My husband woke up just after being diagnosed with cancer when his doctor asked about blood factors he was shocked. He Googled for the first time wanting to research he stumbled across the ARC he was wide awake at the very time he needed his faith. Of cause I was a good witness and refused to listen. He told me he may not be alive to see me wake up but he was sure he would be the one to wake me. I found a letter from him, he wrote if I loved him I would watch the ARC. I don't know why maybe wanting to be close to him I allowed myself to watch it. I couldn't believe I choose the Governing Body over him I hope he forgave me. He was so right he was the one to open my eye's. So now I find myself alone after giving 65yrs to the organization. I'm so glad you have each other as you now have the opportunity to live the life you have been given
Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Your husband must have loved you deeply. I am sure he forgave you, all of us who got out know what it was like to be in and not have control over your own mind and thoughts. I am so glad you showed him your love for him by watching the ARC. He gave you the best gift. We are not alone on-line but sometimes in real life, especially with the current health situation of the world it can be very lonely. I am sorry. You are loved from afar.
@@rosiej.1473 Thank you for your kind words he was an amazing man he knew how to tug on my heart. I am so grateful he never gave up on me he knew regarding the ARC I knew one of the young boy's story sadly he took his life before justice his abuser was jailed for other victims which only occurred because everyone protected the abuser they should be sitting in jail for their part. Little did we know there were so many more. The thing that disgust me the most is we are told we must be submissive to our husband as head of the family that is unless our husband questions the Governing Body then we must be obedient to them I don't remember ever marry them. It's not until your eye's are opened you see the control for what it is. I truly believe there are a lot my age who remain in soly as the cost is to great but I could live my life a lie. Sending my love to you and your family
@@shayquinn572 thank you it feels good to get things of my chest especially knowing there are so many more experiencing the same loneliness when leaving this organization
@@7eyeswideopen177 I have been married almost 15 years and unfortuanly I do not know what will tug on my husband's heart. He is still very much in. I agree all those who help to hide the abuser should have to answer to the law enforcement. Oh the whole women in subjection part is really annoying and frustrating that I even went along with it. But the JW do not have the monopoly on that many other cults/religion follow the same teaching on women knowing their place. You are right, you can't see it until your eye's are open and then you think what in the world was I doing? How did that ever make sense? Thank you for your love, I am here on line for you.
I too had experienced the same gossiping, my wife being labeled as a spiritually weak person, as well as, being accused of causing divisions within the congregation. The whole trip of being a Jehovah’s Witness was exhausting both physically and mentally because you can never do enough for them. Enjoy your freedom.
The strong ones' leave. Then we help the others become strong & they leave. Rinse & repeat. Then, we can warm our hands with the embers from the fire of this cult burning to the ground.
If I would have been escorted out the door because of my child crying, I would have said, take a good look at my face because you are never going to see me in this place ever again.
the sad part about this is that you would most likely get shunned, and if you're a person that has been indoctrinated into relying on your family at the very least, and would have trouble becoming independent right away, you're basically setting yourself up to deep depression of being threatened and watching everyone you know and love blindly begin to ignore your existence and be seen as dead to them.
There was this big, muscular, JW father who would angrily wield this thick, leather belt on his approx. five year old son who looked terrified in the Kingdom hall and nobody even batted an eyelash at the abuse. Another JW father would pick up his son who was fidgeting too much in his seat, take him to the rest room from where his son's screams of agony could be heard as he plowed into him. The meeting continued as if nothing unusual was going on.
@@MJ-qb5ph Pioneering is fulfilling the requirement to put in x number of hours a month in the door to door work. When I was in it, active and pioneering, I had to put in 30 hours a month. If you didn't fulfill those hours you were removed and your name was announced from the podium during a meeting as having been removed.
@@MJ-qb5ph They have to spend I believe it is 70 hours a month going door to door trying to get others to join their cult. those who do not spend that much time are publishers
I was a young adult “study” for nearly 10 years off and on. I tried to do the right thing (I thought) by bringing my toddler son to Sunday meetings. One Sunday an elder asked me to take my son to the back to a study room due to noise. So I did. And then the elder came back again to tell me “they can still hear him”. I said “Okay”. I packed up, left the hall and NEVER returned. The systematic hypocrisy and bullying by the elders had become very clear.
True some are just bullies and controling and never act like a Christian afraid for to many it's a box ticking exercise study field service 10 hours a month pioneer ministerial servant elder then looking down on others lovely lots of boxes ticked well done but many really miss the whole point.
I was just at the last week and was told not to worry about my daughter (15 months old) making any noise and that she is no bother. He was an elder too. We have a good group though. I’m sure there are some stumblers out there
@@TheExjwFamily Don't you have a life? your life revolves around attacking Jehovah's organization day and night as if your existence depended on that!! why don't you attack Catholics for a change? you are real life Hater, in every definition of the word, just as the bible put it so clearly, again I am quoting from the bible as in regards to how it describes your ending traits when the bible say's " filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malicious disposition, being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, self-assuming, inventors of injurious things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, merciless.” Their lack of accurate knowledge meant that their hearts were not motivated toward righteous acts.-Romans 1:28-31; Proverbs 2:2, 10 If anyone who professes to serve God relies on his own ideas instead of adhering to the Bible and if his teaching does not ‘accord with godly devotion,’ thus failing to reflect the teacher’s devotion to God, he becomes “mentally diseased.” (1Ti 6:3, 4)
Since June of 2021 I was planning on getting reinstated after being df'd for seven years. I lost my dad in April of '21, so that made me want to come back. So I tried, letter after letter, turning my life upside to do what the elders wanted. 19 months of waiting in, I randomly searched for some kingdom songs on RUclips and found the ARC trial. Initially that was the first nudge to wake up and it was a big one. After that I dug DEEP into the research, discovering the ugly truth about the "truth". Two weeks ago I sent an email to my elders, telling them I'm no longer interested in being reinstated and that I'm not controlled by them anymore. It was so freeing and now I'm fully awake and out. I feel like I can breathe again and live my life.
@@peterlunn4768that's the Australian royal commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions. Mainly that of both the catholic Church and the jehovahs witnesses. But mainly focused on jw. Do yourself a very huge favour and look into it. It was the one that really not only comfirmed my suspicion but raised a huge red flag along with other minor red flags I've seen along the way being in the org for 10 years at that point back in 2015. It comes under case study 29 I think in the ARC.
I have been associated with the organisation for almost 15 years. My husband and I got baptised is 2013 so a decade ago and thankfully we are the only ones in our families who are JWs. We’ve recently left and my daughters young enough at 5 for us to re-educate her so she doesn’t ostracise herself from the world. I was young and easily brainwashed due to suffering trauma I was experiencing so I was a great target. I don’t regret my journey because it led me to have some very good morals and standards for myself but now I’m learning to remove the toxic judgements we make of others.
@@umelokarnes5460 your kidding right?! The whole purpose of the cult is to have toxic judgments of others even of yourself and others within the group.
Congratulations on beating the cult brainwashing! You are not alone! There are thousands who are leaving/have left. Not me I just like seeing people get out. The watchtower is nasty and, in my opinion, evil. Cults are bad. Telltale showed me how creepy this cult is and everyone who gets out is a victory.
@@feleiaestrada2403 um because I don't need to get out of things I have never been in? Also who is yeshua? Blessings sound like magic spells to me so I'm not sure how to respond to that since magic doesn't real. I'm gonna guess that there might have been a miscommunication here. I am an atheist and hope all people get out of religion. It's a primitive way to think and I disagree with cults brainwashing people. I'm happy these people got out and welcome them. Even If they still believe in god. Getting out of that version of the nonsense is still an accomplishment since it's even more harmful than normal religion. When you say "blessing to you" I understand you think you are saying something nice but to me it's just weird. It's like you said, "I cast a spell of happy at you." I just kinda nod and smile thinking, "okaaay, that's weird. That person thinks they can do magic!" Have a good day! May the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you with his noodly appendages. Ra-men. See what I did there? 😀
Ooook well.... Yeshua is Jesus in Greek & You said, I quote: "There are thousands who are leaving/have left. Not me I just like seeing people get out" I took that as thousands are leaving said cult but not you, you just enjoy watching them leave? So apologies, the way you worded it is exactly how I took it. Also I rebuke that witchcraft thought of yours, I'm a child of God, covered in the blood of Jesus. I'm sorry for being concerned.
@@ronnym1977 Haha! No, it’s a figure of speech. I recently learned that the larger Bethels don’t allow the sisters to comment because they want the many brothers to have a chance. In this example women are prevented from speaking or expressing their views in favour of men.
Your story was incredible! Thank you for sharing it. My husband, 2 sons and I have been out 7 years now. My cracks started when our youngest son was born-he’s now a teen. Our other 2 children were in fact young adults-my oldest son being an elder. As a baby our youngest was always soooo loud during meetings-trying to do his baby talk over the people on stage lol. I asked our pediatrician when he was a toddler, how long they should be expected to sit. Her response set the stage for me! Either my son and I would just stay home from the meetings and would listen in on the line or if we went, we’d walk around outside the Kingdom Hall or sit in our car and listen. Of course, it meant I wasn’t in the ‘spiritual crowd,’ esp with the mothers whose kids were being beaten and made to sit through the entire meetings! Then years later when our youngest son started school, our oldest son who was an elder got disfellowshipped! The bottom fell out for me. He lived in another city so I didn’t even get to at least look at him. The ‘friends’ immediately began to treat us as tho we had been df’d too. Talk about kicking you when you’re down! We needed their support, esp as we were grieving the loss of our son! The other moms stopped allowing their kids to come over to play w our youngest. Still we believed it was the truth. 18 months into shunning our oldest, I couldn’t do it anymore. I actually reached out and called our son, shocking him! We spoke for 4 hrs that first time! So emotional! Long story short-he told us he was never going bk to the jws and how he had been researching! He could have said he was from the planet Mars, I was so open and ready, I would have believed him lol! No way was I losing him again! We listened-SHOCKED. We researched as he said and knew we were done. We told our jw daughter about contacting her brother and what we had learned. Her response was to turn us into the elders, who were relentless in stalking us! We disassociated. That was 7 yrs ago-daughter and her husband have been shunning us ever since-ZERO contact yet they live literally 4 minutes away from us! We learned through others that they have a child now-our 1st grandchild. Of course we’ve never met the child and will never be allowed to do so unless of course we ‘return to jehovah.’ Hostage holding. So we gained our son back, only to lose our daughter.
Free at last! Free at last! Your strength is transposable across many aspects. Don’t be shy to share your story to many people who can relate to you on a totally different level, but still on the same exact feeling! RESPECT!!!!
I've heard someone who works in a pharmacy express concern at how so many JWs are on antidepressants. I can see why, and your observations confirm. I know a couple of exJWs who now follow Christ (outside of institutional religion), and their stories are similar to yours. It's so good you didn't let them destroy your marriage. Thanks for sharing.
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experience, Brett. It's helpful to know that others have gone through something similar. Also glad we kept our marriage intact :)
Ever since I was a child, the words and teachings of Jesus Christ that I have read in the scriptures have inspired me and motivated me to bring them to life for a better one. Forty years later I can feel the freedom this message has brought to my life and the life with my family and friends. It breaks my heart how this wonderful message can be so abusively twisted by people. My respect for your strength that you have developed in such an environment to free yourselves.
it's not just JW, many are, in churches and not, why, because when anti-depressants started helping folks a little, doctors started to push them, instead of telling people to go out and exercise and do other things, they simply gave out prescriptions, I got stuck on Paxil, I was one of that about 25 percent that wouldn't be able to get off easily, (meaning not at all), a global lawsuit, caused me to only get about 13,000 and my attorney got 40 percent, so she got quite a bit. Anyways, those people who do not drink or take drugs many times will use anti-depressants, and they are not all easy to taper off of.
One thing I noticed growing up in the religion was how many brothers and sisters had a lot of mental health issues. I never thought about it until I was an adult.
This cult has the saddest people. My mother is so depressed and I blame it on the religion. If i had stayed I would be the same. They constantly tell you in talks that we’re so depressed and so weighed down and so disheartened. If you’re told that over and over, you’re going to believe it eventually. They break you down so they can own you.
I will never forget my child only a few years old looking at my book of bible stories and seeing the horrifying picture of Jesus on the stake with nails in his hand. It greatly effected her in such a negative way. I too found it very hard to explain away the pictures the graphic pictures expose children to. All the while thinking this feels wrong. The lack of love in this cult is what finally broke me and woke me up. The judgement, the gossip ect. Is just a ‘normal’ part of a JW. I’m so glad to be free from it all
@@vusimngomezulu2500 Vusi yes she left a cult organization , put that in you're head stop causing a troubled if you're happy been a jw go ahead and don't bother any more .
@@vusimngomezulu2500 I already answered your question. She left your evil Cult. Your evil Cult is not the "narrow road". Verse 15 says to beware of False Prophets... your Governing Body are False Prophets with many failed predictions. Maybe you should consider verse 15!
@@TheExjwFamily So glad, that the lack of love exposes so much. On the other side, how awesome it is to share that love in a marriage, familiy and with friends!
Hello Katie, What woke me up ? Going to a 78 yr old pioneer sister,s funeral and the elders telling Nicole my wife and I not to talk to the 50 year old daughter of the Pioneer sister. I ignored their advice and got roused on buy a elder. I dissociated in Sept 6th 2018 aged 57 , Nicole my wife is still pimi but hates getting invited to jw get togethers without her apostate husband. We have a loving relationship . I don't want Nicole to leave the watch tower because she'll lose her family and friends . I do want to show Nicole . Born again atheists auxiliary apostate can have good morals and for Nicole to tell all the single sisters find yourself a apostate they make the best husbands. Love you videos. Justin porter ex jw
These kind of experiences happen in all congregations of JWs,its such an unspoken toxicity that the deep ins think is normal,im so glad ive been properly awake for maybe 5 years,but i stopped going in 2012, so it took me far too many years to break out of the mind mold,your videos are much appreciated,love & regards
A very human story. Sadly JW's are dedicated to a routine. Policies and procedures take priority over the qualities of Christianity. The Bible speaks of supporting the weak, showing mercy to those who have doubts and consoling the depressed. True love is kindness and patience in action.
Usually ppl figure out bad things first. Bad things put shadow on good things. Also good ppl in organization become invisible when happen something bad in org. But there many ppl who serve Jehovah with sincere heart.
What woke me up? I started fading in the early 1970s when I was around 18 years old. I couldn't stand being so tightly controlled by my overzealous mom and by toxic elders who told me I was going to be destroyed in 1975. After all... I wasn't making the truth my own and I wasn't even baptized yet. So I made a point of finding a job that paid good enough so I could move out of my parents' house and "live it up in these last days"! LOL! After being away for a while I came to the realization that nothing (armageddon) was going to happen in 1975 and I told one of my JW friends about how I felt. Then wah-lah! None of my JW "friends" would talk to me anymore. After 1975 came and went I was sure that the Watchtower Org was full of sh*t. The whole JW experience had me angry and bitter for decades. I vacillated between agnosticism and atheism with short periods of feeling that God must exist. Imagine my JW relatives surprise when I became a born again Christian 10 years ago. Did you hear the heads exploding?! ROFL!
Thanks for sharing! I wish I'd listened to my gut and woken up sooner like you. But hey, things happen in their own time. I bet some of your relatives are still scraping their jaws off the floor! Stay alive til 75! haha
Can you explain what happened in 1975? I asked and they say a group not the governing body lead people astray. What really happened and can you point me towards evidence
After a lot of research I was awakened to this cult and it's false doctrine. Brought up a JW. I became a born again Christian and I'm so glad that the scales were removed from my eyes. Let's encourage others to leave.
Thank you for sharing your story. Your new life begins here and now. You will find that over the years that you slowly deprogram yourself even more. I wish you all the best
thank you so much for posting this, i was raised in the Org with my entire family im 21 and i was wrongfully DFed in oct2021 because i went to them for help with self harm and explained how that rippled out into other sins i had made in the past and i just wanted help. instead they said i just didnt belive in god anymore and that my love of him was gone so i should go too...... i live alone and work alone cleaning offices cuz hey thats us pioneers jobs... during a pandemic... for the first time im really able to see how cruel the DF arrangement is... its not a loving theocracy.. its a Darwinian survival of the "spiritualist' or aka the ones who hide their sins and move on getting others to bury there humanity or be forced to be alone.... it breaks my heart that this is reality. But im so glad i dont have to worry about god killing good ppl just cuz they arnt branded with a JW logo on their ass..... thank u for speaking up....
So sorry to hear that happened to you, Razzo. They are so cruel and unloving. Completely agree with your analysis. It can be really tough when you first leave, but I hope things pick up for you. When you're ready, consider making some new friends or joining a club/sport. It's good to have people to take to...even if they don't entirely understand your situation. I know it helped us. Wishing you the very best!
Wow hi! This happened to my moms friend in 90s. They actually came to hospital after harming herself & told her dfd bc killing yourself was a sin. She was so depressed from outside stuff. History with genetics etc, on meds to operate become a warrior of health imprisoned in brain chemicals. Well, you know no support outcast. She made several more attempts. So the suicide rates devastate my heart. To think someone wants to move on but as trying just cant. I too, suffer bipolar trauma ptsd etc bn in 9 wards for help since 2007 & the shame guilt I had pressure of getting back in was sm on getting healthy again. A yr later still battle certain labels mistakes etc. Thanku for bringing up PSA for those lost.
You asked what started the breakdown process my leaving. I left over 40 years ago. For me it was doctrinal though I could relate to some of your experiences as well. The rumor mill was active about why I left but my wife helped clear that up. So it was doctrine. If anyone reads the Bible in a good Bible translation and stops using the publications as the “Bible Explained”, you will quickly see that their teachings are not what the Bible teaches, especially as it relates to salvation and Jesus Christ. The details are too much to explain here. It took me years after leaving JW, before I could associate with Christians in a Church because of the fear of going back to any other form of that control, but eventually I overcame that and I am a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ attending Church. So, now I describe the path out for a JW as actually TWO JOURNEYS. First is the journey out and dealing with the loss of family and friends and new-found freedom from the bondage of the organization. The second journey is the one to look for the real TRUTH, since the JW organization is not “the truth”. In my case it came somewhat quickly because what triggered my leaving were doctrinal issues especially about Jesus Christ. So that is a short version of my story. I’m so glad to hear you and your husband are both out. Count that a huge blessing since it is not always the case. And it is so great that your children are not being raised in that environment. I wish you both well.
Yep, It's all there right in the bible. So many come out and become atheist and end up hating God and religion. Can you blame them, the JWs teach hate, and that all other religions are wrong, when in fact they are wrong...
@me2utube, I like your comments. You seem like a beautiful person. May God bless you and your family. The "governing body" of Jehovahs Witnessess policies and procedures destroyed mine.
Really gives you perspective to think that your circumstances have forced yourself, and your family to reinvent reality. Being trapped in a psychological matrix from birth to relearn how to adjust to functioning, healthy relationships and emotional integration. Once you've awoken, a global pandemic forces a shift in society; Instability, crisis, depression. Life is grim as it is, your video is very validating for my own experiences of abuse. Thank you, all the best
Your observation of reinventing reality struck a chord with me and it seems so obvious to almost be embarrassing to my intelligence. I had to sacrifice real human reality to achieve a balance of sanity but even that seemed extreme and very selfish at the time. It has played out but not without casualties beyond my control or conscience.
Thank you for sharing your experience in getting your freedom. It’s so evident now, the lack of love and fellow feeling that exists among Jehovahs Witnesses. I am out now for 22 years and woke up 12 years ago. It’s terrible how they treat people with true hearts to the point of waking up such as yourself.
Big reason I left was seemed like half the kh were on meds, a higher up worked for a big pharm factory, and when I was feeling over stressed and tired, etc, they suggested I see a doctor. That was it for me.
When I was a Jehovah’s Witness I found it hard to believe that stuff like this would happen. Like the elders taking her daughter until she was asleep I thought that people would exaggerate details. It wasn’t until I had experienced an incident with an elder where I realized that it happens all the time but is swept under the rug. I felt terrible for not believing others. I disassociated after that
Sorry you had such an experience with an elder. That problem really is rampant in the organisation and gets swept under the rug like you say. Glad you dissociated. I hope life is treating you well now that you're free!
Not waffling on. Very well explained in clear English and it so sums up our experiences with the JWs. I was in for over 45 years, an elder at 26 and I have 3 daughters and an ex-wife in Ireland, all strong JWs. I am experiencing some shunning but I was never DF'd so they can technically talk to me. I'm in the UK (and Italy) and have found such good people and friends, so all that JW garbage about worldly people should be ignored. I hope your good friend wakes up and brings you joy.
Thank you, James. Me too. Glad you can still have some contact with your daughters. Funny how "worldly" people are so much nicer than we were ever allowed to believe. Wishing you the very best.
Love your experience it’s so relatable. They put such pressure on us. You seem like a wonderful person. Empathetic to what you’re saying. Wishing you health healing and happiness free of guilt and shame. They are extraordinarily unreasonable and incredible. It’s such a hamster wheel. 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️. Thank you for sharing and having the courage to speak out.
Thank you for sharing your story. I, too, am a recovering ex-JW and am simply floored at how similar your experience is with my own story. I had doubts from a very young age yet spent years blaming myself for not being able to be a good witness. The gossiping and backstabbing, especially when trapped in the service car on Saturdays, was especially detrimental to self-esteem!!! Cannot remember how many pioneers would "house shop" while going door-to-door, selecting the types of homes they wanted in the new system. Soooo messed up! My husband got out about 2yrs before me; I feared loosing my mom, sister and the few real friends. As my fade became more obvious, the elders dragged me into the back room after Sunday meeting for a shepherding call. One elder was older and had been like an uncle to me. This elder remained engaged and was very genuine; I think he could see I was done. The other elder was no more than 25 and had just moved to the hall. The younger elder did all the talking and kept calling me by my (fleshly) sister's name. At the end, the younger elder gave a prayer, during which he called me by a completely different name!! Thank you again for
How can this organization say it is Gods Organization when if you dont agree with them or you just leave you lose all of your family and friends. The God I know would never support that. So happy you got out but sorry you lost so many people
Thanks for sharing your story. Being you're from halfway around the globe, and having the same type of issues, makes leaving (this week) so much easier. Thank you again for being honest!!!
Hello. Personally, I had been a Jehovah's Witness for just over 20 years. The little things have always seemed odd to me in teaching. I gave up 5 years ago. Finally, I understood that our "Creator" did not ask us to be "religious". No "God" and no "prayers". We just have to live our life, and he, our "Creator", will do his job when his day comes. I enjoyed your video. My friendships to you and your little family. Greetings from France.
Thanks for sharing your story you are very clear an honest in relating your truth , an the world is just waiting for another strong an intelligent an compassionate women to make a difference . Thankyou "💝
Thank you. Such kind and gentle etiquette in your manner. I enjoyed listening to your story and could relate at many levels. I'm glad you came out 'together' (husband) and that you are still together for support.
Well done! Myself after (45years in)and my wife and daughter woke up and left 8 years ago now, today we are closer than ever to our heavenly Father and Christ.
So very glad that you and your family are out of the org. It will be apparent to you already that the toxic, all pervading teachings and behaviour of its members stretch from the GB right down to the ranks of publishers. NB:- There are exceptions to the case , as in all things. For me and my family it became a problem when certain doctrinal beliefs were adjusted with the arrival of 'new light' et al, eg. the remodelling of the 1914 generation and what 'generation' now meant etc. But it was the stretching of new policies to meet the needs of bible understanding beyond the point of credulity that really started us thinking about the claims being made by the JW Org. Another huge point in our deciding to leave was the cold, hypocritical lifestyles of the elders and members of the GB, along with revelations on the "Silent Lambs" website re the rampant child abuse in the Org. and the orchestrated cover-ups. Anyway, congratulations on leaving this despicable religion and enjoy the rest of your lives.
When you said "We call it Freedom day." i was so happy for you. My wife and i was also in this cult and it's not that often to see another couple who gone that way together. So many breakups and pain for so many. And you made it! I'm so proud of you, your family and yes, i'm also proud about my family. We all lost people but we've also got so much more. Thank you for your video!
That very easy too say - and some have done that,. But unless you have experienced the indoctrination since being a small child- you dont know how a JW thinks when they are in and active. We took for granted that elders were to be obeyed without question. They were Gods representatives. We were to answer all their questions , no matter how intrusive. It was both weird and empowering to me , when I realized I owned them nothing. I dont have to answer who I sleep with last night, I dont have to answer why I was scene without a chaperon when out for the night with a young women. etc etc.. It is a process to escape mentally
When the usual argument of "well they are just imperfect men and J will sort it out in the end" is an example of the Lie they fall back on to keep calling it the "Truth." This is a prime example of what pisses me off and makes me angry and I say shit. Which I did and it cost me at the time and well spent because now I'm free! Happy New Year all! What a great channel!
Thank you for sharing your story! I have a similar story also. I wasn’t a JW but I was an Apostolic Pentecostal. That’s a very strict sect of Pentecostalism. Your comment about the gossiping and stalking resonated very deeply with me. That is something I witnessed often. It also happened to me throughout my belonging to the organization. When I told my best friend, who also was in the organization, that I was leaving she told me that she had an idea I was leaving. I wasn’t sure how she knew and I hadn’t spoken to her about it. She told me that my vehicle was being watched and several people had seen my vehicle at church not belonging to the Apostolic organization. It broke my heart that my best friend would take part in something like that. Looking back, I’m over joyed in my decision in leaving.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Oliver. It amazes me how similar our stories can be when we were in different groups. This is something we would love to explore more in future videos. I'm glad you got away from that group. You have my best wishes! :)
Thank you so very much for sharing! I believe you (hopefully) helped, at a minimum, the young elder who visited your house!! You've certainly helped everyone who has watched this message!
My mother started to study when I was 3. There were things I found disturbing even when I was a child. I remember a talk that alcohol abuse was bad and could be overcome with prayer. I didn't think anyone but a therapist could help. Also later when I had children I would take them downstairs so they wouldn't disturb the talk. When I was downstairs another brother would say you're here for the talk, not to socialize. I was blown away when I found out some churches had different rooms for each age of child. I know a brother would never talk to another brother like that. Women are on a lower level, especially if their husbands don't belong
Yes so true when your husband is not awitness you are at the very end of the scale you are nobody I am fading now after 45 years of my life wasted they are trolling me badly I had to tell one elder bluntly that he cannot just turn up at my home iam a married woman I can't even begin to write what my children and I went through in this God forsaken cult I refused to write a letter of dispassionate because they are not God and only he reads heart therefore he sees that iam done may god help people to pull out of this thing and get a life it's so hard mentally but when one comes to realize that this is all lies you cannot stay
They are a very suspicious people. Constantly imagining that if you miss some meeting you must be fornicating, committing adultery, getting weak in the faith, and must be avoided lest you contaminate them. Tell them you are ill, and they will say that illness is no excuse because others whom they deem just as ill or worse attend the meetings. Then they will begin their shunning and advising others to shun you as well. Pretty soon you will be isolated from them and from the world as well. Wallowing in a psychologically agonizing Limbo of your own making.
Wow, what a touching story. the best thing about it is the relationship with your husband and that this has brought you closer. What a day of freedom that you can celebrate every year. I hope that you can welcome your friends you love back into your life. It must be a privilege to be able to count you among his friends. May god continue to bless and protect you and your family.
Thanks for taking the time to say your story. I've heard many now as an exjw but I still benefit from hearing new perspectives. You're a great speaker and so well done on managing to make this so compelling. Thanks
Thanks for sharing your story. So glad you and your husband are AWAKE now and your children are FREE from ever having to go through what a lot of us went through as children. KUDOS to you both!! You are good parents. You saved them from the cult. ❤
Congrats on your freedom! I woke up in a elders meeting feb 23 2016. My pioneer wife had stop going November 2015. She pioneered for 18 years. I was an elder and a ms for 17. Sending out love from Pennsylvania!!! I hope your kids and you and your husband do what makes you happy!
Wonderful you are both out. Paddy was supposed to go to Pennsylvania as an exchange student when he was 11 but they wouldn't allow it because of the blood issue in case he got in an accident. Hopefully we can visit out your way some day. We are very happy thanks, and we hope the same for you and your wife!
Thank you for sharing YOUR lovely story; boy don't you radiate happiness, my lovely wife hasn't even started to wake up yet, comfortably numb with her Eldoret best friend. BUT i live in hope.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's been 2 yrs for me since I disassociated, so I can really empathize what you've been going through. My experiences are different in that, I had not any really bad experiences, but have known of many who had. Like you though, right from early age had seen things didn't always add up. Like their quoting scriptures out of context, and changing doctrines (new light) and the year I got baptized for the wrong reason (1975) etc. One thing I haven't given up on is my faith in God. To leave the WT and God too is really throwing the baby out with the bath water. I hope you dig into the Bible with a whole new set of eyes and learn what the Bible REALLY teaches. And that Jesus really is the way the truth and the life. Not any organization. WT has relegated Jesus to just an angel who hasn't the importance He deserves. I wish you the best in your getting to know who He really is. And unlearn the lies. It's a new day!
So so true about reading the true Bible and finding out who Jesus really is. He will mend your broken heart as he did mine. Let him in. I remember being out in service and the sisters mocking a person who said she was a born again Christian and had accepted Jesus into her heart. Oh boy the ridicule and saying things like, oh where does he live in the heart, is there a little room in there for Jesus. Of course not to the householder, this ugliness was saved until we were back in the car so everyone could have a big laugh. How cruel and unkind.
I walked away back in the late 1980's due to personal growth. It didn't involve any doctrinal teachings or misgivings about God's organization, I just had to walk away. I found the phrase "the truth shall set you free" was a misnomer. While as a Witness, I felt guilt, trapped, & unable to express myself. The Truth was actually keeping me in chains. I broke free & have never been happier in my life as I am now. Side note: I recently found out about the change in the teaching of the generation of 1914 to the "new light" teaching of the "overlapping generations." That one floored me as to how any JW can agree with this new doctrine & not question it.
My husband and I both left after being "in" all our lives and I'll never forget hearing mothers spanking tiny babies/children to keep them from making noise. Once I was standing in the back with one of my babies and an elder's wife came up to me and berated me for not keeping him quiet. I never spanked my kids, it turned my stomach how casually physical abuse was carried out in public.
I’m so sorry that you went through all this with your first baby! On behalf of all the asshole elders out there, I apologize. When I was an elder still, about a year ago, at one point during the 10 years on the body, the elders volunteered me to do a local needs part about the young children behaving during the meetings. All I did was play a Caleb and Sophia video, and asked the little children a few questions from the video, the end. Not offensive, and the elders were not happy, and I said oh well! Too bad! The congregation really enjoyed it. Any not too long after that, we went into virus mode with covid, and long story short I resigned as an elder.
This is the first time I've seen your site. Thank you so much for such a beautiful presentation of your experience. Look forward to seeing your older posts. xoxo
Thank you for sharing your experience. The elders behaviour in your congregation was truly shocking. What about the "love that never fails"? I was a born in as was my husband. He left 2 years before me and some people 'soft shunned' me, whilst I carried on going to the meetings. Whilst others would talk to me like my husband was not alive too. The whole experience only accelerated the waking up process in 2018. Keep up the good work with your videos as they do help others. xx
Enormous thank you for sharing your stories. Every story helps current and former JWs and always contributes toward its activism. So glad your family woke up. Lots of Love and good vibes sent your way 💙🖤 my mother was the one and only reason I had stayed in as long as I did. Entrapment indeed.
I was never a JW but have always been intrigued by their doctrine and history. I often wonder how supposedly intelligent people cannot think and discern things for themselves. Sad to say, the organization is a cult that uses manipulation and fear to secure compliance and obedience of members within the organization. I am happy for you and your family that you were able to break freee from bondage and it is my hope that you do not let that experience rob you of a true and real relationship with Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family and I thank you for sharing your testimony and hope it will inspire others to muster the courage to leave. God is able and He is real!
They target vulnerable people and a lot of them are raised in it, and even if they aren't true believers they don't want to lose their entire family and social circle.
My husband once said (after my reaction to an elder who thought he could micromanage my time), that “one day you will be thankful for his “ awkwardness” “. My husband was convinced it was an opportunity for me to work on “ fruitage of the spirit”. In my opinion, this elder had an agenda, he was controlling & a bully!! I told him that to his face, weeks afterward. Again, he turned my feelings into a reproach, saying I was the only sister, in 30 some odd years of his being an elder, that “reacted so strongly!”. YES, I can now be thankful for “his awkwardness “, which started the ball rolling to my WAKING UP! It was all downhill from there! It took me 6 years nonetheless to realize I didn’t have to put up with this treatment, to realize this wasn’t the truth…unloving as they are!! I deserved better for myself. What a journey this has been, but I needed to step off the hamster wheel & experience what life & truth (about myself) is all about!! 💜🥂
Sorry to hear that your husband sounds very gullible. The was a so called Elder like that in the congregation I was in before I had my awakening. Always used his appointed by holy spirit to use when anyone dared to question him not that anyone did apart from yours truly it's all to do with control and egotism and peacocking on the platform and box ticking as you no doubt know .
Thank God that you folks are speaking OUT LOUD for the others to hear. Tony Morris is my 1st cousin and gave me my first lesson. After 3 years of this foolishness I shook the dust off my shoes, turned around, walked away and NEVER looked back. Best decision of my life!
Great experience sad to hear the same situations about abuse some pioneers gossip about you in car groups experienced that plus a Facebook post was turned into the elders that I posted taken out of context , the doctrines etc, quietly faded wish I had to strength to dissociate but I just faded so I can have very little contact with a few friends that I really love. Love your channel
I was raised a Jehovah's witness I have made a diligent search of.many different religious groups all claiming to have gods backing and favor. So far I have found none that make any sense. I believe that Jehovah is a God of order and not of disorder. Remember that Jehovah never changes. The defect is with men not Jehovah. Moses and Aaron had many problems with the Israelites in the wilderness. But they were still gods people. Nobody has had their feelings hurt more then Jehovah I also have heard an seen things in the congregation that simply where not right. I'm not making excuses for the things I have seen and heard. The point I'm trying to make is ultimately we will all have to answer to Jehovah. Nobody will get away with anything. Jehovah is making a estimate of hearts. Ultimately we will all answer to Jehovah by means of his son and king Christ Jesus we are all guilty. Don't look at the people. Moses could have given up and said if this is the way it is I'm out here. But he released his relationship with Jehovah is what really mattered not what the people said or thought about him or Aaron I also have left what believe to be gods people. I understand what you are saying and I understand how you feel. But what will do or say when Jehovah's great comes. I live with that thought in my mind every day. Nate
Touchingly told and deeply heartfelt. Please, if you don't already, please consider writing. You have a gift for narrating. I could not stop listening...and I have never been a JW.
Thank you for your video. 😘♥️ I was also a general pioneer for three years (it was still 90 hours a month). As a child, I also had a big problem with the mother and her baby during the flood. 😢If I moved too much during the meeting, my father punished it with beatings. 🙈All the best for you and greetings from Germany (you can see our family on my account on our holidays) ♥️
Thank you for sharing your story with us, I'm so pleased to hear that you are now out of this evil organization. Your story is helping somebody. My best To you and your future endeavors.
So excellent video. Sad but true words from the bottom of the heart. You are an amazing teller. I wish you and your family the very best for the new life you are starting on.
That was a beautiful experience. Thank you for sharing. My cracks began 25 years ago. It slowly chipped away my belief in the organization being lead by God. Eventually hearing the widespread coverups of child sexual abuse really broke me down.
children can’t and shouldn’t sit around for 2 hours. i’m no doctor but i know that children need to be running around outside and having sensory experience, not listening to/ being apart of a cult. thank you for prevailing. we need more people like you.
I am glad for you and your family dear sister, I remember 2 years ago my wife face when I came home from job and i finally told her what was on my heart that i don’t believe anymore in the so called ( faithful slave) and almost 20 years my relationship with Christ was stolen ( i never was good with introductions in important matters) after one hour of discussion i told her that whatever happens I don’t force her beliefs but I will step out. After 2 weeks we singn together the dissociation letter. We feel so free and much more close to God than then! Our 4 year old son ( he couldn’t speak then) now he ask “ we don’t go anymore to Jehova’s house?” when we trespass along Kingdom Hall with car, we say no because some people are liars over there! Surprisingly our son started to pray at kindergarten at lunch by himself without pushing him or tell him to do that! It makes it naturally. We stepped out from a forced state and we come to “Master of our fate”! We feel the blessings! And we don’t step anymore in organized religion!
Thank you for sharing your story and experience of inept elders doing emotional damage due to their inexperience and ignorance of human psychology. I left early in 1975 as an act of faith. This was the year of the world was to end according to their chronology! Fortunately I had the faith to educate myself out of their imprinting and programming! It’s great to be free free free… Hope you trust the process and follow your bliss!
I watched your video and was really touched by your sensitive spirit and meekness. I am an evangelist and speak to many JWs. I love them and pray for them because I know they are under a heavy burden to do good works and there seems to be a pecking order in all the halls and some are considered more spiritual than others. Many times when they leave the JW kingdom hall they never seek another church because they been taught against all other churches. Bible believing churches never do that they just teach from the Bible and if a family decides to move or go to another church there is no pressure to stay in the same type of church but rather they are encouraged to pray and ask God to lead them to another Bible believing church. There is no banishment involved if the family decides to change churches and no one is told to not talk to the family because they are leaving. All cults try to intimidate their members by the threat of banishment: Mormons, JWs, Islam, and others. Please continue, you and your husband, to read the Bible on your own and pray the Lord will show you a good church to attend. I know it's hard when you've been treated so horribly to trust people again but if you sincerely seek the Lord to show you a good church He will. The Bible is the word of God and it's so important for your children to learn the great stories of the saints and prophets. May God bless you and may you and your family experience His loving healing. Amen
Thank you for opening up and telling your incredible story. I was blown away by it, yes serious and horrible things also happening here in your country of birth! I was DF'd in 1986 (Forest Hill Congregation, Johannesburg South) solely on 2x Elders' accusations, NO investigations or anything else! One single meeting, accused of misconduct on the "testimony" of an unknown accuser, and furthermore accused of lying to them during my side of the story! Talk about judges, jurors and executioners, all in one fell swoop! First few years were hard, but getting through that, I never looked back and getting to know the Organisation's cover-up of molestation and rife paedophilia (through the Internet,) came to know that I was right all along about them. Lots of brothers and sisters (DF'd or Cold) here in SA, are in need of support. If anybody knows where we can find such locally, please let us know. Love, blessings and best regards from Pretoria...
Thanks for sharing your story. What started me waking up was coming to know several really nice loving people that were "going to be killed by God at Armaggedon" because they weren't JW'S. So I started seeing the awful vindictive, jealous genocidal nature of the God of the bible. Also the conditional love of those in the congregation including my family which evaporated so fast. I resonated so much with your description of really missing a good friend and what it was like to say goodbye to that person. Best of luck to you and your family moving forward
I have found out who the evil ones are in the world .Our sins are just misdemeanours in comparison. Child sacrifice, torture,trafficking of children ,satanic practices,pedeofillia .Millions children and young adults go missing world wide.
anyone who isn’t apart of their organization or criticizes them supposedly dies at this so called Armageddon it really shows the evil nature of jws and their lack of empathy towards anyone who isn’t apart of their group I often use this butchered quote of Dark Vader from Star Wars “I find your lack of empathy disturbing”
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and story, i am not a JW but I am happy to listen to you till the end, you are so sweet to share your story, I have learned something from you, cheers from Toronto Canada
36 years ago - after 15 years serving the WTS - I was praying and had a real awareness that Jesus Christ was so much more than I had been taught (that he was the Archangel Michael - do they still teach that?). I just knew that I had encountered Jesus and he very quickly led me to another bible translation I had in the house and spoke to me from it. It was amazing and I’ve never looked back. I disassociated very quickly and after listening to many testimonies recently I realise just how fortunate I was - I didn’t really have a ‘waking up’ period but went from a deep sleep to being totally awake all in a few hours. My husband never joined the JW’s and my children were just 13 and 10 at the time so I didn’t lose family members but of course I lost friends. It’s wonderful to see so many people leaving these days, probably due to all the online information. I would love to see my old friends again even after all these years. Thank you for your story, it was really interesting.
Hugs Kayleigh♥️, I know they will never replace the hugs for your best friend but it was my reaction on listening to that comment, which instantly brought a tear to my eye 😢. Thank you for sharing your heart 💜
Thanks so much for your articulate and well thought out video! Your relaxed demeanor and calm composure reveal how you’ve mostly recovered from your experience, as you’ve pointed out yourself. I hope that you’re as calm inside as you’re projecting… My wife and I have been out for over 4 decades, I won’t bore anyone by citing more details, the important thing, to me, is that you find a way within yourself to progressively ease away the memories that keep intruding, however infrequently, into your waking thoughts. No one can prevent any thoughts from occurring, but there are methods, proven to be successful, of handling those that you’d prefer to not have at all. I’m an avid reader of research and articles related to the functioning of the human mind… it’s simple, easy to accomplish, and-BEST OF ALL-so emotionally rewarding 😆. Cheers from canada (my wife has Irish ancestry on her father’s side, she’s a Doran). I’m honorary Irish ☘️ only on St. Paddy’s day, and I’ve been to the southern tip of the Emerald Isle, a very friendly and hospitable nation 😆!
@@deanoswell3302 I’m based in Johannesburg but I’m from DBN, Amanzimtoti. I’m not disfellowshipped or disassociated but I haven’t been going to the meetings since Covid started. To be honest I don’t have the guts to officially leave and it’s easier to just not go.
I relate to your experience so much. When my husband woke up, people started also saying to me that he must be cheating on me or going to leave me. The way people talked so negatively about him had a huge role in waking me up. Someone they claimed to love the week before they were now vilifying.
I'm so glad 😊 I found an exjw from South africa, even though you're in another country. You got me at cape town 😉, im currently living in this city. I'm a PIMO (physically in mentally out). Being in this organization has caused me so much anxiety, low self esteem and depression. Many of the things you mentioned in this video I related to. I'm currently on a journey to change my life but I'm feeling sorry for my mom. I don't want her to be forced to choose between me or jws.I feel trapped and silenced. I'm hoping for courage to let go. Great video, I'm going to binge watch all your videos in this channel.
How sad the part about expecting the children to be silent. In our church we frequently hear noises from little ones but it is joyful as we know there is no better place for them to be than in the presence of the Lord learning and growing.
I was recently baptized in my calvary congregation . We stood in a circle at the beach listening to the Pastor and giving brief testimonies . the children of a sister getting baptized that day played in the center of us . one child had a plate of food teetering back and forth that never got noticeable sand on it . the older child exspressed a interest in being baptized and was commended but not pursued because he is a child and will be allowed to decide for him self with out the influence of his mothers and others experience . anyway i only brought all this up to share how grateful i am that those children played peacfully and protected amongst us. also the mother and my self are both pomo although i was never baptized but did associate for ten years. also in another church i attended after my fading and shipwreck the children would run around dancing and spinning sometimes with ribbons as the congregation sang , then they were brought to sunday school during announcements . i only brought this up to share how encouraging the joyous dancing and running children are.
Thank you for share your experience. The elder that visited you and cry (how mad), he is a Psycopath, manipulator for sure, he pretended to use emotional manipulation for shake you, that is disgusting. Love and hugs from México to you. ❤️🇲🇽✨🙏🏼 I found you today ❤️
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My husband woke up just after being diagnosed with cancer when his doctor asked about blood factors he was shocked. He Googled for the first time wanting to research he stumbled across the ARC he was wide awake at the very time he needed his faith. Of cause I was a good witness and refused to listen. He told me he may not be alive to see me wake up but he was sure he would be the one to wake me. I found a letter from him, he wrote if I loved him I would watch the ARC. I don't know why maybe wanting to be close to him I allowed myself to watch it. I couldn't believe I choose the Governing Body over him I hope he forgave me. He was so right he was the one to open my eye's. So now I find myself alone after giving 65yrs to the organization. I'm so glad you have each other as you now have the opportunity to live the life you have been given
Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Your husband must have loved you deeply. I am sure he forgave you, all of us who got out know what it was like to be in and not have control over your own mind and thoughts. I am so glad you showed him your love for him by watching the ARC. He gave you the best gift. We are not alone on-line but sometimes in real life, especially with the current health situation of the world it can be very lonely. I am sorry. You are loved from afar.
God bless you. Your story touched my heart...
@@rosiej.1473 Thank you for your kind words he was an amazing man he knew how to tug on my heart. I am so grateful he never gave up on me he knew regarding the ARC I knew one of the young boy's story sadly he took his life before justice his abuser was jailed for other victims which only occurred because everyone protected the abuser they should be sitting in jail for their part. Little did we know there were so many more. The thing that disgust me the most is we are told we must be submissive to our husband as head of the family that is unless our husband questions the Governing Body then we must be obedient to them I don't remember ever marry them. It's not until your eye's are opened you see the control for what it is. I truly believe there are a lot my age who remain in soly as the cost is to great but I could live my life a lie. Sending my love to you and your family
@@shayquinn572 thank you it feels good to get things of my chest especially knowing there are so many more experiencing the same loneliness when leaving this organization
@@7eyeswideopen177 I have been married almost 15 years and unfortuanly I do not know what will tug on my husband's heart. He is still very much in.
I agree all those who help to hide the abuser should have to answer to the law enforcement. Oh the whole women in subjection part is really annoying and frustrating that I even went along with it. But the JW do not have the monopoly on that many other cults/religion follow the same teaching on women knowing their place. You are right, you can't see it until your eye's are open and then you think what in the world was I doing? How did that ever make sense? Thank you for your love, I am here on line for you.
I too had experienced the same gossiping, my wife being labeled as a spiritually weak person, as well as, being accused of causing divisions within the congregation. The whole trip of being a Jehovah’s Witness was exhausting both physically and mentally because you can never do enough for them. Enjoy your freedom.
The Future of White supremacy (1 minute 5 seconds) ruclips.net/video/gykujXt8mqc/видео.html
@@leejohnson6328 what’s the relevance and correlation?
@@deuteronomy6411 are you here to denounce white supremacy?
@@leejohnson6328 Wtf is this video?
@@Dean-gq3wf evolution has been defeated
The strong ones' leave. Then we help the others become strong & they leave. Rinse & repeat. Then, we can warm our hands with the embers from the fire of this cult burning to the ground.
Haha one day....one day.
The Future of White supremacy (1 minute 5 seconds) ruclips.net/video/gykujXt8mqc/видео.html
Well said!
Even so, it is not enough after all the damage they have done. Your bravery is inspiring.
You're damned right!
If I would have been escorted out the door because of my child crying, I would have said, take a good look at my face because you are never going to see me in this place ever again.
... and i would have spit on them and kicked them in the shins and cursed and walked away ..
they are horrible ppl
the sad part about this is that you would most likely get shunned, and if you're a person that has been indoctrinated into relying on your family at the very least, and would have trouble becoming independent right away, you're basically setting yourself up to deep depression of being threatened and watching everyone you know and love blindly begin to ignore your existence and be seen as dead to them.
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
@@Nanashi20
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
There was this big, muscular, JW father who would angrily wield this thick, leather belt on his approx. five year old son who looked terrified in the Kingdom hall and nobody even batted an eyelash at the abuse. Another JW father would pick up his son who was fidgeting too much in his seat, take him to the rest room from where his son's screams of agony could be heard as he plowed into him. The meeting continued as if nothing unusual was going on.
I was a pioneer for years. The gossiping was terrible and it was one of the things that began turning me off until I quit.
It really is bad! Hopefully it caused more people to switch onto something being wrong.
@@TheExjwFamily what is pioneering?
@@TheExjwFamily the Wednesday morning car group if no publishers showed up. Wednesday afternoon 2 woman doing nothing but gossip. Amazing 😁
@@MJ-qb5ph Pioneering is fulfilling the requirement to put in x number of hours a month in the door to door work. When I was in it, active and pioneering, I had to put in 30 hours a month. If you didn't fulfill those hours you were removed and your name was announced from the podium during a meeting as having been removed.
@@MJ-qb5ph They have to spend I believe it is 70 hours a month going door to door trying to get others to join their cult. those who do not spend that much time are publishers
I was verbally abused by a ministerial servant for years...I got out fast when i found out about the 1925 false prophecy...
I was a young adult “study” for nearly 10 years off and on. I tried to do the right thing (I thought) by bringing my toddler son to Sunday meetings. One Sunday an elder asked me to take my son to the back to a study room due to noise. So I did. And then the elder came back again to tell me “they can still hear him”. I said “Okay”. I packed up, left the hall and NEVER returned. The systematic hypocrisy and bullying by the elders had become very clear.
You were very wise to never return. Having children and the bullying we faced on that front was a major catalyst in eventually leaving.
True some are just bullies and controling and never act like a Christian afraid for to many it's a box ticking exercise study field service 10 hours a month pioneer ministerial servant elder then looking down on others lovely lots of boxes ticked well done but many really miss the whole point.
I was just at the last week and was told not to worry about my daughter (15 months old) making any noise and that she is no bother. He was an elder too. We have a good group though. I’m sure there are some stumblers out there
@@TheExjwFamily Don't you have a life? your life revolves around attacking Jehovah's organization day and night as if your existence depended on that!! why don't you attack Catholics for a change? you are real life Hater, in every definition of the word, just as the bible put it so clearly, again I am quoting from the bible as in regards to how it describes your ending traits when the bible say's " filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malicious disposition, being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, self-assuming, inventors of injurious things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, merciless.” Their lack of accurate knowledge meant that their hearts were not motivated toward righteous acts.-Romans 1:28-31; Proverbs 2:2, 10 If anyone who professes to serve God relies on his own ideas instead of adhering to the Bible and if his teaching does not ‘accord with godly devotion,’ thus failing to reflect the teacher’s devotion to God, he becomes “mentally diseased.” (1Ti 6:3, 4)
@@alicia2343you’re obviously in the ‘clicke’ and get to do things others don’t.
Since June of 2021 I was planning on getting reinstated after being df'd for seven years. I lost my dad in April of '21, so that made me want to come back. So I tried, letter after letter, turning my life upside to do what the elders wanted. 19 months of waiting in, I randomly searched for some kingdom songs on RUclips and found the ARC trial. Initially that was the first nudge to wake up and it was a big one. After that I dug DEEP into the research, discovering the ugly truth about the "truth". Two weeks ago I sent an email to my elders, telling them I'm no longer interested in being reinstated and that I'm not controlled by them anymore. It was so freeing and now I'm fully awake and out. I feel like I can breathe again and live my life.
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
You may have left... But don't let your heart grow cold to the real truth of Jesus Christ our Savior Lord and God
You mention the ARC trial, What is that.?
@@peterlunn4768that's the Australian royal commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions.
Mainly that of both the catholic Church and the jehovahs witnesses.
But mainly focused on jw.
Do yourself a very huge favour and look into it.
It was the one that really not only comfirmed my suspicion but raised a huge red flag along with other minor red flags I've seen along the way being in the org for 10 years at that point back in 2015.
It comes under case study 29 I think in the ARC.
@@peterlunn4768
Australia royal commission on pedophile among jw ten years of silence
I have been associated with the organisation for almost 15 years. My husband and I got baptised is 2013 so a decade ago and thankfully we are the only ones in our families who are JWs. We’ve recently left and my daughters young enough at 5 for us to re-educate her so she doesn’t ostracise herself from the world. I was young and easily brainwashed due to suffering trauma I was experiencing so I was a great target. I don’t regret my journey because it led me to have some very good morals and standards for myself but now I’m learning to remove the toxic judgements we make of others.
What toxic judgments?
@@umelokarnes5460 your kidding right?! The whole purpose of the cult is to have toxic judgments of others even of yourself and others within the group.
Isn't that the truth makes you free? Congratulations on leaving as a family in one single piece.
Haha so true! And thank you :)
9
@@TheExjwFamily Amen to that one!
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
Congratulations on beating the cult brainwashing! You are not alone! There are thousands who are leaving/have left. Not me I just like seeing people get out. The watchtower is nasty and, in my opinion, evil. Cults are bad. Telltale showed me how creepy this cult is and everyone who gets out is a victory.
The Future of White supremacy (1 minute 5 seconds) ruclips.net/video/gykujXt8mqc/видео.html
They really messed up my little sister, the gossip, and hateful treatment killed her
Why not you? Are you inside still, probably an obvious answer but. Yeshua blessings and prayers for you..
@@feleiaestrada2403 um because I don't need to get out of things I have never been in? Also who is yeshua? Blessings sound like magic spells to me so I'm not sure how to respond to that since magic doesn't real. I'm gonna guess that there might have been a miscommunication here. I am an atheist and hope all people get out of religion. It's a primitive way to think and I disagree with cults brainwashing people. I'm happy these people got out and welcome them. Even If they still believe in god. Getting out of that version of the nonsense is still an accomplishment since it's even more harmful than normal religion. When you say "blessing to you" I understand you think you are saying something nice but to me it's just weird. It's like you said, "I cast a spell of happy at you." I just kinda nod and smile thinking, "okaaay, that's weird. That person thinks they can do magic!" Have a good day! May the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you with his noodly appendages. Ra-men. See what I did there? 😀
Ooook well....
Yeshua is Jesus in Greek
& You said, I quote:
"There are thousands who are leaving/have left. Not me I just like seeing people get out"
I took that as thousands are leaving said cult but not you, you just enjoy watching them leave?
So apologies, the way you worded it is exactly how I took it. Also I rebuke that witchcraft thought of yours, I'm a child of God, covered in the blood of Jesus. I'm sorry for being concerned.
“Your mouth is taped shut” in the organization, especially women and children. So true … and their loss.
Their loss indeed.
Do they actually put a piece of tape over a person's mouth?
@@ronnym1977 Haha! No, it’s a figure of speech. I recently learned that the larger Bethels don’t allow the sisters to comment because they want the many brothers to have a chance. In this example women are prevented from speaking or expressing their views in favour of men.
@@jessieberle3384
Oh, I see.
I thought it was literal, lol!
that is why everyone i contact from the hall i complain about the hall to the high heavens .. now i pioneer against the hall
its a horrendous place
Your story was incredible! Thank you for sharing it. My husband, 2 sons and I have been out 7 years now. My cracks started when our youngest son was born-he’s now a teen. Our other 2 children were in fact young adults-my oldest son being an elder. As a baby our youngest was always soooo loud during meetings-trying to do his baby talk over the people on stage lol. I asked our pediatrician when he was a toddler, how long they should be expected to sit. Her response set the stage for me! Either my son and I would just stay home from the meetings and would listen in on the line or if we went, we’d walk around outside the Kingdom Hall or sit in our car and listen. Of course, it meant I wasn’t in the ‘spiritual crowd,’ esp with the mothers whose kids were being beaten and made to sit through the entire meetings! Then years later when our youngest son started school, our oldest son who was an elder got disfellowshipped! The bottom fell out for me. He lived in another city so I didn’t even get to at least look at him. The ‘friends’ immediately began to treat us as tho we had been df’d too. Talk about kicking you when you’re down! We needed their support, esp as we were grieving the loss of our son! The other moms stopped allowing their kids to come over to play w our youngest. Still we believed it was the truth. 18 months into shunning our oldest, I couldn’t do it anymore. I actually reached out and called our son, shocking him! We spoke for 4 hrs that first time! So emotional! Long story short-he told us he was never going bk to the jws and how he had been researching! He could have said he was from the planet Mars, I was so open and ready, I would have believed him lol! No way was I losing him again! We listened-SHOCKED. We researched as he said and knew we were done. We told our jw daughter about contacting her brother and what we had learned. Her response was to turn us into the elders, who were relentless in stalking us! We disassociated. That was 7 yrs ago-daughter and her husband have been shunning us ever since-ZERO contact yet they live literally 4 minutes away from us! We learned through others that they have a child now-our 1st grandchild. Of course we’ve never met the child and will never be allowed to do so unless of course we ‘return to jehovah.’ Hostage holding. So we gained our son back, only to lose our daughter.
In life some times you have to give up something
My heart breaks for you. I'll be praying for you.
That’s so hard but you did the right thing & hopefully your daughter will eventually wake up herself!
Free at last! Free at last! Your strength is transposable across many aspects. Don’t be shy to share your story to many people who can relate to you on a totally different level, but still on the same exact feeling!
RESPECT!!!!
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
I've heard someone who works in a pharmacy express concern at how so many JWs are on antidepressants. I can see why, and your observations confirm. I know a couple of exJWs who now follow Christ (outside of institutional religion), and their stories are similar to yours. It's so good you didn't let them destroy your marriage. Thanks for sharing.
Appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experience, Brett. It's helpful to know that others have gone through something similar. Also glad we kept our marriage intact :)
Ever since I was a child, the words and teachings of Jesus Christ that I have read in the scriptures have inspired me and motivated me to bring them to life for a better one. Forty years later I can feel the freedom this message has brought to my life and the life with my family and friends. It breaks my heart how this wonderful message can be so abusively twisted by people. My respect for your strength that you have developed in such an environment to free yourselves.
it's not just JW, many are, in churches and not, why, because when anti-depressants started helping folks a little, doctors started to push them, instead of telling people to go out and exercise and do other things, they simply gave out prescriptions, I got stuck on Paxil, I was one of that about 25 percent that wouldn't be able to get off easily, (meaning not at all), a global lawsuit, caused me to only get about 13,000 and my attorney got 40 percent, so she got quite a bit. Anyways, those people who do not drink or take drugs many times will use anti-depressants, and they are not all easy to taper off of.
One thing I noticed growing up in the religion was how many brothers and sisters had a lot of mental health issues. I never thought about it until I was an adult.
This cult has the saddest people. My mother is so depressed and I blame it on the religion. If i had stayed I would be the same. They constantly tell you in talks that we’re so depressed and so weighed down and so disheartened. If you’re told that over and over, you’re going to believe it eventually. They break you down so they can own you.
I will never forget my child only a few years old looking at my book of bible stories and seeing the horrifying picture of Jesus on the stake with nails in his hand. It greatly effected her in such a negative way. I too found it very hard to explain away the pictures the graphic pictures expose children to. All the while thinking this feels wrong.
The lack of love in this cult is what finally broke me and woke me up. The judgement, the gossip ect. Is just a ‘normal’ part of a JW. I’m so glad to be free from it all
It's truely horrifying what the created for kids. The lack of true love seems to be a big factor in waking up so many.
@@vusimngomezulu2500 Vusi yes she left
a cult organization , put that in you're head stop causing a troubled if you're happy been a jw go ahead and don't
bother any more .
@@vusimngomezulu2500 she left your evil, hateful, controlling Cult. Understand?
@@vusimngomezulu2500 I already answered your question. She left your evil Cult. Your evil Cult is not the "narrow road". Verse 15 says to beware of False Prophets... your Governing Body are False Prophets with many failed predictions. Maybe you should consider verse 15!
@@TheExjwFamily So glad, that the lack of love exposes so much. On the other side, how awesome it is to share that love in a marriage, familiy and with friends!
Hello Katie, What woke me up ? Going to a 78 yr old pioneer sister,s funeral and the elders telling Nicole my wife and I not to talk to the 50 year old daughter of the Pioneer sister. I ignored their advice and got roused on buy a elder. I dissociated in Sept 6th 2018 aged 57 , Nicole my wife is still pimi but hates getting invited to jw get togethers without her apostate husband. We have a loving relationship . I don't want Nicole to leave the watch tower because she'll lose her family and friends . I do want to show Nicole . Born again atheists auxiliary apostate can have good morals and for Nicole to tell all the single sisters find yourself a apostate they make the best husbands. Love you videos. Justin porter ex jw
Wish you and your family the best Justin!
The Future of White supremacy (1 minute 5 seconds) ruclips.net/video/gykujXt8mqc/видео.html
@@leejohnson6328 NO ONE HERE IS INTERESTED IN YOUR WHITE SUPREMACY BULLSHIT! TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
@@HPIBWC is that a thumbs down to white supremacy?
@@HPIBWC proverbs 9:13 A stupid woman is loud
These kind of experiences happen in all congregations of JWs,its such an unspoken toxicity that the deep ins think is normal,im so glad ive been properly awake for maybe 5 years,but i stopped going in 2012, so it took me far too many years to break out of the mind mold,your videos are much appreciated,love & regards
I've also got out in 2012. Happy 10 years of freedom for us ^^
@@BrunoM19T11 yay 👍
I've been out for 3 decades. Smartest thing I ever did
Congrats on eventually getting out. That's the main thing. And thank you for your words :)
The Future of White supremacy (1 minute 5 seconds) ruclips.net/video/gykujXt8mqc/видео.html
A very human story. Sadly JW's are dedicated to a routine. Policies and procedures take priority over the qualities of Christianity. The Bible speaks of supporting the weak, showing mercy to those who have doubts and consoling the depressed. True love is kindness and patience in action.
So true that their actions fly in the face of Biblical principles and what Christ taught.
Usually ppl figure out bad things first. Bad things put shadow on good things. Also good ppl in organization become invisible when happen something bad in org. But there many ppl who serve Jehovah with sincere heart.
@@Mayly_0202And they have to suffer through being in a cult
What woke me up? I started fading in the early 1970s when I was around 18 years old.
I couldn't stand being so tightly controlled by my overzealous mom and by toxic elders who told me I was going to be destroyed in 1975. After all... I wasn't making the truth my own and I wasn't even baptized yet.
So I made a point of finding a job that paid good enough so I could move out of my parents' house and "live it up in these last days"! LOL!
After being away for a while I came to the realization that nothing (armageddon) was going to happen in 1975 and I told one of my JW friends about how I felt. Then wah-lah! None of my JW "friends" would talk to me anymore.
After 1975 came and went I was sure that the Watchtower Org was full of sh*t.
The whole JW experience had me angry and bitter for decades. I vacillated between agnosticism and atheism with short periods of feeling that God must exist.
Imagine my JW relatives surprise when I became a born again Christian 10 years ago. Did you hear the heads exploding?! ROFL!
Stay alive till '75! ;)
Thanks for sharing! I wish I'd listened to my gut and woken up sooner like you. But hey, things happen in their own time. I bet some of your relatives are still scraping their jaws off the floor! Stay alive til 75! haha
MUCH of your Story . . Sounds alot like mine !
I too faded , Before 1975 . . yet became POMI . . for
Decades !! 🙆 (Go figure) 😐
We were Born Again after leaving JWs! We Now Know Our Heavenly Father's and Jesus' Love for All! HE showed us His LOVE!💖💞💖💞🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂💞💖
Can you explain what happened in 1975? I asked and they say a group not the governing body lead people astray. What really happened and can you point me towards evidence
After a lot of research I was awakened to this cult and it's false doctrine. Brought up a JW. I became a born again Christian and I'm so glad that the scales were removed from my eyes. Let's encourage others to leave.
Thank you for sharing your story. Your new life begins here and now.
You will find that over the years that you slowly deprogram yourself
even more. I wish you all the best
So true about the deprogramming - it usually takes time (and dumping).
thank you so much for posting this, i was raised in the Org with my entire family im 21 and i was wrongfully DFed in oct2021 because i went to them for help with self harm and explained how that rippled out into other sins i had made in the past and i just wanted help. instead they said i just didnt belive in god anymore and that my love of him was gone so i should go too...... i live alone and work alone cleaning offices cuz hey thats us pioneers jobs... during a pandemic... for the first time im really able to see how cruel the DF arrangement is... its not a loving theocracy.. its a Darwinian survival of the "spiritualist' or aka the ones who hide their sins and move on getting others to bury there humanity or be forced to be alone.... it breaks my heart that this is reality. But im so glad i dont have to worry about god killing good ppl just cuz they arnt branded with a JW logo on their ass..... thank u for speaking up....
So sorry to hear that happened to you, Razzo. They are so cruel and unloving. Completely agree with your analysis. It can be really tough when you first leave, but I hope things pick up for you. When you're ready, consider making some new friends or joining a club/sport. It's good to have people to take to...even if they don't entirely understand your situation. I know it helped us. Wishing you the very best!
Wow hi! This happened to my moms friend in 90s. They actually came to hospital after harming herself & told her dfd bc killing yourself was a sin. She was so depressed from outside stuff. History with genetics etc, on meds to operate become a warrior of health imprisoned in brain chemicals. Well, you know no support outcast. She made several more attempts. So the suicide rates devastate my heart. To think someone wants to move on but as trying just cant. I too, suffer bipolar trauma ptsd etc bn in 9 wards for help since 2007 & the shame guilt I had pressure of getting back in was sm on getting healthy again. A yr later still battle certain labels mistakes etc. Thanku for bringing up PSA for those lost.
You asked what started the breakdown process my leaving. I left over 40 years ago. For me it was doctrinal though I could relate to some of your experiences as well. The rumor mill was active about why I left but my wife helped clear that up. So it was doctrine. If anyone reads the Bible in a good Bible translation and stops using the publications as the “Bible Explained”, you will quickly see that their teachings are not what the Bible teaches, especially as it relates to salvation and Jesus Christ. The details are too much to explain here. It took me years after leaving JW, before I could associate with Christians in a Church because of the fear of going back to any other form of that control, but eventually I overcame that and I am a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ attending Church. So, now I describe the path out for a JW as actually TWO JOURNEYS. First is the journey out and dealing with the loss of family and friends and new-found freedom from the bondage of the organization. The second journey is the one to look for the real TRUTH, since the JW organization is not “the truth”. In my case it came somewhat quickly because what triggered my leaving were doctrinal issues especially about Jesus Christ. So that is a short version of my story. I’m so glad to hear you and your husband are both out. Count that a huge blessing since it is not always the case. And it is so great that your children are not being raised in that environment. I wish you both well.
Yep, It's all there right in the bible. So many come out and become atheist and end up hating God and religion. Can you blame them, the JWs teach hate, and that all other religions are wrong, when in fact they are wrong...
@me2utube,
I like your comments.
You seem like a beautiful person.
May God bless you and your family.
The "governing body" of Jehovahs Witnessess policies and procedures destroyed mine.
Really gives you perspective to think that your circumstances have forced yourself, and your family to reinvent reality. Being trapped in a psychological matrix from birth to relearn how to adjust to functioning, healthy relationships and emotional integration. Once you've awoken, a global pandemic forces a shift in society; Instability, crisis, depression. Life is grim as it is, your video is very validating for my own experiences of abuse. Thank you, all the best
Your observation of reinventing reality struck a chord with me and it seems so obvious to almost be embarrassing to my intelligence. I had to sacrifice real human reality to achieve a balance of sanity but even that seemed extreme and very selfish at the time. It has played out but not without casualties beyond my control or conscience.
Thank you for sharing your experience in getting your freedom. It’s so evident now, the lack of love and fellow feeling that exists among Jehovahs Witnesses. I am out now for 22 years and woke up 12 years ago. It’s terrible how they treat people with true hearts to the point of waking up such as yourself.
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
I can totally relate to your situation. It's devastating what the Watchtower Borg does to people.
It truly is, Carol.
Good comparison. The Borg!
Big reason I left was seemed like half the kh were on meds, a higher up worked for a big pharm factory, and when I was feeling over stressed and tired, etc, they suggested I see a doctor. That was it for me.
Such true words. So glad you got out!
When I was a Jehovah’s Witness I found it hard to believe that stuff like this would happen. Like the elders taking her daughter until she was asleep I thought that people would exaggerate details. It wasn’t until I had experienced an incident with an elder where I realized that it happens all the time but is swept under the rug. I felt terrible for not believing others. I disassociated after that
Sorry you had such an experience with an elder. That problem really is rampant in the organisation and gets swept under the rug like you say. Glad you dissociated. I hope life is treating you well now that you're free!
Not waffling on. Very well explained in clear English and it so sums up our experiences with the JWs. I was in for over 45 years, an elder at 26 and I have 3 daughters and an ex-wife in Ireland, all strong JWs. I am experiencing some shunning but I was never DF'd so they can technically talk to me. I'm in the UK (and Italy) and have found such good people and friends, so all that JW garbage about worldly people should be ignored. I hope your good friend wakes up and brings you joy.
Thank you, James. Me too. Glad you can still have some contact with your daughters. Funny how "worldly" people are so much nicer than we were ever allowed to believe. Wishing you the very best.
@@TheExjwFamily How well sumarized!
Love your experience it’s so relatable. They put such pressure on us. You seem like a wonderful person. Empathetic to what you’re saying. Wishing you health healing and happiness free of guilt and shame. They are extraordinarily unreasonable and incredible. It’s such a hamster wheel. 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️. Thank you for sharing and having the courage to speak out.
Congratulations on your awakening. Hope you’re all ok. You sound very strong and are brave for speaking out like this.
Thanks, Tony. Life has it's stresses, but we've never been better. Hope you are well too!
Thank you for sharing. I could really feel the sincerity of missing your best friend.
You are so welcome. We really do miss the people that left us. Hopefully one day some of them will come around. For now, we shall live our lives :)
Thank you for sharing your story. I, too, am a recovering ex-JW and am simply floored at how similar your experience is with my own story. I had doubts from a very young age yet spent years blaming myself for not being able to be a good witness. The gossiping and backstabbing, especially when trapped in the service car on Saturdays, was especially detrimental to self-esteem!!! Cannot remember how many pioneers would "house shop" while going door-to-door, selecting the types of homes they wanted in the new system. Soooo messed up! My husband got out about 2yrs before me; I feared loosing my mom, sister and the few real friends. As my fade became more obvious, the elders dragged me into the back room after Sunday meeting for a shepherding call. One elder was older and had been like an uncle to me. This elder remained engaged and was very genuine; I think he could see I was done. The other elder was no more than 25 and had just moved to the hall. The younger elder did all the talking and kept calling me by my (fleshly) sister's name. At the end, the younger elder gave a prayer, during which he called me by a completely different name!!
Thank you again for
How can this organization say it is Gods Organization when if you dont agree with them or you just leave you lose all of your family and friends. The God I know would never support that. So happy you got out but sorry you lost so many people
I entirely agree with you comments on it I also think the same thing.
Thanks for sharing your story. Being you're from halfway around the globe, and having the same type of issues, makes leaving (this week) so much easier. Thank you again for being honest!!!
You're welcome. And congrats on leaving! Good luck with everything!!!
Good luck!
I have never been involved with J.W's but am a more orthodox christian. I want to wish you the best of luck too. Brent Collins.
Hello. Personally, I had been a Jehovah's Witness for just over 20 years. The little things have always seemed odd to me in teaching. I gave up 5 years ago.
Finally, I understood that our "Creator" did not ask us to be "religious". No "God" and no "prayers".
We just have to live our life, and he, our "Creator", will do his job when his day comes.
I enjoyed your video. My friendships to you and your little family.
Greetings from France.
Thanks for sharing your story you are very clear an honest in relating your truth , an the world is just waiting for another strong an intelligent an compassionate women to make a difference . Thankyou "💝
Thank you. Such kind and gentle etiquette in your manner. I enjoyed listening to your story and could relate at many levels. I'm glad you came out 'together' (husband) and that you are still together for support.
You are a very kind and sincere person. Thank you for relating your account of how and why you left the corporation. Very encouraging.
Thank you for your kinds words.
Well done! Myself after (45years in)and my wife and daughter woke up and left 8 years ago now, today we are closer than ever to our heavenly Father and Christ.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Patrick is a blessed man. You both are people of integrity.
So very glad that you and your family are out of the org.
It will be apparent to you already that the toxic, all pervading teachings and behaviour of its members stretch from the GB right down to the ranks of publishers.
NB:- There are exceptions to the case , as in all things.
For me and my family it became a problem when certain doctrinal beliefs were adjusted with the arrival of 'new light' et al, eg. the remodelling of the 1914 generation and what 'generation' now meant etc.
But it was the stretching of new policies to meet the needs of bible understanding beyond the point of credulity that really started us thinking about the claims being made by the JW Org.
Another huge point in our deciding to leave was the cold, hypocritical lifestyles of the elders and members of the GB, along with revelations on the "Silent Lambs" website re the rampant child abuse in the Org. and the orchestrated cover-ups.
Anyway, congratulations on leaving this despicable religion and enjoy the rest of your lives.
When you said "We call it Freedom day." i was so happy for you. My wife and i was also in this cult and it's not that often to see another couple who gone that way together. So many breakups and pain for so many. And you made it! I'm so proud of you, your family and yes, i'm also proud about my family. We all lost people but we've also got so much more. Thank you for your video!
You guys TOOK THE ELDERS TOO SERIOUSLY. I would just smile,nod my head and DO WHAT I WANT.
That very easy too say - and some have done that,. But unless you have experienced the indoctrination since being a small child- you dont know how a JW thinks when they are in and active. We took for granted that elders were to be obeyed without question. They were Gods representatives. We were to answer all their questions , no matter how intrusive. It was both weird and empowering to me , when I realized I owned them nothing. I dont have to answer who I sleep with last night, I dont have to answer why I was scene without a chaperon when out for the night with a young women. etc etc.. It is a process to escape mentally
When the usual argument of "well they are just imperfect men and J will sort it out in the end" is an example of the Lie they fall back on to keep calling it the "Truth." This is a prime example of what pisses me off and makes me angry and I say shit. Which I did and it cost me at the time and well spent because now I'm free! Happy New Year all! What a great channel!
So true, Willy! I try not to think about it too much because it frustrates me ha. Hope you're keeping well :)
Thank you for sharing your story! I have a similar story also. I wasn’t a JW but I was an Apostolic Pentecostal. That’s a very strict sect of Pentecostalism. Your comment about the gossiping and stalking resonated very deeply with me. That is something I witnessed often. It also happened to me throughout my belonging to the organization. When I told my best friend, who also was in the organization, that I was leaving she told me that she had an idea I was leaving. I wasn’t sure how she knew and I hadn’t spoken to her about it. She told me that my vehicle was being watched and several people had seen my vehicle at church not belonging to the Apostolic organization. It broke my heart that my best friend would take part in something like that. Looking back, I’m over joyed in my decision in leaving.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Oliver. It amazes me how similar our stories can be when we were in different groups. This is something we would love to explore more in future videos. I'm glad you got away from that group. You have my best wishes! :)
Thank you for sharing your story. I'm starting Ex-JW support groups across the US. I think we have a good class action against the Watchtower society.
Thank you so very much for sharing! I believe you (hopefully) helped, at a minimum, the young elder who visited your house!! You've certainly helped everyone who has watched this message!
You are very kind Toni, thank you :)
My mother started to study when I was 3. There were things I found disturbing even when I was a child. I remember a talk that alcohol abuse was bad and could be overcome with prayer. I didn't think anyone but a therapist could help. Also later when I had children I would take them downstairs so they wouldn't disturb the talk. When I was downstairs another brother would say you're here for the talk, not to socialize. I was blown away when I found out some churches had different rooms for each age of child. I know a brother would never talk to another brother like that. Women are on a lower level, especially if their husbands don't belong
Yes so true when your husband is not awitness you are at the very end of the scale you are nobody I am fading now after 45 years of my life wasted they are trolling me badly I had to tell one elder bluntly that he cannot just turn up at my home iam a married woman I can't even begin to write what my children and I went through in this God forsaken cult I refused to write a letter of dispassionate because they are not God and only he reads heart therefore he sees that iam done may god help people to pull out of this thing and get a life it's so hard mentally but when one comes to realize that this is all lies you cannot stay
They are a very suspicious people. Constantly imagining that if you miss some meeting you must be fornicating, committing adultery, getting weak in the faith, and must be avoided lest you contaminate them. Tell them you are ill, and they will say that illness is no excuse because others whom they deem just as ill or worse attend the meetings. Then they will begin their shunning and advising others to shun you as well. Pretty soon you will be isolated from them and from the world as well. Wallowing in a psychologically agonizing Limbo of your own making.
Wow, what a touching story. the best thing about it is the relationship with your husband and that this has brought you closer. What a day of freedom that you can celebrate every year. I hope that you can welcome your friends you love back into your life. It must be a privilege to be able to count you among his friends. May god continue to bless and protect you and your family.
Thanks for taking the time to say your story. I've heard many now as an exjw but I still benefit from hearing new perspectives. You're a great speaker and so well done on managing to make this so compelling. Thanks
I thank God that this young woman is free from wickedness. Our God is awesome 🙏♥️🙏♥️🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing your story. So glad you and your husband are AWAKE now and your children are FREE from ever having to go through what a lot of us went through as children. KUDOS to you both!! You are good parents. You saved them from the cult. ❤
Awesome and sincere story! I’m so glad your immediate family is out and you’re not going to indoctrinate your children into that destructive CULT!
Thank you so much!
Congrats on your freedom! I woke up in a elders meeting feb 23 2016. My pioneer wife had stop going November 2015. She pioneered for 18 years. I was an elder and a ms for 17. Sending out love from Pennsylvania!!! I hope your kids and you and your husband do what makes you happy!
Wonderful you are both out. Paddy was supposed to go to Pennsylvania as an exchange student when he was 11 but they wouldn't allow it because of the blood issue in case he got in an accident. Hopefully we can visit out your way some day. We are very happy thanks, and we hope the same for you and your wife!
Thank you for sharing YOUR lovely story; boy don't you radiate happiness, my lovely wife hasn't even started to wake up yet, comfortably numb with her Eldoret best friend. BUT i live in hope.
Thank you Graham. And hold onto that hope. Sending you my best wishes!
Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's been 2 yrs for me since I disassociated, so I can really empathize what you've been going through.
My experiences are different in that, I had not any really bad experiences, but have known of many who had.
Like you though, right from early age had seen things didn't always add up. Like their quoting scriptures out of context, and changing doctrines (new light) and the year I got baptized for the wrong reason (1975) etc.
One thing I haven't given up on is my faith in God.
To leave the WT and God too is really throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I hope you dig into the Bible with a whole new set of eyes and learn what the Bible REALLY teaches.
And that Jesus really is the way the truth and the life. Not any organization.
WT has relegated Jesus to just an angel who hasn't the importance He deserves.
I wish you the best in your getting to know who He really is. And unlearn the lies.
It's a new day!
Great comment. 👍
YAHsome! 💯🔥❤️
So so true about reading the true Bible and finding out who Jesus really is. He will mend your broken heart as he did mine. Let him in. I remember being out in service and the sisters mocking a person who said she was a born again Christian and had accepted Jesus into her heart. Oh boy the ridicule and saying things like, oh where does he live in the heart, is there a little room in there for Jesus. Of course not to the householder, this ugliness was saved until we were back in the car so everyone could have a big laugh. How cruel and unkind.
I walked away back in the late 1980's due to personal growth. It didn't involve any doctrinal teachings or misgivings about God's organization, I just had to walk away. I found the phrase "the truth shall set you free" was a misnomer. While as a Witness, I felt guilt, trapped, & unable to express myself. The Truth was actually keeping me in chains. I broke free & have never been happier in my life as I am now. Side note: I recently found out about the change in the teaching of the generation of 1914 to the "new light" teaching of the "overlapping generations." That one floored me as to how any JW can agree with this new doctrine & not question it.
My husband and I both left after being "in" all our lives and I'll never forget hearing mothers spanking tiny babies/children to keep them from making noise. Once I was standing in the back with one of my babies and an elder's wife came up to me and berated me for not keeping him quiet. I never spanked my kids, it turned my stomach how casually physical abuse was carried out in public.
Well done. Congrats. All major shifts in society came from brave people speaking out
Thanks, Bill. The more of us who speak out the better.
Thank you for sharing. Totally relatable story. You're a gem.
I appreciate that! Glad it resonated :)
I’m so sorry that you went through all this with your first baby! On behalf of all the asshole elders out there, I apologize. When I was an elder still, about a year ago, at one point during the 10 years on the body, the elders volunteered me to do a local needs part about the young children behaving during the meetings. All I did was play a Caleb and Sophia video, and asked the little children a few questions from the video, the end. Not offensive, and the elders were not happy, and I said oh well! Too bad! The congregation really enjoyed it. Any not too long after that, we went into virus mode with covid, and long story short I resigned as an elder.
Watching your child go through their childhood most definitely brings up your own traumas from your own childhood
This is the first time I've seen your site. Thank you so much for such a beautiful presentation of your experience. Look forward to seeing your older posts. xoxo
Thank you so much for your kind words. :)
Thank you for sharing your experience. The elders behaviour in your congregation was truly shocking. What about the "love that never fails"?
I was a born in as was my husband. He left 2 years before me and some people 'soft shunned' me, whilst I carried on going to the meetings. Whilst others would talk to me like my husband was not alive too. The whole experience only accelerated the waking up process in 2018.
Keep up the good work with your videos as they do help others. xx
Enormous thank you for sharing your stories. Every story helps current and former JWs and always contributes toward its activism. So glad your family woke up. Lots of Love and good vibes sent your way 💙🖤 my mother was the one and only reason I had stayed in as long as I did. Entrapment indeed.
Every story really does count, thank you for your kind words. :)
I was never a JW but have always been intrigued by their doctrine and history. I often wonder how supposedly intelligent people cannot think and discern things for themselves. Sad to say, the organization is a cult that uses manipulation and fear to secure compliance and obedience of members within the organization. I am happy for you and your family that you were able to break freee from bondage and it is my hope that you do not let that experience rob you of a true and real relationship with Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family and I thank you for sharing your testimony and hope it will inspire others to muster the courage to leave. God is able and He is real!
They target vulnerable people and a lot of them are raised in it, and even if they aren't true believers they don't want to lose their entire family and social circle.
My husband once said (after my reaction to an elder who thought he could micromanage my time), that “one day you will be thankful for his “ awkwardness” “. My husband was convinced it was an opportunity for me to work on “ fruitage of the spirit”. In my opinion, this elder had an agenda, he was controlling & a bully!! I told him that to his face, weeks afterward. Again, he turned my feelings into a reproach, saying I was the only sister, in 30 some odd years of his being an elder, that “reacted so strongly!”. YES, I can now be thankful for “his awkwardness “, which started the ball rolling to my WAKING UP! It was all downhill from there! It took me 6 years nonetheless to realize I didn’t have to put up with this treatment, to realize this wasn’t the truth…unloving as they are!! I deserved better for myself. What a journey this has been, but I needed to step off the hamster wheel & experience what life & truth (about myself) is all about!! 💜🥂
Sorry to hear that your husband sounds very gullible. The was a so called Elder like that in the congregation I was in before I had my awakening.
Always used his appointed by holy spirit to use when anyone dared to question him not that anyone did apart from yours truly it's all to do with control and egotism and peacocking on the platform and box ticking as you no doubt know .
Thank God that you folks are speaking OUT LOUD for the others to hear. Tony Morris is my 1st cousin and gave me my first lesson. After 3 years of this foolishness I shook the dust off my shoes, turned around, walked away and NEVER looked back. Best decision of my life!
Great experience sad to hear the same situations about abuse some pioneers gossip about you in car groups experienced that plus a Facebook post was turned into the elders that I posted taken out of context , the doctrines etc, quietly faded wish I had to strength to dissociate but I just faded so I can have very little contact with a few friends that I really love. Love your channel
Just subscribed! So much of your experience resonated with me.
Thank you for the support bud. It seems to be a shared experience for quite a few. To think we used to put up with such madness :)
Loved hearing your story and so pleased you left as a family. X
Thank you so much. Me too :) Best of luck to you!
I was raised a Jehovah's witness I have made a diligent search of.many different religious groups all claiming to have gods backing and favor. So far I have found none that make any sense. I believe that Jehovah is a God of order and not of disorder. Remember that Jehovah never changes. The defect is with men not Jehovah. Moses and Aaron had many problems with the Israelites in the wilderness. But they were still gods people. Nobody has had their feelings hurt more then Jehovah I also have heard an seen things in the congregation that simply where not right. I'm not making excuses for the things I have seen and heard. The point I'm trying to make is ultimately we will all have to answer to Jehovah. Nobody will get away with anything. Jehovah is making a estimate of hearts. Ultimately we will all answer to Jehovah by means of his son and king Christ Jesus we are all guilty. Don't look at the people. Moses could have given up and said if this is the way it is I'm out here. But he released his relationship with Jehovah is what really mattered not what the people said or thought about him or Aaron I also have left what believe to be gods people. I understand what you are saying and I understand how you feel. But what will do or say when Jehovah's great comes. I live with that thought in my mind every day. Nate
Touchingly told and deeply heartfelt. Please, if you don't already, please consider writing. You have a gift for narrating. I could not stop listening...and I have never been a JW.
Thank you , Melinda. This is a very kind thing to say and means the world.
Thank you for your video. 😘♥️ I was also a general pioneer for three years (it was still 90 hours a month). As a child, I also had a big problem with the mother and her baby during the flood. 😢If I moved too much during the meeting, my father punished it with beatings. 🙈All the best for you and greetings from Germany (you can see our family on my account on our holidays) ♥️
Ich freue mich,dass es Ihnen gut geht.Grüße aus Gelsenkirchen.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, I'm so pleased to hear that you are now out of this evil organization. Your story is helping somebody. My best To you and your future endeavors.
So excellent video. Sad but true words from the bottom of the heart. You are an amazing teller. I wish you and your family the very best for the new life you are starting on.
That's very kind of you, thank you so much!
That was a beautiful experience. Thank you for sharing. My cracks began 25 years ago. It slowly chipped away my belief in the organization being lead by God. Eventually hearing the widespread coverups of child sexual abuse really broke me down.
children can’t and shouldn’t sit around for 2 hours. i’m no doctor but i know that children need to be running around outside and having sensory experience, not listening to/ being apart of a cult. thank you for prevailing. we need more people like you.
Children can sit if you train them to do so. I've seen them do it because they can as I've experienced it.
@@jeanettedawson8500And would you please like to tell me, how do you train you'd children to be still?
I am glad for you and your family dear sister, I remember 2 years ago my wife face when I came home from job and i finally told her what was on my heart that i don’t believe anymore in the so called ( faithful slave) and almost 20 years my relationship with Christ was stolen ( i never was good with introductions in important matters) after one hour of discussion i told her that whatever happens I don’t force her beliefs but I will step out. After 2 weeks we singn together the dissociation letter. We feel so free and much more close to God than then! Our 4 year old son ( he couldn’t speak then) now he ask “ we don’t go anymore to Jehova’s house?” when we trespass along Kingdom Hall with car, we say no because some people are liars over there! Surprisingly our son started to pray at kindergarten at lunch by himself without pushing him or tell him to do that! It makes it naturally. We stepped out from a forced state and we come to “Master of our fate”! We feel the blessings! And we don’t step anymore in organized religion!
A beautiful and terrible story.
Your perfect presentation ranks you in the top few of ex-JW vloggers.
More please.
Wow, that is high praise indeed. We will continue to make videos so long as we think they will help people. Thank you for your kindness :)
Thanks so much for sharing! I wish you and your lovely family the best!!
Thank you and the same to you and yours!
Thank you for sharing your story and experience of inept elders doing emotional damage due to their inexperience and ignorance of human psychology. I left early in 1975 as an act of faith. This was the year of the world was to end according to their chronology! Fortunately I had the faith to educate myself out of their imprinting and programming! It’s great to be free free free… Hope you trust the process and follow your bliss!
Thank you. Stay alive to 75, eh? I always laugh when I think about that one. Tis good to be free for sure :)
I watched your video and was really touched by your sensitive spirit and meekness. I am an evangelist and speak to many JWs. I love them and pray for them because I know they are under a heavy burden to do good works and there seems to be a pecking order in all the halls and some are considered more spiritual than others. Many times when they leave the JW kingdom hall they never seek another church because they been taught against all other churches. Bible believing churches never do that they just teach from the Bible and if a family decides to move or go to another church there is no pressure to stay in the same type of church but rather they are encouraged to pray and ask God to lead them to another Bible believing church. There is no banishment involved if the family decides to change churches and no one is told to not talk to the family because they are leaving. All cults try to intimidate their members by the threat of banishment: Mormons, JWs, Islam, and others. Please continue, you and your husband, to read the Bible on your own and pray the Lord will show you a good church to attend. I know it's hard when you've been treated so horribly to trust people again but if you sincerely seek the Lord to show you a good church He will. The Bible is the word of God and it's so important for your children to learn the great stories of the saints and prophets. May God bless you and may you and your family experience His loving healing. Amen
Excellent presentation. Thks for sharing. We care regards from England
Many thanks, Gabriel.
Thank you for opening up and telling your incredible story. I was blown away by it, yes serious and horrible things also happening here in your country of birth! I was DF'd in 1986 (Forest Hill Congregation, Johannesburg South) solely on 2x Elders' accusations, NO investigations or anything else! One single meeting, accused of misconduct on the "testimony" of an unknown accuser, and furthermore accused of lying to them during my side of the story! Talk about judges, jurors and executioners, all in one fell swoop! First few years were hard, but getting through that, I never looked back and getting to know the Organisation's cover-up of molestation and rife paedophilia (through the Internet,) came to know that I was right all along about them. Lots of brothers and sisters (DF'd or Cold) here in SA, are in need of support. If anybody knows where we can find such locally, please let us know. Love, blessings and best regards from Pretoria...
Thanks for sharing your story. What started me waking up was coming to know several really nice loving people that were "going to be killed by God at Armaggedon" because they weren't JW'S. So I started seeing the awful vindictive, jealous genocidal nature of the God of the bible. Also the conditional love of those in the congregation including my family which evaporated so fast. I resonated so much with your description of really missing a good friend and what it was like to say goodbye to that person. Best of luck to you and your family moving forward
I have found out who the evil ones are in the world .Our sins are just misdemeanours in comparison. Child sacrifice, torture,trafficking of children ,satanic practices,pedeofillia .Millions children and young adults go missing world wide.
me too i thought so when i was only 17 and i left the F cult for ever :D
Watch the ultimate Mordecai channel on ex Jehovah's witness Katherine's testimony on the home page
anyone who isn’t apart of their organization or criticizes them supposedly dies at this so called Armageddon it really shows the evil nature of jws and their lack of empathy towards anyone who isn’t apart of their group I often use this butchered quote of Dark Vader from Star Wars “I find your lack of empathy disturbing”
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and story, i am not a JW but I am happy to listen to you till the end, you are so sweet to share your story, I have learned something from you, cheers from Toronto Canada
Listened to this on Valentine's day. Happy freedom day to you and your family. Wish you the best for your future
Thank you so much!
36 years ago - after 15 years serving the WTS - I was praying and had a real awareness that Jesus Christ was so much more than I had been taught (that he was the Archangel Michael - do they still teach that?). I just knew that I had encountered Jesus and he very quickly led me to another bible translation I had in the house and spoke to me from it. It was amazing and I’ve never looked back. I disassociated very quickly and after listening to many testimonies recently I realise just how fortunate I was - I didn’t really have a ‘waking up’ period but went from a deep sleep to being totally awake all in a few hours. My husband never joined the JW’s and my children were just 13 and 10 at the time so I didn’t lose family members but of course I lost friends. It’s wonderful to see so many people leaving these days, probably due to all the online information. I would love to see my old friends again even after all these years. Thank you for your story, it was really interesting.
Hugs Kayleigh♥️, I know they will never replace the hugs for your best friend but it was my reaction on listening to that comment, which instantly brought a tear to my eye 😢. Thank you for sharing your heart 💜
Thanks so much for your articulate and well thought out video! Your relaxed demeanor and calm composure reveal how you’ve mostly recovered from your experience, as you’ve pointed out yourself. I hope that you’re as calm inside as you’re projecting…
My wife and I have been out for over 4 decades, I won’t bore anyone by citing more details, the important thing, to me, is that you find a way within yourself to progressively ease away the memories that keep intruding, however infrequently, into your waking thoughts.
No one can prevent any thoughts from occurring, but there are methods, proven to be successful, of handling those that you’d prefer to not have at all.
I’m an avid reader of research and articles related to the functioning of the human mind… it’s simple, easy to accomplish, and-BEST OF ALL-so emotionally rewarding 😆.
Cheers from canada (my wife has Irish ancestry on her father’s side, she’s a Doran).
I’m honorary Irish ☘️ only on St. Paddy’s day, and I’ve been to the southern tip of the Emerald Isle, a very friendly and hospitable nation 😆!
I enjoyed every second of this video!! Thank you so much for your story. This was so therapeutic for me 🙏😊
Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you found it useful :)
Welcome, another exjw safrican to another...safrican exjw :) Durban North here...kwaZulu Natal
@@deanoswell3302 I’m based in Johannesburg but I’m from DBN, Amanzimtoti. I’m not disfellowshipped or disassociated but I haven’t been going to the meetings since Covid started. To be honest I don’t have the guts to officially leave and it’s easier to just not go.
I relate to your experience so much. When my husband woke up, people started also saying to me that he must be cheating on me or going to leave me. The way people talked so negatively about him had a huge role in waking me up. Someone they claimed to love the week before they were now vilifying.
I'm so glad 😊 I found an exjw from South africa, even though you're in another country. You got me at cape town 😉, im currently living in this city. I'm a PIMO (physically in mentally out). Being in this organization has caused me so much anxiety, low self esteem and depression. Many of the things you mentioned in this video I related to. I'm currently on a journey to change my life but I'm feeling sorry for my mom. I don't want her to be forced to choose between me or jws.I feel trapped and silenced. I'm hoping for courage to let go. Great video, I'm going to binge watch all your videos in this channel.
Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, you are free at last!
Boy that's wonderful how that happened between you and your husband on how you woke up that's amazing I'm very happy for you guys 👍❤️❤️❤️
It's so difficult to leave, I don't attend anymore but my mind is still there
being born into it like me yeah it definitely is hard when that’s all you knew for the longest time
How sad the part about expecting the children to be silent. In our church we frequently hear noises from little ones but it is joyful as we know there is no better place for them to be than in the presence of the Lord learning and growing.
That's lovely, Lorie. I'm glad your church enjoys having children :)
I was recently baptized in my calvary congregation . We stood in a circle at the beach listening to the Pastor and giving brief testimonies . the children of a sister getting baptized that day played in the center of us . one child had a plate of food teetering back and forth that never got noticeable sand on it . the older child exspressed a interest in being baptized and was commended but not pursued because he is a child and will be allowed to decide for him self with out the influence of his mothers and others experience . anyway i only brought all this up to share how grateful i am that those children played peacfully and protected amongst us. also the mother and my self are both pomo although i was never baptized but did associate for ten years. also in another church i attended after my fading and shipwreck the children would run around dancing and spinning sometimes with ribbons as the congregation sang , then they were brought to sunday school during announcements . i only brought this up to share how encouraging the joyous dancing and running children are.
@@damionmarkham9835 you are not kidding and congrats on your being baptized!!!!!
Thank you for share your experience.
The elder that visited you and cry (how mad), he is a Psycopath, manipulator for sure, he pretended to use emotional manipulation for shake you, that is disgusting.
Love and hugs from México to you. ❤️🇲🇽✨🙏🏼
I found you today ❤️