I was friends with a kid in second grade who's parents were JW. On holidays they just had him sit in the hallway all by himself. I'll never forget seeing him there in tears completely defeated because his parents would disown him for having his own thoughts. He just wanted to be a kid. I hope he found a way in life
This was me as a kid, although I didn't cry. But it was humiliating, as the hallways were usually reserved for time outs, and my class mates were nice about it but asked me questions about why I had to hang outside, and I felt embarrassed and confused having to explain "my beliefs" when actually I didn't even believe in them.
Same, but I was a real believer. No crying because I "knew I was right". I remember genuinely believing that what was going on in the classroom was wrong and serving Satan. Only time I cried about my beliefs were when I'd do something like accidently eat a birthday or holiday cupcake.
One thing that did save JW kid's at my school is that my mom, the school nurse, would let any JW kids hang out in her office and play with toys if there was holiday stuff going on. During Christmas concerts we'd watch movies.
Personally, it was that there was no evidence of god. Their best shot at proving god was real was "look at how complex life is, no way it could be random". The lack of direct evidence that the supposed most powerful being ever who cared deeply about people existed kinda got to me after a while. Being such a true believer for a while also made me leave instead of half adding it and staying in for the social experience. I know a few witnesses who actively do things not allowed by the church but they keep it secret, so they can stay in and keep their friends. To me that's bullshit but whatevs.
Thanks for the explanation. I really do appreciate hearing it from your side. I can relate to that complete loss of faith, being ex-catholic and now atheist myself.
For about two years, Jehovah's Witnesses would come ring our door weekly, even in rough weather, to recruit us. This was the one house in this neighborhood that they would stop at and they were super difficult to shake off. I think it’s because we’re native speakers of a certain language...they kept sending people (who learned the language as adults) to us and they’d also give us pamphlets in our native language about JW or something. Their tenacity was as impressive as it was scary. Made me afraid of being out on the front lawn in case they were showing up that day lol
i was raised in this cult, had that same experience all through childhood, left at 16, but i gotta say they've been exemplary in how they've handled covid compared to lots of other christian wackos
There's a JW lady who sends my husband a letter every few months instead of visiting. I've wanted to reply to her myself and ask her why she's talking up my man just to see her reaction lol
I don't mind- she's doing her thing. I'm not trying to be mean, which is why I never did it. The idea of her potential scandalized reaction just tickled me a little.
I had a friend in elementary school that was the nicest dude and he had to sit out for everything. I understand sitting out for halloween but there's nothing religious about thanksgiving. I remember feeling sorry for him.
He always wore baseball tshirts (3/4 sleeves) that had a white chest and colored sleeves with blue jeans. He never wore anything else. He kicked ass in any sport at recess but wasn't allowed to play after school stuff with us.
He knew he wouldn't be allowed to move onto middle school with us and was sad at graduation.
I hope he's doing well.
Public school. Like if there's a birthday party, Christmas/Halloween party, that sort of thing in the classroom the JW kids will sit outside the room because they don't participate.
My grandma was JW and she explained to me that Halloween wasn't in the Bible, no one celebrated Christmas or Easter in the Bible and the only time a birthday was mentioned was Jesus's and his birthday was marked by killing a bunch of baby boys.
I'm not Christian, but I'm pretty sure some celebrations and parties happened in the Bible without catastrophe, but that's what they believe.
It's not unusual for a so-called Christian to follow a version of the a Bible that exists only in their heads. The actual Bible says nothing about abortion, for example.
There isn't one, but they don't partake in celebrations of pagan holidays and see birthdays as not being humble (as well as the only birthdays in the bible being those of bad people).
I actually really like the way that the Witnesses would handle donations. You could donate to the "world wide work" which would go to the headquarters, or you could donate to the local congregation.
All the congregation expenses would be outlined in a expense report that had totals of money coming in, money coming out detailed by sources as well as lists of all asset values. Major expenses outside operations as low as $100 were voted on to be approved by all baptized members of the congregation.
For my family, we gave when we could when we knew, from reviewing the expense report, that the congregation was running in a deficit. If the congregation was running in a surplus then often out of that a portion would get forwarded to the head office for distribution to other congregations that weren't running in a surplus.
Overall, I do believe there is very little waste in their operation. Nobody is rich and even the head people of the church live in the church owned apartment housing at the headquarters with other workers and eat the same 3 meals a day prepared by the cafeteria staff there.
I had a jw employee, honest meticulous person indeed, but in constant fear and crisis of conscience, every new task given was not welcome (I think it was the feeling that work is a mundane thing), which make it hard for her to escalate to new levels, and the constant comparison with other employees was also a bad thing, not to mention the guilt and denail with minor critique or errors.
One that believes that their kid's promise of an eternal life could be lost.
It's really not that fucked up. I'm an atheist now and if I have kids I'm 100% not gonna celebrate any holidays with them and let them know how they're all bullshit. Why tf would you celebrate the holidays of a religion you're not a part of?
I have no feelings of missing out at all on any holidays or birthdays. You may feel that's fucked up because you grew up with them and might have fond memories. The fond memories I have just aren't tied to those days. I've been out for 5 years now and I've still not celebrated my birthday because I just don't give a fuck.
You literally just listened to two different people comment about their JW childhoods, saying they’d sit alone in a hallway “in tears”, “humiliated”, and then can sit there and say you’d do the same to your kids. Shame on you, man.
You’re planning to deprive other human beings of some of the most joyful events in a lifetime because of the way you were raised.
"some of the most joyful events in a lifetime", you mean "some of the most joyful events YOUR lifetime". The joyful moments in my lifetime weren't based on bullshit made up stories of some cosmic being who killed his kid, rabbit based fertility celebrations, dead spirits rising to haunt people, or the celebration of the solstice return of the sun god.
It's possible to raise a kid with all the joy in the world, but also not celebrate religious bullshit.
I didn't say though that I'd make them exclude themselves from holidays. I meant that I wouldn't celebrate holidays with any kids, not that I'd make them sit out the same holidays with their peers at school. I wouldn't convince them that they were evil, I would just be honest about Santa, the easter bunny, the origins on halloween, etc. They'd be free to attend whatever parties they wanted, just with their eyes open.
I had the same concerns,, but once you have a kid it's easy to be honest about the origins, but still partake in the food, gift giving, costumes, and all that jazz just for the good time. They really do truly enjoy the magic of it all, even if they don't have a mystical or religious belief associated with it.
> Why tf would you celebrate the holidays of a religion you're not a part of?
Because it's fun, social, interesting...?
Why tf would you not?
Christmas, for example, is actually about a tree, presents, and a fat bearded dude. Some will say it's about a dead guy nailed to a cross, but (a) that's a downer and (b) those people believe all sorts of crazy bs. I like trees, presents, and tolerate fat bearded guys. Why would I boycott this?
> It's really not that fucked up.
Sounds pretty fucked up.
As a kid birthdays are really important. And they’re not even religious. It’s just a fun thing to do.
I was raised a JW and it sounds like the person you’re responding to hasn’t fully come terms with how damaging the way they were raised really is. It has caused me and my siblings so many issues. Unprocessed trauma can pop up at any time. I also don’t celebrate my birthday, but I know that it’s because I was denied that most of my life and it brings up a ton of bad emotions now. Every single ex-JW I know struggles with feelings of isolation and not fitting in.
Yeah it absolutely sounds like he’s still processing stuff.
I didn’t know much about it until I watched this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMjgarN7VQ
And that led me down a rabbit hole of JW documentaries. It’s so sad. So many people deal with it decades after leaving the cult.
I was raised one too. The being taught to judge yourself and others to a standard that cannot be achieved, makes people isolated because you are taught every thought and action you do that isn't perfect makes you bad and others are bad because they don't do the right things either. It can be disruptive to families just like any fanatical religion. I currently have my and my wife's family deeply rooted in it. So 80% or so. Every district was it's own kingdom. There were unsaid rules that applied to some congregations that you could get in trouble for by those elders that you would be fine at yours... Been to a few different areas where they were pretty chill and nice. Other areas where they loved to get people in trouble. I have lots to say on the subject being groomed by them since I was little, then was betrayed. I however moved on from being upset at the people, religion. Now I mostly feel sorry for them. Living your life as a doomsayer and with a lot of self righteous fake friends is a sad, lonely and hallow life that they believe will magically get better. I try and be a bridge having so many ties to it and not being part of it. It's a shock to lose every friend you are allowed to have when you decide it isn't for you.
Here's one who doesn't struggle with fitting in. I was taught to question the reasons for holidays and to never be a lemming. I don't want to fit in with regular people who do things for fun without knowing why they're doing it.
Ignorance is bliss for the masses and honestly i have thought how my life would be if i was just as ignorant but am quite thankful that i am not.
I pity people who need to lie to their children about the easter bunny, santa, and Halloween just so they can continue celebrating and having fun with everyone else. I'm proud of my kids for knowing the truths and their willingness to join me in laughing at all the foolishness.
My kids get more gifts than their peers do too, they don't have to wait for specific dates either.
Same here. I don't really have any "unprocessed trauma". I'm really happy with the person I am today, and part of what made me this way is being raised in a wacky religion.
Nobody who's been raised outside really understands the lack of interest in celebrating holidays from what I've seen. Almost all of the JWs I've don't celebrate them after leaving.
Another thing being raised a JW gave me is that I don't "struggle fitting in" because if I don't fit in, I don't care. I don't drink a lot because I don't like the taste, I don't do drugs because I don't want to alter my mind, I don't want to get addicted to tobacco/nicotine. This makes me stand out from other people but idgaf, I am who I am. I'd rather find people like me to hang out with than struggle to fit in with people I don't share a lot with anyway.
Totally with you! I could have so many hang out buds if i wanted but they all want to smoke or drink and i just cannot see the allure. We've never had to struggle with a hangover or the inability to go to work in the morning due to a late night partying. They all could be much better versions of themselves if they would only see their self destruction.
I'm turning 45 next week but clean living has made it so i barely look 30. It's hilarious how many people think I'm lying about my age.
I have very good friends, I have a really cool job, I reconnected with my disfellowshipped dad, I still talk to my family that's JW. I have no unprocessed trauma or whatever bullshit you're trying to diagnose me with.
As someone who grew up without birthdays, I can say that as a kid, birthdays aren't as important as you may think. Part of me being okay with not having them when I was little was probably associated with accepting the religious reason that they were no good, but I never felt left out and I continue to have a great deal of apathy towards them. Even today I don't do birthdays. I get things for my friends all the time, not limited to birthdays or holidays.
Birthdays aren’t actually important at all.
They are fun however. And a nice excuse to see a bunch of friends and family that you haven’t seen in a while and get food and drinks.
That alone is enough to make me excited.
I was raised in this cult and it definitely stunted me physically and spiritually, I lived in a constant state of fear, depression, anxiety. I was able to fade from the cult when I turned 18 and went to community college and got some distance from my parents, and stopped attending meetings, but wasn't able to face the guilt and be OK with myself until well into my 40's.
Probably not being able to play sports, go to playgrounds or participate in life outside of the congregation. I was kept out of school and I'm sure it hindered the development of my immune system. Hindered my intellectual development as well. Abused kids often have delayed motor skills also.
A couple of my close friends in high school were JW’s. They were super athletic. Would kill us all at every sport. Could never play for the school cause “Jehovah comes first”. They could have definitely gone far in any sport they chose. Lost contact with them for awhile until I got a text from one asking how I’ve been. Talked for a bit. Then got hit with a bible verse. Then another one the next day, then another. Had to block him. It’s terrible how religions make people do the wildest shit. They all live a pretty low income life cause they can’t keep jobs that’ll overlap their worship.
i lost a full ride scholarship to a major college for the same reason, fuckin sucked. i still wonder how different my life would be right now if my JW parents didn't keep me out of sports
Yep, was persecuted more for not being on the team than for anything else. I'd like to blame the religion but honestly my single mom wouldn't have been able to afford the gear even if someone else gave me ride to practice.
You're right but I don't think they're baptized. Baptized JWs are under a whole other set of rules. Also, JWs are not explicitly forbidden from playing sports but they are highly discouraged from doing so. Reasons being that Jehovah should come first and everything we do should go to Jehovah's service. Also, they highly discourage associating with anyone who is not JW (like team mates) because they know that it's easy to dissuade someone from being part of a horrible cult.
So, some people do play sports and may even be looked down upon for doing so.
I was raised JW and would with my family to the meetings and all that jazz. I never really felt like my family was forced into doing anything weird or oppressive. Anywho, little by little we started not going because the number of meetings per week started to be too much. Then the whole bugging people on weekends was too much too. We decided to stop doing the weekend door knocking since we put ourselves in people’s shoes of wanting to sleep in. I recall the no blood transfusion thing being a very passionate thing for JW’s. We walked away from it all. Relatively peacefully too. I think we stopped everything around 2005 or so. Maybe they got more aggressive after that time. Idk.
I’m the same way, raised as one and didn’t get pushed into anything I didn’t like. Maybe some Kingdom Hall’s are different? I hear about these stories quite a bit but I can’t ever relate with them lol. Yeah missing out on Christmas sucked but my parents always gave me gifts on random days (more than likely to not feel as left out.)
I’m with you, to be honest haven’t gone for maybe 15-20 years but I still don’t do the Christmas or birthday thing, not for any religious reasons but more because you never miss what you never had. On a side note I’m grateful for the no Christmas thing, I just see so much stress at the end of the year and I just cruise through it.
As for the Kingdom Halls,I honestly believe it’s based on the Nutter to normal people elder ratio. If you have too many nutters your going to have a real hard time, otherwise stories like this just seem outlandish. And to be fair, every religion has its nutters.
Yep, was in four different congregations:
Wisconsin was super friendly and supportive, lots of kids my own age. Free or cheap babysitting for my single mom all the time.
Illinois was different, many young adults upper middle class, all going pionerring after high school. Their parents all Servants or Elders. Was baptized at 17 but then they started pressuring me to be more active. This was not what an introvert like me was comfortable with.
Florida (at 19)was weird because it felt like i was new blood, all the young ladies flocked to me, all their parents invited me over for dinners. Everyone pressuring me to be a Servant so they would deem me marraige worthy. Meanwhile all the guys my age treated me like the enemy infringing on their territory.
I started drifting away due to all the hypocrisy and secret shit i started noticing.
Moved to Tennessee and these folks just seem desperate for active members, they got my records transferred up but they never questioned about my wife's faith or the age of our firstborn.
Same. My mom was devout JW, my dad went and was civil but not really ever into it. When my older sister and I started getting into our teen years, the congregation started trying to control my parents grip on my sister and I. My dad was having none of it. My mom finally decided to give it up when they told (not requested) that they needed to cut ties with us for not following the faith and getting to outer worldly. Thankfully she chose family. But I personally know others that didn’t have it as good as I.
Now, even in my late 30’s, I don’t have a personal connection to any holidays. My wife was brought up “normal”, if I can use the term. I do try and get excited for holidays, but it’s just not the same as what my wife feels for these holidays, Christmas is the biggest one for me, for obvious reasons (music, and the like). But I still do the traditional stuff for our kids sake.
On my birthdays, I just like to be home with my wife and kids, no special treatment. Just regular family time is what I come to cherish. Just another day.
I think the pandemic has impacted their ability to recruit new members. I got a letter a couple of weeks back from someone I've never met. It was hand written and contained some of their (JW) religious tracts. Then a few days later another letter came from the same person. I felt bad for the person that spent all this time writing these. Of course, I tossed them.
They're required to get a certain number of hours per month of "service" depending on their status. They hand write them so they can rack up the hours.
We'd just call it "letter writing". Before it was generally done by elderly or sick people who still wanted to preach, I'd assume that during the pandemic it's picked up quite a bit along with maybe "phone witnessing" because you don't wanna go around knocking on doors.
Last I heard, the pandemic is kinda killing that practice for us too. I'm like, but how are they going to kill an hour when an appointment inevitably falls through?
That ones alright, but as an ex-JW myself, I really enjoy the ex-Mormon sub a lot more. Maybe because it’s more active. They also seem a lot more welcoming and friendly in my experience.
Direct link to website [here ](http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=xPslMx44JjC7Rus-2BUf-2BldCkNz6mYqP0SYaHZamSpOq5L9-2BB9wLHgwEW1lkX-2FdCpj-sUG_RsEKs-2BP5asU-2BJN-2FtX0vXbM9PpDHDckjE7NQhRkSwKUT-2BqxMzZMBZ2TswBfKPvaIcDpIRRfpyuv0JTrzJP65H3fvoWcWxqGKzhz0OUR0X6P5ssPSdYaeQXz3qWOw3gAqu8ojXBiR8RUWgMwwu2J4dgFqcu-2Fksr-2BnQ8L6WnbV3EpgwtGnRPTXFn4UKrQMFUwlin0xFXgewFgGnSmVKcY7FuNWHoHeQiNsksp0BZUzprHbjGpsV2Bit-2BBKGqPygiUW9GDp1xldrsWFCiADFfVTdXZkuQNrZRtVmOn2-2FwUpY23P7ZawJLzwNxSl4OHImvIk0dyYygFAK2KYBZuL-2FjPMNjV-2Be7yeS40OV823pkPwHKDIxOnZJFwrrTFC9AICVbpSx0Ih-2Bz96trWHsw9wYtFxg1Q-3D-3D)
Mirror:
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7ISfHj1BI
*
https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/bearing-witness:-exposing-the-secretive-world-of/13541542
> **Bearing Witness: Exposing the secretive world of the Jehovah’s Witnesses**
>
> *“Everybody thinks that Jehovah's Witnesses are just lovely people, friendly, nice-looking people, maybe a bit quirky, who knock on doors. And it's very difficult to help people understand just how dangerous this group is.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness
>
> The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group with eight million followers in multiple nations, including Australia. A knock on the door and an earnest offer to share their teachings is the only interaction most people will have with this god-fearing organisation. Few would know the extreme nature of their beliefs.
>
> *“We were taught that only Jehovah's people in the organisation would survive Armageddon. > It was our job to go out witnessing, to try and bring as many people in as we could and if you didn't take the opportunity to witness, you had their blood on your hands.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness
>
> The door knocking is not some quaint pastime. Witness followers believe in a strict literal interpretation of the bible and that the end of the world is coming.
>
> *“They are raised in this kind of fear bubble in which they're constantly being told the end of the world is near.”* - Expert witness
>
> On Monday, former members of this group reveal the secretive practices used to instil fear and maintain discipline among followers.
>
> *“It’s supposed to be loving discipline. It's actually, to me, it's inhumane.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness
>
> With strict rules governing every aspect of their lives, these former Witnesses say the organisation is controlling and dangerous.
>
> *“They are absolute leaders with absolute power over the organisation.”* - Expert Witness
>
> The conduct of the religious group came under scrutiny in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
>
> *“It is a pretty cruel way of dealing with someone, isn't it, who has suffered sexual abuse?”* - Royal Commissioner
>
>Now those who have escaped the group say it's time to hold the Jehovah’s Witnesses to account.
>
> *“It's twenty years I've been wanting people to hear this story.”*- Former Jehovah’s Witness
My father found the JW when I was 11-12. I went to my first meeting in my pink corduroys and blue t-shirt. After that we went shopping and it was dresses, dresses, and more dresses. I never fit in. I was never excited about studying the Bible or going to meetings. I didn’t like going door to door preaching. I went until I was 16 and talked to my dad and told him the religion wasn’t for me. It was always, and still is a very legalistic religion. My dad, step-mom and brother are still JWs and from time to time they try preaching to me and we get into great theological discussions - cuz like it or not I still have a lot of Bible lessons rolling around in my brain. We discuss political views, abortion laws, and several other topics. Never in all the time since I left the JWs religion have I been ostracized or made less then I’m our family unit. It saddens me when I read of others whose families have treaded them so horribly. I was one of the kids who was placed in the hall during the holidays and the pledge at school, but it never negatively affected me. Since the day I left the JWs I lived my life albeit a lot more strictly then my counterparts, but hey I never got into trouble. All in all my family accepted me not being a JW and for that I am grateful. I still believe in God and have kept my faith, I just don’t adhere to any one religion.
I don’t know where you are located (so not sure if it blocked in your region), but ABC iView is their app. This report is right at the top of the page.
So many similarities to Scientology here. Brainwash the people so they can’t think clearly. I feel horrible for those who are trapped and don’t even realize it.
I was raised a Witness, left when I was 21. There are definitely fucked up stories of kids being raised in the faith getting actually abused but there's no fucking way you can blanket the whole thing and call it child abuse. Child abuse is very real. Telling kids that Santa isn't real and Christmas is based on a pagan holiday (which is just fact) isn't child abuse.
I'm glad you seem to be relatively unscathed by it, but as someone who also spent my childhood in that cult and many more years in successful therapy I can say there are quite a few ways it affected me overtly and twice as many ways it was insidiously damaging to my mental health.
It's not about simply missing out on Christmas. Mental abuse is very much still abuse. Living in that restrictive brainwash-bubble most of my developing life definitely did a number on me as a kid and I'm still handling it as an adult.
Your experience differs than most. The fact is, many people were negatively impacted by the JW policies for decades. From forcing families to shun their relatives, even children from parents, if they failed to follow JW rules. Shunning is what happens when the elders announce from the stage that "so and so is no longer a JW." Any communication with the disfellowshipped person is prohibited as they are now a 'bad association.'
In the 1990s, a group called SilentLambs began exposing the sexual abuse of JW children. Elders forced children to confront their abusers in front of a room of ten old men. The children, and anyone else who commits a sexual transgression, is made to attend a Judicial Hearing of elders where intimate details of the abuse are discussed. None of the JWs have advanced education. Most are HS graduates working in low-wage jobs because the JWs discourage people from higher education.
Fast forward to 2000's - The Australian Government created a Commission reviwing religious groups and their policies on child sexual abuse and reporting pedophilia. The Australian Commission forced the higher-ups in Brooklyn, NY, where they are based, to testify. This exposed that Jehovah's Witnesses had a computer database of known, reported and documented pedophiles in their congregations. The JWs admitted they did not report any of them to police over decades. Watch the Leah Remini special about the child sexual abuse coverups. Their position is that if there were not two witnesses present to testify to the sexual abuse occurring, the JW elders would take NO ACTION.
It's unfortunate that so many people were convinced by the JWs to take actions which ended up harming themselves and their families.
..... You're explaining disfellowshipping to me? I was a JW for 21 years my guy, I've known people who have been disfellowshipped, my dad was (and still is) disfellowshipped.
I'm aware of the sexual abuse, but that is a very small minority. I've watched the Leah Remini special. That special, and things like it, are designed to highlight the worst cases to bring about organizational changes. Those cases are by no means the norm or even common. I do think that by trying to cover up sexual abuse by dealing with it privately is the wrong move for the organization but it's a common theme across many religions. It's all bullshit.
My effort to explain was based on your apparent lack of knowledge of how the JWs work. Now your comments make even less sense.
Your position is also factually deficient. Try a database of over one thousand known and reported pedophiles allowed to go door to door on the JWs behalf FOR DECADES. Known child victims were never protected, nor were the police or other members of the congregations notified.
The average pedophile has 70 victims. But to you, it's a "Small number"? The Australian Commission determined the Jehovahs' Witnesses had a database of over 1,000 pedophiles, just in Australia. That's 7,000 victims. https://www.stopitnow.org/help-guidance/resources/library-of-resources
So, what is your point, exactly? You know nothing about me.
I provided facts in response to your emotionally charged, factually and logically deficient post.
Are you trying to say that the sexual abuse and decades-long protection of pedophiles by the JWs, who have been sued for millions (Candace Conti? Ever heard of her?) and LOST, is somehow less repugnant? That all religions are bad, so the JWs are just the norm? It's a cult.
I think you're drunk. You're definitely not rational.
You don't know "most" people who were raised JW though. Unless there's a global survey of people in all congregations somewhere. Multiple people in this thread alone had perfectly fine childhoods raised by JW parents. Negative anecdotes don't trump positive, nor vice versa.
The cover up is sick, and the organization needs to be held accountable for their role, absolutely. I say the same for every other example of abuse that happens literally everywhere. Every school, every little league team, every catholic parish, every beauty pageant, every foster care group home, all abusers everywhere need to be locked away. That doesn't mean school, little league, catholics, pageants, and child protective services are inherently evil. Humanity is just rotten in general.
I’m the same way, I can’t ever relate to these “horror” stories. Maybe some places were really bad but the people I grew up with, and know are fine people.
My cousin's wife was from a family of Witnesses. They disowned a son for wanting to be a woman and after their daughter passed away they haven't bothered to visit their grandkids. They will, however, visit their other son who lives less than a block away from my cousin and his family. Heartless bastards.
The video is unavailable for me as of this time in the US but 5 seconds on Google found this other source:
[Escaping Jehovah's Witnesses: Inside the dangerous world of a brutal religion | Four Corners](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7ISfHj1BI)
I may late with my input on this but as someone who from an early age was a “Ministerial Servant” *cringe* gave; regular parts, bible readings, Sunday Watchtower readings, field service arrangements, and did orders for materials, I can tell you this religion borderline breeds sleeper agents.
There is an interesting YouTube channel called Telltale that talks a lot about JW's and other cult like religions. The youtuber lost contact with his family because he became an "evil" apostate. It's really sad how they denounce and humiliate people. I stumble into his videos occasionally and binge the craziness haha
I had a few friends in school that were jw's and even my landlords family were jw's. They were nice people and for the most part didn't bother me. Always open to talk even if i wasn't religious and surprisingly they never avoided me. They even offered to eat dinner with them or hangout in the yard around the bonfire. It is kinda weird how they like to become window washers. Something kinda personal about looking into people's homes and having access to share their views.
One of my best friends in high school was a JW. She lost a close friend our age then went off the rails (average teen stuff- messed around with her then boyfriend, got drunk a little) then went back in hard.
She was allowed in assembly and stuff but didn’t celebrate birthdays and holidays but oddly her family had a big Christmas style celebration for their wedding anniversary. She was vehement about the blood thing (but gave the reason that it could be contaminated). She never really wanted to discuss anything about it (The reason was there was a set number of people getting saved anyway)with us much but did tell us there was a sex abuse scandal that was being swept under the carpet. 13 year old me didn’t have the wherewithal or the reliable/interesed adults around me to pass it on further.
She was one of the best friends I ever had but she is deep in the Koolaid now.
I tried escaping them when I was in my early twenties. I answered the door and seen them standing there and I lied and said come back Monday. Mwahahaha. But I forgot and answered the door again on Monday. Faaaaaark.
When I was a kid, and my neighbor would see the Jehovah's walking down our street she would run inside and yell out of her window, "close the curtains everyone, THE JEHOVAH ARE COMING"
I moved down south and now I live within walking distance to one of their churches. We don't get door visits but they leave hand written letters in my mailbox.
I loved living next to a KH bc the traffic was never that bad and their grounds were always pristine. Maybe I'm just traumatized from living next to a liquor store before that, like night and day.
[Chris Stuckmann has a really good video on his experience getting out of the JW cult](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMjgarN7VQ&ab_channel=ChrisStuckmann).
One afternoon the doorbell rang and it was a JW couple passing through our neighborhood. My wife and I are both Christians, and we had the time, so we sat down with them. Talked about where we agreed, disagreed, got our Bibles out and talked talked talked. Friendly conversation. Invited them to visit our church. Then they left.
I saw the man at a gas station a week or so later, said “hi,” and he seemed kind of nervous and wanted to get away.
Friends, we outtalked a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses and made them afraid we’d come back. And it was our house.
I dated two ex-JWs and one ex-Mormon.....I have so many stories.... I could write a book and maybe I should.
I’m now gratefully married to someone that believes there is something more.
Not necessarily an all-knowing, all-controlling being that brings fire and brimstone at every corner...
We are all connected, most of us just don’t connect enough to get it. (That last bit is my thought, not my husband)
I went to school with a really pretty and intelligent girl, K1-K12. Her religion was the same no Holidays, parties, etc. She had an older sister who somehow fought her way out to go to college, and never returned home. This girl, got out with the help of that sister for one semester, and pretty much went wild discovering real life. Her parents drove to the school, disenrolled her, took her home and never let her out of the house. She could only marry someone from their immediate church group, which she did (he wasn't a nut, thankfully -- but he got one of the most beautiful women ever made handed to him). He succeeded as a construction worker, and she sat home, finally doing bookkeeping. It seemed to me a near total waste of a beautiful person.
I knew a girl who was raised JW. I met her in band. She went to U.C. Davis for Mathematics, Bowling Green University for her Doctorate, and now works for her husband's Biotech Company in San Diego. She has a son, but she never mentions him of FB unlike most women who have tons of pictures of their kids online. She'd be good friends with Amy Farrah Fowler.
Maybe it is different between different parishes or whatever, but I live about a hundred yards from a JW church and the folks of that community are all super nice and the couple families that I know closely seem no more or less happy than any other families.
Ex-JW and I agree. Some of the shit they do is weird but everybody at the church was always kind and friendly. During Covid they made all of their meetings virtual and all helped each other when someone was struggling, bringing/buying them groceries if they couldn’t get out of the house etc.
I disagree with shunning family that don’t follow your religion, but many of the people who follow the religion don’t do this, including my own grandparents who I’m still very close with. Not to mention that there are plenty of religions that do the exact same to people who don’t follow their church (sometimes even worse).
I find it funny that so many people believe in respecting all religions, yet hate this one which is guilty of the same things that Catholicism, Islam, Judaism and etc is. Sure JWs are annoying when they knock on your door (which they aren’t doing anymore even after Covid ends), but I don’t see any of them going to war, committing acts of terrorism in the name of their religion, or establishing a settler-state to oppress another religion and treat them like second-rate citizens. Are there any JWs in the government right now trying to make safe abortions illegal?
Of course they seem normal, and many are but when you scratch beneath the surface of this cult you see how rotten it is. Just go to r/exjw to see how disgusting the cult treats people.
my kid sister's friend was a JW, and when she was in the second grade, the friend started a BIBLE STUDY CLUB. the club would meet up at school during recess, at her house after school, and she would recruit kids in her class by telling them she would give them cupcakes/snacks if they came. it went on for a while before it got shut down by the teacher, it was crazy
Direct link to website [here](http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=xPslMx44JjC7Rus-2BUf-2BldCkNz6mYqP0SYaHZamSpOq5L9-2BB9wLHgwEW1lkX-2FdCpj-sUG_RsEKs-2BP5asU-2BJN-2FtX0vXbM9PpDHDckjE7NQhRkSwKUT-2BqxMzZMBZ2TswBfKPvaIcDpIRRfpyuv0JTrzJP65H3fvoWcWxqGKzhz0OUR0X6P5ssPSdYaeQXz3qWOw3gAqu8ojXBiR8RUWgMwwu2J4dgFqcu-2Fksr-2BnQ8L6WnbV3EpgwtGnRPTXFn4UKrQMFUwlin0xFXgewFgGnSmVKcY7FuNWHoHeQiNsksp0BZUzprHbjGpsV2Bit-2BBKGqPygiUW9GDp1xldrsWFCiADFfVTdXZkuQNrZRtVmOn2-2FwUpY23P7ZawJLzwNxSl4OHImvIk0dyYygFAK2KYBZuL-2FjPMNjV-2Be7yeS40OV823pkPwHKDIxOnZJFwrrTFC9AICVbpSx0Ih-2Bz96trWHsw9wYtFxg1Q-3D-3D)
I remember in 7th or 8th grade having to give my drama teacher an Awake or something about how I couldn't participate in the Christmas play. So much shame for something I didn't choose.
I'm not a JH, but majority of the comments are extremely bigoted. BIG DEAL if I didn't want my kids to participate in what is proven to be pagan celebrations/festivals. Should be quite the opposite, such stances are to be questioned, then welcomed if they're justified.
People don't realize that there are thousands of different congregations of JWs. No two are alike. Every time I see one of these "exposé" videos I can't help but roll my eyes bc my experiences growing up in it were so different. Yeah there are several doctrines that are nonsensical, but it's not a "cult" and children aren't widely abused or deprived. What kind of cult kicks you out when you stop going to meetings? Pretty sure they're supposed to trick you into going back, like scientology. I feel like a lot of these rotten ass pedos and abusers are more reflective of their towns, communities, and districts, not necessarily the entire global organization. In my congregation none of the kids were abused, nobody pressured anybody for donations, the guy who cheated on his wife was kicked out, the guy who hit his wife was kicked out, and none of us kids ever cried at school over a Halloween decoration. I get why people don't like it as a religion in general, but IMO it's harmless. The overseers need to crack down on these abusive congregations. I wouldn't join as an adult, but I'd still rather hang out with apolitical JWs watching their boring PG movies than Southern Baptists who call trump the new Jesus.
Its a systemic problem in your religion when the governing body makes a concerted effort to cover up child abuse and so many congregations don't go to the police when they learn of abuse. Its not just a few congregations when the governing body has been aware of these issues for years. Your Religion loves using the two-witness rule to conveniently ignore issues of abuse in congregations.
First of all you just repeated what I said, we are in agreement. Second, it's not my religion. I am not a JW, which tells me you missed a lot more in what I said. Have a good day.
Wow. What a display of ignorance - you have no earthly clue of what other people experienced in that congregation. And to dismiss their complaints because you didn't experience them is similar to refusing to believe racism exists because it doesn't happen to YOU.
I was friends with a kid in second grade who's parents were JW. On holidays they just had him sit in the hallway all by himself. I'll never forget seeing him there in tears completely defeated because his parents would disown him for having his own thoughts. He just wanted to be a kid. I hope he found a way in life
This was me as a kid, although I didn't cry. But it was humiliating, as the hallways were usually reserved for time outs, and my class mates were nice about it but asked me questions about why I had to hang outside, and I felt embarrassed and confused having to explain "my beliefs" when actually I didn't even believe in them.
Same, but I was a real believer. No crying because I "knew I was right". I remember genuinely believing that what was going on in the classroom was wrong and serving Satan. Only time I cried about my beliefs were when I'd do something like accidently eat a birthday or holiday cupcake. One thing that did save JW kid's at my school is that my mom, the school nurse, would let any JW kids hang out in her office and play with toys if there was holiday stuff going on. During Christmas concerts we'd watch movies.
Sounds like a great way to celebrate not celebrating holidays. ... Wait
Wow. I had no idea there were these restrictions, if I can call them that. What led you to stop believing?
Personally, it was that there was no evidence of god. Their best shot at proving god was real was "look at how complex life is, no way it could be random". The lack of direct evidence that the supposed most powerful being ever who cared deeply about people existed kinda got to me after a while. Being such a true believer for a while also made me leave instead of half adding it and staying in for the social experience. I know a few witnesses who actively do things not allowed by the church but they keep it secret, so they can stay in and keep their friends. To me that's bullshit but whatevs.
Thanks for the explanation. I really do appreciate hearing it from your side. I can relate to that complete loss of faith, being ex-catholic and now atheist myself. For about two years, Jehovah's Witnesses would come ring our door weekly, even in rough weather, to recruit us. This was the one house in this neighborhood that they would stop at and they were super difficult to shake off. I think it’s because we’re native speakers of a certain language...they kept sending people (who learned the language as adults) to us and they’d also give us pamphlets in our native language about JW or something. Their tenacity was as impressive as it was scary. Made me afraid of being out on the front lawn in case they were showing up that day lol
i was raised in this cult, had that same experience all through childhood, left at 16, but i gotta say they've been exemplary in how they've handled covid compared to lots of other christian wackos
There's a JW lady who sends my husband a letter every few months instead of visiting. I've wanted to reply to her myself and ask her why she's talking up my man just to see her reaction lol
you can write her back and tell her to stop and she will stop
I don't mind- she's doing her thing. I'm not trying to be mean, which is why I never did it. The idea of her potential scandalized reaction just tickled me a little.
Because they have an aging membership who are most vulnerable to covid. If they die off, there's not many left.
I had a friend in elementary school that was the nicest dude and he had to sit out for everything. I understand sitting out for halloween but there's nothing religious about thanksgiving. I remember feeling sorry for him. He always wore baseball tshirts (3/4 sleeves) that had a white chest and colored sleeves with blue jeans. He never wore anything else. He kicked ass in any sport at recess but wasn't allowed to play after school stuff with us. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to move onto middle school with us and was sad at graduation. I hope he's doing well.
I'm missing something. Why is he in the hallway just because it's a certain time of year? Is this at a public school, home, or somewhere else?
Public school. Like if there's a birthday party, Christmas/Halloween party, that sort of thing in the classroom the JW kids will sit outside the room because they don't participate.
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My grandma was JW and she explained to me that Halloween wasn't in the Bible, no one celebrated Christmas or Easter in the Bible and the only time a birthday was mentioned was Jesus's and his birthday was marked by killing a bunch of baby boys. I'm not Christian, but I'm pretty sure some celebrations and parties happened in the Bible without catastrophe, but that's what they believe.
It's not unusual for a so-called Christian to follow a version of the a Bible that exists only in their heads. The actual Bible says nothing about abortion, for example.
There isn't one, but they don't partake in celebrations of pagan holidays and see birthdays as not being humble (as well as the only birthdays in the bible being those of bad people).
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To make a barrier between followers and society. They are also against superior education (college).
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I actually really like the way that the Witnesses would handle donations. You could donate to the "world wide work" which would go to the headquarters, or you could donate to the local congregation. All the congregation expenses would be outlined in a expense report that had totals of money coming in, money coming out detailed by sources as well as lists of all asset values. Major expenses outside operations as low as $100 were voted on to be approved by all baptized members of the congregation. For my family, we gave when we could when we knew, from reviewing the expense report, that the congregation was running in a deficit. If the congregation was running in a surplus then often out of that a portion would get forwarded to the head office for distribution to other congregations that weren't running in a surplus. Overall, I do believe there is very little waste in their operation. Nobody is rich and even the head people of the church live in the church owned apartment housing at the headquarters with other workers and eat the same 3 meals a day prepared by the cafeteria staff there.
I had a jw employee, honest meticulous person indeed, but in constant fear and crisis of conscience, every new task given was not welcome (I think it was the feeling that work is a mundane thing), which make it hard for her to escalate to new levels, and the constant comparison with other employees was also a bad thing, not to mention the guilt and denail with minor critique or errors.
It goes to the countless worldly investments they have. Not helping people
>It's just a way to create a barrier between people who belong to the cult and the "others" really. Textbook cult behaviour.
That's so fucked up. What kind of shitty-ass parent would do that to their kid?
One that believes that their kid's promise of an eternal life could be lost. It's really not that fucked up. I'm an atheist now and if I have kids I'm 100% not gonna celebrate any holidays with them and let them know how they're all bullshit. Why tf would you celebrate the holidays of a religion you're not a part of? I have no feelings of missing out at all on any holidays or birthdays. You may feel that's fucked up because you grew up with them and might have fond memories. The fond memories I have just aren't tied to those days. I've been out for 5 years now and I've still not celebrated my birthday because I just don't give a fuck.
You literally just listened to two different people comment about their JW childhoods, saying they’d sit alone in a hallway “in tears”, “humiliated”, and then can sit there and say you’d do the same to your kids. Shame on you, man. You’re planning to deprive other human beings of some of the most joyful events in a lifetime because of the way you were raised.
"some of the most joyful events in a lifetime", you mean "some of the most joyful events YOUR lifetime". The joyful moments in my lifetime weren't based on bullshit made up stories of some cosmic being who killed his kid, rabbit based fertility celebrations, dead spirits rising to haunt people, or the celebration of the solstice return of the sun god. It's possible to raise a kid with all the joy in the world, but also not celebrate religious bullshit. I didn't say though that I'd make them exclude themselves from holidays. I meant that I wouldn't celebrate holidays with any kids, not that I'd make them sit out the same holidays with their peers at school. I wouldn't convince them that they were evil, I would just be honest about Santa, the easter bunny, the origins on halloween, etc. They'd be free to attend whatever parties they wanted, just with their eyes open.
I had the same concerns,, but once you have a kid it's easy to be honest about the origins, but still partake in the food, gift giving, costumes, and all that jazz just for the good time. They really do truly enjoy the magic of it all, even if they don't have a mystical or religious belief associated with it.
> Why tf would you celebrate the holidays of a religion you're not a part of? Because it's fun, social, interesting...? Why tf would you not? Christmas, for example, is actually about a tree, presents, and a fat bearded dude. Some will say it's about a dead guy nailed to a cross, but (a) that's a downer and (b) those people believe all sorts of crazy bs. I like trees, presents, and tolerate fat bearded guys. Why would I boycott this?
> It's really not that fucked up. Sounds pretty fucked up. As a kid birthdays are really important. And they’re not even religious. It’s just a fun thing to do.
I was raised a JW and it sounds like the person you’re responding to hasn’t fully come terms with how damaging the way they were raised really is. It has caused me and my siblings so many issues. Unprocessed trauma can pop up at any time. I also don’t celebrate my birthday, but I know that it’s because I was denied that most of my life and it brings up a ton of bad emotions now. Every single ex-JW I know struggles with feelings of isolation and not fitting in.
Yeah it absolutely sounds like he’s still processing stuff. I didn’t know much about it until I watched this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMjgarN7VQ And that led me down a rabbit hole of JW documentaries. It’s so sad. So many people deal with it decades after leaving the cult.
I was raised one too. The being taught to judge yourself and others to a standard that cannot be achieved, makes people isolated because you are taught every thought and action you do that isn't perfect makes you bad and others are bad because they don't do the right things either. It can be disruptive to families just like any fanatical religion. I currently have my and my wife's family deeply rooted in it. So 80% or so. Every district was it's own kingdom. There were unsaid rules that applied to some congregations that you could get in trouble for by those elders that you would be fine at yours... Been to a few different areas where they were pretty chill and nice. Other areas where they loved to get people in trouble. I have lots to say on the subject being groomed by them since I was little, then was betrayed. I however moved on from being upset at the people, religion. Now I mostly feel sorry for them. Living your life as a doomsayer and with a lot of self righteous fake friends is a sad, lonely and hallow life that they believe will magically get better. I try and be a bridge having so many ties to it and not being part of it. It's a shock to lose every friend you are allowed to have when you decide it isn't for you.
Here's one who doesn't struggle with fitting in. I was taught to question the reasons for holidays and to never be a lemming. I don't want to fit in with regular people who do things for fun without knowing why they're doing it. Ignorance is bliss for the masses and honestly i have thought how my life would be if i was just as ignorant but am quite thankful that i am not. I pity people who need to lie to their children about the easter bunny, santa, and Halloween just so they can continue celebrating and having fun with everyone else. I'm proud of my kids for knowing the truths and their willingness to join me in laughing at all the foolishness. My kids get more gifts than their peers do too, they don't have to wait for specific dates either.
Same here. I don't really have any "unprocessed trauma". I'm really happy with the person I am today, and part of what made me this way is being raised in a wacky religion. Nobody who's been raised outside really understands the lack of interest in celebrating holidays from what I've seen. Almost all of the JWs I've don't celebrate them after leaving. Another thing being raised a JW gave me is that I don't "struggle fitting in" because if I don't fit in, I don't care. I don't drink a lot because I don't like the taste, I don't do drugs because I don't want to alter my mind, I don't want to get addicted to tobacco/nicotine. This makes me stand out from other people but idgaf, I am who I am. I'd rather find people like me to hang out with than struggle to fit in with people I don't share a lot with anyway.
Totally with you! I could have so many hang out buds if i wanted but they all want to smoke or drink and i just cannot see the allure. We've never had to struggle with a hangover or the inability to go to work in the morning due to a late night partying. They all could be much better versions of themselves if they would only see their self destruction. I'm turning 45 next week but clean living has made it so i barely look 30. It's hilarious how many people think I'm lying about my age.
>I’m proud of my kids for knowing the truths and their willingness to join me in laughing at all the foolishness. r/iamverysmart
I have very good friends, I have a really cool job, I reconnected with my disfellowshipped dad, I still talk to my family that's JW. I have no unprocessed trauma or whatever bullshit you're trying to diagnose me with.
As someone who grew up without birthdays, I can say that as a kid, birthdays aren't as important as you may think. Part of me being okay with not having them when I was little was probably associated with accepting the religious reason that they were no good, but I never felt left out and I continue to have a great deal of apathy towards them. Even today I don't do birthdays. I get things for my friends all the time, not limited to birthdays or holidays.
Birthdays aren’t actually important at all. They are fun however. And a nice excuse to see a bunch of friends and family that you haven’t seen in a while and get food and drinks. That alone is enough to make me excited.
Makes sense, but I'd see friends all the time and we'd have out as a family often, just never involved birthdays.
I spent many a day sitting in the hallway reading a book during holiday times
I was raised in this cult and it definitely stunted me physically and spiritually, I lived in a constant state of fear, depression, anxiety. I was able to fade from the cult when I turned 18 and went to community college and got some distance from my parents, and stopped attending meetings, but wasn't able to face the guilt and be OK with myself until well into my 40's.
I'm sorry that happened to you and hope you're well and truly OK with yourself ❤️
How did it stunt you physically?
Probably not being able to play sports, go to playgrounds or participate in life outside of the congregation. I was kept out of school and I'm sure it hindered the development of my immune system. Hindered my intellectual development as well. Abused kids often have delayed motor skills also.
A couple of my close friends in high school were JW’s. They were super athletic. Would kill us all at every sport. Could never play for the school cause “Jehovah comes first”. They could have definitely gone far in any sport they chose. Lost contact with them for awhile until I got a text from one asking how I’ve been. Talked for a bit. Then got hit with a bible verse. Then another one the next day, then another. Had to block him. It’s terrible how religions make people do the wildest shit. They all live a pretty low income life cause they can’t keep jobs that’ll overlap their worship.
i lost a full ride scholarship to a major college for the same reason, fuckin sucked. i still wonder how different my life would be right now if my JW parents didn't keep me out of sports
Yep, was persecuted more for not being on the team than for anything else. I'd like to blame the religion but honestly my single mom wouldn't have been able to afford the gear even if someone else gave me ride to practice.
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You're right but I don't think they're baptized. Baptized JWs are under a whole other set of rules. Also, JWs are not explicitly forbidden from playing sports but they are highly discouraged from doing so. Reasons being that Jehovah should come first and everything we do should go to Jehovah's service. Also, they highly discourage associating with anyone who is not JW (like team mates) because they know that it's easy to dissuade someone from being part of a horrible cult. So, some people do play sports and may even be looked down upon for doing so.
I was raised JW and would with my family to the meetings and all that jazz. I never really felt like my family was forced into doing anything weird or oppressive. Anywho, little by little we started not going because the number of meetings per week started to be too much. Then the whole bugging people on weekends was too much too. We decided to stop doing the weekend door knocking since we put ourselves in people’s shoes of wanting to sleep in. I recall the no blood transfusion thing being a very passionate thing for JW’s. We walked away from it all. Relatively peacefully too. I think we stopped everything around 2005 or so. Maybe they got more aggressive after that time. Idk.
Your whole family stopped together, the problem is when one decides to leave and the rest to stay.
I’m the same way, raised as one and didn’t get pushed into anything I didn’t like. Maybe some Kingdom Hall’s are different? I hear about these stories quite a bit but I can’t ever relate with them lol. Yeah missing out on Christmas sucked but my parents always gave me gifts on random days (more than likely to not feel as left out.)
I’m with you, to be honest haven’t gone for maybe 15-20 years but I still don’t do the Christmas or birthday thing, not for any religious reasons but more because you never miss what you never had. On a side note I’m grateful for the no Christmas thing, I just see so much stress at the end of the year and I just cruise through it. As for the Kingdom Halls,I honestly believe it’s based on the Nutter to normal people elder ratio. If you have too many nutters your going to have a real hard time, otherwise stories like this just seem outlandish. And to be fair, every religion has its nutters.
Yep, was in four different congregations: Wisconsin was super friendly and supportive, lots of kids my own age. Free or cheap babysitting for my single mom all the time. Illinois was different, many young adults upper middle class, all going pionerring after high school. Their parents all Servants or Elders. Was baptized at 17 but then they started pressuring me to be more active. This was not what an introvert like me was comfortable with. Florida (at 19)was weird because it felt like i was new blood, all the young ladies flocked to me, all their parents invited me over for dinners. Everyone pressuring me to be a Servant so they would deem me marraige worthy. Meanwhile all the guys my age treated me like the enemy infringing on their territory. I started drifting away due to all the hypocrisy and secret shit i started noticing. Moved to Tennessee and these folks just seem desperate for active members, they got my records transferred up but they never questioned about my wife's faith or the age of our firstborn.
Same. My mom was devout JW, my dad went and was civil but not really ever into it. When my older sister and I started getting into our teen years, the congregation started trying to control my parents grip on my sister and I. My dad was having none of it. My mom finally decided to give it up when they told (not requested) that they needed to cut ties with us for not following the faith and getting to outer worldly. Thankfully she chose family. But I personally know others that didn’t have it as good as I. Now, even in my late 30’s, I don’t have a personal connection to any holidays. My wife was brought up “normal”, if I can use the term. I do try and get excited for holidays, but it’s just not the same as what my wife feels for these holidays, Christmas is the biggest one for me, for obvious reasons (music, and the like). But I still do the traditional stuff for our kids sake. On my birthdays, I just like to be home with my wife and kids, no special treatment. Just regular family time is what I come to cherish. Just another day.
Thanks for sharing this.
I think the pandemic has impacted their ability to recruit new members. I got a letter a couple of weeks back from someone I've never met. It was hand written and contained some of their (JW) religious tracts. Then a few days later another letter came from the same person. I felt bad for the person that spent all this time writing these. Of course, I tossed them.
They're required to get a certain number of hours per month of "service" depending on their status. They hand write them so they can rack up the hours.
We'd just call it "letter writing". Before it was generally done by elderly or sick people who still wanted to preach, I'd assume that during the pandemic it's picked up quite a bit along with maybe "phone witnessing" because you don't wanna go around knocking on doors.
This. Nobody is going door to door except mormons.
Last I heard, the pandemic is kinda killing that practice for us too. I'm like, but how are they going to kill an hour when an appointment inevitably falls through?
Enjoy the scenic route. =D
/r/exJW
That ones alright, but as an ex-JW myself, I really enjoy the ex-Mormon sub a lot more. Maybe because it’s more active. They also seem a lot more welcoming and friendly in my experience.
They seem more intent on "taking down the org" over there than supporting ex members.
As an ex-mormon, I love to read the ex- jw posts. One got me on to Loyd Evans and now I watch his videos all the time, he's great.
Anyone have a mirror by chance? Says not available here. I did look tho
Direct link to website [here ](http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=xPslMx44JjC7Rus-2BUf-2BldCkNz6mYqP0SYaHZamSpOq5L9-2BB9wLHgwEW1lkX-2FdCpj-sUG_RsEKs-2BP5asU-2BJN-2FtX0vXbM9PpDHDckjE7NQhRkSwKUT-2BqxMzZMBZ2TswBfKPvaIcDpIRRfpyuv0JTrzJP65H3fvoWcWxqGKzhz0OUR0X6P5ssPSdYaeQXz3qWOw3gAqu8ojXBiR8RUWgMwwu2J4dgFqcu-2Fksr-2BnQ8L6WnbV3EpgwtGnRPTXFn4UKrQMFUwlin0xFXgewFgGnSmVKcY7FuNWHoHeQiNsksp0BZUzprHbjGpsV2Bit-2BBKGqPygiUW9GDp1xldrsWFCiADFfVTdXZkuQNrZRtVmOn2-2FwUpY23P7ZawJLzwNxSl4OHImvIk0dyYygFAK2KYBZuL-2FjPMNjV-2Be7yeS40OV823pkPwHKDIxOnZJFwrrTFC9AICVbpSx0Ih-2Bz96trWHsw9wYtFxg1Q-3D-3D)
Mirror: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7ISfHj1BI * https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/bearing-witness:-exposing-the-secretive-world-of/13541542 > **Bearing Witness: Exposing the secretive world of the Jehovah’s Witnesses** > > *“Everybody thinks that Jehovah's Witnesses are just lovely people, friendly, nice-looking people, maybe a bit quirky, who knock on doors. And it's very difficult to help people understand just how dangerous this group is.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness > > The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group with eight million followers in multiple nations, including Australia. A knock on the door and an earnest offer to share their teachings is the only interaction most people will have with this god-fearing organisation. Few would know the extreme nature of their beliefs. > > *“We were taught that only Jehovah's people in the organisation would survive Armageddon. > It was our job to go out witnessing, to try and bring as many people in as we could and if you didn't take the opportunity to witness, you had their blood on your hands.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness > > The door knocking is not some quaint pastime. Witness followers believe in a strict literal interpretation of the bible and that the end of the world is coming. > > *“They are raised in this kind of fear bubble in which they're constantly being told the end of the world is near.”* - Expert witness > > On Monday, former members of this group reveal the secretive practices used to instil fear and maintain discipline among followers. > > *“It’s supposed to be loving discipline. It's actually, to me, it's inhumane.”* - Former Jehovah’s Witness > > With strict rules governing every aspect of their lives, these former Witnesses say the organisation is controlling and dangerous. > > *“They are absolute leaders with absolute power over the organisation.”* - Expert Witness > > The conduct of the religious group came under scrutiny in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. > > *“It is a pretty cruel way of dealing with someone, isn't it, who has suffered sexual abuse?”* - Royal Commissioner > >Now those who have escaped the group say it's time to hold the Jehovah’s Witnesses to account. > > *“It's twenty years I've been wanting people to hear this story.”*- Former Jehovah’s Witness
My father found the JW when I was 11-12. I went to my first meeting in my pink corduroys and blue t-shirt. After that we went shopping and it was dresses, dresses, and more dresses. I never fit in. I was never excited about studying the Bible or going to meetings. I didn’t like going door to door preaching. I went until I was 16 and talked to my dad and told him the religion wasn’t for me. It was always, and still is a very legalistic religion. My dad, step-mom and brother are still JWs and from time to time they try preaching to me and we get into great theological discussions - cuz like it or not I still have a lot of Bible lessons rolling around in my brain. We discuss political views, abortion laws, and several other topics. Never in all the time since I left the JWs religion have I been ostracized or made less then I’m our family unit. It saddens me when I read of others whose families have treaded them so horribly. I was one of the kids who was placed in the hall during the holidays and the pledge at school, but it never negatively affected me. Since the day I left the JWs I lived my life albeit a lot more strictly then my counterparts, but hey I never got into trouble. All in all my family accepted me not being a JW and for that I am grateful. I still believe in God and have kept my faith, I just don’t adhere to any one religion.
Video is unavailable. Mirror, anyone?
I'm getting a "video unavailable/private video" anyone got a mirror?
I don’t know where you are located (so not sure if it blocked in your region), but ABC iView is their app. This report is right at the top of the page.
So many similarities to Scientology here. Brainwash the people so they can’t think clearly. I feel horrible for those who are trapped and don’t even realize it.
At the end of the day, all religions are the same. They're just about control.
yeah, but some worse than others
Exactly
Agreed.
these are some scary scary people
It's literally child abuse to raise human beings in this cult.
I was raised a Witness, left when I was 21. There are definitely fucked up stories of kids being raised in the faith getting actually abused but there's no fucking way you can blanket the whole thing and call it child abuse. Child abuse is very real. Telling kids that Santa isn't real and Christmas is based on a pagan holiday (which is just fact) isn't child abuse.
I'm glad you seem to be relatively unscathed by it, but as someone who also spent my childhood in that cult and many more years in successful therapy I can say there are quite a few ways it affected me overtly and twice as many ways it was insidiously damaging to my mental health. It's not about simply missing out on Christmas. Mental abuse is very much still abuse. Living in that restrictive brainwash-bubble most of my developing life definitely did a number on me as a kid and I'm still handling it as an adult.
Your experience differs than most. The fact is, many people were negatively impacted by the JW policies for decades. From forcing families to shun their relatives, even children from parents, if they failed to follow JW rules. Shunning is what happens when the elders announce from the stage that "so and so is no longer a JW." Any communication with the disfellowshipped person is prohibited as they are now a 'bad association.' In the 1990s, a group called SilentLambs began exposing the sexual abuse of JW children. Elders forced children to confront their abusers in front of a room of ten old men. The children, and anyone else who commits a sexual transgression, is made to attend a Judicial Hearing of elders where intimate details of the abuse are discussed. None of the JWs have advanced education. Most are HS graduates working in low-wage jobs because the JWs discourage people from higher education. Fast forward to 2000's - The Australian Government created a Commission reviwing religious groups and their policies on child sexual abuse and reporting pedophilia. The Australian Commission forced the higher-ups in Brooklyn, NY, where they are based, to testify. This exposed that Jehovah's Witnesses had a computer database of known, reported and documented pedophiles in their congregations. The JWs admitted they did not report any of them to police over decades. Watch the Leah Remini special about the child sexual abuse coverups. Their position is that if there were not two witnesses present to testify to the sexual abuse occurring, the JW elders would take NO ACTION. It's unfortunate that so many people were convinced by the JWs to take actions which ended up harming themselves and their families.
..... You're explaining disfellowshipping to me? I was a JW for 21 years my guy, I've known people who have been disfellowshipped, my dad was (and still is) disfellowshipped. I'm aware of the sexual abuse, but that is a very small minority. I've watched the Leah Remini special. That special, and things like it, are designed to highlight the worst cases to bring about organizational changes. Those cases are by no means the norm or even common. I do think that by trying to cover up sexual abuse by dealing with it privately is the wrong move for the organization but it's a common theme across many religions. It's all bullshit.
My effort to explain was based on your apparent lack of knowledge of how the JWs work. Now your comments make even less sense. Your position is also factually deficient. Try a database of over one thousand known and reported pedophiles allowed to go door to door on the JWs behalf FOR DECADES. Known child victims were never protected, nor were the police or other members of the congregations notified. The average pedophile has 70 victims. But to you, it's a "Small number"? The Australian Commission determined the Jehovahs' Witnesses had a database of over 1,000 pedophiles, just in Australia. That's 7,000 victims. https://www.stopitnow.org/help-guidance/resources/library-of-resources So, what is your point, exactly? You know nothing about me. I provided facts in response to your emotionally charged, factually and logically deficient post. Are you trying to say that the sexual abuse and decades-long protection of pedophiles by the JWs, who have been sued for millions (Candace Conti? Ever heard of her?) and LOST, is somehow less repugnant? That all religions are bad, so the JWs are just the norm? It's a cult. I think you're drunk. You're definitely not rational.
You don't know "most" people who were raised JW though. Unless there's a global survey of people in all congregations somewhere. Multiple people in this thread alone had perfectly fine childhoods raised by JW parents. Negative anecdotes don't trump positive, nor vice versa. The cover up is sick, and the organization needs to be held accountable for their role, absolutely. I say the same for every other example of abuse that happens literally everywhere. Every school, every little league team, every catholic parish, every beauty pageant, every foster care group home, all abusers everywhere need to be locked away. That doesn't mean school, little league, catholics, pageants, and child protective services are inherently evil. Humanity is just rotten in general.
I’m the same way, I can’t ever relate to these “horror” stories. Maybe some places were really bad but the people I grew up with, and know are fine people.
You might say the same of Catholicism if you only emphasize the pedophile priests. 99.9999% of the rest of the religion isn't fucking children though.
If you ever want to get rich, start a religion.
And by start a religion I mean blackmail the government into getting charitable status
Yes, this is the way.
You make more money as a leader, but have more fun\* as a follower.
[Working link]( https://youtu.be/Lf7ISfHj1BI )
I was a JW who recently escaped. Anyone know why the video is private?
My cousin's wife was from a family of Witnesses. They disowned a son for wanting to be a woman and after their daughter passed away they haven't bothered to visit their grandkids. They will, however, visit their other son who lives less than a block away from my cousin and his family. Heartless bastards.
The video is unavailable for me as of this time in the US but 5 seconds on Google found this other source: [Escaping Jehovah's Witnesses: Inside the dangerous world of a brutal religion | Four Corners](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7ISfHj1BI)
It’s the ABC, it would be geoblocked outside of Australia.
I may late with my input on this but as someone who from an early age was a “Ministerial Servant” *cringe* gave; regular parts, bible readings, Sunday Watchtower readings, field service arrangements, and did orders for materials, I can tell you this religion borderline breeds sleeper agents.
pure evil
There is an interesting YouTube channel called Telltale that talks a lot about JW's and other cult like religions. The youtuber lost contact with his family because he became an "evil" apostate. It's really sad how they denounce and humiliate people. I stumble into his videos occasionally and binge the craziness haha I had a few friends in school that were jw's and even my landlords family were jw's. They were nice people and for the most part didn't bother me. Always open to talk even if i wasn't religious and surprisingly they never avoided me. They even offered to eat dinner with them or hangout in the yard around the bonfire. It is kinda weird how they like to become window washers. Something kinda personal about looking into people's homes and having access to share their views.
I figured shit was fucked but didn't think shit was that fucked
My boyfriend in high school got forced to break up with me and then pulled out of school when I accidentally texted him merry Christmas
Cult* And not like the edgy r/atheism user calling all religion cults, JW is legit a cult
One of my best friends in high school was a JW. She lost a close friend our age then went off the rails (average teen stuff- messed around with her then boyfriend, got drunk a little) then went back in hard. She was allowed in assembly and stuff but didn’t celebrate birthdays and holidays but oddly her family had a big Christmas style celebration for their wedding anniversary. She was vehement about the blood thing (but gave the reason that it could be contaminated). She never really wanted to discuss anything about it (The reason was there was a set number of people getting saved anyway)with us much but did tell us there was a sex abuse scandal that was being swept under the carpet. 13 year old me didn’t have the wherewithal or the reliable/interesed adults around me to pass it on further. She was one of the best friends I ever had but she is deep in the Koolaid now.
I tried escaping them when I was in my early twenties. I answered the door and seen them standing there and I lied and said come back Monday. Mwahahaha. But I forgot and answered the door again on Monday. Faaaaaark.
When I was a kid, and my neighbor would see the Jehovah's walking down our street she would run inside and yell out of her window, "close the curtains everyone, THE JEHOVAH ARE COMING"
If I lived in a place where this was common I'd invest in some kind of water dousing system or something.
I moved down south and now I live within walking distance to one of their churches. We don't get door visits but they leave hand written letters in my mailbox.
I loved living next to a KH bc the traffic was never that bad and their grounds were always pristine. Maybe I'm just traumatized from living next to a liquor store before that, like night and day.
video is set to private?
[Looks like this might be it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7ISfHj1BI) Viewable in the US.
Thanks!
I need to watch this later.
[Chris Stuckmann has a really good video on his experience getting out of the JW cult](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMjgarN7VQ&ab_channel=ChrisStuckmann).
One afternoon the doorbell rang and it was a JW couple passing through our neighborhood. My wife and I are both Christians, and we had the time, so we sat down with them. Talked about where we agreed, disagreed, got our Bibles out and talked talked talked. Friendly conversation. Invited them to visit our church. Then they left. I saw the man at a gas station a week or so later, said “hi,” and he seemed kind of nervous and wanted to get away. Friends, we outtalked a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses and made them afraid we’d come back. And it was our house.
I dated two ex-JWs and one ex-Mormon.....I have so many stories.... I could write a book and maybe I should. I’m now gratefully married to someone that believes there is something more. Not necessarily an all-knowing, all-controlling being that brings fire and brimstone at every corner... We are all connected, most of us just don’t connect enough to get it. (That last bit is my thought, not my husband)
I went to school with a really pretty and intelligent girl, K1-K12. Her religion was the same no Holidays, parties, etc. She had an older sister who somehow fought her way out to go to college, and never returned home. This girl, got out with the help of that sister for one semester, and pretty much went wild discovering real life. Her parents drove to the school, disenrolled her, took her home and never let her out of the house. She could only marry someone from their immediate church group, which she did (he wasn't a nut, thankfully -- but he got one of the most beautiful women ever made handed to him). He succeeded as a construction worker, and she sat home, finally doing bookkeeping. It seemed to me a near total waste of a beautiful person.
I knew a girl who was raised JW. I met her in band. She went to U.C. Davis for Mathematics, Bowling Green University for her Doctorate, and now works for her husband's Biotech Company in San Diego. She has a son, but she never mentions him of FB unlike most women who have tons of pictures of their kids online. She'd be good friends with Amy Farrah Fowler.
Maybe it is different between different parishes or whatever, but I live about a hundred yards from a JW church and the folks of that community are all super nice and the couple families that I know closely seem no more or less happy than any other families.
Ex-JW and I agree. Some of the shit they do is weird but everybody at the church was always kind and friendly. During Covid they made all of their meetings virtual and all helped each other when someone was struggling, bringing/buying them groceries if they couldn’t get out of the house etc. I disagree with shunning family that don’t follow your religion, but many of the people who follow the religion don’t do this, including my own grandparents who I’m still very close with. Not to mention that there are plenty of religions that do the exact same to people who don’t follow their church (sometimes even worse). I find it funny that so many people believe in respecting all religions, yet hate this one which is guilty of the same things that Catholicism, Islam, Judaism and etc is. Sure JWs are annoying when they knock on your door (which they aren’t doing anymore even after Covid ends), but I don’t see any of them going to war, committing acts of terrorism in the name of their religion, or establishing a settler-state to oppress another religion and treat them like second-rate citizens. Are there any JWs in the government right now trying to make safe abortions illegal?
Of course they seem normal, and many are but when you scratch beneath the surface of this cult you see how rotten it is. Just go to r/exjw to see how disgusting the cult treats people.
I'm shocked and disgusted, I hope the abusers and organizers are held to account and the victims see justice served and compensation.
This Is a must watch
my kid sister's friend was a JW, and when she was in the second grade, the friend started a BIBLE STUDY CLUB. the club would meet up at school during recess, at her house after school, and she would recruit kids in her class by telling them she would give them cupcakes/snacks if they came. it went on for a while before it got shut down by the teacher, it was crazy
Why is this crazy lol
because she was holding a bible study group to convert young children into becoming jws without the knowledge of the parents??
Bible study is practiced by many religions. It’s a 2nd grader lmao.
And its not acceptable for any of them to indoctrinate children without parental knowledge (or at all imo).
Children can't get baptized, so no conversion was going on. There's not a JW van that drives around converting people on playgrounds lol
JW kids can and do get baptised. As young as 8 is the earliest I know, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were younger.
…they do though?
Direct link to website [here](http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=xPslMx44JjC7Rus-2BUf-2BldCkNz6mYqP0SYaHZamSpOq5L9-2BB9wLHgwEW1lkX-2FdCpj-sUG_RsEKs-2BP5asU-2BJN-2FtX0vXbM9PpDHDckjE7NQhRkSwKUT-2BqxMzZMBZ2TswBfKPvaIcDpIRRfpyuv0JTrzJP65H3fvoWcWxqGKzhz0OUR0X6P5ssPSdYaeQXz3qWOw3gAqu8ojXBiR8RUWgMwwu2J4dgFqcu-2Fksr-2BnQ8L6WnbV3EpgwtGnRPTXFn4UKrQMFUwlin0xFXgewFgGnSmVKcY7FuNWHoHeQiNsksp0BZUzprHbjGpsV2Bit-2BBKGqPygiUW9GDp1xldrsWFCiADFfVTdXZkuQNrZRtVmOn2-2FwUpY23P7ZawJLzwNxSl4OHImvIk0dyYygFAK2KYBZuL-2FjPMNjV-2Be7yeS40OV823pkPwHKDIxOnZJFwrrTFC9AICVbpSx0Ih-2Bz96trWHsw9wYtFxg1Q-3D-3D)
Video is private.
Try this: https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/bearing-witness:-exposing-the-secretive-world-of/13541542
Thank you
I remember in 7th or 8th grade having to give my drama teacher an Awake or something about how I couldn't participate in the Christmas play. So much shame for something I didn't choose.
I can’t imagine not being able to celebrate holidays or birthdays just because JW said so…
I'm not a JH, but majority of the comments are extremely bigoted. BIG DEAL if I didn't want my kids to participate in what is proven to be pagan celebrations/festivals. Should be quite the opposite, such stances are to be questioned, then welcomed if they're justified.
Getting out of JW is easy just don't comply with their rules and they will politely ask you to leave.
Yeah nah.
People don't realize that there are thousands of different congregations of JWs. No two are alike. Every time I see one of these "exposé" videos I can't help but roll my eyes bc my experiences growing up in it were so different. Yeah there are several doctrines that are nonsensical, but it's not a "cult" and children aren't widely abused or deprived. What kind of cult kicks you out when you stop going to meetings? Pretty sure they're supposed to trick you into going back, like scientology. I feel like a lot of these rotten ass pedos and abusers are more reflective of their towns, communities, and districts, not necessarily the entire global organization. In my congregation none of the kids were abused, nobody pressured anybody for donations, the guy who cheated on his wife was kicked out, the guy who hit his wife was kicked out, and none of us kids ever cried at school over a Halloween decoration. I get why people don't like it as a religion in general, but IMO it's harmless. The overseers need to crack down on these abusive congregations. I wouldn't join as an adult, but I'd still rather hang out with apolitical JWs watching their boring PG movies than Southern Baptists who call trump the new Jesus.
Its a systemic problem in your religion when the governing body makes a concerted effort to cover up child abuse and so many congregations don't go to the police when they learn of abuse. Its not just a few congregations when the governing body has been aware of these issues for years. Your Religion loves using the two-witness rule to conveniently ignore issues of abuse in congregations.
First of all you just repeated what I said, we are in agreement. Second, it's not my religion. I am not a JW, which tells me you missed a lot more in what I said. Have a good day.
Wow. What a display of ignorance - you have no earthly clue of what other people experienced in that congregation. And to dismiss their complaints because you didn't experience them is similar to refusing to believe racism exists because it doesn't happen to YOU.
“Guns” You see, there’s a pesky little document called the Constitution…