And not only are you not alone in this, you are certainly a source of inspiration to more others than you’ll ever know 😆! And maybe this testimony is the final factor necessary for their own emancipation! Never know what gives another the courage to follow in the steps of others, so to speak… Cheers from canada!
@@greyberet1 same from Australia! Love your video! In fact, I read it via transcription not to loose a word. I see clear steps I went through with my adventism. Thank you so much for giving it a voice!
Welcome to the ex-jw community & your freedom. There is a lot of history we all never knew about. Thank you for adding your voice. We're from the 1975 'Screwed generation" lol. Mike says thank you for not having your music so loud we couldn't hear you. Hugs & love 🥰
I was born into the JWs and left about 10 years ago. At first, it feels like your entire world is ripped away. But over time things become more clear and it gets easier. Now, I don’t really even think of myself as an exjw. I’m just me. I do things that make myself, my husband and my kids happy. We live good lives and we just become “normal”. Feeling normal is the best feeling. Welcome to your freedom. ❤
Mark it is hard at first, the mental indoctrination, the brain washing, feelings of guilt for not attending meetings etc. Over time these feelings do vanish. They do leave, you will gain friends outside of this cult. The love shown at the meetings do show their true colours of conditional love. Moving on gaining true friends who respect your decisions, who have your back will return. Keep safe mate.
It really does all unfold. You learn how beautiful the world really is, there ARE kind people. And no more fear. I look back now and realize how often the Bible TOLD us: “Fear not”. And my favorite: “Stand still and know that I am God”. We were meant to be happy, not frightened into submission. Spirit soar. Be free.
@markrosenthalphotography2310 the damage is so deep that you think a stranger being proud of you is worth anything but a hill of beans. If you can get therapy, or date a female doctor, psychologist, a former deconstructed bible cult victim, that can give you an advantage. When tough time arrive and they will, it's not the devil they hypnotized you into believing. We were all hypnotized in slow form. It was hidden under that label of bible study.
Thank you for sharing your experience. After 30+ years in the organization, we came to the realization that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have “The Truth,” and are certainly in no position to impose their opinions on anyone. Be prepared to work through the loneliness, disappointment, frustration, and a gamut of additional emotions you may incur. One day at a time, one thing at a time, one foot in front of the other. I questioned the existence of Jehovah for two years after officially leaving before I discovered who Jehovah really is and who he is not! Then slowly, I began to be introduced to the God of the Bible as I began reading again, without bias, different translations. I threw the JW Bible away along with most of their literature, keeping the Aid Book and Crisis of Conscience, both written by Raymond Franz. We all have an inherent right to find our way. Things do get better. Please don’t give up. Right now it seems like you have no one, but eventually your life will gain meaning again as you discover your authentic self, which was suppressed by The Borganization. Sincerely, Brenda
Your story is similar to mine, I left "The Truth" not knowing where to turn....I eventually turned back the Bible (a regular Bible, not their mis translation) It is scary at first, but once you realize you can live without the cult, it's all uphill from there! Glad you found your way out of there too. I was in for 60 yrs.
Well said Brenda, I feel heartbroken that so many exjws equate leaving the witnesses with abandoning God. As you describe, there is a tough path to walk, but the true God will bless you with the peace and joy the witnesses talk of but never really know
Spent most of my childhood, teenage and early adult years as a very active JW. I started fading in 2018 and completely left in 2021. Moved to NYC and started a new life. Everything worked out and I'm happier than ever. You got this!
I don't think you completely left... You are still registered as a jw... It's an impossible mission to get out of their archives... Have you even tried??? Go find out for yourself....
Thank you young man for your heartfelt testimony. I’m much older than you (83) and was told in 1974 that the end was coming in 75, and unless I joined Jehovah would destroy me. After 40 years in finally woke up after watching the ARC findings on sex abuse in the org. I left the Watchtower and turned to Christ for my salvation and after severing those ties I now am free to pursue the truth without the influence of the Watchtower. The best to you my friend in your own quest for truth. 😊
God bless you! Me too: 1975 Armageddon. I lost my family after being “removed” and shunned nearly to death (I had disagreed with a doctrine). That was my Armageddon! Glad to have made it to “the other side”! I found the world to be filled with kind and good people. ❤
@@Sportliveonline you learn by experience who to let into your life. Your discernment develops. In JWs, you learn you have to get along with that group of people only. There’s a whole wonderful world of good people but JWs are taught to smile and hook them “in” or to avoid them because they believe they’re going to be destroyed.
I was raised in. My husband and I left in early 2005. It will be a hard road but don’t give up, it is worth it. Freedom is precious. So proud of you. You will get stronger as time goes by and your spirituality will become deeper and more personal. God bless you on your journey.
Great Video! Due to the organizations view of Jesus, which was despicable... It pushed me to research Christianity. I've come to the conclusion it's a relationship with God. Not a religion or organization or following men. It's real freedom and peace that I'm so happy to have now.
Why not try reading the bible on your own.Start with John and then Romans. It's all about Jesus, really, and who he really is.May the God that does exist bless you.
As a Christian, I wish you the best man, I know people who’ve left jehovahs witnesses and turnt Christian but also turnt atheist , whatever you do man , I wish you well , it’s hard but you will be okay ❤
My wife and I just saw your video. A lot really resonated with us. This was incredibly courageous of you. We had been in the organization for over 25 years baptized and like you, we are on a similar journey. I hope your mental health is well and you are seeking things that are uplifting, truthful and good for you. Thank you for doing the things publicly that many of us could not.
You touched me and I cried watching your story ,I felt like you 30 years ago but was locked in and couldn't leave . Now finally I left and feel free but lost my friends and family.
@@galaxiethinker183 I’m so sorry to hear your loss. It makes me happy to hear my story touched you thank you for your comment I appreciate the time you took to listen
Don't be sad, try not to be. I left my Roman - catholic religion after 55y. I left because Lord Jesus Christ found me. Now I'm free in Jesus Christ. God wants our love because HE is a Love. And He wants intimacy with us. Talk, simply Talk to Him. Ask Him. ask Holly Spirit for guidance. Read Bible but not JW New World.... Lord will open your eyes... you will see. Gospel of John very powerful
Your story deeply resonates with me. As someone who walked away from a fundamentalist Christian background, I recognize those painful moments of questioning, the intellectual honesty that requires you to confront uncomfortable truths, and the courage it takes to step away from a belief system that once defined your entire world. Your vulnerability in sharing this journey-how you gradually questioned things, felt the cognitive dissonance, and ultimately chose authenticity over conformity-is incredibly powerful. The way you described your process, especially how the pandemic gave you space to think critically, is so relatable. That moment of realizing you were essentially performing a belief rather than genuinely holding it is profound. Your commitment to not harboring personal resentment, but instead focusing on the systemic issues, shows real emotional maturity. Thank you for creating this video. It will undoubtedly help others who are silently struggling with similar doubts and feeling isolated. Your message that they are "not crazy" is so important. Wishing you peace and continued growth on your journey of self-discovery.
Leaving is a big relief but scary experience. Just knowing people you once called friends in the Kingdom Hall now will look at you as a stranger because you left
Thank you for this video. You are not alone. I was born in 3rd generation, and left 15 years ago. It was drummed into us about the state of the world and that everyone that wasn’t a witness was bad association. Through my job where I had a lot of contact with ‘worldly’ people and learned that they were in fact, better people than some of my JW family and friends. The worldly people were happier and functionally better at relationships and life in general. The fear tactics that I was indoctrinated with took years to break down, but I got there. The Australian royal commission just proved to me in my mind I had definitely done the right thing by leaving. Living my best and happiest life ever now! Remarried to a beautiful worldly man that treats me far better than my JW ex husband ever did. Thank you for sharing your story ♥️
Hey Mark, I was born in 3rd generation JW on both my parent's sides of the family. Deep roots. My wife is 2nd generation born in. I'm 40 now and was baptized at 12. I just started to see cracks a few months ago and watched the Australian Royal Commission and the house of cards started to fall down. The deeper I went the more I found what I frankly didn't want to find. Both my wife & I decided we could no longer support the organization and that there's no way God was leading the org. It's an incredibly difficult thing to accept mentally, and it's a very difficult mental process. We decided to disassociate just earlier this month. (Jan '25) Hang in there, I'm proud of you brother. It's much harder to not keep our heads in the sand. I hope you're transitioning out ok. Much love, reach out of you ever need to. Your brother, -Chris
@@Mercipher21 thank you this means a lot. It’s a really difficult transition and I know I won’t do it perfectly but I’m seeing the light on the other side already and that keeps me going. Thank you for youre comment and the time you took to listen to my story
We did this also . My husband and I wrote letters. It’s been 20 years and now finally feeling better about myself and healing. We now just read the Bible and pray together. It is just enough for us. Everyone is different. We don’t relate to others much . I was suicidal when we left. I forgot about that. It’s tough but not impossible to get through.
Congratulations @Mercipher21 ! It is bittersweet exiting what we once thought was our very reason for existence. 3rd gen almost 40 and left a little over a year ago - thankfully wife after a few months after I woke up began to see the cracks in the teachings for herself when she examined closely, so she is out as well. As betrayed as we have been it is a beautiful thing to hear people begin to trust in themselves again and think for themselves again. It is so sad the level of thought control this high control group inflicts upon those that listen to their leaders.
@baldsealion That's awesome, I'm glad you both were able to exit together! Let's push on to do great things, and try not too worry to much about the future or what lies beyond our mortality ✊️
The research on the JW doctrine made me leave. I couldn't believe I was in a cult and this angered me the most because I was lied to all these years and I wasted so much time. I'm so happy that your curiosity and research woke you up.
Thank you for this video, Mark. I have so much respect for people like you who actively seek real truth. I'm an ex JW, and I still struggle with being deceived by the organization and the existence of a loving god.
So much of what you said resonates with my experience. Been out since October 2023, almost 40 years born in. It can be somewhat a numb feeling to be in this stage of the wake up process, but the best news is that you have already lived through rock-bottom. Now we get to build ourselves back up on things that are “seen” and “visible” in this world instead of imaginary mental constructs and empty promises. Beautiful video. Thanks for sharing and I hope this message reaches some of your friends and family members hearts to get them to realize that their worship and sacrifice of their lives is in vain - and come to realize what really matters is that we have each other. Cheers.
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story. I understand how painful deconstructing is. My husband and I both went through it, we were born into the jws. Just always remember that you are allowed to believe what YOU choose to believe. No one should ever try to take away your free will. Your instinct was trying to tell you that control schemes are damaging. JWs are a high control group. It does get easier as time passes. Getting a good therapist that understands religious trauma is helpful. I wish you well on your healing journey 💛
Such a heartfelt video. As a born and raised jw and after leaving in total confusion I was thrown out (disfellowshipped) into a world that really feed my anger towards God and the organization. I’m now a Christian. I know the feeling and anger even disbelief in God but know their entire Bible is altered to the watchtower interpretation. Read the Bible from front to back and learn a whole new God a whole new GRACE that’s been given to us through Jesus. It’s literally mind blowing. Don’t reject God reject religion and doctrines. Know that God LOVED us and were simply saved by accepting Jesus ❤️
Excellent video, thank you for sharing your journey. I left many years ago, and now am comfortable telling people that I am a non-believer. The hardest part for me was to disconnect religion or theology from ethics or morality, and to realize that I can be a good person without being motivated by religious doctrine. I sense your compass points toward honesty and truth, and I would say to take your time, and recognize that your effort is valid. I am still learning too, but it gets better! I wish you the best!
Fourth generation and finally woke up at 58 years old. I was the pain in the butt. The elders couldn’t stand because I knew my Bible and I would ask questions that they couldn’t answer as to why they were doing things the way they were doing them. Where is the scripture reasoning behind it? All of the ridicule and abusiveness and hatefulness I endured since infancy and this Borg finally came to ahead with Tony Morris bragging about people losing their jobs for respecting their conscience on the topic of accepting that mRNA jab. There’s no love in a comment like that. And taking their jobs. He should’ve been commending people for respecting their conscience and instead he was hateful. And then David, Spain, ridiculing people kindly saying would we ever tell you to do something that could hurt you and the answer was yes and they did.so that was the beginning of the end of all these years of trying to find some reason to be around these hateful ridiculing, arrogant people that behaved like Pharisees. It’s not easy, but you will be blessed for getting out of false religion. We are to go to Christ, not a religion.
Amen, I'm so proud of you sis, I left Roman - Catholic church after 55 y. The hardest thing was my mum, she died thinking through Mary to Jesus... She spent hours on rosery prayers. May Lord Almighty bless you and you family
Thank you for having the courage to share this. You have no idea how much your testimony has positively impacted my mental state at the moment. I also got married in 2021 and almost everything you mentioned word for word has been something I too have gone through while being in the organization. For years I also struggled with doubts and questions always suppressing them out of the fear of being wrong or the disappointment and shame i would bring to my family but my intuition led me down the same path you took and I began investigating and doing a deep dive into the watchtower and came to the exact same conclusion. You captured what I imagine many of us have gone through so vividly. It’s reassuring to hear that we’re not crazy and that more of us are starting to speak up. I applaud your courage and I thank you for sharing this with the world. I hope more people see this as it’s a very well put together and inspiring.
Great video, and thank you for being strong and being your authentic self. As a former jw I completely understand your journey. Welcome to the community, it is growing bigger everyday. Keep doing that research. I love learning and THAT is what woke me up. Congrats again.
@markrosenthalphotography2310 I remember asking my parents when I was a kid. Why does my friend at school, who is a really good person, why would God want to kill them? And they never had a satisfying answer. Take care
You explained everything wonderfully! My path out was much like yours. When I left, after being cornered and grilled by 3 elders in my home, I felt a huge sense of PEACE, a kind of confirmation that what I had done was right. But I did not throw out the baby with the bathwater. I bought a normal bible, threw out all Watchtower literature I had, and I kept my faith in God ( not the men in NY who think they are God) and my faith is in Jesus Christ as my savior. This was 8 years ago. I am free and happy.😊 But it does take time to adjust and to get the poison out of your system. Sometimes I miss my old friends. And conclude that I don’t really, because they were not the way real friends should behave. Best of luck to you! Life will be much better now, I promise you! 😘
Welcome to the world of freedom and real love. I was a born in JW, and didn't wake until my mid-40's, so the trauma is deep and life-lasting. I am still healing and recovering and likely always will. But everything is better in my life now. I no longer believe in any god(s), but my peace is greater than ever, I have real meaning in my life. I no longer even think of myself as ex-JW, and I still suffer from anxiety, unwarranted guilt and shame--but I am learning to love myself and heal --and every day I am thankful for my freedom and the ability to make my life suit me, to know I am good enough, worthy of love, respect, and protection--always, no matter what.
Your presentation is so clear. It helps me to re-evaluate my entanglement in another denomination, where I wasted decades since tender age. It is hard, if possible, to fully be restored back to the society and the knowledge of all the intricate modern things we need to know in order to succeed in life and to feel present here. Mental health has been impacted by all the group manipulation techniques. It's weird how we don't even notice it, the matrix become our own selves and no one to blame. I am horrified what I've done with the best strongest years of my life and where it took me today. I am getting better but need to see people as yourself to help me to process it and see my own story fully. Thank you! Glad you are so young and all life ahead of you! Best of wishes!
I think for me and my wife, that's exactly what we had to overcome. The feeling of being alone. I didn't start looking into these types of videos until LONG after we faded. So it's good to know that there are others like us. Now, if we could only meet up and create support groups, now that would be healing!
I joined a support group for religious trama called the Reclamation Collective. Its online and is lead by a therapist and helps all sorts of people leaving or dealing with the effects of High Control Religion. Check it out if your interested.
I left in 1999 after 25 years in the organization. I must warn you: people are going to line up to tell you to "accept Jesus", or "come join our genuine church". You are on the path to joining reality. Please don't throw it away by trading an old lie for an even older lie. Protect your freedom.
A woman finds out her husband has been lying, manipulating, controlling, and cheating on her for years. The more she digs, the worse things get, so she decides to leave him. Some friends tell her, you need a good man-I can recommend one-but her divorced friends, soured by divorce, tell her all men are the same-if one is a controlling, cheating liar, they're all controlling, cheating liars. Can you see the flaw in this logic? All men may be controlling, cheating liars, but just because one man is a controlling, cheating liar doesn't mean all are-you would have to investigate the matter. JW is great at making agnostics and atheists of people. The borg tells its members that all the things Christians say about the borg are lies, so don't listen to them. Yet, ironically, it's when JWs find out that Christians have been telling them the truth about the borg that they stop listening to Christians. Because, like a hurt divorcee, they think that since the borg has lied to them, all "religion" is lying. All religions may be a lie, but-like my analogy above-just because one religion is a lie doesn't mean all religion is a lie-you should investigate. Some divorced women swear off men completely (assuming all men are the same), others immediately jump into another relationship and experience the same hurt, and others are more circumspect, wise, and much more careful about their next relationship. I wasn't "born into" any religion. I'm an evidentialist and didn't want Christianity to be true, but the more I investigated Christianity, the more I realized God has provided just enough evidence for the inquirer to be satisfied that Christianity is true but not so compelling that it would overpower the will of those who do not want to believe in God. So, what can I say as someone who hasn't experienced your pain? I'm sorry for your hurt. I'm sorry you have been betrayed by people who used religion as a weapon. When you are ready, I encourage you to _THOROUGHLY_ investigate Christianity, which means reading Christian apologists (e.g., Josh McDowell's _Evidence that Demands a Verdict,_ J. Warner Wallace's _Cold Case Christianity,_ or the like), not simply anti-Christian apologists like Bart Ehrman (whom I've read). Take your time, don't jump into anything and don't assume that all religions are the same. Regards, Kevin
From the frying pan to the fire. I've encountered so many JWs that leave WT, then become even more self-assured and arrogant as they entrench themselves in a new religion and new set of beliefs, where they are just as blind and radical about the new fictions as they were about the old ones they abandoned. *Religion isn't in the truth business. Don't join another one expecting anything different than what you just escaped.* Different franchises, same lies. IMO, life is better without the shackles of religion. Just live your life and be the best person you can be.
Congratulations!!!! To your FREEDOM!!! The organization has really destroyed families. The leadership will be held accountable and pay for what they have done.
I haven't even watched your video til the end, but I feel a strong urge to tell you that you're not alone! Thank you for being so brave and for telling your story. This is a huge achievement for you personally, but it will also help others who are in a similar situation. I feel like victims of jw are often really sensible human beings. That's why we fell for this whole idea and why it even might have felt good, being around the jw folks. But in the end, this cult can really crush our hearts and for some even more. We MUST stay strong and give everything to enjoy our prescious lives, from the moment we understand that we were part of a cult. Thank you again! I wish you all the best. Greetings from Germany :)
This video came up in my recommended this morning, I was so happy to hear your story! You are a remarkable young man, so proud of you to have the courage to share your story. You will help many by doing this. I too watched EXMO stories when I first was waking up, the similarities with EXJW stories is uncanny. Sending healing vibes your way as you navigate your new life of freedom.
Congrats to your freedom. Please do not succumb to WATCHTOWERS Corporate Bi-Laws and write them a disassociation letter. All you do is follow their demands, Disfellowship yourself and eliminate your freedoms and rights that you retain if you just FADE and do not go back. DO NO empower WATCHTOWER by following any of their demands and procedures. Fading gives you full control and you leave on your terms, NOT WATCHTOWERS.
We're all entrenched in or born into cults, be they religious or consumerist. We all have the beliefs we were given destroyed. We all have to come to the truth. Nobody can bring it to you. Thanks for the candid video!
Welcome to our family. I'm so happy that you have broken free, and I hope that your wife and any children that you have, were able to escape with you. If not, remember that the trail you are blazing leaves a light for others to follow. All the best for a bright, happy, and healthy life.
I love this video, it resonates on some level to all of us who have left, and there are thousands of us out here, if not a million. You know you're in a cult when you have to give yourself permission to do research outside. We all had to do that, which shows you the level of mind control we were under. As you were speaking, I was finishing your sentences, because I know the waking up script so well, both from what was in my own head and from listening to videos of other people who have left. The lies are what finally got me, although I had doubts all along. I'm glad you got out while you are young and have the rest of your life ahead of you. I hope your mom is still speaking to you, and Congratulations on waking up! It's great out here once you make some new friends and learn who you really are without the organization running your life and dictating rules for you to live by.
Thanks for sharing, Mark. I left SDAism years ago and there’s a lot in common with our experiences. The Lord led us to a Christian community that we could grow spiritually, and trust the Lord will guide you into understanding who He truly is.
Wow. I really appreciate you. I love your honesty and sincerity. I was baptized in 1994 and married 1 year later. I stated waking up in 2012 but 2020 was really the year of perfect vision. I just didn’t expect it to be 4.5-5 years later for me to really appreciate that. After being called an apostate by my wife for questioning the Governing Body and the clearly biased handling of the pandemic. I could see that they didn’t really care about the sheep. After preprogramming the sale of the Kingdom Halls and then doing it really opened my eyes fully so I thought. But then I started doing research into the fall of 2024 and I am disgusted, afraid, angry bust also very grateful to learn the realities of the history of this organization. I share your response by losing faith in all of the foundations of our beliefs. The disgusting sexual satanic freemasonry that has been hidden and remains hidden by the mind control tactics of fear and people putting all their eggs into one basket so too speak and then having to make the choice to lose that was and is extremely difficult. I have spent most of the last 4 years desperate and alone even though I live with my now 15 year old daughter and my wife. My wife and I don’t sleep on the same side of the house. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your voice. Imagine what a CULT will do to the innocents. The betrayal is too deep and as a pimo with believing family, it requires years to wait for the day we completely can leave!
I’m proud of you Mark. My mom became a witness when I was in middle school. I can relate to so much of your story. It’s scary leaving but life is so much better after waking up. You can be your authentic self. Live life on your terms. Not watchtower’s terms.
I loved this video. Just know that you are not alone-many people have been or are going through the same thought process as you. You not only helped us better understand the experience of someone who was part of a cult, but you also provided an objective perspective on questioning one’s own beliefs. I came across confirmation bias during my own research as well, and it genuinely helped me view things from a more scientific perspective. I hope you find peace in whatever you choose to believe in.
The simultaneous feeling of relief and anxiety is so relatable. I hope the best for you going forward. One of the best things that came out of leaving JWs for me was reconnecting with friends who I’d lost because they weren’t JWs and I’d cut them out of my life. Thanks for your video!
I applaud your courage to walk away and live YOUR life. I was born in to the JW cult, never got baptized, and was also a very anxious child and adult. I had panic attacks as a child and trouble sleeping which lasted well into my adult life. I had a faith crisis during COVID when I learned everything I believed was all a lie. I didn't realize that I still carried some of the JW teachings in my core beliefs and once I deprogrammed myself from their teachings, I began to heal. What has really helped me in healing are the exJW TH-camrs like JW Thoughts, Alt Worldly, Critical Thinking and Goatlike Personality. Thanks to them and many others I can now laugh at what I once feared. You have the rest of your life ahead of you and you have the freedom to make it what you want. I wish you all the best.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽✌🏽💜
Fantastic video Mark! Many of us have shared similar experiences and it often takes time to process. I appreciate your willingness to put yourself out there and use your creativity in such a way to promote healthy questioning and your offer for others who are processing to reach out to you! Your bravery is to be commended! Thank you for allowing us to see this part of your journey.
Beautiful video and content. When our belief system crumbles, it's scary and challenging. Being true to ourselves is always the right thing to do. Thank you for sharing. It reminded me my journey. Wishing you a very nice life ahead and may your art in photography reach a vast audience.
Thanks for sharing, 2024 was the year when I decided to step away, these doubts that led me to stop believing made me feel scared and crazy it’s nice to know I’m not alone. I’ve also watched Johnny Harris’ video where he talks about leaving the Mormon church and noticed a lot of similarities.
Leaving a religion is different from leaving God I lost half my family and my so called friends but after 4yrs now I am very respected happy successful and looking back my faith is stronger feel much better and 3 of my family members swallowed their pride and now ask me for help….. do not leave your relationship with God brother you’re not alone
I'm from Québec and when I started searching, I watched Dr Irving Finkel and that was very instructive. So many stories changed in the evolution of men . Now I believe there is a High power but I don't believe in religions anymore. All they want is our money, that's all ! 😊
Great video! Thank you for making it! It's interesting that it's when you're asked to teach that any doubts you've been able to ignore suddenly come to the front of your mind. My own experience followed a very similar pattern.
@@markrosenthalphotography2310 I never married in and I think it made my decision to leave less complicated than it could have been. How did your decision to leave impact your marital situation?
I like your story and the background music is so perfect for me.....i am out for 1year and 4 months and .....the reasons and the feelings that made me quit are so similar to yours...thanks for sharing your experience!
This was me a few years ago. I was in the exact same position as you are now, felling lost and with no purpose. I was disfellowshipped in 2019, tried to come back in 2020 but the pandemic hit and it made me think a lot about questions I have never had the answer inside the organization. It took me 3 years of seeing documentaries about other cults like Scientology, the mormons, the tiktok cult and many other experiences from people in similar cults to understand that what these people were experiencing were the exact same things I was experiencing and having doubts about as a JW. Then I allowed myself to do the research outside of JW material that we were never allowed to make and my mind woke up after a few months of research. I was in a cult. Jehovah Witnesses don´t have the "truth". It was very hard at first because this was all I knew for so long. Imagine that you realize that there is no universal truth, there´s no direct proof of a God, bible prophecies are all a bunch of lies or semi-wrong bible interpretations. It was a long process but I can guarantee to you things will get better. Now I thrive in having a normal life, normal friends and normal goals in life that we were never allowed to have as a JW.
i was never raised in the JW but i was born in the lds church i find in times like this the only way is to tread forward and grow as a person wherever the path my lead shalom..
Hi Mark, I am happy to have come across your account. I think a lot of the videos I've come across in the past are from people a bit older and your video I resonate with a lot because I'm a similar age. 24 and got out at age 20. I am wishing you well and hoping that you grow to have a beautiful, fulfilling life filled with soft, loving kindness from people who are there to offer genuine, authentic love. ❤
Congratulations. I spent over 40 years in the organization and have been out less than 2. By ALL means…keep digging about the flood. Try to determine how it was possible to store all the tons and tons of food that would be needed, and how that food wouldn’t spoil in a year. And how much water it would take to feed all of the animals on a daily basis, and how they would have had to collect and store enough rain water in 40 days to last nearly a year, and where all the waste would go, and what did the carnivorous animals eat, and how did the animals come from their natural habitats all the way to where the ark was, and then after the flood, to find their way back to their natural habitats, several continents away, without dying on the long journey, and how the animals were all supposedly loaded into the ark in just a week, and how only 8 humans cared for the thousands and thousands of animals every day, and what did they all eat after they got off the ark if nothing was left….and after all that, ask yourself why God destroyed the humans but didn’t destroy the angels that came down here and forcibly took women and supposedly made giant offspring…and how in the end, by not destroying Satan or those wicked angels, how the flood actually accomplished nothing because the world just went right back to being evil…. And ask yourself if you are ok with a God drowning innocent children and babies and animals….drowning being a particularly barbaric way to destroy someone when instead, he could have just sent an “angel of death” and selectively and instantly destroyed just the evil people, sparing the innocent people and animals. Yup…keep digging on that story. Best wishes to you in your journey. I wish you all the happiness you deserve. I only wish I would have known what I know now at your age. This will be a hard road for you but stay true to what you discover in your research, what makes logical sense and what feels right in your gut and intuition. Take care of yourself.
Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate your candor and your production value. As a XJW of 25+ years, I can tell you that things do get better. You seem very well spoken, and self aware. You have a challenging but rewarding journey ahead.
As a disfellowshipped Witness for 11 years, (my ex wife and I were intimate before marriage) I can truly say it's for the best to get away from that life. Its very hard, took me a long time to recover and most people don't as I've lost a few good friends due to their mental state and to taking the easy way out. I just started going to church again and found a pastor whose willing to listen on a personal bases and who is truly mindful even though I told him it's going to take me time to adjust. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good people in that organization but the people at the top are cruel evil men who manipulate peoples vulnerability and should be in prison for psychological manipulation. I support you brother and whatever you make of your life. Be your own person and do what you love without remorse.
Good you not alone, praise The Lord. May Lord give you a strength to get through. Abba, Father can you see his painful heart, pull him closer in Jesus Christ name I ask. You goodness never ends, Thank YOU FATHER
I'm proud of you! Great video. You are not alone. Thousands are leaving around the world right now. You will get better and better with time, you will see :)) I'm 33 years old, woke up 4 years ago, greetings from Warsaw!
This was an excellent video. So many of us can relate to what you are going through. It will be difficult, but you will eventually learn to live your life exactly how you want to.
I also watched johnny harris' video on waking up from mormonism after I was having really strong doubts and it was part of my deconstruction. Our wake-up timeline is the same. Thank you for making this video
@markrosenthalphotography2310 same! But I had this really quiet little voice from the deepest part of my soul tell me 'you already know it's going to tell you what you already know and technically it's not wrong to watch it because it's not about jw's.' I ended up watching it a few times because I got caught up on so many things ye said and my realization of the parallels distracted me from what else he was saying. It sent me into shock a bit. I'd love of he did a deep-dive video on jehovah's witnesses. I have a feeling it'd be a really popular video.
There’s a global community of ex jws and their stories are mind boggling because anyone who has been associated with this cult can relate to their stories. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to this cult and you’ll soon find out about it, if you haven’t already seen it through the tons of videos on TH-cam. At least you got out early, I was in it for 40 years, but thankfully I don’t have family in it. Get ready cuz from here on out you’ll experience the true peace that comes from knowing that as John 8:32 says: You will know the (real)truth and the (real) truth will set you free…
Excellent introspective video. I have never been engrossed in a cult. But a couple of times I have been fooled by bad, persuasive, people who were doing and saying things for their own purposes. I was just one of their means to their own selfish ends. In this world, everything is always changing and evolving. There is very little stasis. Your point about confirmation bias is spot on and I urge other folks to explore the concept. BTW, your video shows real creativity and talent in the artistic approach; it is far above a simple "talking head video." You might explore that as a career option. Stay positive and keep open to lifelong learning!
Hey Mark thanks for sharing your story that is so similar in many ways to mine. II left around 40years ago! Things will be hard to begin with but please continue to be your authentic self. 😊
Incredible. Wonderful. Beautifully done documentary, too. I am very glad that you have had the strength, though scary, to involve yourself in research. This was my story too, for me, it was 1975 Armageddon. I lived that fiasco. Different than you, I was disfellowshipped and shunned as an “apostate” and lost family. In the 70’s, there were no podcasts or internet, so I had person-to-person “deprogrammers”. But when they left, I was alone with children, JW husband gone, JW brother gone since I was “as one dead”. So there was no support, just raw life to learn to navigate. Not until just a few years ago did I discover former JW podcasts, and for the first time, I was able to truly grieve and have closure on my lost youth. The healing for me was in writing a book about my JW experience. Now I finally feel free, though I must say that we search for God all our lives. Having learned discernment and critical thinking, I’ve taken many roads on this journey. I am honored to have seen your brave video and look forward to more. God bless you with Peace. ❤
I can see your peace. The peace that comes with being authentic, even if its shipped with some shunning. These last two years have been the most progressive and satisfying of my whole life, socially, spiritually, physically. I was raise as jw. Similar journey to you, covid woke me, and I have even dismissed heliocentrism now and support the other great conspiracy that often accompanies the geocentric model. I have the power to love people now. I am making friends easier, and I am myself around them. (I am married and my children and wife are all in... and very upset with me, yet I still feel good and better every day)
The creator is proud of you .your intuition is correct im 5th generation i left at 37 im now 64 now listen you are not alone.my brain is fried from the trauma still who am I ??? Im finding out it a kaleidoscope of creation us enjoy being free ❤❤❤
Very well thought out video. I hope you have a good journey in this world 🌎 💗. It will not be easy leaving a cult, but as time goes by, your anxiety will decrease.
Hi I left also 10 years ago. I have been through this too. I understand you and what you are going 😢 through. Its a cult, another mini system of control. Its conditional love, seperation and guilt. Very unloving, not from God. Its way bigger than this organision cult. God is love not control. ❤
Danke Dir für deine Gefanken! Ich bin aus der Schweiz und war über 50 Jahre in der Wachturm Blase. Hatte vor 1975 als Kind gepredigt und später kritisiert an bestimmten Lehren. Ich wurde scharf zurechtgewiesen dafür! Es ist eine Gegenseitige Kontrolle der Jworg. Jünger vorhanden. Das macht das Leben so schwer! Seit über 5 Jahren bin ich raus aber leider ist meine Exfrau dabei und die Tochter ist Pionierin. Wünsche Dir alles Liebe und geniesse das Leben ohne die Sekte! Liebe Grüsse❤❤❤❤❤
Good luck on your new lease on life. I was 10 when my mother started studying and 14 when she took the plunge. As obedient children we never said a word when we stopped celebrating everything when I was 11 years old. I started researching everything starting in 2012 for 5 years and then hard faded. until I DA’d Jan 2022 at 68 years of age. It was one hell of a betrayal feeling for me. Two years of depression when I realized my whole life was a lie. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. You have your whole life ahead of you. Suck the marrow out of life ❤you will be ok ✅
Thank you so much for your video because I’m currently doing the same research and coming to the same realizations. I don’t believe in this and it’s no different from any other man-made religion. You look so familiar and I realized I’ve seen you at assemblies. So knowing that I’m not the only one questioning really makes me feel like I’m not crazy. I hope the best for you moving forward ❤
I actually have the same experience like you Mark. I doubted a lot some time ago, but with covid and we where all home, i started to investigate. And well yeah....Pandora's box opened the deeper you go, the more confirmation you get, that it's all a lie. I left (faded away) in august 2023. Sadly my wife is still in. Like highly indoctrinated. And because of that, she hates me know. We are now in the process of divorcing. Never wanted it. But that's how it goes. I am 37 btw (grow up in the so called "Truth"). I am lucky that my older sister also left and my best friend. So i still have someone to talk to. Free will is the greatest gift, whatever you choose. Whish you the best.
@@TheTrumanShowEXJW thank you, and I’m sorry to hear that. I wish the best for you going forward I can really relate but feel things are getting better
I felt exactly the same way. My mom was inactive for about the same amount of time. We went back when I was ten. Instant switch. Got out at 18 after being baptized at 17. Soooo glad I'm out.
You are Not alone my son i and my daughter in law was drawn into this Organisation back in the early 2000;thank god we woke up during the pandamic in 2020:as a lot of us did. take care love from Australia ❤
This is a beautiful video. I was born into the organization but managed to leave at 14 after realizing and feeling compelled to accept my sexuality. I still wonder about the other kids around my age at the time, I hope they have been able to find their way out or do so in the future. I have been part of "the world" for the last 18 years and if there is one thing I could tell someone who is thinking of leaving or recently left the JWs it would be that it is ok out here. There are amazing people to meet, wonderful experiences to have, and so much life to live beyond what we would have been permitted to do had we stayed in our indoctrination. Much love to you in your journey out of the isolation and darkness
I strongly disregarded Jesus Christ for 53 years. I asked the God of my understanding for help walking in the park for six months. I was blown away when Jesus Christ showed up with His supernatural voice. Get back on His train and ask Him to reveal Himself. Do not fall for all of Satans tricks, like ridiculous evolution, big bangs four billion years ago.. After I got on the Jesus Christ train, I discovered the 365 messianic prophecies. Wow, no one had ever shown me those. Jesus Christ reveals. Stay out of corrupt denominations. They are all corrupt.
Look at how many people are arriving to your video. You're not alone in this. A lot of people are walking away right now. Which makes me happy. 😊
And not only are you not alone in this, you are certainly a source of inspiration to more others than you’ll ever know 😆! And maybe this testimony is the final factor necessary for their own emancipation! Never know what gives another the courage to follow in the steps of others, so to speak…
Cheers from canada!
This has been crazy, I did not expect this kind of response thank you
@@markrosenthalphotography2310 a lot of folks can relate, and your video format was great, sweet and to the point! Hang in there!
@@greyberet1 same from Australia! Love your video! In fact, I read it via transcription not to loose a word. I see clear steps I went through with my adventism. Thank you so much for giving it a voice!
@@markrosenthalphotography2310 why? You are really great! Sincere, with gread thinking, non-emotional brain. Just what I needed! Subscribed!
Welcome to the ex-jw community & your freedom. There is a lot of history we all never knew about. Thank you for adding your voice. We're from the 1975 'Screwed generation" lol. Mike says thank you for not having your music so loud we couldn't hear you. Hugs & love 🥰
These people are wonderful! And like me, the 1975 Armageddon survivors! Beautiful folks. Like you, they truly have helped so many. ❤
362 subscribers to your channel Mark, 10k views on this video, your potential is huge to help out in the ex jw community, please keep it up
I was born into the JWs and left about 10 years ago. At first, it feels like your entire world is ripped away. But over time things become more clear and it gets easier. Now, I don’t really even think of myself as an exjw. I’m just me. I do things that make myself, my husband and my kids happy. We live good lives and we just become “normal”. Feeling normal is the best feeling. Welcome to your freedom. ❤
thank you for this i cant wait to get to that point in life!
Mark it is hard at first, the mental indoctrination, the brain washing, feelings of guilt for not attending meetings etc. Over time these feelings do vanish. They do leave, you will gain friends outside of this cult. The love shown at the meetings do show their true colours of conditional love. Moving on gaining true friends who respect your decisions, who have your back will return. Keep safe mate.
It really does all unfold. You learn how beautiful the world really is, there ARE kind people. And no more fear. I look back now and realize how often the Bible TOLD us: “Fear not”. And my favorite: “Stand still and know that I am God”. We were meant to be happy, not frightened into submission. Spirit soar. Be free.
Without a doubt, one of the hardest roads I've walked in my entire life. This was an incredible video, Mark. I'm incredibly proud of you.
Thank you that really does mean a lot
Yes, incredibly difficult. I’m proud of all of us. ❤️🩹
@markrosenthalphotography2310 the damage is so deep that you think a stranger being proud of you is worth anything but a hill of beans. If you can get therapy, or date a female doctor, psychologist, a former deconstructed bible cult victim, that can give you an advantage. When tough time arrive and they will, it's not the devil they hypnotized you into believing. We were all hypnotized in slow form. It was hidden under that label of bible study.
*Tour profile pic is funny! Whos that character? And why Mr Pants?*
Thank you for sharing your experience. After 30+ years in the organization, we came to the realization that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have “The Truth,” and are certainly in no position to impose their opinions on anyone. Be prepared to work through the loneliness, disappointment, frustration, and a gamut of additional emotions you may incur. One day at a time, one thing at a time, one foot in front of the other. I questioned the existence of Jehovah for two years after officially leaving before I discovered who Jehovah really is and who he is not! Then slowly, I began to be introduced to the God of the Bible as I began reading again, without bias, different translations. I threw the JW Bible away along with most of their literature, keeping the Aid Book and Crisis of Conscience, both written by Raymond Franz. We all have an inherent right to find our way. Things do get better. Please don’t give up. Right now it seems like you have no one, but eventually your life will gain meaning again as you discover your authentic self, which was suppressed by The Borganization. Sincerely, Brenda
@@ticktock3526 thank you
Your story is similar to mine, I left "The Truth" not knowing where to turn....I eventually turned back the Bible (a regular Bible, not their mis translation) It is scary at first, but once you realize you can live without the cult, it's all uphill from there! Glad you found your way out of there too. I was in for 60 yrs.
Well said Brenda, I feel heartbroken that so many exjws equate leaving the witnesses with abandoning God.
As you describe, there is a tough path to walk, but the true God will bless you with the peace and joy the witnesses talk of but never really know
Absolutely beautiful video, congratulations, I applause ur intelligence, sincerity and wisdom, right decisions 👏 ❤
Spent most of my childhood, teenage and early adult years as a very active JW. I started fading in 2018 and completely left in 2021. Moved to NYC and started a new life. Everything worked out and I'm happier than ever. You got this!
I don't think you completely left...
You are still registered as a jw...
It's an impossible mission to get out of their archives...
Have you even tried???
Go find out for yourself....
Thank you young man for your heartfelt testimony. I’m much older than you (83) and was told in 1974 that the end was coming in 75, and unless I joined Jehovah would destroy me. After 40 years in finally woke up after watching the ARC findings on sex abuse in the org. I left the Watchtower and turned to Christ for my salvation and after severing those ties I now am free to pursue the truth without the influence of the Watchtower. The best to you my friend in your own quest for truth. 😊
God bless you! Me too: 1975 Armageddon. I lost my family after being “removed” and shunned nearly to death (I had disagreed with a doctrine). That was my Armageddon! Glad to have made it to “the other side”! I found the world to be filled with kind and good people. ❤
what do you mean
@@Sportliveonline you learn by experience who to let into your life. Your discernment develops. In JWs, you learn you have to get along with that group of people only. There’s a whole wonderful world of good people but JWs are taught to smile and hook them “in” or to avoid them because they believe they’re going to be destroyed.
I really appreciate your calm tone and demeanor. You are free from the mind control Cult. Never look back.
I was raised in. My husband and I left in early 2005. It will be a hard road but don’t give up, it is worth it. Freedom is precious. So proud of you. You will get stronger as time goes by and your spirituality will become deeper and more personal. God bless you on your journey.
From a cult to a soft cult, not good enough.
Spirituality, alone, ‘twixt you and God, is not cultish. Follow no man. Have no followers.
Great Video! Due to the organizations view of Jesus, which was despicable... It pushed me to research Christianity. I've come to the conclusion it's a relationship with God. Not a religion or organization or following men. It's real freedom and peace that I'm so happy to have now.
@@urnzwayzmoove thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to watch it
Why not try reading the bible on your own.Start with John and then Romans. It's all about Jesus, really, and who he really is.May the God that does exist bless you.
As a Christian, I wish you the best man, I know people who’ve left jehovahs witnesses and turnt Christian but also turnt atheist , whatever you do man , I wish you well , it’s hard but you will be okay ❤
He’s going to join the one true church. The snake handlers.
@@georgebee3090rude
My wife and I just saw your video. A lot really resonated with us. This was incredibly courageous of you. We had been in the organization for over 25 years baptized and like you, we are on a similar journey.
I hope your mental health is well and you are seeking things that are uplifting, truthful and good for you.
Thank you for doing the things publicly that many of us could not.
You touched me and I cried watching your story ,I felt like you 30 years ago but was locked in and couldn't leave .
Now finally I left and feel free but lost my friends and family.
@@galaxiethinker183 I’m so sorry to hear your loss. It makes me happy to hear my story touched you thank you for your comment I appreciate the time you took to listen
Don't be sad, try not to be. I left my Roman - catholic religion after 55y. I left because Lord Jesus Christ found me. Now I'm free in Jesus Christ. God wants our love because HE is a Love. And He wants intimacy with us. Talk, simply Talk to Him. Ask Him. ask Holly Spirit for guidance. Read Bible but not JW New World.... Lord will open your eyes... you will see. Gospel of John very powerful
Thank you for sharing your experience on leaving the JW’s! It takes a strong person to leave a cult! Never forget that!🥰
Your story deeply resonates with me. As someone who walked away from a fundamentalist Christian background, I recognize those painful moments of questioning, the intellectual honesty that requires you to confront uncomfortable truths, and the courage it takes to step away from a belief system that once defined your entire world. Your vulnerability in sharing this journey-how you gradually questioned things, felt the cognitive dissonance, and ultimately chose authenticity over conformity-is incredibly powerful.
The way you described your process, especially how the pandemic gave you space to think critically, is so relatable. That moment of realizing you were essentially performing a belief rather than genuinely holding it is profound. Your commitment to not harboring personal resentment, but instead focusing on the systemic issues, shows real emotional maturity.
Thank you for creating this video. It will undoubtedly help others who are silently struggling with similar doubts and feeling isolated. Your message that they are "not crazy" is so important. Wishing you peace and continued growth on your journey of self-discovery.
Leaving is a big relief but scary experience. Just knowing people you once called friends in the Kingdom Hall now will look at you as a stranger because you left
Thank you for this video. You are not alone. I was born in 3rd generation, and left 15 years ago. It was drummed into us about the state of the world and that everyone that wasn’t a witness was bad association. Through my job where I had a lot of contact with ‘worldly’ people and learned that they were in fact, better people than some of my JW family and friends. The worldly people were happier and functionally better at relationships and life in general. The fear tactics that I was indoctrinated with took years to break down, but I got there. The Australian royal commission just proved to me in my mind I had definitely done the right thing by leaving. Living my best and happiest life ever now! Remarried to a beautiful worldly man that treats me far better than my JW ex husband ever did. Thank you for sharing your story ♥️
Hey Mark, I was born in 3rd generation JW on both my parent's sides of the family. Deep roots. My wife is 2nd generation born in.
I'm 40 now and was baptized at 12. I just started to see cracks a few months ago and watched the Australian Royal Commission and the house of cards started to fall down. The deeper I went the more I found what I frankly didn't want to find.
Both my wife & I decided we could no longer support the organization and that there's no way God was leading the org. It's an incredibly difficult thing to accept mentally, and it's a very difficult mental process. We decided to disassociate just earlier this month. (Jan '25)
Hang in there, I'm proud of you brother. It's much harder to not keep our heads in the sand. I hope you're transitioning out ok. Much love, reach out of you ever need to. Your brother,
-Chris
@@Mercipher21 thank you this means a lot. It’s a really difficult transition and I know I won’t do it perfectly but I’m seeing the light on the other side already and that keeps me going. Thank you for youre comment and the time you took to listen to my story
We did this also . My husband and I wrote letters. It’s been 20 years and now finally feeling better about myself and healing. We now just read the Bible and pray together. It is just enough for us. Everyone is different. We don’t relate to others much . I was suicidal when we left. I forgot about that. It’s tough but not impossible to get through.
Welcome to your freedom from the cult! I love reading these kind of comments, because it's encouraging to see people are still leaving up to now.
Congratulations @Mercipher21 ! It is bittersweet exiting what we once thought was our very reason for existence.
3rd gen almost 40 and left a little over a year ago - thankfully wife after a few months after I woke up began to see the cracks in the teachings for herself when she examined closely, so she is out as well.
As betrayed as we have been it is a beautiful thing to hear people begin to trust in themselves again and think for themselves again. It is so sad the level of thought control this high control group inflicts upon those that listen to their leaders.
@baldsealion That's awesome, I'm glad you both were able to exit together! Let's push on to do great things, and try not too worry to much about the future or what lies beyond our mortality ✊️
I feel exacty this same as you. I ended up with depression and i didn't know why. Now i am free from any religion and happy 😊
Thank you for yor story
The research on the JW doctrine made me leave. I couldn't believe I was in a cult and this angered me the most because I was lied to all these years and I wasted so much time. I'm so happy that your curiosity and research woke you up.
Thank you for this video, Mark. I have so much respect for people like you who actively seek real truth. I'm an ex JW, and I still struggle with being deceived by the organization and the existence of a loving god.
So much of what you said resonates with my experience. Been out since October 2023, almost 40 years born in.
It can be somewhat a numb feeling to be in this stage of the wake up process, but the best news is that you have already lived through rock-bottom. Now we get to build ourselves back up on things that are “seen” and “visible” in this world instead of imaginary mental constructs and empty promises.
Beautiful video. Thanks for sharing and I hope this message reaches some of your friends and family members hearts to get them to realize that their worship and sacrifice of their lives is in vain - and come to realize what really matters is that we have each other.
Cheers.
Thank you. i appreciate the time you took to listen to my story
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story. I understand how painful deconstructing is. My husband and I both went through it, we were born into the jws.
Just always remember that you are allowed to believe what YOU choose to believe. No one should ever try to take away your free will. Your instinct was trying to tell you that control schemes are damaging. JWs are a high control group.
It does get easier as time passes. Getting a good therapist that understands religious trauma is helpful.
I wish you well on your healing journey 💛
Such a heartfelt video. As a born and raised jw and after leaving in total confusion I was thrown out (disfellowshipped) into a world that really feed my anger towards God and the organization. I’m now a Christian. I know the feeling and anger even disbelief in God but know their entire Bible is altered to the watchtower interpretation. Read the Bible from front to back and learn a whole new God a whole new GRACE that’s been given to us through Jesus. It’s literally mind blowing. Don’t reject God reject religion and doctrines. Know that God LOVED us and were simply saved by accepting Jesus ❤️
Excellent video, thank you for sharing your journey. I left many years ago, and now am comfortable telling people that I am a non-believer. The hardest part for me was to disconnect religion or theology from ethics or morality, and to realize that I can be a good person without being motivated by religious doctrine. I sense your compass points toward honesty and truth, and I would say to take your time, and recognize that your effort is valid. I am still learning too, but it gets better! I wish you the best!
@@skepticalphilosophy thank you for this comment you nailed it. Honesty and truth are big values for me and I felt I was violating those core values
speaking so convicted and publicly about your findings is hard to do, and very proud of you for doing so. good job dude!! congrats on opening the door
A whole new wave of really well shot "waking up" videos have graced my home page and I couldn't be happier 😊
left 3 years and 3 days ago, so happy to have a new outlook on life, find what makes you happy and put all your effort into that
Fourth generation and finally woke up at 58 years old. I was the pain in the butt. The elders couldn’t stand because I knew my Bible and I would ask questions that they couldn’t answer as to why they were doing things the way they were doing them. Where is the scripture reasoning behind it? All of the ridicule and abusiveness and hatefulness I endured since infancy and this Borg finally came to ahead with Tony Morris bragging about people losing their jobs for respecting their conscience on the topic of accepting that mRNA jab. There’s no love in a comment like that. And taking their jobs. He should’ve been commending people for respecting their conscience and instead he was hateful. And then David, Spain, ridiculing people kindly saying would we ever tell you to do something that could hurt you and the answer was yes and they did.so that was the beginning of the end of all these years of trying to find some reason to be around these hateful ridiculing, arrogant people that behaved like Pharisees. It’s not easy, but you will be blessed for getting out of false religion. We are to go to Christ, not a religion.
100% Great comment
Amen, I'm so proud of you sis, I left Roman - Catholic church after 55 y. The hardest thing was my mum, she died thinking through Mary to Jesus... She spent hours on rosery prayers. May Lord Almighty bless you and you family
Great testimony, honest and firm!
Thank you for having the courage to share this. You have no idea how much your testimony has positively impacted my mental state at the moment. I also got married in 2021 and almost everything you mentioned word for word has been something I too have gone through while being in the organization. For years I also struggled with doubts and questions always suppressing them out of the fear of being wrong or the disappointment and shame i would bring to my family but my intuition led me down the same path you took and I began investigating and doing a deep dive into the watchtower and came to the exact same conclusion. You captured what I imagine many of us have gone through so vividly. It’s reassuring to hear that we’re not crazy and that more of us are starting to speak up.
I applaud your courage and I thank you for sharing this with the world. I hope more people see this as it’s a very well put together and inspiring.
In 34 years out 18. When you wake up you can’t fall back asleep. Everything will brighten the way. Thanks for sharing.
Great video, and thank you for being strong and being your authentic self. As a former jw I completely understand your journey. Welcome to the community, it is growing bigger everyday. Keep doing that research. I love learning and THAT is what woke me up. Congrats again.
@@SR-ry6hs thank you, that’s something that also lead me to wake up was knowing there was a cap on my ability to learn and research
@markrosenthalphotography2310 I remember asking my parents when I was a kid. Why does my friend at school, who is a really good person, why would God want to kill them? And they never had a satisfying answer. Take care
You explained everything wonderfully! My path out was much like yours. When I left, after being cornered and grilled by 3 elders in my home, I felt a huge sense of PEACE, a kind of confirmation that what I had done was right.
But I did not throw out the baby with the bathwater. I bought a normal bible, threw out all Watchtower literature I had, and I kept my faith in God ( not the men in NY who think they are God) and my faith is in Jesus Christ as my savior. This was 8 years ago. I am free and happy.😊 But it does take time to adjust and to get the poison out of your system. Sometimes I miss my old friends. And conclude that I don’t really, because they were not the way real friends should behave.
Best of luck to you! Life will be much better now, I promise you! 😘
Welcome to the world of freedom and real love. I was a born in JW, and didn't wake until my mid-40's, so the trauma is deep and life-lasting. I am still healing and recovering and likely always will. But everything is better in my life now. I no longer believe in any god(s), but my peace is greater than ever, I have real meaning in my life. I no longer even think of myself as ex-JW, and I still suffer from anxiety, unwarranted guilt and shame--but I am learning to love myself and heal --and every day I am thankful for my freedom and the ability to make my life suit me, to know I am good enough, worthy of love, respect, and protection--always, no matter what.
Your presentation is so clear. It helps me to re-evaluate my entanglement in another denomination, where I wasted decades since tender age. It is hard, if possible, to fully be restored back to the society and the knowledge of all the intricate modern things we need to know in order to succeed in life and to feel present here. Mental health has been impacted by all the group manipulation techniques. It's weird how we don't even notice it, the matrix become our own selves and no one to blame. I am horrified what I've done with the best strongest years of my life and where it took me today. I am getting better but need to see people as yourself to help me to process it and see my own story fully. Thank you! Glad you are so young and all life ahead of you! Best of wishes!
I think for me and my wife, that's exactly what we had to overcome. The feeling of being alone. I didn't start looking into these types of videos until LONG after we faded. So it's good to know that there are others like us. Now, if we could only meet up and create support groups, now that would be healing!
I joined a support group for religious trama called the Reclamation Collective. Its online and is lead by a therapist and helps all sorts of people leaving or dealing with the effects of High Control Religion. Check it out if your interested.
I left in 1999 after 25 years in the organization. I must warn you: people are going to line up to tell you to "accept Jesus", or "come join our genuine church". You are on the path to joining reality. Please don't throw it away by trading an old lie for an even older lie. Protect your freedom.
@@1000PaperCuts-f3j I feel this. Thank you
Guess the devil did a good job on you.
What you just said is the lie.
A woman finds out her husband has been lying, manipulating, controlling, and cheating on her for years. The more she digs, the worse things get, so she decides to leave him. Some friends tell her, you need a good man-I can recommend one-but her divorced friends, soured by divorce, tell her all men are the same-if one is a controlling, cheating liar, they're all controlling, cheating liars.
Can you see the flaw in this logic? All men may be controlling, cheating liars, but just because one man is a controlling, cheating liar doesn't mean all are-you would have to investigate the matter.
JW is great at making agnostics and atheists of people. The borg tells its members that all the things Christians say about the borg are lies, so don't listen to them. Yet, ironically, it's when JWs find out that Christians have been telling them the truth about the borg that they stop listening to Christians. Because, like a hurt divorcee, they think that since the borg has lied to them, all "religion" is lying. All religions may be a lie, but-like my analogy above-just because one religion is a lie doesn't mean all religion is a lie-you should investigate.
Some divorced women swear off men completely (assuming all men are the same), others immediately jump into another relationship and experience the same hurt, and others are more circumspect, wise, and much more careful about their next relationship.
I wasn't "born into" any religion. I'm an evidentialist and didn't want Christianity to be true, but the more I investigated Christianity, the more I realized God has provided just enough evidence for the inquirer to be satisfied that Christianity is true but not so compelling that it would overpower the will of those who do not want to believe in God.
So, what can I say as someone who hasn't experienced your pain? I'm sorry for your hurt. I'm sorry you have been betrayed by people who used religion as a weapon. When you are ready, I encourage you to _THOROUGHLY_ investigate Christianity, which means reading Christian apologists (e.g., Josh McDowell's _Evidence that Demands a Verdict,_ J. Warner Wallace's _Cold Case Christianity,_ or the like), not simply anti-Christian apologists like Bart Ehrman (whom I've read). Take your time, don't jump into anything and don't assume that all religions are the same.
Regards,
Kevin
EXACTLY!!! I see this all the time.
Hopium can hook many in.
From the frying pan to the fire. I've encountered so many JWs that leave WT, then become even more self-assured and arrogant as they entrench themselves in a new religion and new set of beliefs, where they are just as blind and radical about the new fictions as they were about the old ones they abandoned.
*Religion isn't in the truth business. Don't join another one expecting anything different than what you just escaped.* Different franchises, same lies.
IMO, life is better without the shackles of religion. Just live your life and be the best person you can be.
Congratulations!!!! To your FREEDOM!!! The organization has really destroyed families. The leadership will be held accountable and pay for what they have done.
I haven't even watched your video til the end, but I feel a strong urge to tell you that you're not alone! Thank you for being so brave and for telling your story. This is a huge achievement for you personally, but it will also help others who are in a similar situation. I feel like victims of jw are often really sensible human beings. That's why we fell for this whole idea and why it even might have felt good, being around the jw folks. But in the end, this cult can really crush our hearts and for some even more. We MUST stay strong and give everything to enjoy our prescious lives, from the moment we understand that we were part of a cult. Thank you again! I wish you all the best. Greetings from Germany :)
This video came up in my recommended this morning, I was so happy to hear your story! You are a remarkable young man, so proud of you to have the courage to share your story. You will help many by doing this. I too watched EXMO stories when I first was waking up, the similarities with EXJW stories is uncanny. Sending healing vibes your way as you navigate your new life of freedom.
Congrats to your freedom. Please do not succumb to WATCHTOWERS Corporate Bi-Laws and write them a disassociation letter. All you do is follow their demands, Disfellowship yourself and eliminate your freedoms and rights that you retain if you just FADE and do not go back. DO NO empower WATCHTOWER by following any of their demands and procedures. Fading gives you full control and you leave on your terms, NOT WATCHTOWERS.
We're all entrenched in or born into cults, be they religious or consumerist. We all have the beliefs we were given destroyed. We all have to come to the truth. Nobody can bring it to you. Thanks for the candid video!
Welcome to our family. I'm so happy that you have broken free, and I hope that your wife and any children that you have, were able to escape with you. If not, remember that the trail you are blazing leaves a light for others to follow.
All the best for a bright, happy, and healthy life.
Thank you so much for the kind words
This is really well put together and revealing. Glad you're on the side of reason man!
I love this video, it resonates on some level to all of us who have left, and there are thousands of us out here, if not a million. You know you're in a cult when you have to give yourself permission to do research outside. We all had to do that, which shows you the level of mind control we were under.
As you were speaking, I was finishing your sentences, because I know the waking up script so well, both from what was in my own head and from listening to videos of other people who have left. The lies are what finally got me, although I had doubts all along. I'm glad you got out while you are young and have the rest of your life ahead of you.
I hope your mom is still speaking to you, and Congratulations on waking up! It's great out here once you make some new friends and learn who you really are without the organization running your life and dictating rules for you to live by.
Thanks for sharing, Mark. I left SDAism years ago and there’s a lot in common with our experiences. The Lord led us to a Christian community that we could grow spiritually, and trust the Lord will guide you into understanding who He truly is.
Wow. I really appreciate you. I love your honesty and sincerity. I was baptized in 1994 and married 1 year later. I stated waking up in 2012 but 2020 was really the year of perfect vision. I just didn’t expect it to be 4.5-5 years later for me to really appreciate that. After being called an apostate by my wife for questioning the Governing Body and the clearly biased handling of the pandemic. I could see that they didn’t really care about the sheep. After preprogramming the sale of the Kingdom Halls and then doing it really opened my eyes fully so I thought. But then I started doing research into the fall of 2024 and I am disgusted, afraid, angry bust also very grateful to learn the realities of the history of this organization. I share your response by losing faith in all of the foundations of our beliefs. The disgusting sexual satanic freemasonry that has been hidden and remains hidden by the mind control tactics of fear and people putting all their eggs into one basket so too speak and then having to make the choice to lose that was and is extremely difficult. I have spent most of the last 4 years desperate and alone even though I live with my now 15 year old daughter and my wife. My wife and I don’t sleep on the same side of the house. Anyway thanks for sharing.
Thanks may Lord Almighty bless you and open your eyes much wither to see everything ,to find out the facts and true in Jesus Christ name I pray. Amen
Thanks for your voice. Imagine what a CULT will do to the innocents. The betrayal is too deep and as a pimo with believing family, it requires years to wait for the day we completely can leave!
I’m proud of you Mark. My mom became a witness when I was in middle school. I can relate to so much of your story. It’s scary leaving but life is so much better after waking up. You can be your authentic self. Live life on your terms. Not watchtower’s terms.
I loved this video. Just know that you are not alone-many people have been or are going through the same thought process as you. You not only helped us better understand the experience of someone who was part of a cult, but you also provided an objective perspective on questioning one’s own beliefs. I came across confirmation bias during my own research as well, and it genuinely helped me view things from a more scientific perspective. I hope you find peace in whatever you choose to believe in.
The simultaneous feeling of relief and anxiety is so relatable. I hope the best for you going forward. One of the best things that came out of leaving JWs for me was reconnecting with friends who I’d lost because they weren’t JWs and I’d cut them out of my life. Thanks for your video!
I applaud your courage to walk away and live YOUR life. I was born in to the JW cult, never got baptized, and was also a very anxious child and adult. I had panic attacks as a child and trouble sleeping which lasted well into my adult life. I had a faith crisis during COVID when I learned everything I believed was all a lie. I didn't realize that I still carried some of the JW teachings in my core beliefs and once I deprogrammed myself from their teachings, I began to heal. What has really helped me in healing are the exJW TH-camrs like JW Thoughts, Alt Worldly, Critical Thinking and Goatlike Personality. Thanks to them and many others I can now laugh at what I once feared. You have the rest of your life ahead of you and you have the freedom to make it what you want. I wish you all the best.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽✌🏽💜
Fantastic video Mark! Many of us have shared similar experiences and it often takes time to process. I appreciate your willingness to put yourself out there and use your creativity in such a way to promote healthy questioning and your offer for others who are processing to reach out to you! Your bravery is to be commended! Thank you for allowing us to see this part of your journey.
Beautiful video and content. When our belief system crumbles, it's scary and challenging. Being true to ourselves is always the right thing to do. Thank you for sharing. It reminded me my journey. Wishing you a very nice life ahead and may your art in photography reach a vast audience.
Thanks for sharing, 2024 was the year when I decided to step away, these doubts that led me to stop believing made me feel scared and crazy it’s nice to know I’m not alone. I’ve also watched Johnny Harris’ video where he talks about leaving the Mormon church and noticed a lot of similarities.
Leaving a religion is different from leaving God I lost half my family and my so called friends but after 4yrs now I am very respected happy successful and looking back my faith is stronger feel much better and 3 of my family members swallowed their pride and now ask me for help….. do not leave your relationship with God brother you’re not alone
Remember, only the brave and humble leave.
I'm from Québec and when I started searching, I watched Dr Irving Finkel and that was very instructive. So many stories changed in the evolution of men . Now I believe there is a High power but I don't believe in religions anymore. All they want is our money, that's all ! 😊
Welcome to freedom! Priceless
Great video! Thank you for making it!
It's interesting that it's when you're asked to teach that any doubts you've been able to ignore suddenly come to the front of your mind. My own experience followed a very similar pattern.
Your story has so many parallels with my own. If you are crazy, then so am I
@@collingalanos1783 the more story’s I hear the less crazy I feel haha I’m glad my story resonated with you
@@markrosenthalphotography2310 I never married in and I think it made my decision to leave less complicated than it could have been. How did your decision to leave impact your marital situation?
@@collingalanos1783 I could message you directly if that’s ok with you
I like your story and the background music is so perfect for me.....i am out for 1year and 4 months and .....the reasons and the feelings that made me quit are so similar to yours...thanks for sharing your experience!
This was me a few years ago. I was in the exact same position as you are now, felling lost and with no purpose. I was disfellowshipped in 2019, tried to come back in 2020 but the pandemic hit and it made me think a lot about questions I have never had the answer inside the organization.
It took me 3 years of seeing documentaries about other cults like Scientology, the mormons, the tiktok cult and many other experiences from people in similar cults to understand that what these people were experiencing were the exact same things I was experiencing and having doubts about as a JW. Then I allowed myself to do the research outside of JW material that we were never allowed to make and my mind woke up after a few months of research. I was in a cult. Jehovah Witnesses don´t have the "truth".
It was very hard at first because this was all I knew for so long. Imagine that you realize that there is no universal truth, there´s no direct proof of a God, bible prophecies are all a bunch of lies or semi-wrong bible interpretations. It was a long process but I can guarantee to you things will get better. Now I thrive in having a normal life, normal friends and normal goals in life that we were never allowed to have as a JW.
i was never raised in the JW but i was born in the lds church i find in times like this the only way is to tread forward and grow as a person wherever the path my lead shalom..
Hi Mark,
I am happy to have come across your account. I think a lot of the videos I've come across in the past are from people a bit older and your video I resonate with a lot because I'm a similar age. 24 and got out at age 20. I am wishing you well and hoping that you grow to have a beautiful, fulfilling life filled with soft, loving kindness from people who are there to offer genuine, authentic love. ❤
Congratulations. I spent over 40 years in the organization and have been out less than 2. By ALL means…keep digging about the flood. Try to determine how it was possible to store all the tons and tons of food that would be needed, and how that food wouldn’t spoil in a year. And how much water it would take to feed all of the animals on a daily basis, and how they would have had to collect and store enough rain water in 40 days to last nearly a year, and where all the waste would go, and what did the carnivorous animals eat, and how did the animals come from their natural habitats all the way to where the ark was, and then after the flood, to find their way back to their natural habitats, several continents away, without dying on the long journey, and how the animals were all supposedly loaded into the ark in just a week, and how only 8 humans cared for the thousands and thousands of animals every day, and what did they all eat after they got off the ark if nothing was left….and after all that, ask yourself why God destroyed the humans but didn’t destroy the angels that came down here and forcibly took women and supposedly made giant offspring…and how in the end, by not destroying Satan or those wicked angels, how the flood actually accomplished nothing because the world just went right back to being evil…. And ask yourself if you are ok with a God drowning innocent children and babies and animals….drowning being a particularly barbaric way to destroy someone when instead, he could have just sent an “angel of death” and selectively and instantly destroyed just the evil people, sparing the innocent people and animals. Yup…keep digging on that story. Best wishes to you in your journey. I wish you all the happiness you deserve. I only wish I would have known what I know now at your age. This will be a hard road for you but stay true to what you discover in your research, what makes logical sense and what feels right in your gut and intuition. Take care of yourself.
Well done Mark, for waking up and staying awake. Enjoy your walk with God, and the peace and freedom that Jesus promised ❤
Amen, freedom with Jesus is amazing. Praise The Lord
Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate your candor and your production value. As a XJW of 25+ years, I can tell you that things do get better. You seem very well spoken, and self aware. You have a challenging but rewarding journey ahead.
As a disfellowshipped Witness for 11 years, (my ex wife and I were intimate before marriage) I can truly say it's for the best to get away from that life. Its very hard, took me a long time to recover and most people don't as I've lost a few good friends due to their mental state and to taking the easy way out. I just started going to church again and found a pastor whose willing to listen on a personal bases and who is truly mindful even though I told him it's going to take me time to adjust.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good people in that organization but the people at the top are cruel evil men who manipulate peoples vulnerability and should be in prison for psychological manipulation.
I support you brother and whatever you make of your life. Be your own person and do what you love without remorse.
Good you not alone, praise The Lord. May Lord give you a strength to get through. Abba, Father can you see his painful heart, pull him closer in Jesus Christ name I ask. You goodness never ends, Thank YOU FATHER
I'm proud of you! Great video. You are not alone. Thousands are leaving around the world right now. You will get better and better with time, you will see :)) I'm 33 years old, woke up 4 years ago, greetings from Warsaw!
This was an excellent video. So many of us can relate to what you are going through. It will be difficult, but you will eventually learn to live your life exactly how you want to.
The second ex JW photography channel, I’ve come across, Nice! I’ve faded. Nice to see you on here. Take care!
Love your video my guy. Glad to see so many waking up.
I also watched johnny harris' video on waking up from mormonism after I was having really strong doubts and it was part of my deconstruction. Our wake-up timeline is the same. Thank you for making this video
thats so crazy! i still remember how scared i was to even watch it.
@markrosenthalphotography2310 same! But I had this really quiet little voice from the deepest part of my soul tell me 'you already know it's going to tell you what you already know and technically it's not wrong to watch it because it's not about jw's.' I ended up watching it a few times because I got caught up on so many things ye said and my realization of the parallels distracted me from what else he was saying. It sent me into shock a bit. I'd love of he did a deep-dive video on jehovah's witnesses. I have a feeling it'd be a really popular video.
@@mamberpishley8298 that’s wild I had the same little voice in my head I just never translated what it was saying and I realize that’s it
There’s a global community of ex jws and their stories are mind boggling because anyone who has been associated with this cult can relate to their stories. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to this cult and you’ll soon find out about it, if you haven’t already seen it through the tons of videos on TH-cam. At least you got out early, I was in it for 40 years, but thankfully I don’t have family in it. Get ready cuz from here on out you’ll experience the true peace that comes from knowing that as John 8:32 says: You will know the (real)truth and the (real) truth will set you free…
Excellent introspective video. I have never been engrossed in a cult. But a couple of times I have been fooled by bad, persuasive, people who were doing and saying things for their own purposes. I was just one of their means to their own selfish ends. In this world, everything is always changing and evolving. There is very little stasis. Your point about confirmation bias is spot on and I urge other folks to explore the concept. BTW, your video shows real creativity and talent in the artistic approach; it is far above a simple "talking head video." You might explore that as a career option. Stay positive and keep open to lifelong learning!
Hey Mark thanks for sharing your story that is so similar in many ways to mine. II left around 40years ago! Things will be hard to begin with but please continue to be your authentic self. 😊
Really appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. Really loved your video! ❤ I woke up at 46. I'm 54 now.
You did just fine for now you can really breath. Thanks for getting out and welcome home.
Welcome to the outside. Take your time to process this time ❤
Incredible. Wonderful. Beautifully done documentary, too. I am very glad that you have had the strength, though scary, to involve yourself in research. This was my story too, for me, it was 1975 Armageddon. I lived that fiasco. Different than you, I was disfellowshipped and shunned as an “apostate” and lost family. In the 70’s, there were no podcasts or internet, so I had person-to-person “deprogrammers”. But when they left, I was alone with children, JW husband gone, JW brother gone since I was “as one dead”. So there was no support, just raw life to learn to navigate. Not until just a few years ago did I discover former JW podcasts, and for the first time, I was able to truly grieve and have closure on my lost youth. The healing for me was in writing a book about my JW experience. Now I finally feel free, though I must say that we search for God all our lives. Having learned discernment and critical thinking, I’ve taken many roads on this journey. I am honored to have seen your brave video and look forward to more. God bless you with Peace. ❤
I can see your peace. The peace that comes with being authentic, even if its shipped with some shunning. These last two years have been the most progressive and satisfying of my whole life, socially, spiritually, physically. I was raise as jw. Similar journey to you, covid woke me, and I have even dismissed heliocentrism now and support the other great conspiracy that often accompanies the geocentric model. I have the power to love people now. I am making friends easier, and I am myself around them. (I am married and my children and wife are all in... and very upset with me, yet I still feel good and better every day)
The creator is proud of you .your intuition is correct im 5th generation i left at 37 im now 64 now listen you are not alone.my brain is fried from the trauma still who am I ??? Im finding out it a kaleidoscope of creation us enjoy being free ❤❤❤
Well said ! This has come from your heart , you are not alone . Weight is now lifted off your shoulders. Live your life.
Very well thought out video. I hope you have a good journey in this world 🌎 💗. It will not be easy leaving a cult, but as time goes by, your anxiety will decrease.
@@coachjon03 thank you for the comment, I know this is true :)
Hi I left also 10 years ago. I have been through this too. I understand you and what you are going 😢 through. Its a cult, another mini system of control. Its conditional love, seperation and guilt. Very unloving, not from God. Its way bigger than this organision cult. God is love not control. ❤
Danke Dir für deine Gefanken! Ich bin aus der Schweiz und war über 50 Jahre in der Wachturm Blase. Hatte vor 1975 als Kind gepredigt und später kritisiert an bestimmten Lehren. Ich wurde scharf zurechtgewiesen dafür! Es ist eine Gegenseitige Kontrolle der Jworg. Jünger vorhanden. Das macht das Leben so schwer! Seit über 5 Jahren bin ich raus aber leider ist meine Exfrau dabei und die Tochter ist Pionierin. Wünsche Dir alles Liebe und geniesse das Leben ohne die Sekte!
Liebe Grüsse❤❤❤❤❤
Good luck on your new lease on life. I was 10 when my mother started studying and 14 when she took the plunge. As obedient children we never said a word when we stopped celebrating everything when I was 11 years old. I started researching everything starting in 2012 for 5 years and then hard faded. until I DA’d Jan 2022 at 68 years of age. It was one hell of a betrayal feeling for me. Two years of depression when I realized my whole life was a lie. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. You have your whole life ahead of you. Suck the marrow out of life ❤you will be ok ✅
Such a beautiful video, in word and visual. Hope much joy and peace on your journey. Take care!
thank you so much
Thank you so much for sharing: Your story is relatable to SO many of us! ❤
Thank you so much for your video because I’m currently doing the same research and coming to the same realizations. I don’t believe in this and it’s no different from any other man-made religion. You look so familiar and I realized I’ve seen you at assemblies. So knowing that I’m not the only one questioning really makes me feel like I’m not crazy.
I hope the best for you moving forward ❤
I actually have the same experience like you Mark. I doubted a lot some time ago, but with covid and we where all home, i started to investigate. And well yeah....Pandora's box opened the deeper you go, the more confirmation you get, that it's all a lie. I left (faded away) in august 2023. Sadly my wife is still in. Like highly indoctrinated. And because of that, she hates me know. We are now in the process of divorcing. Never wanted it. But that's how it goes. I am 37 btw (grow up in the so called "Truth"). I am lucky that my older sister also left and my best friend. So i still have someone to talk to. Free will is the greatest gift, whatever you choose. Whish you the best.
@@TheTrumanShowEXJW thank you, and I’m sorry to hear that. I wish the best for you going forward I can really relate but feel things are getting better
My dad always brought me to the meetings when I was a kid but I asked too many questions and eventually my dad stopped going lmao
Thank you for sharing your story and congratulations on your freedom! Life is beautiful
I felt exactly the same way. My mom was inactive for about the same amount of time. We went back when I was ten. Instant switch. Got out at 18 after being baptized at 17. Soooo glad I'm out.
You are Not alone my son i and my daughter in law was drawn into this Organisation back in the early 2000;thank god we woke up during the pandamic in 2020:as a lot of us did. take care love from Australia ❤
This is a beautiful video. I was born into the organization but managed to leave at 14 after realizing and feeling compelled to accept my sexuality. I still wonder about the other kids around my age at the time, I hope they have been able to find their way out or do so in the future. I have been part of "the world" for the last 18 years and if there is one thing I could tell someone who is thinking of leaving or recently left the JWs it would be that it is ok out here. There are amazing people to meet, wonderful experiences to have, and so much life to live beyond what we would have been permitted to do had we stayed in our indoctrination.
Much love to you in your journey out of the isolation and darkness
I strongly disregarded Jesus Christ for 53 years. I asked the God of my understanding for help walking in the park for six months. I was blown away when Jesus Christ showed up with His supernatural voice. Get back on His train and ask Him to reveal Himself. Do not fall for all of Satans tricks, like ridiculous evolution, big bangs four billion years ago.. After I got on the Jesus Christ train, I discovered the 365 messianic prophecies. Wow, no one had ever shown me those. Jesus Christ reveals. Stay out of corrupt denominations. They are all corrupt.
Sending you a virtual hug. Walk your road and find what you are looking for. Never look back!