enemys and we are at war but hey.... Please be the king for now
@@theblackgoatofthewoods why are you trying to have this conversation with me? I don't even believe in Jesus or Satan.
@@thundragurcharan Since you grew up there maby you had a copy of the strategy guide
Why is this conversation all so new?
@@theblackgoatofthewoods If you paid attention to the video, you would realize your question makes no sense in regard to JW belief.
Jesus wouldn't let Satan be in control of anything, and isn't the one to make that decision. God (Jehovah) and Jesus are not the same thing. If you're asking why God would allow this...they believe because Satan said the only reason humans worship Jehovah is because he made such a perfect world for them. They would forsake him if things weren't so easy.
Yeah, it makes no sense...but God then let Satan try to prove his point and make life tough for everyone. I guess Jehovah has an ego and needs to be proved right, and will allow everyone to suffer to prove this point. Sounds like a real character flaw to me.
As someone who studied in this religion for over half their life, you did so much research into it. So crazy to see your dedication!
Also the Apple terms and conditions part had me rolling 😂
For real. That got a real laugh outta me. And yeah... I was an actual Witness. I used to be so excited for field service.
💯
It's the puns at the end for me 😂
I'd like to say
I burst out laughing at the clip of the guy saying "That's the problem, trusting my own thinking.."
It was so out of nowhere and incredibly dystopian. With the addition of that "I want to hate what Jehovah hates" bit, that really solidified my thinking that dear God this is a cult.
That bit at the end also had me facepalming and incredibly disappointed in people, especially that Israel part. I try to have faith in humanity but sometimes things like this make it a bit hard.
...w-were those clips not from a parody film? I had assumed they were. Surely that can't be an actual serious pro-JW piece of media?
@@Shenaldrac it’s real. I know.
@@Alex-fu3mi _Holy shit._
@@Shenaldrac the brother in the video "how did i not see this" is seeing a that a women that he's hanging out with could later have a romantic relationship and cheat on his current jw wife.
@@Shenaldrac they are
This video is old so this will likely go forever unseen, but I'm happy you mentioned the blood transfusions. My grandmother was a witness, and died over the transfusions. She had cancer, and it got to the point where she had multiple tumors in her chest. She underwent surgery to remove the tumors, but denied transfusions in any event, and as such she bled to death on the operation table. This religion took my grandmother from me, and I've never forgiven them
Sorry to hear that. Wish you the best.
They've taken many lives. None of us should forgive "them"....which is really a minority of dudes in New York affecting the rights and freedoms of closed off / isolated children born to everyday Bible-reading parents who decided to swallow this poison at some point. They are guilty of so much. Obstruction of justice. Sophistry and fraud. 3rd degree Manslaughter and felony murder due to all of the shunning policies that drive so many to suicide or fear of getting a life saving medical procedure during and emergency. It's time to bankrupt them in the courts. Thankfully Pennsylvania and New York are trying their hand at it right now.
Your comment is trending!
Sorry for your grandma. Organized religions do a lot of harm, but bullying people into their own death is really messed up.
RIP, I’m so sorry for your loss, sending support to you and your family!
I am sorry to her about your loss. Do you not believe in the resurrection?
The only way out while keeping your family is to never get baptized. I was raised a JW as my mother began attending their meetings when I was 7. As a kid it was fine but by around age 11 I was able to start seeing the nonsense in their religion, which exists in most other religions as well. Wisely I was never baptized and I was able to walk away at age 18 while still getting to keep my mother. Now I'm 35, Mom is still a JW and I'm agnostic but we're also best friends. Just imagine if I got baptized as an adolescent not knowing what the hell I was doing like so many other children bamboozled into baptism. There's no way I would still be a JW. I suppose that also means I wouldn't have a relationship with my mom... We'll never agree on religion but she's the only Mom I've got. The JWs do some evil deeds when it comes to smashing families apart.
You really got lucky, i wish more people could also leave without losing everything
Yeah same here. my mom and dad met at the JW congregation in Mexico and got married, with all of my siblings being raised into the religion. When my parents moved to the US, we still kept with the religion and when we moved to where we lived, we continued to follow the religion since everyone else in my mom’s and dad’s family went to the congregation. However, my dad never got us baptized, which at the time I thought I was missing out, but now I see that he didn’t want us to go through the problems of the religion if we ever chose not to continue the religion. As well, my mom and my oldest sister got into some really bad marital drama between us and another family in the congregation we went to, which really shook up my parent’s beliefs in the religion. As well, I never believed what I was taught since I was a kid, as well as my siblings.
To be fair, looking back at our time at the JW congregation, my parents were like halfway Jehovah’s Witnesses, with believing in the religion but not really fanatics of the religion. We went from going to church 3 times a day (wednesday, Saturday, Sunday) and going door to door when I was in elementary school to now only going to Memorial every year. I’ve stopped going in general and don’t even think about the congregation, especially because I myself am queer (which is a huge no-no). Plus, my parents got divorced a bit after we stopped going to congregation, which caused allot of emotional problems between my mom, dad and my mom’s family (who are still JW). So yeah, they’ve sort of left the religion but still consider themselves JW because that’s all they’ve known, especially for my dad since most of his family has passed away with only my grandpa remaining. It’s his way of connecting with his mom who passed away before I was born and something he just passively does.
Not even that anymore. I know people who didn't get baptized but are "no longer recognized at a publisher" so they can still dock you even if you never get baptized. They know their numbers are shrinking and they're desperate.
I was born into it, I'm baptized. 21 years old and at this point I'm so far in that I wonder if faking it / being legit with it on the off chance it's real is worth it. I just don't know anymore.
@@mra0479 legit we all gotta meet up someday at a mall or something. Wear a motorcycle helmet if you're too scared to get seen lmao! I only got baptized out of fear of homelessness but I regret everything to be honest. I'm almost 30 and it honestly feels like it doesn't make a difference anymore whether I'm in or out, all my young years are gone. I'm just focused on building pathways for the youth these days so they don't have to experience what I did.
I feel like if JHVH really wanted EVERYONE to get into paradise, His plans wouldn't hang on an 8 year old's ability to convert her classmates' parents.
Major stumble. Seriously considering disassociating.
There you go thinking for yourself again. Back in the penalty box!
Same!
Please stop using so much logic!
Stop using critical thought! 🐑
But who are YOU to question the pronouncements of GOD (as translated 100% flawlessly by a bunch of weird, old men who keep changing thier mind about stuff... but still, WORD OF GOD!?!?)
The first time I met a JW was when my mom invited a coworker over to do some home repairs. It's important for context to mention that I was a girl in high school. He, a middle aged man, literally cornered me when I was home alone and started questioning me about my salvation. I just smiled and nodded along through his mini-sermon. I was just a little terrified lol.
But that interaction did help embarrass me out of pushing my own religion on people (mormon)
To any exjw, exmo, or exfundie - I'm happy you made it out!!
In all honesty, JWs are way crazier than Mormons. Most Mormon missionaries are young generally polite and reserved 19 year old kids. Alot of JWs are grizzled and elderly, and if you refuse to have their religion shoved down your throat they will close off all debate and condemn your home to the devil.
Yeah. In my home town we have both Jehovah’s and Mormons. Now the mormons here, are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. They’re less about prosteltyzing and more just being a good neighbour and friend. Jehovah’s have thrown rocks at me for being pagan. What does that bloody tell you.
@@dylantennant6594 don't fall for iit-mormons are just as bad
How did you manage to escape from him?
@@dylantennant6594 you are lying. They would never do that lol, you’re just spreading fake news
This video helped me finish waking up to this religion - it changed my life. Thank you KB
Ditto!!
Well done
Hope u're doing good man
One year on, hope life is going well and you’re living a happy life open to truth and the experiences of others. ❤
@@huckthatdish indeed. I AM. So much has changed
Shoutout to Chris Stuckmann who shared his very real personal experience growing up in all of this insanity on his channel for anyone circumstantially unaware.
Was the part @56:49 a reference to Stuckman, cause it sure seems like it was!
He was on one of the screens when future knowing better rang.
Johnny Harris came out of Mormonism... seems youtubing is the real satan
Well, at least in regards to cults he wasn't stuck, man.
@@phylwx 👏🏻😂
When you mentioned blood transfusion it reminded me of a story my friend told me (her dad's side is Jehova's Witnesses and her mom's side is Catholics). When her mom was giving birth she had some complications and lost a substantial amount of blood. She couldn't allow the doctors to perform a blood transfusion herself, so they asked my friend's dad who declined. Thankfully she survived with no consequences but it's scary to think she could have died for a religion that's not even her own...
He would have killed his wife for the Watchtower. Utterly horrific.
@@yilvoxe4017 not only killed his wife but also let his child grow up without his mother
@@kjh4112 oh yeah, absolutely same. It's nice when religion gives strength to someone, but I think people have different priorities I like to honestly know whats true and not what feels nice, but I think we all can agree when religion gets toxic and far from reality like this its not good
@@kjh4112 Why don't you also denounce the evils of Stalin and Mau. Why is only religion evil and atheism never harmed a fly
@@kjh4112You contradict yourself
I bingewatched your whole channel these last two weeks and I was precisely thinking that after Mormons and Scientology, JWs was the next logical step. Thank you, it is as good as the two preceding videos !
Better, IMO ...
Evangelicals next???
@@alliesakat oh please. I would LOVE that.
@@alliesakat what ab the cults from the 30's to the 80's? Ik the Heavens Gate cult was featured a bit in the Ancient Aliens vid, but wouldn't it be nice to have a vid that rounds out the religions that have/had the status of a cult like following? Like Jonestown or Waco (maybe with a moderate guides feel to it since we all know those types of cults are much more polarizing?)
I used to be friends with a witness in college, he seemed like a cool guy, (or well, the opposite of "cool"- he really liked star wars and anime but that's why I liked him)
We were just like, regular teenage friends until I got thrown out of my house for a week by my parents because I slept with another boy for the first time (or at least the first time they knew about)- and he and his mother let me stay with them for a couple of days.
From that day on I just remember the constant attempts to convert me, fucking bizarre outbursts like the time he stormed out of my house because he overheard me helping my little brother with his science homework (iirc it was literally a tantrum over how crude oil couldn't be decayed sea life that had become oil over millions of years, because the world isn't even that old!) and ultimately just getting like, weirdly offensive attacks on my bisexuality- like imagine a good friend who had always seemed really chill and accepting just randomly come out with "oh btw you realise you are just a vector of plague directed by the ultimate evil in the universe right?, you deserve every ounce of suffering your sin has ever brought down on you".
This shit pissed me off, but I could see that he was a decent guy being made to act like this, I wanted to show him that ~worldly~ people weren't all monsters.
The moment where I finally had to just stop talking to the guy, was when we were sat on a wall by his house- in a little cul-de-sac where every house in the neighbourhood was a witness family.
We were about 16 years old. An 11 year old girl was playing in the street on her own, riding a pink scooter around.
My friend told me, completely deadpan, that he was probably going to marry her one day, one day soon probably. I said that was a weird as fuck thing to say, even for him.
He explained that he knew this because it had already been explained to this 11 YEAR OLD GIRL that she would have to marry another witness, and given a choice between the only two guys "of her age group" in the community.
My 16 year old friend- and a 19 year old mechanic who had already caused a family to dissociate from the witnesses after he repeatedly beat the absolute shit out of their daughter.
I remember standing up, flicking my cigarette, and making one last appeal to how absurd this all was- before having this impassioned plea passively shrugged off as another attempt to stumble him. Like he had already been made to rehearse how to respond to my ~predictable~ attempt to attack his faith that would come when I eventually learned of this.
I walked away, caught the next bus out of that little village, and never spoke to him again.
"High control group" is right imo. I find something deeply disturbing about any community that operates like this. Nothing scares me more than the thought of being brainwashed into some little herd of obedient families, unable to recognise how deeply fucked up everything you are taught would sound to a regular person.
Often times I find it so difficult to verbalize WHY this religion (really cult) is so fucked up to normal people because explaining individual components is so dreadfully tedious and so much of their legislation is carefully worded. This comment however perfectly encapsulates why this system is so fucked. How does ANYONE think that this is acceptable behavior? What factors in this person's environment has led him to the belief that he will marry that little girl...viewing her no more than a simple object? Everything, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in Witness culture allows and even fomments this type of thinking. His parents were probably the goons to bring up that idea, the elders in the congregation probably openly joke that this little girl is so-so's betrothed...and an emphasis on marriage not on the basis of true actual love....but rather their supposed "spirituality ". I sincerely hope and wish that the girl finds her freedom from that God-forsaken cult. Being born as a witness is a special type of Hell.
Something about this story terrifies. Maybe it's the grouping of a bunch of zombies as a community with a common goal like a hive mind, the possibility that such a community could be raising and promoting child predators, or that some of these communities could send some of their own out into the world and gain power, authority, money, influence and sway public opinion on their kind. Like being convinced an infection is good for your body
I wonder if they’re married with kids now
@@frostbite3318 i hope not, hope that girl escaped
That's awful. I'm glad they were there for you when you needed help, but I am also glad you got out.
I appreciate the fairness applied to JW in here. Some liberties we as Americans may take for granted were won by religious folk. And while it may have been pointless, not renouncing your faith in a concentration camp IS a very brave thing to do. As somebody who left religion a long time ago and actively criticize it, it is very important to not let our criticisms blind us.
While I'm not disputing your overall point, I do have take some issue with the whole "people came to America in search of religious freedom" idea. The Puritans weren't actually a meekly oppressed sect in Britain - they held power and, if you ask the Irish, actually did rather a lot of religiously-motivated oppressing. Cromwell was not a secular dude.
If anything, most Puritans left Britain in the 1620s-1640s because they couldn't force through the reform they wanted in the Church of England at that point. They weren't protesting state religion, they were upset the state religion didn't suit them.
As a former JW, I agree with your statement to a point. The only distinction I would make is that while you may be able to find some virtuous or even advantageous aspects of religion, the negative points tend to outweigh those virtues, ESPECIALLY when the religion in question crosses the line into a cult that causes real world harm to unsuspecting people. And when those groups deny or even outright defend those behaviors, it's even harder to take an apologist stance on the virtues
While maintaining ones principles in the face of hardship is commendable, the act of defiance would be the same for any principle one is accosted to surrender. If the prison guard tells you 2+2 =5 and tortures you as long as you resist, holding onto your faith in mathematical truth would be comparably commendable, this is an optimistic stance. Not meant to say holding onto ones religion is lesser than other principles, to be clear, im stating it is only comparable or equal to standing by any other principke and should not be considered "special". Although it can be said, It will vary from religion to religion, but if you're more scared of eternal punishment, than the guards temporary punishment, then holding your religion is itself an act of fear, they didnt really have a choice
@@nimapocalyse9569 Absolutely. My point was more about people who hate without warrant or knowledge, and refuse to acknowledge something that might be inconvenient for them in their blind hatred. I usually expect a full-throated condemnation in these videos, so it is unexpected when subjectively good occurs.
@@left4twenty THERE ARE... 4 LIGHTS!!!
Whenever I learn about groups like this, as a former Evangelical, I always think back to Matthew 24:36, "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."
I imagine that verse was cut from the JW Bible
@@calvinsmith6681 nope
@@calvinsmith6681 lol why? It's a real verse.
@@BlakeGeometrio then explain why they keep fixing dates to the end times
But apparently crack pots can figure out the year.
In the university I worked in in the UK, Witnesses targeted their recruitment on newly arrived international students who had no connection to the area, no family and no friends. Some of their British workers were fluent in Chinese / Korean etc. They'd reel them in by inviting them to 'make friends' with others at some community events. It was really shady and we tried our best to warn them away from it.
You guys are the crazy ones, thinking JW's are 'crazy'
@@lugi3392 hey honey what are you doing looking at apostate stuff? Perhaps you also think it's a little bonkers hm?
Funny you'd mention Chinese people: a guy from my high school, who was in a JW family and wanted to become a designer, ended up kinda forced to take English courses in order to go become an English teacher, in... China! His task there was of course not to teach English, but to convert Chinese kids whose families would be unfamiliar with JWs. Not sure what happened to him after that, though :/
That's actual cult activity holy cow
@@lugi3392 They are crazy ass cultists.
I grew up a Jehovah’s Witness for the first 14 years of my life. It definitely shaped who I am today, and in all ways bad. I grew up being pressured that no one outside the congregation mattered to my family and I and I felt judged every single day by “worldly” people in school and from every door slammed shut when we would be forced to go door-to-door every Saturday morning. Social anxiety was a huge consequence of this upbringing.
We had to log our times doing so and were ranked among others by how many hours and “return calls” we made to people interested. There’s nothing better as a child like learning that people don’t want to talk to you or think you’re crazy for dressing in full suits and walking around neighborhoods knocking on doors. Also, in my city, the Kingdom Halls mysteriously had no windows until around 2004. Cult-like now that I think about it. They were very private in that way.
Here are a few things I witnessed as a JW:
We were told only 144,000 souls would be taken to Heaven after death/Armageddon. All other JWs would be reincarnated as themselves in Paradise on Earth after the doomsday. At the Memorial Holiday (JW version of Easter), we passed crackers and wine and only those who BELIEVED they were of the 144,000 chosen souls could drink and eat. The ceremony was done in silence and it was quite awkward.
There were arranged marriages in the church between families. These were restricted to wedding ceremonies only in the Kingdom Halls.
College attendance was heavily discouraged. Instead, we were taught to go to Bethel, NY to be a Bible Student and nothing else.
The congregation is organized with ranks of leadership and women were not allowed past a certain level. “Elders” were the leaders of the individual congregation. My father was one. One of my immediate family members had a troubled stage as a pre-teen which resulted in being r*ped by someone she had been dating (outside of the church). Consequently, my father was stripped of his Elder role because his lack of leadership at home “caused” that incident to occur. My father would never quite forgive my family member for this.
An old family friend from the church had cheated on his wife while being a JW. He was “disfellowshipped” and we were not allowed to make any contact with him again. Years later he would beg forgiveness from the Elders to rejoin with his new family and children. We were now allowed to speak to him again. Less than a year ago, he died due to CoVid. His wife had passed years ago and he left behind his two orphaned children. He dangerously refused vaccination, which the church was against, and it resulted in orphaning his teenage kids. His family were also JWs and tried to take the children in on one condition: that they go to church with them and become full-time JWs. They refused. They were then shunned by their entire family and now are struggling to survive with no parents or family that will care for them. Children!
Disfellowship is the most disgusting part of this cult that I have witnessed and there is no remorse taken by church members. In my experience, JWs are very nice to each other and those who show interest in Jehovah but pure evil and hypocritical to anyone they do not believe serves their interests. They are heavily private and exclusive and take part in indoctrinating each other through the Watchtower and Awake! magazines that were read in the 3 weekly meetings. I still feel the trauma from this religion to this day and I would never encourage anyone to join. If you made it this far, thanks for reading.
The truth is not for cowards, or those without faith.
As a JW, I have never seen an "arranged marriage".
And the college discouragement appears very wise at this point. Considering most colleges are indoctrination centers.
@@777Tralfaz777 isn’t a Kingdom Hall an indoctrination center?
@@lunarus5805 Not really for adults. But I could see why some may considered it that way for children. Indoctrinated in the truth of God's word. Parents have the responsibility to train and guide their children. If you want to call that indoctrination, that is up to you. I wouldn't.
As opposed to colleges, that more recently teach crazy things like gender studies, or the like, speaking against actual truth of reality.
@@777Tralfaz777 I mean, JWs teach that Jerusalem fell in 607 when it really fell in 587. No matter how much word play you use, you can’t change a date
@@777Tralfaz777 even for adults I would tbh. They are led on with the idea of living forever, then once they are in deep enough, they are essentially told, if they stop they WILL be killed. Sounds like a cult to me
you are getting a massive response to this.
yeah, as an Ex-JW I'm glad that there are people never involved who can take a dispassionate look and call crazy out. But your last couple minutes are so important. Evangelical Christianity is becoming more and more like the JWs (and to a lesser extent Mormons). It is tough as someone who has a somewhat heterodox faith but mostly aligns with the faith claims of evangelicalism to see them become that kind of political cult of personality. It also is weird to watch the JWs go from decrying televangelism up until I left in 2004 and now have these weird fawning videos of the Governing Body. I sometimes wonder if I"m not watching these two worlds collide like some fever dream from Alice in Wonderland.
Hey there. Could I ask you a few questions? No pressure. I've asked these questions before on some ex-JW videos on here, but I've never received a single response. Any insight would be appreciated.
Anyways, I always feel terrible when JW's come to my door which happens about twice a year. It's always some old lizard with a poor child who looks extremely uncomfortable and nervous. Who wouldn't be? I wouldn't want to spend my weekends (or childhood) doing this. It must also royally suck being a JW if you're super shy or have an anxiety disorder. Then again, you probably stop caring after awhile. Do you absolutely HAVE to knock on doors? I know this is probably a rediculous question, but is there a waiver you can apply for? I mean, what if you're handicapped or have a severe mental disorder? I've never seen one in a wheelchair and I can't picture one with paranoid schizophrenia knocking on doors.
Recently a young woman handed me a pamphlet while I was pumping gas (which royally spooked me because I was wearing headphones) and I immediately noticed "watchtower" on the back and thought "oh no". I genuinely felt sorry for her because I knew she was probably robbed of a normal childhood and would lose everything if she ever decided to leave. Plus I've heard that women are expected to be submissive and everything for them is decided by church elders (old men). I've also heard stories about being under a lot of pressure and stress.
My main question is this: is there anything I could say to the next JW who approaches me to help guide them towards questioning things, or would I just be wasting my time? I just want to plant a little seed that says "life can be so much better outside the church". What would YOU personally say if one knocked at your door right now, besides that you've been disfellowshipped? What made you decide to leave? Was there a trigger moment or was it a slow progression? Do most ex-JWs decide to leave on their own because they've had enough?
Could you become disfellowshipped for going to college? How big of a deal is it? Is it actually banned or is it just heavily discouraged? I also saw that "touching yourself" is considered absolutely haram, which seems downright impossible...especially while growing up. If you did give in to this ultimate sin, would you have to confess to your elders?
Do you celebrate holidays and birthdays now or does it feel weird? I just read that birthdays are considered sinful because they're selfish, have pagan roots, and are not mentioned in the bible (if I'm understanding this right). I don't understand how so much value could be placed into something so innocent. I also feel bad for the kids who aren't allowed to participate in school celebrations. Did it ever make you feel isolated or disconnected from everyone else, or did you really not care? Did you ever secretly celebrate anything? Do JWs not believe in dinosaurs because they're not mentioned in the bible either? I was just looking at the official explanation for not celebrating on the official JW website. It feels like propaganda. They actually quoted a six year old on why he doesn't care about birthdays. It's so obvious that this was written by an adult.
I apologize if any of these questions came out wrong or were disrespectful. I hope I don't sound like the stereotypical militant atheist/redditor. It's just that after watching Lea Remini's "Aftermath" episode about JW's, I want to help somehow without making anyone feel uncomfortable or defensive.
Thank you friend.
How is Evangelical Christianity becoming like JW?
@@tnorthrup1986 thank you tremendously for your response. I genuinely appreciate it. You answered everything I was curious about.
I'll definitely check that out too. Your insight is super interesting as well, you could make your own channel talking about your experiences. I'd sub.
I also have no idea anymore where I stand on the political spectrum anymore, but I agree with your last sentence 100%. I used to be far right when I was younger, then I got frustrated and understood the left a little more. Now I hate both sides and don't know what to believe anymore. I'm just tired of everything.
Anyways, I'm glad that you got out and hope you're living a better life. I'm glad you shared your story with a total stranger like me. I wish you the absolute best.
@@xixingpooh love your name and pic, lol. You probably just lost 200 points to your social credit score.
@@nightshadehelis9821 Definitely
Former Jehovahs Witness here and everything he said is 100% accurate, so prepare to be labeled an Apostate
is your family still in the faith? my mom said really weird things when i brought up my criticisms of the organization, like how “other apostates she knows” are really terrible people and are sexually promiscuous or something
@@user-id9bn1ic9v The HORROR of being sexually promiscuous lol
Why is your name Just Vienna?
we got Johovahs in here?
@@amirmirzaei3940 *YeeHeeWeeHee
Nice sub count
It's true, as a Mormon I watched the whole Mormon video. It was rather well balanced. I am shocked at how brutal the Jehovah's Witnesses are in their community to keep members in at all costs and to shun those that leave. This is not how love works.
I don’t mean to say one religion is better or the other, but there’s a reason your faith has more members and are predominantly in Utah with some communities in nearby states like Nevada and Idaho.
The JWs don’t have much members compared to Mormons and they don’t predominate in a state.
So did the Israelites really come to America?
@@ranelgallardo7031 I went to a really small island called Eluthera in the Bahamas and they had a kingdom hall there. Like there's only one highway on this tiny island and they had JW's there
@@Marlyjade I’m guessing that’s the only place where they predominate.
@@ranelgallardo7031 they’re literally everywhere
Had a local JW who visited my family for decades, my parents were Socially Anglican (attended church and church functions for the community aspects and the "morality" lessons of religion, but fundamentally disagreed with most of the Bible due to their understanding of science) and I was Athiest for as long as I can remember, so nobody was interested but my parents thought it polite to at least have a short conversation with him whenever he came around. On the front porch though, the one time they invited him in he talked their ears off about his religion and refused to recognize common polite hints that he should leave as they had other things to do.
He was eventually arrested and charged as part of a CP bust.
I was not surprised.
I grew up Protestant (Churches of Christ), we looked at the JWs largely with confusion. They seemed to follow the teachings of their weekly magazine more than the Bible. In fact, they made their own version of the Bible to better fit with their teachings.
It’s modern capitalism meets Christianity
Well that is what religion is for
@@kalelobe5710 no it's just another cult, it has nothing to do with economics
@@KopitioBozynski well, that depends on what your consider religion to be for.
That's rich coming from a protestant
Ex JW, of the OG variety. My grandfather attended some of the first JW meetings in Allegheny as a kid in the 20s and 30s. Had all the old books. I have never seen someone explain it as well as you have.
But an important PSA for the comments crowd here: There IS some regional variance to JW beliefs and customs. Especially with minutia. Even some congregations have their own tiny adjustments. I remember my dad always wore a white shirt to give public talks on Sundays, just because at some halls they wouldn't let you on stage with another color.
Every family adheres to a different degree in private. Some drink more than they should. Some watch movies they oughtn't. A lot of them fuck around until they get caught.
Even though the JW culture tries to force everyone to be the same, each of our experiences is unique.
Its about time someone says this. I know your an ex jw and all but thanks for saying that
My grandma is a JW and accepts gay and trans people weirdly enough
Well said
And I also was going to comment on the same. I was raised in it and I learned from my mother about the regional differences. About the f'ing till they get caught I can't attest to but it happens I'm sure. I'm never ever one to use I'm only human as an excuse or reduce my accountability for my actions. But in their defense their only human and married couples are not always equally invested/ invested to varying degrees in the JW beliefs so leading to varying degrees of participation and level of belief. One partner might never of fully truly committed or converted for personal reasons but stayed. I can tell already from there comments made that there is some misinformation and maybe over reaction. And to those screaming bloody murder in concern for the witnesses still engaged and active with their congregations I would assure you not to worry to any hyper extreme and understand why you might regardless but I'm not knowing the full spectrum of all the regional differences and to what extent the differences potential collateral effect on the whole. At the time of first learning about the regional differences I can only parallel it to some degree with the Catholic churches expansions if you noticed that everywhere they went to spread their churches influence the church doctrines never escaped some meshing / integration with local belief systems and local customs from the indigenous peoples of whatever area the new church's installation resided in. Now to evaluate the veracity of the video/ film,..,
Hey is there a way for you to get in contact with me?
I was asked by a Jehova's Witness once - after telling her that I was an atheist - what I thought the meaning of life was.
I told her that life is just nature's way of keeping meat fresh. She said "That's what fridges are for"
She’s not wrong but your answer is troubling.
@@PaperMario64 It depends. He could be going for the whole Camus thing.
@@mikaeljensen4399 where did Camus write about that?
It's completely true. We would have barely been able to eat anything if it all died instantly and started rotting. Nothing would have happened
Ah yes, technically correct, the best kind of correct
"The Watchtower Society" literally sounds like the name of an evil organization from a YA Dystopian novel.
What does Christendom sound like?
Many years ago I was shot during an armed robbery. Was out later than I thought it was, wrong place, wrong time.
My chart notes show that I lost 9 liters of blood while trying to patch me, and then the burst blood clot that nearly killed me again that night. That's 19 pints. The average adult male holds 10-11 pints of blood.
If I were a Witness, I'd be dead.
Glad you're still here with us
You also wouldn't be a witness (ha ha ha)
wow, if you were a witness, thats a negative amount of blood in your veins. impressive indeed
@@philip8498 Does it really count like that? Hah. I love it. I feel like a vampire to these folks.
impressive.
My father is a huge JW, though he was actually disfellowshipped (for marrying a non JW 😑) but still believes in it. I think that their entire belief system is super fucked up and cruel, and it’s kinda sorta messed a lot of things up in my life
Try showing him this video
@@ErickeTR I don’t talk to him
Sorry for that :/
Same boat brother….my bio dad burned out on drugs and fell back into JW which he had been born into. We barely have a relationship anymore despite his constant proscelatyzing
No one can get disfellowshiped for marrying outside the faith. I'm calling straight up lie. No one born a JW only upon becoming dedicated and baptised does one become liable. It is your lies that make me hardcore not the G.B.
the thing about the blood is so true, not completely sure about the storing your own blood but i remember when i had to go do surgery i wanted blood to save my life in case i needed it but my mom told the doctors not to give it to me no matter what, i was so glad to hear the doctors told her since i was underage they are forced by law to give it to save my life
I would have started abusing my mom if I was you ngl. Like…. No mother should ever want her kid to die
Yes this is a common misconception. Many people think JWs can refuse blood transfusions on behalf of their minor children. They cannot. We can and are required to give blood transfusions when indicated, and not just autotransfusions, but banked blood as well.
My husband works at our local hospital, and a similar scenario happened with a little girl who needed emergency surgery. The witnesses made a big deal out of it, but ultimately the law got involved because they can't just let a little girl die due to religious beliefs. Doesn't matter which religion. They're going to do what they have to do to save a child, religion be damned.
@@Elegant_Sausage we don’t need legal to get involved, but we can pull hospital legal in to help explain. We are not required to abide by a parents wishes to deny lifesaving treatment and are not required to get an ethics board or a court order involved.
@@michaelgoldstein8516 That's good to hear. Reminds me of that Scrubs episode where Dr. Cox had to find another way to help a JW member bc she refused blood.
The story made it seem like he needed to be tolerant and he comes up with another solution we aren't actually privy to.
Imo it's an idiotic sentiment. It's not culturally sensitive to ignore basic fact to save a life; caring about that takes precedent over faith.
Glad at least for kids you can tell the parents to f**k (YT really is censoring curses smh) off and do your job.
And that doctors and the law don't generally think it's ok encourage this dangerous madness.
"Ever since Adam failed to read the Apple terms and conditions" has got to be the best way to phrase the original sin I've ever heard. That's just fantastic.
I'm an Ex-JW born into this particular cult. Having experienced being DF'ed as a minor, I'm not sure I could characterize raising a child in this belief system as anything less than child abuse. I became a better critical thinker as a result of leaving, but that's akin to throwing a child in the ocean to teach them to swim-- it certainly could have had different outcomes (i.e. suicide).
Well, you do sound bitter.......
And also hysterical
@@bobbycecere1037 You sound unmannered and judgemental.
@@kylegreen5600
Am I judgmental for calling you hysterical ? You claim parents who raise thier own children to adopt there belief system is akin to child abuse.
Yeah...... I find that hysterical.
And SUPER judgmental. So it's odd you would claim I'm the one who's judgmental 🤨
@@bobbycecere1037 you sound like a witness. Maybe go meet your maker a bit sooner? Please?
@@bobbycecere1037 it looks s very much like child abuse
The more I learn about Jehovah’s Witnesses, the weirder they get. They are the strangest, most bizarre sect of Christianity I have ever seen.
Edit: As a side note, it also seems like the JW organization is becoming more extreme, reclusive, and delusional over time, which is concerning for its members. I really hope this doesn’t become a full on cult tragedy.
Honestly I barely consider them Christian anymore
there is nothing Christian about them. they are non-trinitarian, deny the Resurrection, and don't follow actual scripture. even Mormons are closer to being actual Christians than JWs.
Give it 100 years and I'm sure it'll be even more wild if it hasn't already fizzled out
They are a cult or high control group. I would say a minor cult but they surely are a cult.
@@dichloro_arsine542 I'd argue Islam is closer to Christianity as they believe Jesus was actually Jesus, JWs think he's the archangel Michael
I've been out for 20 years and this still sends a shiver down my spine. It's an evil cult that is a blight on humanity.
I have the same feeling… I have been out for 19 years and I still have nightmares.
Why because of Armageddon pictures when Hollywood makes an Armageddon movie every 3 months.
@@lifeswhatyoumakeit3696 Get a hobby, man...what on earth do you get out of badgering traumatized people opening up to us about their past?
I'm quite certain you're some flavor of Christian cultist and your posts come off as unhinged as one would expect given the source
Stupid yes. Evil no.
@@SCHRODINGERS_WHORE I don't know dude, an organization that covers up known child predators and murderers sound pretty evil to me.
I'm a recent xjw and I just want to give you a HUGE compliment on how well done this video was! For someone who was never in, you have an amazing understanding of the history, nuances of the culture, and even the language. "Theocratic English" isn't that easy to get the hang of😋 I was PIMO for a year during the pandemic and then when they reinstituted in-person meetings I decided I wasn't going back. Now I'm "inactive" and I just celebrated Christmas for the first time in my life😊 Btw, I love the smurf in the background!
I always thought the Smurfs was stupid. But I recall in the 1980s JWs was telling people not to get those toys for the children. I still got one for My Son and allowed him to watch the cartoon. By that time I hated The Queendom Hall since age 10 My Mother stopped forcing Me to go when I became a teen mother at 15.
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
Ex-JW and former Ministerial Servant here. I appreciate this video immensely. It was well researched and you nailed along of the lingo. Though I do have one small correction. When you noted that you're considered an "apostate" source, that is not completely accurate. You would generally be referred to as an apostate source for speaking on this material because it all gets grouped together and those who would want to dissuade others from viewing your content don't care what or who you are, but you are not an apostate yourself. JWs classify apostates as those who turn their back on the faith (specifically their religion, not Christianity in general).
Have you ever read or have seen one of those spiral bound elders books or whatever. I have no affiliation with JDubs or have even been one before but I've become so interested in learning how people fall into this kind of thing. I feel like the elders manual is probably like a really big insight into this isn't it?
@@Marlyjade People are born into it, or marry into it for the most part. For 18 years as a child I never saw the door to door service result in many conversions.
The ones that did were people who were having a terrible life. As crazy as the JW's are, there is even worse ways to be raised. How many parents are drug addicts, alcoholics who abuse their children, or neglect them. Most conversions are from people who grew up with horrific parents and are now addicts themselves. In that respect the JW's help them clean up their life, have a sense of purpose, family, etc. So from where they were it was a positive for them actually...even though now they have a whole new set of crazy in their life.
@@Marlyjade people are either born into it or are wrapped up in the religion in a time of grief. a common recruitment tactic is to focus on the prospect of paradise and the raising of those who passed away. people who have recently lost a loved one often feel bargaining and want to see them again, so the offer that if they join this religion they can is tantalizing. it, and the isolating nature of the religion and shunning, also help keep people in, because if they don't they won't be able to see them again.
I used to have a JW housemate.... he was fine, his mother that decided to live with us rent-free was insane.... It took a year to get her to move out. I almost got evicted in the process.
Sound like a Sitcom premise but play like a 365 day chess tournament with no breaks
@@horushyperion76 Chess... she drank all my booze then blamed me for it being in the house. It was like having a dictator live with us... my wife is still mad about it 5 years off. Funny how their rules only apply when the elders know...
As someone who was raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church it would actually be interesting to see a video about it. I actually saw a lot of similarities in what I was taught as a child in this video. Like how Adventist are always told that they are the only true religion chosen directly by God himself, no one else has a legitimate claim to call themselves Christians.
I was raised as SDA too. Lot of similarities teachings and in the language (worldly, the truth, etc).
Luckily SDA don’t shun, so I can still visit my parents and my sister.
Would be great to hear video about SDA - although they are more boring than JW.
Yo dude, as a current SDA I kinda want to see that video too. It's always good to take a critical look at what one believes or that they're raised in.
I mean I wasn't taught anything like "Like how Adventist are always told that they are the only true religion chosen directly by God himself, no one else has a legitimate claim to call themselves Christians." But I do know Adventist who do believe something like that.(There's even some of that here on RUclips) And your experience is valid, religion can mess ppl up.
I think most SDAs would say that God has sheep in other flocks, and the point is to accept Jesus not a specifically any denomination.
Same, I'd be interested in seeing the history of the SDA church from a source that isn't the church itself.
they're cousin sects, born out of the same branch
This is not at all uncommon. I was raised partly Mormon and among the many questions I was asked before being baptised (my 2nd of 3) was 'Do you believe the LDS is the one true church of God?' (They were not amused by my answer, 'I'm 8, how am I supposed to know?')
ExJW here. I can’t get over how well researched this is. The common verbiage is even on point. Love that you’ve simplified the teachings making it very easy to identify as a cult. Well done.
(And the overlapping generation! I couldn’t believe that this was the new teaching. )
12:00 "Ever since Adam failed to read the apple terms and conditions" this is the funniest Bible joke ever, everyone can go home
36:39 “Don’t eat blood!”
Me, a Vietnamese Catholic who occasionally eats pork blood jelly because it’s a common ingredient in certain Vietnamese dishes: “Oops”. 🤭
But if cooked properly, it’s actually perfectly safe for consumption.
Also in the Philippines there's a dish of pork simmered in pig blood and vinegar, we call it "dinuguan".
The Greeks did it, eat Asians do it, c'mon people, open up to that blood
In Mexico we eat Moronga... goat blood
In Poland we have a soup called Czarnina and it's made with blood, its pretty good ngl
In the UK we eat black pudding, which is a sausage made from pig's blood, fat, oatmeal/breadcrumbs and spices. I love it, but my husband hates it
I would be interested in seeing a video on Evangelist Christians more broadly, although I understand that might be kind of hard to track seeing as that’s literally dozens of groups
Thousands actually.
But they all broadly follow from the same sources and influences so there's a lot of overlap. Usually the difference is more in who is leading the cult, excuse me, "religion" than any major doctrinal disagreements.
If KB does that, he's gotta delve into the rise in christian nationalism. Especially with the ending of this video. That part about who will be Trump's #2 (ew) was pretty chilling tbh.
DW (english language german news on RUclips) did one not too long ago, although its not Knowing Better 😁
There’s a small community on RUclips that talks more specifically about various fundamentalist/evangelical groups. For starters, I recommend checking out Fundie Fridays!
The term "Evangelical" even has a bunch of different meanings, from political to theological. It's well-known that a large portion of black evangelical church members don't use the word evangelical to describe their faith due to the connotations it carries politically. It's to the point where polls which group by religious beliefs and use the word "evangelical" can be considered misleading because some people use the word to describe more political beliefs whereas others use it to describe theology.
@@courtneyheidenreich2818 A lot of her topics are not fundamentalist nor Christian though, nor is evangelicalism in much of the world extremist, so I'd suggest being mindful of that when coming across stories about particular cults. Evangelical nationalism in general is far more mundane which in fact is the core of it's effect and potential danger. And all evangelicalism is not nationalist either. The terminology gets quite complicated and we should be careful. "Evangelical-Lutheran" means something completely different in the Nordics than the "evangelical movement" as multi-denominational orientation does in America or e.g. Asia. There's a tone difference that can be compared to the slight difference between the words "evangelic" and "evangelical".
I'm an EX JW. I was born into it. I never liked going to the meeting as a child. I've always been a creative person who love to contribute in the world. Watching this video and reading the comments here just made me realize why my relationship with my Dad has gone bad over these past few years that I decided to narrow down on my creativity and contribute to the world. Unlike other exJWs here in the comment I never felt rejected by them because my head was never there but my relationship with my dad keeps getting bad by the day. I now fully understand why we are growing apart. I think I need to be the bigger person here to reach out to him about our relationship. Thanks for this video.
I used to be a Jehovah’s Witness. It was a really hard time in my life. I don’t wish that lifestyle on anyone. They try to control every part of your life and when you can’t live up to their standards, they kick you to the curb…
@Yang Wen Li Right they preach about unconditional love but fail to show it in any sense of the word. They are brainwashed to be cold fake and highly judgmental. The amount of gossiping and hypocrisy amongst themselves is INSANE.
They definitely do not try to control every part of your life.
You are confusing counsel with orders. Outside of standard Christian precepts you can live any way you want to.
@@bobbycecere1037 so many witnesses in the comments
@@MaticTheProto
Or just people with common sense not stuck in a bubble like you.
I believe you.
60 minutes of Knowing Better??! I’m in heaven
Heaven? Anything I need to do to get there with you?
No, you're on a paradise in Earth.
Ye when he it was going to longer than the Moran video i checked how long and im like omg its a hr
Indeed. But...which one 0_o?
@@ntr10me lmao jws would say ur not
The videos just keep getting longer, and I’m definitely not complaining
I am. They're too long for me to watch while I'm folding laundry now. How dare he continue to provide us with exceptional content! I won't stand for this!
**sits down**
@@alexray230 just buy more clothes so it’ll take longer to do laundry!1!!
KB just keeps moving the end time of his videos back harder than a JW moves back an end times prophecy
You broke this down impressively…22 years in this Organization and I learned a couple of things I never know. Thanks you greatly for your work!!!
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
"Don't trust your own thoughts."
"Wait, shouldn't that go for you, too?"
"Well I have jehovah on my side."
"How do you know that?"
"Stop asking questions."
Not even close to Jehovah's witnesses, but I'd answer "inspiration", and leave you speechless.
You're going by what some crazy weirdo tells you didn't you say trump was his name
One of my dance teachers was a Jehovah's Witness. To this day it still surprises me, given that she owned her own studio, taught classes to easily hundreds of kids, and therefore dealt with "worldly people" all the time. There were a few students I remember who were also Jehovah's Witnesses (and a handful of Mormons, if I recall correctly), but it definitely wasn't the majority. She was forced to close the studio earlier this year due to covid, but she always seemed like a relatively well-adjusted, kind woman and she helped me gain a lot of confidence as a kid. It's very unlikely, but I hope she leaves the church one day, for her own well-being.
JWs vary person to person so they are all different. Also this video had some inaccuracies and its not as cruel as it describes. I guess a better way of calling JWs would be to refer to them as acting or imitating First Century Christians as in the greek scriptures it refers to disfellowshipping, elders, circut overseers ect. Do look in your own Bible if you want. No pressure
@@megajaredx9679 🤣
@@gaba_goblin what? It really does.
Her benevolence you owe in large part to the teachings of her faith.
@@megajaredx9679 I did not know they've been bothering normal people since the first Century. TIL.
Thank you for continuing to shed light on how much people believe we're in the end times, it's really disturbing. I recently found out several extended family members believe it, and it's a wake up call to hear this. Every generation thinks they're the last. It's a dangerous coping mechanism of self importance and it should be talked about more.
I agree and think that this subject warrants a video of it's own and sooner rather than later (as it could well turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy).
UN literally published a paper that Earth will become unhabitable in this century. So, even secular guys are into doomsday.
@@v21829 The difference is 'secular guys' will do all that they can to prevent it. (Some) evangelicals do all that they can to usher it in it as they believe it's god's plan.
@@Shaun.Stephens Just wait for the secular guys to become nihilists and they start to accelerate it.
@@liammcclish4291 We should just nuke everything and everyone. That'll ensure our carbon footprint is totally zero.
*quickly hides his mad max dvds*
Damn, the biggest loss I ever felt since I left JW faith was recognizing that I wouldn't get my pet panda. Thanks for reminding me....
Duuuuude…now I’m thinking about reading the Bible stories book as a kid and how much joy I felt looking at the pictures of the kids playing with the animals!
I’ve been out a little while now but, I choose to believe that one thing only. Someday I’ll be peacefully playing with allum!
@@kayloiio Congrats on getting out
Tried dating a JW once. Nice girl; she was gorgeous and and enjoyed our philosophical conversations. But romantically it was doomed. In retrospect, I underestimated how much of a grip JW has in its people.
That stinks. What made it romantically doomed?
@@bjkarana JWs don't allow dating non JWs unless you get them to convert.
@@DianaCHewittOh. Yeah that would harsh my mellow.
Its cause she( and every jw) has to love Jehovah more than anyone else. Are you going to make her perfect, will you keep all your promises, will you give her everlasting life?
You were not dating her, she was only seducing you so that you would convert.
I know.
On that final note regarding the protection of predators, I used to go to secondary (high) school with a bunch of Jehovies for my last two years for it. Eventually met my ex through them (she had left the cult but still had to live with her parents at the time, while not completely shunned it wasn't much better. Eventually she told me her oldest brother had molested her when she was 5 and because of their rules, her family covered it up and pretended it didn't happen because she was the only witness. Shit made me sick to think about, started looking at the group of them differently after hearing that
A bad environment will twist anyone's sense of self. They probably aren't bad people, just people stumbling in a fog of their own making.
Also, sorry that happened to her and that the relationship didn't work out for whatever reason.
@@confusedwhale you're not wrong. A perfect example of that is when she went on holiday with a bunch of other Jehovie family members over in Scotland. They pressured her back into the whole thing until she got home and sent her on a whole downward spiral. Also part of why it didn't work out, it was like they completely changed who she was over there and I just wasn't able to handle that. Shit was Fubar
I was typing “it’s disturbing to me how much of this was taught in my American evangelical church growing up,” then you hit us with that FUCKING MIRROR AT THE END
Yeah that was hard hitter
I had a friend who was JW, her mom joined when she was a pre teen, so for the most part of our friendship she didn't really believed much of it, but it was scary to see her changing how fast the brainwashing happened. at first she was a normal kid who loved Harry Potter and Jules Verne, then she started preaching how read about magic was bad and she didn't want to make god sad with her behavior, then her mom said I could go to their house if didn't studied the Bible, I was forced into that for few months, because I didn't want to lose my best friend. But at one point it became unbearable, her mom was mean and condescending, my best friend started to treat me as someone she couldn't trust, because since I was an atheist with a family that did not practiced any religion, I clearly had something wrong. and she had a lot of health problems, but she would not have surgery because even her dad trying to help, the mom had brainwashed her and her sister into believe they'd be doing something wrong if they go against the religion.
I grow up with a catholic background but a mostly non religious upbringing, my sister and I are both atheist, and we have family members in various religions from shamanism to evangelical, but I don't trust JW, I saw up close how they fractured a family and brainwashed my friend.
I love the Chris Stuckmann Easter egg. The attention to detail in these videos just keeps getting more impressive.
@56:49 if anyone is wondering
Also Lloyd Evans and Telltale who are ex-jw activists. 😉
i’m so happy you did a video on this. my grandparents raised me as a JW, and put me in an arranged marriage when i was about 10, telling me over and over that when i was an adult i would be marrying the student my grandfather taught. luckily i escaped it when i was 17 but it was so heart wrenching to constantly be told as a female that you don’t get any freedoms
Ok even by JW standards thats screwed up. Sorry you went through that
@@davidnoelfranks1124 I have a feeling this ain't JW and that's more of a different religion
That... is messed up, even for JW's.
@@cityatsea8507 i think the issue was i came from a line of elders, like my great grandpa was a district overseer and my grandpa was a the head elder at our kingdom hall (forgot the title) so i think there was pressure to keep that succession going
@sigmagrindset86 I don't know honestly. But I've never heard of any JWs by a long shot having arranged marriages like that ever
As a Christian myself, I never understood all that numerology and end of days prediction stuff. It’s my job to love God and love others. Though I fall short every day, I endeavor to do that to the best of my ability in both the short and long terms.
Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you friends. :)
God bless you on your walk too :)
God bless you
Deus te abençoe.
I don't believe in God but I firmly believe in your interpretation of how it should be. Hopefully you find more happiness in the future dude
I'm a Noachide (believes in Judaism but never converted and has less rules) and I completely agree. G-d will decide if and when the world ends, not randomly plucked numbers that were usually rough estimations anyway
I was a witness for the first 33 years of my life. I've been out for about 7, and am still recovering. This video is FANTASTIC. Thank you for making it. its a trip, and some more shit to unpack.
I was once invited to a JW church, and must say the experience was bizarre; half the sermon was techniques and demonstrations for going door to door to minister. Also had a brief intro into the religion in my childhood, a relative would visit but only to discuss the religion and when my mom told them they were welcome but to visit and not to minister, they didn't come over anymore. Even as someone who was deeply religious for seven years, I found that specific sect and the practices strange. What bothers me the most is the refusal of blood transfusions; if someone doesn't want it for themselves that is their choice but denying children care on the basis of the parents religion is infuriating.
Hah they must have invited you to mid-week meeting which has training bits, weekend meeting is bible talk that should be accessible to general public and then "deeper truths" through watchtower magazine
Just starting this video, I can already picture what's in jt.
I was raised as JW, and programmed the world would end before I got to high school.
I also had the fortune to survive a life threatening surgery at 4 years old that my parents refused the use of any blood transfusions for....so it's lucky I'm even here.
@39:55 It's not that non witnesses are going to die so why bother. Anyone that isn't a JW is "worldly" and bad association.
I still remember coming home from school and accidentally calling someone from school a "friend". You would think I drowned a puppy. I had to be talked to by the elders, and it was made very clear those were my classmates and NOT friends...they are "bad association".
When I was a kid my friend who was a JW told me his family didn’t celebrate his birthday. He said Jesus didn’t receive presents for his birthday so why should he.
Fair enough for you I thought, but on thinking of it Jesus did receive presents at birth. Gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Let's be 100 fair, besides that what did he got on his other birthdays? Nor kings or even moses got presents either.
Its not that i agree with them, just saying that it's kinda fair, I think.
@@toobig7150 I mean the Bible isn't exactly a perfect account of events. Does scripture ever mention Jesus taking a shit? Nope. By an extension of this logic then the Son of Man never defecated. However this is certainly untrue; the Savior is both man and God as one. So in conclusion Jesus dropped fat deuces and Moses partied like it was 1999 (BCE).
Also Moses most definitely got blackout drunk on wine and stripped his clothes off. That's in Bible. It's the wildest book I swear lol.
@@Austin-gj7zj At least one Church Father, Epiphanius, did actually argue that Jesus didn't poop. Neither here nor there really, just a fun fact
@@Austin-gj7zj one would imagine that something like that would be mentioned for someone else in the Bible, be some of the judges, kings, or someone.
But I can see your point.
@@Austin-gj7zj where in the bible is that? Maybe yourr thinking of Noah?
I’m an ex-JW, and literally knew almost none of this history, especially in relation to incorrect predictions, etc. They do a really good job of erasing ‘old light’. I didn’t leave because of any of the inconsistencies, I left because I didn’t agree with their treatment of LGBTQ+ people, in addition to that of people with mental or chronic illnesses - as due to my mother’s illnesses we missed many meetings growing up and were ‘bad association’.
So, you left because of your moral corruption, and now find reasons to justify it? You know that is what you are doing.
They are NOT allowed. But there are some who are married/single. Many of the beta-males are soft & smell like pussy _(figuratively)._ They might as well be that. Many are not good protectors of women & family _Leave it in Jehovah's hands._ However, they're respectful when mingling with *_"Friends."_*
My Mother wanted males like that to wisk Me away when I grew up and Marry Me like in some Snow White Walt Disney Movie. Not a Alpha Man like My Father. My Father _(Baptist)_ already married to My Mother for 9 years when she joined. He never really accepted that religion studying briefly once every few years. Without him Me & My Brothers would not have had any real fun.
Many black males talk all nasally like Al Roker/Bryant Gumbel, having to take the bass out of their voice & most are corny.
All types of Child Abuse goes on. Alcoholism, Prescription drug abuse.
I was born into SlaveHovah's Kingdom via My Mother. I stopped liking it at age 10 when I started really thinking about SlaveHovah's Wickedness WitchTower Authority forming My opinion about it.
@@777Tralfaz777people leave for many reasons, and the organization is rife with “moral corruption”. They just hide it. Greed and control by men run it, not God.
@@777Tralfaz777 lol mental illness as corruption. Y’all are silly
@@777Tralfaz777ow. You're nasty and that not what they did at all
My late father was a Jehovah’s Witness and he did try to convert myself and siblings. All he managed to do was turn my siblings into atheists. He choose for a very long time not to have a relationship with his family. That all changed when my younger sister died of alcoholism. Any religion that encourages you to cut off your family is a sinful. It hurts the people you should be the closest to but succeeds in alienating love ones.
Ironically JWs got there disfellowshipping stance from scripture itself. They didn't create it. So if you think that's sinful, blame the Bible
@@bobbycecere1037 no they did not 😂 there is literally a past piece of JW literally where they condemned shunning and said that it was a pagan tradition. Then they changed it when they got “new light”
@@julieperez7505
Of course they did.
So did the Catholic Church & the Amish.
Even Jews today can find scriptural precedent within the Torah To justify believers distancing themselves from non believers.
It's ALL throughout scripture.
@@bobbycecere1037I hate to break it to you, but scripture is meant to guide you in your relationship with God, but JW governing body doesn’t allow for anyone to critically think about the Bible itself for themselves. It’s either you believe what THEY say the Bible is telling you through scripture, or you’re wrong and spiritually sick.
@Captive Cat
I hate to break it to YOU, But there is no christian denomination who doesn't sell a doctrine to its masses That isn't incontrovertible.
Go to the catholic church and tell them you want to believe Something about scripture that they don't teach.
Let me know how that goes for you.
Or go to a calvinist church And tell them you don't believe in Limited atonement.
Hell, pick ANY major denomination, Attend The Bible college for THIER religion and explain to your teachers that Your understanding of scripture doesn't line up with thiers.
After they expel you, They will explain to you that you are spiritually sick and will probably offer to pray for you.
How you think jehovah's witnesses operate is literally how religion operates In general.
I've been out and inactive for a year or two after 17 years raised a witness and my god is this video the nail in the coffin for me. I'm not gonna pass the torch of family disfunction, drama, and "dissociations" down to my future kids. I can't say I regret being raised as one. But now that I see all the BS that was hidden from me, there's no better sign telling me to not go back.
@Æ Walter 😳
Congrats on getting out
Do you still have any contact with your family? How did you leave and how it's like being by your own? (if you don't have contact with them anymore, that is)
@@ErickeTR It's a bit of a long story. So on my moms side of the family there is radio silence. My mom was an abusive religious nut that even an elder who sometimes calls me said she wasn't right. Her parents are usually on her side and only care that I come back rather than any of them including my mom acknowledge how she treated me my brother, sister and I. They don't care enough to talk to us and we couldn't care less.
On my dad side, he has been disfellowshipped so his mom never talks to him unless she needs something from him. I still live with him and normally talk to his side of the family since I left unbaptized.
Me and my siblings kind of just started attending less meetings for mostly the same reason. When my mom lost custody, it was up to us to go ourselves, but over time we just lost our interest of going on.
@@nicocastilho376 Thanks, It feels liberating, but I'm also kinda lost in what to believe in anymore.
That ending... Yeah. I grew up in a very "evangelical" time and place. Most of them don't really consciously think about the craziest stuff, but enough is internalized to make them dangerous. A whole lot of them are authoritarian followers and tend to avoid thinking much for themselves at all.
PS: Watched on Nebula... Commenting and upvoting here because this is important.
I was raised as a Witness, though we got started late; I was about 9 at the time, and my grandparents pressured my mom, and by extension, my dad into it in the late 90s. We were never taught almost any of this history. I only got out in my late teens due to learning a lot about history and other religions. My application of the outsider test to my own religion based on my new knowledge, and the elders' inability to ever give me a satisfactory answer about any logical inconsistencies, led me to abandon the faith. I gave up a large social network to do so, but I'm personally glad I did.
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
When my dad was dying of cancer the Jehovah Witness tried to convert my family, they got my dad to go to their church and me and my brothers went with him just to spend time with him and holy fuck that shit gave off hardcore cult vibes. Took about 3 years of ignoring and dodging them after our dad died to get them to stop showing up at our home lol
this sounds horrific. sorry to hear that :(
The crazy maths and their crazier reasonings are just incredible to me. And I can't understand how anyone continues to believe in the "oops, it must be this apocalypse instead."
When facts don't matter, anything is possible
"That's the problem, relying on my own thinking!"
You can't make this stuff up.
Religious people have the weirdest relationship with ego
They hate being proud of yourself
"You're human, flawed and bad, thus god is good" They want "humbleness"
Yet they preach about being "gods chosen" and "righteous" and all assume that theyre going to heaven
The average person might have an inferiorty Complex and cover that with a superorty Complex as a defence mechanism
"im bad? No im the best the best i say"
Religion feels ike the reverse they have a superiorty Complex and cover it with an inferiorty Complex
"We must join in our Great suffering unlike these unfaithful Satan subhuman wicked people"
I've seen the creepy cartoons before, but for those sections I was legit wondering if it was actually parody. It's like really blatant.
Yeah, I can't imagine being so brainwashed that I see a skit where I guy says, "Guess I shouldn't think, lol!" and I don't at least question it.