I was raised as a JW since birth and left when I was 25. I was so immature, I feel like my maturity was stunted by 10 years. I've done a lot of growing up that I don't think I ever would have had I stayed a JW.
Agree 100% I l woke up at 25 as well and in many ways felt like my growth was stunted to a 16 years old. Luckily I got the help and guidance I needed to get on the right track but the JWs can definitely stunt you in many ways.
@@exjwdiaries I think JWs rely on their members being in a state or arrested development; if you can get an adult to act like a child, it makes them easier to control. JWs are constantly looking over their shoulders and thinking they need to ask permission to do perfectly normal things.
God I’m so happy I see so many examples of this. You start to think something is wrong with you. But our growth was stunted by being a JW. I was like a child in the world when I first got out. It took a while before I got control of things. Still learning to this day
Thank you for this concise and informative video. I was born in the JWs and faded away from it by the end of high school. It took many years for me to even realize that I was so completely affected by the cult. My mental and financial health have certainly suffered. My relationship w my father is destroyed. So many years have been wasted. I stand with all those who are realizing or have woken to the damages that the Jehovah's Witnesses inflict in the lives of innocent people who just want to be happy and good people.
Raised as a JW I was 22 when I disassociated … I told my parents I was taking a Neutral Stance but that didn’t matter the WT Org labeled me as an Apostate today I’m Shunned by my family and friends…I made my way through life and I’m grateful and happy I’m not a JW anymore…😊
You are exactly right about J W marriage. Married at only nineteen I I was not prepared to be a husband. I wanted a wife and family but didn’t have a clue how to make it work. Did you ever hear the expression “ I do more things right by accident than on purpose “ well that is my story. Fortunately I married the smartest women I have ever met. Together we stumbled through life together for forty five, and it was the best! She died nine years ago before I woke up. I want to believe that if she could have known what I know now about the “TRUTH” she would join me in the condemnation of that cult. Unfortunately we raised our children in the cult and they condemn me as an apostate. Even I am thankful for the freedom from those Hippocrates. Thanks for this Utube
I was a 5 year old thinking I was gonna die any day, it went on and on until I rebelled at 17, then got married to an unbeliever at 18, 2 kids by 21. My husband is a saint because when I went back at about 23, he never objected. Unfortunately I did the same harm to my kids out of fear. It damaged them as well. I am clear headed now, but it took many many years to let go of fear. It still creeps up at times. I do however know in my heart and soul that upbringing is very damaging.
Thank you for this video ❤ born and raised a jw , left at age 28 I’m now 51 , Talking stuff out helps the process of healing. We should all be very proud of ourselves for breaking free and thinking for ourselves even when we didnt really know how , we have still done it . Some of us struggle every day because of family still caught in the jw Webb of lies but we carry on . Finding ourselves is the biggest gift we have and we have freed ourselves so that we can do that !! ❤️ I wish love and peace of mind to all ❤❤❤
I was born into the WT cult and remember having panic attacks at age 6 because I would worry about being "hunted and killed" at Armageddon. I had trouble sleeping at night for fear of the end coming "like a thief in the night" and would be wide awake staring at the stars in the sky and listening for any little sound that might indicate the end. My mom would threaten me with "Jehovah is going to destroy you" if I acted up so when it came to being talked to about being baptized I already knew the consequences of disfellowshipping and knew I couldn't be perfect since I was a "bad child" in my mom's eyes. When I was 8 I started cutting myself and would think about dying. I stopped going to the KH 20+ years ago and never realized how the religious trauma of being raised in a JW family affected me and how I carried some of their teachings in my core beliefs. I never knew about the exJW community until COVID hit because when I left I just tried to make my way through life, not knowing all I had been taught to believe was a lie. Now at 50 I feel like I'm discovering who I really am and what I believe about life, death and God. I'm so thankful for all the exJWs on TH-cam because I can now laugh at what I onced feared. WT no longer has any power over me.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏✌💜
I look back at my childhood memories growing up in the JW cult having family studies in the ORANGE paradise lost book the illustrations was frightening WT Org Damage so many of us….
@@jessicacaldwell6262 all their illustrations of "the last days" were terrifying. I hated the Revelation book and even some of the illustrations of My Book of Bible Stories. I had so much anxiety and severe depression throughout my life which all stemmed from being a born-in JW.
@@lovefaith6285 I know for sure we can’t change our past or predict our future but living in the moment making the best decisions and having enjoyment in life…
@@frankmills1149thank you for your kind words. I worked as a Teacher's Aide in an elementary school and I was helping out in a kindergarten class. All the kids were given Christmas pictures to color and as the kids were coloring I noticed one little girl crying. I went to see what was wrong and she said, "I can't color this because it will make Jehovah angry." I told her it was ok, she didn't have to color a Christmas picture and that there were other things in winter besides Christmas. I drew her a snowman with a hat, mittens, scarf and Cardinals and snowflakes. She was crying so hard she was sobbing but calmed down as I drew her picture to color. I felt like I was talking to myself when I was her age. I informed the teacher about the little girl's beliefs and would draw pictures for her to color during holidays that weren't holiday related. Seeing how upset that little girl was brought back a flood of memories and that's when I began my slow fad from the meetings. So many of us have been hurt by WT but at least we made it out alive and can work on healing ourselves. My heart goes out to those that were not able to make it out of this harmful cult alive. May you be blessed with peace, love, healing and happiness. 🙏✌💜
Come o people it's time to get together and start the lawsuits. I really believe the watchtower can be brought up on charges of human rights violations.
Not with the supreme court we've got now. The gop and evangelical 'christians' aren't any better than JWs. Maybe in Europe they might get somewhere with lawsuits but not the US. Conservatives these days are just as bad as the JW.
The more we speak out, the closer we get to that being a possibility. Let’s hope one day we can all get justice. But for now, I’d just be happy with getting justice for the CSA victims
It’s not that hard to self litigate. Did it with Worker’s Compensation (WCB) here in Canada. Actually it was therapeutic to be allowed public time to say my peace. The Judge interrupted my long dialogue, to ask me… “What do you want?”. A Class Action with a lawyer, okay ✅. Still, having your own personal say would be missing. As signing up for a therapy session without the therapy. Like your idea though.
I agree. The child molester in the congregation was disfellowshipped for a short while and was back to babysitting kids a year or so later. My stepdad got to abuse mom with no repercussions. Then there's the social isolation and kids aren't allowed to develop social skills or be in sports teams or drama. It's creepy.
Once again, excellent video Justin! People often forget the impact this has on children. As a fader, I refuse to indoctrinate my children with any religious teachings. I want them to do good bc they want to be good individuals and bc they love humanity - not bc they are scared of a god.
I was born in and tried so hard to follow all the rules primarily to "feel happy' or 'be happy". What a depressed young person i was. For years. I am much better now. So much for "You are never going to die."
@@exjwdiaries Thanks for your genuine expenditure of energy towards persons who will benefit from this video. I actually wish I had some sort of support structure for healing during my teens and early twenties. Nope. Total solo. The struggles to start a career, pay rent, find any human being to speak with since there were no friends to be seen was beyond tough. I came out with heavy bitterness and doubted my abilities to have 'natural affection' for anyone. I hung a rope in my living room for many months which I found comforting knowing I can end my existence any time I chose. Looking back, it was not only comfort but a regaining of control of my life, my being, my decision making. Handicapped! Yep, hamstringed, clotheslined and handicappes by this cult. I sought cult survivor counseling but did not find solace or peace in myself. My actual break was my job I landed. Found something I LOVE. I have NO education. Didnt even finish High School. Went back to Adult Education just to get a diploma. Now, I am a Water Treatment Operator for millions of people in Northern California to provide clean drinking water. I feel fulfilled, am no longer depressed, have a home and pets. I hope your videos give you internal fulfillment and peace. Alli
Ego Death experiences can have a profound impact. I had one about a year after waking up and it helped my healing, recovery and reprogramming in so many ways. Not to mention truly showing me things about myself and the world around me in ways I’m still beginning to understand today. That’s a subject I wish I could talk more about but I don’t want to scare off the EXJWs who are just waking up but I’m sure you understand when I say it elevated me to a new level mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. Shoot me an email when you can. I’d love to hear about your experience.
Fascinating! That was my experience, too! Once I had my Ego Death experience my entire life changed and my mental health improved tremendously. For me it happened years after I woke up but it healed me 😊. It’s wonderful to know I’m not the only one who experienced this.
My husband and I left with our oldest child in 2016 in 2021 we started therapy with our younger two born after leaving and in so doing we’ve learned how very wrong the instructions about children and training them, discipline is all wrong, the way speech and public speaking is shaming, demeaning and insulting towards the individual it doesn’t take into consideration learning differences or neurological issues that impact how one speaks. The jws see children as mini replicas of their parents that have to be trained. Having been born in it’s given me a lot of anxiety. I’ve had to relearn many things as well as grown and continue to learn through watching and teaching my children with the help of resources that my parents saw as satans system of manipulation.
Great Work ! Bravo 👏👍 Very true , very hard to get free after these experiences , but you said it right , with awareness , we can fix almost everything 👍
Stumbled upon your channel a couple days ago, and today this video dropped, and I feel like I need to cry a little ahahah I woke up not more than one year ago probably, only lately I'm regaining the ability to watch this kind of content without feeling weird/bad about it, and I can say without a doubt: it DOES impact ones mental development, a lot. I could see it once I got to know my boyfriend, how mentally behind I was for a 20+ yo, it was embarrassing to say the least feeling like no more than a teenager but with expectation of an adult, knowing little to nothing about politics, about relationships, having no real sense of future because everything will be fixed in the new world... I was so miserable at one point in my life, and all I knew was "pray and Jehovah shall give you peace". How ironic, being 10x more at peace and mentally stable now that I distanced myself from anything related hah Thank you for these videos and the time and research they have behind, they do help a lot to come to terms with some stuff :)
They made me feel like a freak. I was born into it. My mother died fully vested in it. I got out at 16, wandered in my own desert for 40 years before finding Jesus. I'm now 63 and never been happier!
Don't forget the isolation of JW children: no 'bad association' with 'wordly' kids.... Just observing what a lonely life my 5 year old JW neighbour boy has....
Yes!! I’m happy my parents didn’t enforce that rule and allowed me and my siblings to have “worldly friends” with kids in the neighborhood. That being said, there was still this feeling of being different, especially as we got into our teen years.
Exactly I saw a lot of that in the congregation to much isolation it just seemed so unnatural I felt like it was stunting their growth emotionally verbally, and mentally children need to work on the social skills and be around other children.
WOW......"As a Jehovah's Witness you never get a chance to really know yourself, not on the deepest level that you should".....Those are true words of wisdom Justin, I absolutely agree with that 100%. For me personally, that's the best thing about being out of the organization, and no longer being a Witness. You hit the nail right on the head with those words Justin. That's not an opinion it's a fact. Awesome video Justin keep them coming.
Beautiful! So clear and reasonable and well -informed! This will surely help so many people. 💖💖💖 I love the breakdown by developmental stages! This is going to help me have even more compassion & understanding of my born-in friends, of every age. Love & Respect from a PIMO with strong POMO goals!! 😊
I was born into it and there's nothing more lonely to a child at school that was the only one sitting in the office while they had their Christmas, Halloween & Valentine's day parties. I also believe I was molested at a young age but I don't remember who cause I was so young. I only remember bits & pieces. Then my dad was dis-fellowshipped and our family & other witnesses..only people we communicated and interacted with stopped talking to us...like we didn't exist ..so it was hard making friends..till this day I don't have any close friends. I just turned 48 2 days ago....no gifts or presents but I'm used to that. My mom is 70 and has no friends at all....they were all witnesses friends......it's a very money existence before and after...I need to heal but I do not know where to begin.
Can you please contact me? I recently had a vision and feeling that I was molested as well born into it as well! I would like to talk about this with you if you don't mind.
Great video. At 45 after 38 years in the cult, it was only 2 years after I DA'd that I began to realise how much I had lost due to being raised in the JW cult. I'm so glad I left and thankfully my wife and kids came out with me. Thanks for the research you did to make this video.
From reading the comments …I wondered what it would have been like hadn’t we’ve been raised as a JW…Truly having the opportunity to be true to ourselves in controlling of our own Destiny …🤔
excellent information and accurate. I am 56 right now and just realizing all the effects being a JW has caused in my life. Trying to rectify the important ones now so I can enjoy the golden years. Like getting healthier, Putting away some sort of retirement, implementing hobbies that bring me joy and being in control of finance's.
Great video thank you! I was 21 when I started studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses and I’m now 58, before leaving I said to the sister who studied with me that I felt stunted! She said it was because of imperfection! Haha! That being how I felt it’s awful to realise the damaging effect on those having been brought up in this Cult.Something that has come to mind about the writings of the Bible is that being written two thousand years ago and for the people that lived under a different way of life and culture in the east! Family life was so different and even today in that part of the world is oppressive! Maybe that needs some thought! We have been patterned to live as they did in this organisation. 🙄
The JW cult really affected my four children. Even though they are pretty much grown now, they have all been severely damaged mentally. You have an outstanding podcast and therefore I subscribed!
I had a free mind on subjects growing up, including religions. At 42 I accepted another ‘study’ from the JWs. The idea being… Christian fellowship, and the moral code had a better future. Was never really accepted, and still had that free mind. Took so long to leave because of an indoctrinated mate, being respectful. What a relief not having to be on that treadmill, and listening to the oppressive Doctrine mind control… pardon my French!
Excellent work Justin! I was born into it but my spirit was too strong for the brainwashing. I never got baptized and broke free at 16. It’s impossible to have a normal relationship with my sisters who are still in it.
If you are wise enough to wake up at only 12 years old you have nothing to worry about! Don’t ever doubt yourself! Play along for as long as you need to and then go off show the world what you can do!
Great video! So sad how they think they can really think for themselves. I feel for my in laws and all the nieces and nephews. And now my husband has decided to Study and become one of them 😢
At the age of 3 i knew i wanted nothing with being part or following that organization. Aint non of their teaching/ their holy spirit ever touched my heart
Am 1 of those EX's that was born & raised,never baptized. I lived in "the world", I did things, I know stuff. Never experienced abuse, but I've lived Tru the process.
I absolutely think it does. It fucks with your concept of empathy. Due to how often they tell you to not give a shit about the suffering of worldly people. I am 100% sure I have a personality disorder because of the cult's callous teachings related to this.
Yeah…I remember that huge Ego we’re the chosen ones and no one else has the truth…I see that Mentality in my JW family only because I’m not like that anymore…😊
4:38 I remember doing this with my sister. But in addition, my parents always watched stuff like Law and Order (especial SVU) with us little kids in the room. Barbies became wh*res (witness language for women just living their lives) getting SA’d… The Teddy bear was a Pedo… the WB frog was the corrupt mayor who did a lot of the SA on the other toys.
This is sooo true. I have - 6 year old. She would get panic attacks for having to answer in the meetings like others or when brothers come and ask when is she going to participate. And the videos sometimes have guns or situations we are not ready as parents to discuss with her. So imagine having someone else forcing you to address those topics and stealing their innocence before they’re ready
I know how it feels. Born and raised in the turn to the 90's/early 2009 . My father was a elder, cheated with my mom with her best friend. That was the tip of the iceberg. But it was the best way for me to escape and get out. That was 15 years ago. Still have the emotional scars but I ware them with pride. I have been through hell and back, with out being raised with the concept of hell. Just the inpending doom of the end of the world.
Excellent video Justin. What you're talking about is "the law of first mention". Extremely powerful and something that influences everyone. Just google the definition. Love your work bud
Great video, I have been thinking about this subject lately and how been indoctrinated has messed up my own mind and life path. It's never to late to undo at least some of the damage. Personally I think there should be a law to prevent parents indoctrinating there children; I wasn't even allowed to leave when I told my mother I wanted too.
Looking back on my childhood, i was very much ignored by people in the congregation. It didn't help I have autism, but I think because I always wanted to play/do the things the boys/brothers were, I was seen as 'weird' Me mom never treated me differently because of it, but it's such a sad, lonely life with no real friends and no expression. It pains me how much I've missed out on, looking through a window to see a Christmas party I was never allowed to join in with
It’s sad that my non-JW mom, who wanted me to become a JW, thinks I’m crazy after leaving the cult after 17 years. I told her my reasons for leaving and how controlling they are and she thinks I’m crazy. She’ll never understand the hell, pain, and repressiveness I’ve been through. The dumbest part is that she started studying the Bible again (it’s an on/off thing).
I look back on my teenage years when I spurned the friendship of perfectly pleasant boys now grandfathers who could have become friends for life but didn't because I had been convinced thatGod would burn them to death at Armageddon ... In 1975.
As a born in JW, it did affect my mental development. As a kid, I had to live a double life which we all know is not normal. When I was a teen, I concluded that I would die at Armageddon because I didn't enjoy the Watchtower study or field service and had no desire to get baptized and procure theocratic goals. I wouldn’t wish this lifestyle on anyone. You are told everyone is going to die and that it is your works that are going to save you. You are an oddball at school because you can’t explain why you can’t do quote-unquote normal activities that a teen or young adult do. If your parents were not born in JWs they can’t understand the amount of stress they are putting on you. They had a normal childhood with no crazy cult beliefs that are not biblical. They did not have someone always telling them they are going to die because don’t have JW goals. It took me some time but through the grace of The Most High I have been reprogrammed. My parents are still JWs but they stay away from me when comes to talking about the bible because everytime they try I am able to prove their doctrine wrong not with JW material but with the JW bible and the KJV bible.
Sounds like you are just as bad as them, with your "biblical" and your "kjv". You've got a long row to hoe. This is 2023. You're still in the 1600s. I feel sorry for you people.
@@exjwdiaries I get that you don't want to offend your viewers who just changed from JW to some other rabid religion. But you seem too smart for that. I think you know all of it is bull.
Excellent video! You,re a great psykologist and the child brain connoseur. Poor children! All this is happened with my poor grandchild now..8 years old. 😢😢
Love this! Just a request, would you please site sources or links to further reading in the description. I trust your content but I’d like to be able to quote sources myself.
From 1967 thru 1974 . . . There was a MAD RUSH🏃🏼🏃🏻♀️ , to get MARRIED 👩🏼🤝👨🏽 . . . IF . . You were between 18 and 23 years of age !! 🙆 ( That's if you had No interest in becoming a "pioneer" ) And Remember . . ARMAGEDDON was about to Jump OFF 🙆 !! 😨 😮 😯 NONE of Us ( back then ) wanted to be CAUGHT🙄 😳 👉 with OUR PANTS DOWN !!! 🤦 ( Literally or figuratively ) 😆
I just hope you will condemn all rabid religiosity because JW do not have a monopoly on it. I was born Jw but I know a lot about all religions, and only a few are much better. The main difference is by degrees and there are some even worse than witnesses.
I can't speak for anybody else but myself but I know since I've started my journey of self-healing and doing my work I've been diagnosed with PTSD also anxiety depression Stockholm Syndrome so yes this religion and the Fanatics in it cause mental problems in all of my brothers and sisters in my family and there were 13 of us who are no longer affiliated with this cult to this day my mother is still a Jehovah's Witness but the fear-mongering and guilt tripping that they do in this cult causes a lot of mental issues!
MOST of THOSE Marriages . . Didn't Last ( Back in the Middle to late 1970's ) Just as Today's .🤷 Fast forward to the 21 Century (Today) My Generation , ( You Remember , the One that Wasn't👈 Supposed to Pass Away . ." Before All things Occurred ! " 🤨 ) WELL . . We're ALL Senior citizens 👨🏽🦳👩🦳. . Or ALREADY DEAD !!! 🪦⚰️. 😢
A baby although not yet having language skills is able to feel. It doesn't know why something feels good or bad or scary but they do feel these things, it's got to do with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
I Wondered , if I would make it to my 21 birthday ( in 1975 ) 😨 NOW Most of my GRANDCHILDREN are Married . . With Children of THEIR OWN . . 👉 Who are in SCHOOL !!! 🙆 ( You Know . . The Overlapping Generation ! 🤪 ) 🤦
I was three and a half when my parents were baptized. I left the religion at 18. All of my formative and most impressionable years were ruined by this organization.
Yes it affects you...insecure, nervous and want everyone to like you. Plus JW influence makes you usually passive person. I faded away and better person critical thinking person.
You talk in your video about JW not being able to have the life they want due to low income. Are JW even allowed to have their own life? I thought that whole JW life evolves around attending meetings, having tasks on meetings, preparing for meetings, having family worship and preaching (door to door or cart witnessing). No free time at all. Unless if they are free to choose which car to have, in which flat to live, which furniture to have in their flats (bed, table, kitchen, bathroom), which tablets/smartphones to have and which food to eat. Regarding clothes there is no choice - suit and tie for men and skirt for women.
I was raised as a JW since birth and left when I was 25. I was so immature, I feel like my maturity was stunted by 10 years. I've done a lot of growing up that I don't think I ever would have had I stayed a JW.
Ditto!😊
Agree 100% I l woke up at 25 as well and in many ways felt like my growth was stunted to a 16 years old. Luckily I got the help and guidance I needed to get on the right track but the JWs can definitely stunt you in many ways.
@@exjwdiaries I think JWs rely on their members being in a state or arrested development; if you can get an adult to act like a child, it makes them easier to control. JWs are constantly looking over their shoulders and thinking they need to ask permission to do perfectly normal things.
So true the Damage is so far reaching even after years of being out of the JW cult you’ll still have some residue left…
God I’m so happy I see so many examples of this. You start to think something is wrong with you. But our growth was stunted by being a JW. I was like a child in the world when I first got out. It took a while before I got control of things. Still learning to this day
Thank you for this concise and informative video. I was born in the JWs and faded away from it by the end of high school. It took many years for me to even realize that I was so completely affected by the cult. My mental and financial health have certainly suffered. My relationship w my father is destroyed. So many years have been wasted. I stand with all those who are realizing or have woken to the damages that the Jehovah's Witnesses inflict in the lives of innocent people who just want to be happy and good people.
Raised as a JW I was 22 when I disassociated … I told my parents I was taking a Neutral Stance but that didn’t matter the WT Org labeled me as an Apostate today I’m Shunned by my family and friends…I made my way through life and I’m grateful and happy I’m not a JW anymore…😊
You are exactly right about J W marriage. Married at only nineteen I I was not prepared to be a husband. I wanted a wife and family but didn’t have a clue how to make it work. Did you ever hear the expression “ I do more things right by accident than on purpose “ well that is my story. Fortunately I married the smartest women I have ever met. Together we stumbled through life together for forty five, and it was the best! She died nine years ago before I woke up. I want to believe that if she could have known what I know now about the “TRUTH” she would join me in the condemnation of that cult. Unfortunately we raised our children in the cult and they condemn me as an apostate. Even I am thankful for the freedom from those Hippocrates. Thanks for this Utube
I was a 5 year old thinking I was gonna die any day, it went on and on until I rebelled at 17, then got married to an unbeliever at 18, 2 kids by 21. My husband is a saint because when I went back at about 23, he never objected. Unfortunately I did the same harm to my kids out of fear. It damaged them as well. I am clear headed now, but it took many many years to let go of fear. It still creeps up at times. I do however know in my heart and soul that upbringing is very damaging.
Wow! Very interesting to hear that it impacted you so much at only 5 years old!
Hi! You are not alone. If the God is so Judgmental as they are telling you, I would rather chose the Armageddon. Raised as JW.
Thank you for this video ❤ born and raised a jw , left at age 28 I’m now 51 ,
Talking stuff out helps the process of healing. We should all be very proud of ourselves for breaking free and thinking for ourselves even when we didnt really know how , we have still done it . Some of us struggle every day because of family still caught in the jw Webb of lies but we carry on .
Finding ourselves is the biggest gift we have and we have freed ourselves so that we can do that !! ❤️
I wish love and peace of mind to all ❤❤❤
I was born into the WT cult and remember having panic attacks at age 6 because I would worry about being "hunted and killed" at Armageddon. I had trouble sleeping at night for fear of the end coming "like a thief in the night" and would be wide awake staring at the stars in the sky and listening for any little sound that might indicate the end. My mom would threaten me with "Jehovah is going to destroy you" if I acted up so when it came to being talked to about being baptized I already knew the consequences of disfellowshipping and knew I couldn't be perfect since I was a "bad child" in my mom's eyes. When I was 8 I started cutting myself and would think about dying. I stopped going to the KH 20+ years ago and never realized how the religious trauma of being raised in a JW family affected me and how I carried some of their teachings in my core beliefs. I never knew about the exJW community until COVID hit because when I left I just tried to make my way through life, not knowing all I had been taught to believe was a lie. Now at 50 I feel like I'm discovering who I really am and what I believe about life, death and God. I'm so thankful for all the exJWs on TH-cam because I can now laugh at what I onced feared. WT no longer has any power over me.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏✌💜
I feel for the little child who was frightened and shamed. So many have felt this way.
I look back at my childhood memories growing up in the JW cult having family studies in the ORANGE paradise lost book the illustrations was frightening WT Org Damage so many of us….
@@jessicacaldwell6262 all their illustrations of "the last days" were terrifying. I hated the Revelation book and even some of the illustrations of My Book of Bible Stories. I had so much anxiety and severe depression throughout my life which all stemmed from being a born-in JW.
@@lovefaith6285 I know for sure we can’t change our past or predict our future but living in the moment making the best decisions and having enjoyment in life…
@@frankmills1149thank you for your kind words. I worked as a Teacher's Aide in an elementary school and I was helping out in a kindergarten class. All the kids were given Christmas pictures to color and as the kids were coloring I noticed one little girl crying. I went to see what was wrong and she said, "I can't color this because it will make Jehovah angry." I told her it was ok, she didn't have to color a Christmas picture and that there were other things in winter besides Christmas. I drew her a snowman with a hat, mittens, scarf and Cardinals and snowflakes. She was crying so hard she was sobbing but calmed down as I drew her picture to color. I felt like I was talking to myself when I was her age. I informed the teacher about the little girl's beliefs and would draw pictures for her to color during holidays that weren't holiday related. Seeing how upset that little girl was brought back a flood of memories and that's when I began my slow fad from the meetings. So many of us have been hurt by WT but at least we made it out alive and can work on healing ourselves. My heart goes out to those that were not able to make it out of this harmful cult alive. May you be blessed with peace, love, healing and happiness. 🙏✌💜
Come o people it's time to get together and start the lawsuits. I really believe the watchtower can be brought up on charges of human rights violations.
Not with the supreme court we've got now. The gop and evangelical 'christians' aren't any better than JWs. Maybe in Europe they might get somewhere with lawsuits but not the US. Conservatives these days are just as bad as the JW.
The more we speak out, the closer we get to that being a possibility. Let’s hope one day we can all get justice. But for now, I’d just be happy with getting justice for the CSA victims
It’s not that hard to self litigate. Did it with Worker’s Compensation (WCB) here in Canada. Actually it was therapeutic to be allowed public time to say my peace. The Judge interrupted my long dialogue, to ask me… “What do you want?”. A Class Action with a lawyer, okay ✅. Still, having your own personal say would be missing. As signing up for a therapy session without the therapy. Like your idea though.
I agree. The child molester in the congregation was disfellowshipped for a short while and was back to babysitting kids a year or so later. My stepdad got to abuse mom with no repercussions. Then there's the social isolation and kids aren't allowed to develop social skills or be in sports teams or drama. It's creepy.
Thank you. I'm starting to understand why I'm so messed up.
Once again, excellent video Justin! People often forget the impact this has on children. As a fader, I refuse to indoctrinate my children with any religious teachings. I want them to do good bc they want to be good individuals and bc they love humanity - not bc they are scared of a god.
Such a great point! The JWs inject fear into their children.
Yes I agree…raising my kids to be true to themselves and do the best they can without having any religious indoctrination made them a better person…
@@exjwdiariesThat’s exactly what my parents (who were born in the mid 1940s), especially my mom, did to me.
@@jessicacaldwell6262My life would’ve been better if I was raised without any religious indoctrination.
I was born in and tried so hard to follow all the rules primarily to "feel happy' or 'be happy". What a depressed young person i was. For years. I am much better now. So much for "You are never going to die."
Same experience with me. I was so depressed I didn’t even know I was depressed
@@exjwdiaries Thanks for your genuine expenditure of energy towards persons who will benefit from this video. I actually wish I had some sort of support structure for healing during my teens and early twenties. Nope. Total solo. The struggles to start a career, pay rent, find any human being to speak with since there were no friends to be seen was beyond tough. I came out with heavy bitterness and doubted my abilities to have 'natural affection' for anyone. I hung a rope in my living room for many months which I found comforting knowing I can end my existence any time I chose. Looking back, it was not only comfort but a regaining of control of my life, my being, my decision making. Handicapped! Yep, hamstringed, clotheslined and handicappes by this cult. I sought cult survivor counseling but did not find solace or peace in myself. My actual break was my job I landed. Found something I LOVE. I have NO education. Didnt even finish High School. Went back to Adult Education just to get a diploma. Now, I am a Water Treatment Operator for millions of people in Northern California to provide clean drinking water.
I feel fulfilled, am no longer depressed, have a home and pets. I hope your videos give you internal fulfillment and peace.
Alli
An ego death experience completely woke me up. To break character including all of that brainwashing, even if temporary, is monumental
Ego Death experiences can have a profound impact. I had one about a year after waking up and it helped my healing, recovery and reprogramming in so many ways. Not to mention truly showing me things about myself and the world around me in ways I’m still beginning to understand today. That’s a subject I wish I could talk more about but I don’t want to scare off the EXJWs who are just waking up but I’m sure you understand when I say it elevated me to a new level mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. Shoot me an email when you can. I’d love to hear about your experience.
@@exjwdiaries Sounds good, what’s your email? And yes, I’ve had far more spiritual experiences outside of ‘the truth’ than I ever did inside it
It’s at the very end of every video. After the camera cuts.
Fascinating! That was my experience, too! Once I had my Ego Death experience my entire life changed and my mental health improved tremendously. For me it happened years after I woke up but it healed me 😊. It’s wonderful to know I’m not the only one who experienced this.
Please shoot me an email when you can. I’d love to hear about your experience as well.
My husband and I left with our oldest child in 2016 in 2021 we started therapy with our younger two born after leaving and in so doing we’ve learned how very wrong the instructions about children and training them, discipline is all wrong, the way speech and public speaking is shaming, demeaning and insulting towards the individual it doesn’t take into consideration learning differences or neurological issues that impact how one speaks. The jws see children as mini replicas of their parents that have to be trained. Having been born in it’s given me a lot of anxiety. I’ve had to relearn many things as well as grown and continue to learn through watching and teaching my children with the help of resources that my parents saw as satans system of manipulation.
The governing body is way too busy counting his billions of dollars they don't give a shit about apologies 😢
That’s the unfortunate truth and there’s history to back it up. They’d rather gaslight their members than admit to getting things wrong.
Great Work ! Bravo 👏👍
Very true , very hard to get free after these experiences , but you said it right , with awareness , we can fix almost everything 👍
Justin, your content is different from all the other ex-jw channels. You have such a logical approach. Keep it up!
Thank you!! Just trying to make the videos I wish were available when I was waking up.
Stumbled upon your channel a couple days ago, and today this video dropped, and I feel like I need to cry a little ahahah
I woke up not more than one year ago probably, only lately I'm regaining the ability to watch this kind of content without feeling weird/bad about it, and I can say without a doubt: it DOES impact ones mental development, a lot. I could see it once I got to know my boyfriend, how mentally behind I was for a 20+ yo, it was embarrassing to say the least feeling like no more than a teenager but with expectation of an adult, knowing little to nothing about politics, about relationships, having no real sense of future because everything will be fixed in the new world... I was so miserable at one point in my life, and all I knew was "pray and Jehovah shall give you peace". How ironic, being 10x more at peace and mentally stable now that I distanced myself from anything related hah
Thank you for these videos and the time and research they have behind, they do help a lot to come to terms with some stuff :)
They made me feel like a freak. I was born into it. My mother died fully vested in it. I got out at 16, wandered in my own desert for 40 years before finding Jesus. I'm now 63 and never been happier!
Don't forget the isolation of JW children: no 'bad association' with 'wordly' kids....
Just observing what a lonely life my 5 year old JW neighbour boy has....
Yes!! I’m happy my parents didn’t enforce that rule and allowed me and my siblings to have “worldly friends” with kids in the neighborhood. That being said, there was still this feeling of being different, especially as we got into our teen years.
Exactly I saw a lot of that in the congregation to much isolation it just seemed so unnatural I felt like it was stunting their growth emotionally verbally, and mentally children need to work on the social skills and be around other children.
WOW......"As a Jehovah's Witness you never get a chance to really know yourself, not on the deepest level that you should".....Those are true words of wisdom Justin, I absolutely agree with that 100%. For me personally, that's the best thing about being out of the organization, and no longer being a Witness. You hit the nail right on the head with those words Justin. That's not an opinion it's a fact. Awesome video Justin keep them coming.
Beautiful! So clear and reasonable and well -informed!
This will surely help so many people. 💖💖💖
I love the breakdown by developmental stages! This is going to help me have even more compassion & understanding of my born-in friends, of every age.
Love & Respect from a PIMO with strong POMO goals!! 😊
Thank you! Stay strong. Hopefully you will reach the POMO stage soon.
I was born into it and there's nothing more lonely to a child at school that was the only one sitting in the office while they had their Christmas, Halloween & Valentine's day parties. I also believe I was molested at a young age but I don't remember who cause I was so young. I only remember bits & pieces. Then my dad was dis-fellowshipped and our family & other witnesses..only people we communicated and interacted with stopped talking to us...like we didn't exist ..so it was hard making friends..till this day I don't have any close friends. I just turned 48 2 days ago....no gifts or presents but I'm used to that. My mom is 70 and has no friends at all....they were all witnesses friends......it's a very money existence before and after...I need to heal but I do not know where to begin.
Can you please contact me? I recently had a vision and feeling that I was molested as well born into it as well! I would like to talk about this with you if you don't mind.
I liked how you dissected this topic. Great job as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great breakdown video.
Appreciate it!
Great video.
At 45 after 38 years in the cult, it was only 2 years after I DA'd that I began to realise how much I had lost due to being raised in the JW cult.
I'm so glad I left and thankfully my wife and kids came out with me.
Thanks for the research you did to make this video.
From reading the comments …I wondered what it would have been like hadn’t we’ve been raised as a JW…Truly having the opportunity to be true to ourselves in controlling of our own Destiny …🤔
excellent information and accurate. I am 56 right now and just realizing all the effects being a JW has caused in my life. Trying to rectify the important ones now so I can enjoy the golden years. Like getting healthier, Putting away some sort of retirement, implementing hobbies that bring me joy and being in control of finance's.
Brilliant,thankyou .
Blessed Great Job Justin
Thank you Todd!! Much love to you.
Thank you 🙏
Great video thank you! I was 21 when I started studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses and I’m now 58, before leaving I said to the sister who studied with me that I felt stunted! She said it was because of imperfection! Haha! That being how I felt it’s awful to realise the damaging effect on those having been brought up in this Cult.Something that has come to mind about the writings of the Bible is that being written two thousand years ago and for the people that lived under a different way of life and culture in the east! Family life was so different and even today in that part of the world is oppressive! Maybe that needs some thought! We have been patterned to live as they did in this organisation. 🙄
Great job with this.
Thank you!!
The JW cult really affected my four children. Even though they are pretty much grown now, they have all been severely damaged mentally. You have an outstanding podcast and therefore I subscribed!
Are they still in ? Was you a JW and now out
@@karenmoody2763
Yes, I made it out alive and am now enjoying life to the fullest. Thanks for asking.
So true! Thank you Justin for another good video!!!
Thank you 🙏
This was great!’ Spot on correct. Thank you for this.
Thank you so much!
This content is very good. ❤
This is very good great job brother
Thank you very much
I had a free mind on subjects growing up, including religions. At 42 I accepted another ‘study’ from the JWs. The idea being… Christian fellowship, and the moral code had a better future. Was never really accepted, and still had that free mind. Took so long to leave because of an indoctrinated mate, being respectful. What a relief not having to be on that treadmill, and listening to the oppressive Doctrine mind control… pardon my French!
Stephen Lett regrets nothing. He loves to say outrageous things for the 'shock' factor.
You don't know much about other fundy Christian groups then. Because that line about babies is very typical of the evangelical and Calvinist mindset.
Just watching Lett makes me feel dumber. He’s a clown actor conning all jw’s.
@@jackijax505 Right? He takes 'dumbing down' to new (previously unexplored) depths.
Excellent video topic!
Excellent work Justin! I was born into it but my spirit was too strong for the brainwashing. I never got baptized and broke free at 16. It’s impossible to have a normal relationship with my sisters who are still in it.
I was born and raised. You explained this well. Thank you. I'm un learning all this!
You always keep the info clear and concise. Keep up the good work! Love your content....
Im a 12 year old girl whos being forced into this shit. I feel so comforted by just watching this. wish me luck into adulthood! ✌️
If you are wise enough to wake up at only 12 years old you have nothing to worry about! Don’t ever doubt yourself! Play along for as long as you need to and then go off show the world what you can do!
Great work
Great video! So sad how they think they can really think for themselves. I feel for my in laws and all the nieces and nephews. And now my husband has decided to Study and become one of them 😢
At the age of 3 i knew i wanted nothing with being part or following that organization.
Aint non of their teaching/ their holy spirit ever touched my heart
You were one smart kid!!
Am 1 of those EX's that was born & raised,never baptized.
I lived in "the world", I did things, I know stuff. Never experienced abuse, but I've lived Tru the process.
I absolutely think it does. It fucks with your concept of empathy. Due to how often they tell you to not give a shit about the suffering of worldly people. I am 100% sure I have a personality disorder because of the cult's callous teachings related to this.
Very good point about empathy!
Yeah…I remember that huge Ego we’re the chosen ones and no one else has the truth…I see that Mentality in my JW family only because I’m not like that anymore…😊
this definitely didn’t help mine either 😢 i have bpd so i understand my mother is also a narcissist so
4:38 I remember doing this with my sister. But in addition, my parents always watched stuff like Law and Order (especial SVU) with us little kids in the room. Barbies became wh*res (witness language for women just living their lives) getting SA’d… The Teddy bear was a Pedo… the WB frog was the corrupt mayor who did a lot of the SA on the other toys.
Wow!! Funny how we all had similar experiences
This is sooo true. I have - 6 year old. She would get panic attacks for having to answer in the meetings like others or when brothers come and ask when is she going to participate. And the videos sometimes have guns or situations we are not ready as parents to discuss with her. So imagine having someone else forcing you to address those topics and stealing their innocence before they’re ready
I know how it feels. Born and raised in the turn to the 90's/early 2009 . My father was a elder, cheated with my mom with her best friend. That was the tip of the iceberg. But it was the best way for me to escape and get out. That was 15 years ago. Still have the emotional scars but I ware them with pride. I have been through hell and back, with out being raised with the concept of hell. Just the inpending doom of the end of the world.
Excellent video Justin. What you're talking about is "the law of first mention". Extremely powerful and something that influences everyone. Just google the definition. Love your work bud
Subbed, thank you for your work, there is good and bad in all religions
Thank you!!!
There is good and bad people in all religions. It is the people with the good hearts who leave toxic religions.
Great video, I have been thinking about this subject lately and how been indoctrinated has messed up my own mind and life path. It's never to late to undo at least some of the damage. Personally I think there should be a law to prevent parents indoctrinating there children; I wasn't even allowed to leave when I told my mother I wanted too.
Proud of anyone who can build a foundation from this brainwashing from a youth .
Looking back on my childhood, i was very much ignored by people in the congregation. It didn't help I have autism, but I think because I always wanted to play/do the things the boys/brothers were, I was seen as 'weird' Me mom never treated me differently because of it, but it's such a sad, lonely life with no real friends and no expression. It pains me how much I've missed out on, looking through a window to see a Christmas party I was never allowed to join in with
It’s sad that my non-JW mom, who wanted me to become a JW, thinks I’m crazy after leaving the cult after 17 years. I told her my reasons for leaving and how controlling they are and she thinks I’m crazy. She’ll never understand the hell, pain, and repressiveness I’ve been through. The dumbest part is that she started studying the Bible again (it’s an on/off thing).
I look back on my teenage years when I spurned the friendship of perfectly pleasant boys now grandfathers who could have become friends for life but didn't because I had been convinced thatGod would burn them to death at Armageddon ... In 1975.
As a born in JW, it did affect my mental development. As a kid, I had to live a double life which we all know is not normal. When I was a teen, I concluded that I would die at Armageddon because I didn't enjoy the Watchtower study or field service and had no desire to get baptized and procure theocratic goals.
I wouldn’t wish this lifestyle on anyone. You are told everyone is going to die and that it is your works that are going to save you. You are an oddball at school because you can’t explain why you can’t do quote-unquote normal activities that a teen or young adult do. If your parents were not born in JWs they can’t understand the amount of stress they are putting on you. They had a normal childhood with no crazy cult beliefs that are not biblical. They did not have someone always telling them they are going to die because don’t have JW goals.
It took me some time but through the grace of The Most High I have been reprogrammed. My parents are still JWs but they stay away from me when comes to talking about the bible because everytime they try I am able to prove their doctrine wrong not with JW material but with the JW bible and the KJV bible.
Sounds like you are just as bad as them, with your "biblical" and your "kjv". You've got a long row to hoe. This is 2023. You're still in the 1600s. I feel sorry for you people.
Thank you so much for that! There’s a lot of people out there who felt exactly the same way.
@@exjwdiaries so it doesn't matter to you if they're still fanatical religious cons, as long as they aren't JW?
@@exjwdiaries I get that you don't want to offend your viewers who just changed from JW to some other rabid religion. But you seem too smart for that. I think you know all of it is bull.
Excellent video! You,re a great psykologist and the child brain connoseur. Poor children! All this is happened with my poor grandchild now..8 years old. 😢😢
Love this! Just a request, would you please site sources or links to further reading in the description. I trust your content but I’d like to be able to quote sources myself.
From 1967 thru 1974 . . .
There was a MAD RUSH🏃🏼🏃🏻♀️ , to get MARRIED 👩🏼🤝👨🏽
. . . IF . . You were between 18 and 23 years of age !! 🙆
( That's if you had No interest in becoming a "pioneer" )
And Remember . . ARMAGEDDON was about to
Jump OFF 🙆 !! 😨 😮 😯
NONE of Us ( back then ) wanted to be CAUGHT🙄 😳
👉 with OUR PANTS DOWN !!! 🤦
( Literally or figuratively ) 😆
Dang! And then when the end didn’t come in 75, they were stuck…
@@exjwdiaries
Stuck like Chuck !!! 🙅
Yes it does.
I just hope you will condemn all rabid religiosity because JW do not have a monopoly on it. I was born Jw but I know a lot about all religions, and only a few are much better. The main difference is by degrees and there are some even worse than witnesses.
I can't speak for anybody else but myself but I know since I've started my journey of self-healing and doing my work I've been diagnosed with PTSD also anxiety depression Stockholm Syndrome so yes this religion and the Fanatics in it cause mental problems in all of my brothers and sisters in my family and there were 13 of us who are no longer affiliated with this cult to this day my mother is still a Jehovah's Witness but the fear-mongering and guilt tripping that they do in this cult causes a lot of mental issues!
Thank you for making this video. Everything he says is true. If you date someone you better marry them! This is a psychologically damaging religion.
Watchtower Religion LIES makes me VOMIT!
MOST of THOSE Marriages . . Didn't Last
( Back in the Middle to late 1970's ) Just as Today's .🤷
Fast forward to the 21 Century (Today)
My Generation , ( You Remember , the One that Wasn't👈
Supposed to Pass Away . ." Before All things Occurred ! " 🤨 )
WELL . . We're ALL Senior citizens 👨🏽🦳👩🦳. . Or ALREADY DEAD !!!
🪦⚰️. 😢
They ruin lives.
I need to tell my story.
A baby although not yet having language skills is able to feel. It doesn't know why something feels good or bad or scary but they do feel these things, it's got to do with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
I Wondered , if I would make it to my 21 birthday
( in 1975 ) 😨
NOW Most of my GRANDCHILDREN are Married . . With
Children of THEIR OWN . . 👉 Who are in SCHOOL !!! 🙆
( You Know . . The Overlapping Generation ! 🤪 ) 🤦
👌🏿
Great Job keep Exposing Watchtower LIES
I was three and a half when my parents were baptized. I left the religion at 18. All of my formative and most impressionable years were ruined by this organization.
8:23 great job ppl have left because of stupid things Stephen lett says
JW claim that Jehovah knows what is the best for us as he is our creator. But it is a big lie.
Yes it affects you...insecure, nervous and want everyone to like you. Plus JW influence makes you usually passive person. I faded away and better person critical thinking person.
You talk in your video about JW not being able to have the life they want due to low income. Are JW even allowed to have their own life? I thought that whole JW life evolves around attending meetings, having tasks on meetings, preparing for meetings, having family worship and preaching (door to door or cart witnessing). No free time at all. Unless if they are free to choose which car to have, in which flat to live, which furniture to have in their flats (bed, table, kitchen, bathroom), which tablets/smartphones to have and which food to eat. Regarding clothes there is no choice - suit and tie for men and skirt for women.
By Lett's definition of a newborn baby being an enemy of God, than Jesus was an enemy of God until he got baptized.
This whole planet or plan the net makes kids cretins.
I agree 100%. It's why I support their right to disable their child so it can't compete within mine.
Well Done friend, makes me angry to here my problems being Done to me🥹😩
Thanks!
Thank you so much!!