ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 พ.ค. 2024
- The Jehovah’s Witnesses are an end of days Christian organisation who are known for knocking on doors and rejecting blood transfusions. However, they have also been subject to increasing scrutiny over their handling of child sex abuse cases within their congregations, and their treatment of victims. In this episode of Informer, we speak to a former Jehovah’s Witness elder who was abused as a child but didn’t report what had happened. As an adult, he felt a painful déjà vu when his own daughter told him she had also been abused.
Watch more from this series here:
The Worst Things I've Experienced Working in Care
• The Worst Things I've ...
How I Escaped the Church of Scientology
• How I Escaped the Chur...
How a Sex Party Actually Works
• How a Sex Party Actual...
Click here to subscribe to VICE: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE
About VICE:
The Definitive Guide To Enlightening Information. From every corner of the planet, our immersive, caustic, ground-breaking and often bizarre stories have changed the way people think about culture, crime, art, parties, fashion, protest, the internet and other subjects that don't even have names yet. Browse the growing library and discover corners of the world you never knew existed. Welcome to VICE.
Connect with VICE:
Check out our full video catalog: bit.ly/VICE-Videos
Videos, daily editorial and more: vice.com
More videos from the VICE network: www. vicevideo
Click here to get the best of VICE daily: bit.ly/1SquZ6v
Like VICE on Facebook: vice
Follow VICE on Twitter: / vice
Follow us on Instagram: / vice
Follow us on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@vice?lang=en
The VICE TH-cam Network:
VICE: / vice
MUNCHIES: / munchies
VICE News: / vicenews
VICE TV: / @vice-tv
VICE Life: / broadly
Noisey: / noisey
Motherboard: / motherboardtv
VICE Sports: / noc
Waypoint: / waypointvice - บันเทิง
I really wish this organization could be stopped, they destroyed my life and tore apart my family
😂
😂😂😂
🎉
Same with me and the right-wing evangelical cult.
My parents are still witnesses, this year in their scheduled convention, the Headquarters is going to push hard on the shunning. I left 30 years and I will not go back.
Any organization that demands the shunning of loved ones cannot be any good.
They're hardcore, they put god above EVERYTHING! I do respect them for that though. Even though I'm nothing like that
@@808Mark Shunning your own children over something provably false and nonsensical isn't something to respect a group for. They are a harmful group that deserves condemnation.
@@808Mark *The Watchtower Organisation above everything.
This actually isnt true. Within the last year people were encouraged to reach out to family or friends who may have been "shunned" in the past and rebuild
@Mischief716 My dad lost his position as Elder last year because of allowing his tweaker grandson to stay with them. He's trying to get it back due to the nephew stealing from them and now my parents are shunning him.
I was a Jehovah Witness.... And I can confirm. I've gotten out of my deep depression when I got out. AMA
My grandmother is a Jehovah witness, any inconvenience she blames people and tries to ruin their life by causing them to argue with others by spreading false information and being cruel. I haven’t spoken to her in 15 years. My life has been amazing ever since.
That’s narcissistic behavior
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
My grandmother is catholic and acts just like this but my whole family laughs at her and knows she’s crazy
Yeah anyone that’s talked back, challenged or even as far as split from their partners in the Kingdom Hall had the same treatment. A fair few jehovahs have been ‘exiled’ due to this behaviour. It’s more like a fucked up cult.
The impact of toxic people isn’t fully appreciated until you get away from them
The beautiful thing about the social media era is seeing lies and degeneracy exposed on a large scale. As a (more conventional) Christian myself, seeing all the cover ups of abuse has been heartbreaking, but necessary. So many people in positions of power are preying on their congregants.
Still a death cult, sorry.
I am curious and have a question for you:
How do you deal with your religion being true (with all it's tenents and claims) while there are so many subverted congregations?
From my understanding, if the congregations were 'true', it would disprove the claims of the religion about their god at least partly. If the congregations are 'false', it would still diminish these claims (as in, either god tolerated these exploitive people and is thus not 'pure good' and rather uncaring, or god did not intervene to safeguard his faithful against impersonators, which would throw shade at the claim of it being almighty and omniscient)
Or does this not matter, and you are simply putting trust in god, and it's ways?
Sorry if this comes off as rude, but my approach to my worldview is always to look at logic. So, seeing this contradiction, I have no clue how I would deal with it myself...
@@nordos Haha don't worry about coming off as rude, I appreciate the question.
I don't see any logical contradiction between the existence of evil in the Church leadership and the Church itself. The Bible actually warns about false teachers who appear as sheep but are actually ravenous wolves. And these wolves, it is said, will deceive many. This doesn't detract from God's goodness, as God has always been known to tolerate evil for the purpose of producing even greater goods (look at Joseph's story; what his brothers used for evil, God used for good).
You'd have to show a logical contradiction between
1. either the existence of evil, or God's tolerance of evil in the Church, and
2. God's Goodness.
I am unaware of anyone who has been able to show this, as if evil by third parties using their own free will is used to produce great goods, this, far from detracting from God's goodness, actually helps demonstrate it.
@@nordos Your biggest error is assuming there are many "subverted congregations" which is an outrageous lie!
@@nordosyeah, TH-cam comments is the best place to have this discussion
This is NOT EVEN A FRACTION of how psychotic those “nice people” are. The abuse and manipulation is so unreal. The craziest part is that all of the members are literally brainwashed so it’s pretty spectacular to ever wake up AND escape. Congrats to your family sir!!
Exactly the uncle explaining didn’t cover well but I like how calm and level headed he is since jws like to point people like him as crazy apostate etc
It’s an extremely common misconception but the word you mean is psychopathic (lack of empathy) or just psycho (perjorative) - psychotic is a medical term that just means having hallucinations or being paranoid.
Exactly! The Jehovah's Witnesses cult is a thousand times worse than what was depicted here.
@@quadling3521 lol both ngl
@@quadling3521so psychotic was the right word to use them. It describes the jdubs well. They are constantly going on about Armageddon. They believe demons are attached to second hand items, yard sales=evil, as well as the government is out to get them.
I was sexually assaulted by a ministerial servant, 20 years ago this year. The only witness was my mother, who walked in before it got too bad. She blamed me. Her reason: "When he did that to your little sister, she fought back harder." I wanted to go to the police, but my mother threatened to disown me if I did. She said the elders would handle it. They did nothing; there weren't two witnesses. They still prayed over him, because OBVIOUSLY I was the one at fault, and he was merely weak to my evil seductions. (I was a young woman; that's "evil" to them.)
That was the end for me. I refused to go back. I already strongly disagreed with their view on education (I rebelled and went to college), their anti-science opinions, some really gross levels of homophobia, antisemitism, and racism against some of my Black friends (many textured hairstyles were banned, one mother from Nairobi was told to not wear her traditional outfits because they were "too colorful" while a Japanese immigrant in a bright kimono was totally fine) but this was too much. As I looked around online, I realized that this was not unique. It wasn't that my elders were horrible. They were following standard operating procedures.
I began to think back, how many times I questioned things, how often I was scolded for DARING to question. They're fine with simple questions, but when one's love for history becomes a serious threat to their brainwashing, the reply is, "Don't ask that, don't speak of that again, or you'll get in trouble." They are TERRIFIED of facts that clash with their beliefs.
Thankfully, my mother refused to cut off communication with me. She kept getting in trouble for it. She finally moved to another state, so she could talk on the phone with me all she wanted, and no one cared. She never apologized for blaming me, we had a rocky relationship until the end, but at least she still loved me and enjoyed talking to me. That alone was rebellious.
The last time I stepped into a Kingdom Hall was when I flew out to visit her and my (non-JW) dad. I reluctantly agreed to go. Mom introduced me to their head elder, and someone teased that he and two other elders used to shoot kittens and set dogs on fire when they were teens, something he didn't deny but merely laughed about. I was horrified. That's the psychotic types of people running the show.
And your dad didn't know about the assault?
True story no doubt. I have seen the ugly up close!
they are definitely not anti-science they push the vaccine like every other pro science
When that happened to your SISTER?? She said that? 😲 😱 OMG. Your mom needs to go to prison too. Sorry, not sorry.
Antisemitism 😂
Nice word to defend children kllers
I have severe PTSD. There are so many things I have blocked out, but when certain phrases or JW terminology instantly hit me then a bunch of repressed memories start flooding my brain.
Same here. I'll pray for ya
its time we speak up !
i think you have religous trauma
@@daniellenewby3169 it's not down to just religion liketake boy scouts/ scouts for instance
@@oimpaa no of course i just thought that’s what this person might have because i’ve heard when you leave certain religious organizations that you’ve been in a long time you suffer from that
That trauma reaction was him dissociating, and yeah… you get a lot of trauma from this cult. I grew up in it. Left when I was 17. A few years later, as my younger brothers got old enough, they left too. After a few years of us all trying to talk some sense into our mom, we finally got her out, too. My stepdad stayed in as an active member. She divorced him. He is still in the religion, even though he abused me for years, and all of the elders know it too. I repeatedly begged them for help, but they refused and said I’d better not say anything to my teachers, doctors, police, etc… because if he went to jail, I would be responsible for the reproach on Jehovah. It’s such a load of horseshit.
Whoa that’s an interesting situation, sorry you had to go through that with no help
The only horseshit here is that fairytale of yours
It's not only the Jehovah's Witnesses that are culpable here. Your mother is, too. Your stepfather was the one who abused you, and this was the man your mother chose to marry and stayed married to for years, who also defended him and stayed silent in the face of this abuse. It's good you got your mother to leave the cult. But you're not only a victim of them and your stepfather's abuse, but of your mother's neglect, too.
@@mtganfilm You’re trying to tell me something I am already well aware of. It is extremely difficult to get out when you’re in an abusive, controlling marriage and you have 5 kids and you live 1,000 miles away from any family who can help you. I understood that, even at a very young age. I saw what he did to her and my brothers. Ultimately, the elders were WELL AWARE of all of the abuses happening in our home. For years and years. They are mandatory reporters, yet they never lifted a single finger to help any of us. She has apologized to me for her culpability in the abuse, and I have forgiven her. Neither my former stepfather nor the elders EVER have. That’s the difference.
I never bothered to tell the Elders about my abuse because I knew I'd be the one who got in trouble and told to forgive and shut up. After about 15 years out, I did tell my dad who is an Elder and that's exactly what he told me, forgive and move on.
Honestly every ex witness out there has got some wild stories to tell ,they will definitely shock you. Glad this guy got his chance to speak out
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
I stopped going to church at the age of 12 after the priest at the church started sending me love messages calling me to his home. He later started treating me harshly in the choir when I refused to go to his home. Later I came to learn about that he was using all the other boys of my age at the church. It's now 20 years without ever stepping a foot in church. Am happy where I am
God Loves You Wherever you are
i just wanna say first that i’m sorry that you experienced that.. i experienced abuse at the hands of a pastors daughter who is several years older than me. i was 7 or 8 at the time and didn’t realize until i was older what had happened to me. i want you to know i understand your plight but i want to encourage you to know that God loves you dearly. not all churches are the same. i know because i have been a member of 3 churches throughout my life and the reality is that no church is perfect. however, i do believe that if you ever have a desire to find a good church, you should. you dont need church to love God but i do believe that you do need a church to learn how to love people. and one the main ways you love God is by loving his people. being a part of a good church will strengthen you. the community is irreplaceable. i hope this message finds you well bro! love you
Did you report him? Dis you show anyone the letters?
Don’t conflate creepy catholicism with Christianity. You may come to realize what the bible says has nothing to do with catholics if you ever decide to read it for yourself
Not to sound harsh but it doesn't take genius level thinking to know there are good churches out there and we still have an obligation to the Creator. I doubt anyone is going to tell you to submit to that type of guy in leadership
Being raised as a JW was so traumatic. I got baptized and the treatment I received was worse. I was treated horribly by the elders. I have nothing but disgust for that religion. It’s a cult.
i fucking knew it when i was a kid i felt something was off when Pokémon came out they sat me in a room five of them tried to convince me the show was devils' work
All of the hullabaloo from the elders and the governing body when the Harry Potter books came out!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@tiabeaniesemotionalsupportdmon dont forget the simpsons
All because Pokemon "evolve". Science and evolution is forbidden!!
They got so pissed when the movie Showgirls came out too
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I knew a family of Jehovah's Witnesses when I was a kid. I went to school with their twin boys, who both had problems of their own. It came out in the woodwork that one of them (let's call him M) would receive endless praise as he did well in his studies, was good at sports, and was well liked by teachers and students. The other boy, (let's call him D) however, was more into theatre, trains, and classical/40's/50's music. It came out that D would get beaten and berated almost every day by the parents whilst at the same time they'd be showering M with praise, cursing D that he wasn't more like M. Eventually social services got involved, but by that time they were reaching their late teens. D managed to break away from the family and get a job driving trains, his passion. M on the other hand lost all of his charm, charisma and potential, breaking down and getting addicted to hard drugs and gambling. These two kids were so smart and in their respective paths would have done so well had it not been for their fanatical, insane cult led parents.
Abuse is rampant. Parents are trained to be abusive. Women and children are subjected to a lot of abuse from the leaders to the elders and their own husbands.
My god, this is another world isn't it? I know a woman who hides her friendship from them as her friend is not a JW. She even hid that she was going away with her. And she badgered her friend constantly to try and get her to join. Even befriended her when her husband passed. But my friend never gave in. She refused. Felt there was something not right with them. Then another friend lost a child 40 years ago. They knocked on their door and my friend thought they were the bereavement women. They didn't say they were not them. Just sat there. And then started their preaching. He realised his mistake. Screamed at them to get out. A priest was walking passed and heard what went on. He shouted that he would be jn touch with their elders as he was sick of them doing this. They used to hang out at hospitals to get deaths info so they. Could get people who were that aggrieved, they could suck them into their cult. Vile people.
Dam
Dude I’m a ex JW, born and raised in the this religion. There are many fault of this faith but accounts like this are just pointless, these are shitty parents, it has nothing to do with the religion but the bad character of the people. Understand the difference so you can focus on the actual flaws of that religion. Also a sidenote, if the parents were extremely devout Jehovah’s Witnesses, they would not be encouraging their kid to play sports because that is actually not encouraged in the congregation.
@@Lulu-oi9ue That’s false my man. Bad parents are everywhere.
as someone who was born into this. i can say 100%, he is right. i got out when i was 24, and i had to rebuild my life from scratch. i to felt like i was at last free! they completely tore my family apart and made my mother leave my dad, even after he foresore what was happening and got baptised him self she was never aloud to re marry because they said she had no grounds for scriptural divorce after convincing her to leave. so now a single mother with 5 kids 100% reliant on them. they completely destroyed my life. im now 40, and it's taken me this long to rebuild.
When you get out you feel so behind in comparison to everyone else when your life has been the cult for so long and you’ve been taught to discard normal society and the people in it, me personally I feel so out of place and like no one understands just how damaging the cult really is. A lot of people say, we’ll if you don’t like it just don’t be in it. They don’t understand the psychological abuse and manipulation
1st of all no 1 can make your mother do something Did he threaten to kill her and throw her in the river ...no You can do whatever you want you're accountable to Jehovah not to men... All these comments are blaming their religion And not taking Accountability for their own actions nobody can make you do anything you mess up your life because you want to the Elvis Accountability for their own actions nobody can make you do anything you mess up your life because you want to the elders can't force you to do anything You And do what you feel you need to do I'm tired of you guys crying Take some initiatives And grow the hell up And grow the hell Grow the grow up
@@blackklash so you are a JW still or are you just studying? because you dont really have a dam clue what you are talking about!. JW is a cult and there is more then enough people on here that can tell you about cult trauma and once you are full in why you cant just leave. and i know more about Jw's then most my family are generational i was 3rd generation.
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
@@blackklash yep, it’s always blaming and no personal responsibility. I am DFed and guess what it was own fault, it’s no one else’s.
I walked out of the house as a young teenager and never went back. I had that exact feeling, that "Whoosh" and it was amazing!
Agreed. Hope that many others trapped in the cult can experience that too.
You've made an intelligent decison. 🙏🏾
I spent my entire life as a JW. I gave up so many experiences, prom, living at university, birthdays. I was disfellowshipped 3 years ago. I had a very similar experience to him, when I was in my judicial committee I took medical records and evidence to them to try to protect myself. But it wasn’t enough. I was seen as a role model in my circuit so whenever I was disfellowshipped it was a complete shock, to my friends, the congregation, even myself. I’m healing now, but i will never forget what that process felt like. Now with the recent announcements of being able to speak to disfellowshipped people feels like a slap in the face, the people who stopped talking to me now try to contact me? And I should see this as a sign of love? No, absolutely not. It’s a manipulative tactic to try to return people to the organization because they know people are no longer joining. To anyone who wants to join, don’t. And to anyone who has left, I’m proud of you. This organization has no love, no god. I strongly believe in karma, and they have debt to pay.
They truly have no love, and they allowed their members to speak to disfellowshipped ones in a limited setting because they are losing funding in Norway 🇳🇴 But it is not enough since every day people die refusing blood transfusions at the direction of that cult.
Sorry to hear you went through this. I was a JW until I was 17. You just gotta understand these are weak minded people. So much so that the mere conversing with disfellowshipped people could alter their thinking and behavior, thats just how weak they are. You're so much better off living your own life and thinking your own thoughts without them. Congratulations.
I don't know, being able have a beard now sounds pretty good.
Deal with the scriptures not all the extra stuff
@@HankFacepunch🤣🤣🤣🤣 if you're a REAL man, you don't need to be told you're "allowed" to have a beard before you grow one.
Wow. I spent 23 years in this faith and finally hearing other's experience in the organization is really refreshing and cathartic
Hey former brother, how long you been out? (sounds like prison) Ive been out out about 15 years. and here I am.
Thank you
Been about 11 years now. Most of my family are still in it but wow it’s something that you find you can never fully cut out. Even now my views of religion in general has been corrupted going forward
I really wanted to hear what this man had to share. Can’t understand him with the mask and garble. Bummer.
@@Nihilnovus Thanks for responding. I enjoy hearing personal stories. See on the other side. lol That always kills me.
I grew up a JW and spent 35 years in. I experienced what he's saying. I'm so glad I got out and I i can heal finally.
what are some things I can ask them to challenge their beliefs next time they show up at my house?? If you know of any
@@Kmac223 cults don't work that way. If you tried they would put you on a do not call list. These people are brainwashed and logic and facts don't mean anything. It takes a lot to snap people out of it and it usually comes from the person beginning to question and looking at things themselves.
@@Kmac223Ask them what proof they have that the governing body are what they claim to be -they won’t be able to answer you 7:4
I know a lot will not read this all the way through, but I don’t even know where to start with this. We were taught to be anxious and feel disappointing to god for having close friends outside of the organization. In kindergarten, I didn’t get too close to my friends in school because I was taught they were all going to be destroyed by god for not being witnesses. We were scolded for even eating cupcakes at a school bday party. Being a teenager and mid twenties, it made me anxious to do things with “worldly” people because when I openly had friends that weren’t witnesses, the elders would take me in the back room and tell me to stop “keeping company” with non Jehovah’s witnesses, because it was upsetting Jehovah. If you continued being friends with a non witness, you were soft shunned. I was a kindergartener going through school thinking all of their friends were going to be killed by god. I was r-ped by a witness at five years old. His name was Freddy. It came out to the congregation that, including me, this man had done this to five other children. He was disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for 6 months. This man had been assaulting (that’s me putting it very very lightly) his own sister from the age of three, to sixteen. It is still unknown as to who got her pregnant at sixteen. Because no one reported him to the authorities, when he was allowed back into the congregation again, he was able to assault at least a dozen other children. We did not come forward because the misogyny in the organization would blame girls for “enticing” the men. We saw how this would be because when that man’s sins came out, all anyone talked about was how gross the sister was and how she must have tempted him. They PITIED him. My parents were told when I was thirteen to make me wear baggy clothing because my body was distracting to the men in the congregation. I was able to escape from the cult four years ago. In doing so, I was branded an apostate. My family will never have anything to do with me again. The friends I grew up with have not spoken to me since. Even the sister that was abused stopped speaking to me. However, the man that ra-ed and molested over a dozen children has said he’s “sorry” and is still an active member of the organization. According to their teachings, someone who has abandoned the “faith” is worse than a pedophile. My father deleted me on all social media, and attacked me for being an “agent of Satan”, yet is friends with the child molester that destroyed me and multiple other children. I went to the authorities about him a couple years ago. I gave the FBI agent that came to my house all the names of the victims. He was confident this man could be put away. Every single one of them denied it, and told mutual friends that they didn’t want to “bring reproach” on god aka Watchtower. They teach that me speaking against the organization is worse than a predator. And I’d be willing to bet there will be witnesses on my comment that will call me a liar. Because that is what they’re taught to say when someone comes forward about abuse. Anyone is welcome to google the secret elders book that the rank and file are not allowed to see. In it there is a passage saying smoking cigarettes is an immediate shunning matter. However, it verbatim states that viewing child pron is not considered child abuse and only a matter of shunning if it happens multiple times. It states the child pron viewer should only be “strongly counseled”. Lastly, the man that destroyed my innocence has since married a woman with children, and no one in the organization has ever informed this woman that she’s brought her children into a marriage with a child molester.
You are so fortunate to be away from all these sick, evil people. I wish you all the best. 💜
I hear you, I see you, I believe you.
I was raised a JW too... left at 24 as a pioneer & even served where the need is great down in Mississippi. I did all this just to make my mother happy, and make the family "look good." I feel like I escaped Alcatraz... I'm now 52. I now live a beautiful big full happy life, however it took about 10 years to unbrainwash myself from that cult. I'll never get my childhood back, but I live my life by my rules.
I wish you to heal and move on, its not easy, but it's worth it. A book that's helped me tremendously by Dr Nicole LePera: How To Do The Work
I'm praying for all of you! This is just terrible, but God is a healer.
Thanks so much for shedding light on this. I’m shunned by my entire family for leaving. They need to be exposed as a cult!
I was born in as well back in 1971. My Dad was a JW for over 60 years. He shunned me for 15 years. 4 years before he died he showed up at my door. He was old, alone and had no one to take care of him. He died in 2019. He made me POA and AIF of his Will. Because of this the W's could not control his funeral. I spoke at his funeral and I have the video on my You Tube Channel. I am so thankful that people are waking up from this Cult.
I will watch it.
I would have turned him away. I have no time for forgiving and forgetting. That's for small children and the birds.
@@bobjames6622 Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
This small child, bird, will stick with Jesus.
@@XJW-fb8ww You've simply replaced one cult (JW) with another (christianity). ALL man made religions are mere prisons of the mind. You've been fooled.....AGAIN!
@@XJW-fb8ww That is the same tactic religious people use to cover abuse. Don't report it to autoririties, forgive your rapist and god will forgive you and welcome you into heaven. The person who wrote matthew was wrong.
I was raised a devout Jehovah's Witness and the mind control is real, the fear and influence are all real. The programming is real and people are encouraged to watch each other. I was disfellowshipped and shunned.
I was raised under that faith and reacted violently to being indoctrinated, my family found that there was no possible conversion on me, not even extreme physical punishment made me comply, these people are INSANE.
I've been free for 17 years now, but badly traumatized. This man was telling the truth. The fact he feels the need to cover his face from the organization seeing him should speak volumes. It was the first 19 years of my life and it was full of abuse and evil, as well as judgment and invalidation.
The judgement was the worst aspect of it. For being an organization that purports to represent the Christian Spirit there's little love there or compassion. Granted some of the people are wonderful but the organization itself is questionable.
So how were you traumatized? What happened?
@stoiccrane4259 totally agree. It's one of those things that presents as pure and holy to outsiders, but for those of us on the inside, we saw it was everything but.
@koreanhog5735 it was a lot. I actually put up a 2 part vid on my channel last year. I'm also currently writing a book about my experience in it. I was being abused, and they basically kept it quiet and told me I was deserving of it. For example, I was molested as a child, and my JW mother years later told me I wanted it. I had elders pulling me aside in private to ask me highly inappropriate sexual questions and wanted details, when I was a minor. They constantly tried to control my thoughts and they tell you who you are allowed to talk to, what you can wear, lies to tell the public in order to recruit.
We were trained 3 days a week in our meetings how to do door to door, how to pick up on vulnerability in others in order to exploit them/convert them. So if let's say, your dad just died and you were my schoolmate, it was my job to use your grief to try and recruit you, telling you about the resurrection in order to entice you into joining us. If I didn't try to preach to you, I would be considered blood guilty because 'I could've saved you but didn't try to'. Imagine being a child and having the thought process in your mind that if you didn't preach to your teachers and peers, their deaths could be your fault for not trying.
Anytime there was a birthday in class, you were not allowed to even eat a cupcake (they don't celebrate any holidays other than one yearly ritual regarding Jesus death and rebirth). So as a kid, you had to go sit in the hallway and listen to your classmates enjoy a party while you were treated as if you did something wrong sitting in the hall, or in the library.
If you were bullied, you were expected to 'turn the other cheek' as Jesus would, so for years, I was beaten up and harassed by several peers, and was expected to just ignore them. Once, I defended myself and when an elder found out, he was upset and after a deep sigh, asked me if others knew I was a JW. He was more concerned with how me getting into a fight hurt Jehovah's reputation vs my safety.
When I came out as being gay, I was disowned by my parents via notarized letter and left homeless and unable to talk to them or my 2 siblings. Being gay made me "detestable" and vile in their eyes. I was 19. Lost my entire JW congregation overnight like it was nothing to them. It's been 17 years and I'm still estranged from my parents, siblings, and former JW friends. I'm talking never checked in on, never reached out to, not responded to, nothing. Had various suicide attempts when I was in, and denied my request for prayers. It was a lot.
I now live with CPTSD and have flashbacks every single day. This probably also has to do with the fact that we were constantly told about Armageddon/the end of the world coming any second, which caused severe anxiety that I still carry. The organization uses you like a battery to do their preaching and recruiting and then tosses you to the curb the moment you start asking questions about operations.
Pedophiles are sent to other congregations after abusing kids, not reported to the police because they handle everything internally. The new congregation is not told this person's history and has access to a new group of unsuspecting children. This happened in my congregation where one dude tried to come onto me a few times and I ended up piecing it together what he was after. They lie to outsiders regularly and demand you don't pursue higher education or association with outsiders. You can't hang out with non JWs and if you are caught, you are counseled and at risk of expulsion. It was hell, and I struggle with the memories daily. I deal with severe anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, loneliness, isolation, flashbacks, repressed memories, etc on a regular basis ever since. It was hell and I don't wish that experience on any child.
His daughter was abused and he can't name the abuser even if he is in prison c'mon, state names, dates to fact check,
My Grandfather is an Elder and I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness from a young age. My mother was also introduced into it as a child when she was living in Jamaica and told me a story of how she was in the car with a trusted Brother from the congregation who was supposed to drop her off somewhere.
Apparently he went in another direction and put his hand on my ma's leg saying how beautiful she was and that another girl in the congregation was a "bad girl and shouldn't be believed". When she realized what was happening she opened the car door and jumped out into moving traffic nearly getting hit! She explained to a passerby what happened and he drove her home.
She then told my surrogate grandmother who's care she was under who was a Jehovah's Witness and instead of bringing the matter to police she decided to discuss it with other sisters in the congregation and "pray" on it. Within a few weeks the guy left the congregation and didn't return as far as my ma knew but who knows how many other girls he attempted and successfully sexually abused..
Call the police
They are sick. Totally sick. The Catholics hide their paedophiles. No doubt these do too. I'm glad you got out.
This is very common in the disgusting Jehovah's Witnesses cult.
I'm shocked in the video how the wife kept going to the church for another 10 years while her husband left and the fact her own blood was abused. Some women are just foolish
@@edobwoyyou'd be surprised how many still in that cult have been abused or seen others be abused. The mind control is real.
I’m a survivor of this horrible religion. It destroyed my family and I am having a really hard time trying to integrate myself into the “real” world since all I’ve known is this religious life. My parents became JW’s when I was 5 years old. It’s horrible. They are still active and I have had to cut them out of my life. I’m miserable.
Please know that you have made the right decision! It isnt easy at first but you are not alone, there is an army of us that have left and we support each other ❤
JW is a false Christian church.
Pray to Jehovah. He will be there for you.
@@karen4411 thank you! Hardest thing I’ve done in my life.
@@DJParadoxNYC666 yes, it will be the hardest thing, but the hardest thing is done and now you can rebuild. I couldnt even be in the same room as a bible for about 5 years. However, I found it useful to start researching. I lost my home, my spouse and at the time one of my children but by learning about the things that interested me but were considered wordly by the witnesses. Its been 15 years now and im still learning. Favourite subject is how the witnesses have twisted and manipulated the bible. You WILL get there, just hang in there and please know that there is a God, what we were taught about him has been manipulated to lead us away from the true knowledge of Him. Seek Him out for yourself and dont let the bitterness of the what happened with the organisation have any influence on your relationship with Him now.
He will bless you as He blessed me, i have a good relationship with my children, live a beautiful part of the world with my new husband, daughter and 4 grandchildren. And when its really tough, remember, nothing stays the same, THIS TOO SHALL PASS. Praying for you
I was raised a JW, and my mom let us make the decision to stop going when we hit our teenage years. My grandparents still attend till this day.
My grandad is an elder, and he went up to the other brothers and told them that my mom was pregnant out of wedlock and she had to meet with the brother's to basically apologize and they dismembered her at that time. But yet, my grandfather didn't tell them that he was putting his hands on my grandmother for years and is still an alcoholic to this day. They would actually help the people of the congregation before helping their own family. I still have a relationship with them, but it's at a distance.
I also remember as a young child asking questions about the congregation, and they would say, "You ask too many questions. Don't question the congregation." I still have SO many questions that still went unanswered. My mom still goes every now and then, but only for big events, and I think it's just to appease my grandparents. No one is perfect, but the witnesses will try to save face to make them look holier than anyone and everyone else who isn't a witness.
The word is "excommunicated" not dismembered! Dismember means to cut a body into parts, like a butcher does. Excommunicate means to remove from all communication with a church as a form of punishment for some infraction against the faith. I had to laugh at the word choice, but because "dismember" has such a distinctly different meaning, I had to comment just to tell you so you don't make that mistake again and give people the wrong idea!
Sorry for your experience. Your grandfather was not a good person and doesn't reflect all JW quality.
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
Sweet Jesus! Dismembering the poor woman seems a bit harsh, though I'm impressed with her fortitude for still going back every now and again for big events. Do ..... do they carry each part of her into the event hall in... like.. little matchboxes?
In the late 90's, my roommate's nephew escaped The Watchtower. He was clearly and obviously in a state of shock, and traumatized. I advised her to let him be, give him room and listen when he was ready to talk. I hope he eventually did. If youre reading this B, i hope youre doing better, love to C, and i hope you are handling your trauma better than i am mine.
What a load of garbage, people like you just lie constantly, you're all a bunch of babies.
I hope you are okay. You don't sound it by what you wrote. I hope you can finally be healed one day. 🤗
I am sorry for what happened to you, and I hope you are coping and are alright now. ♥️♥️♥️♥️
This cult has a lot of ignorance, lack of accountability, and manipulation. Hypocrisy thrives in this environment. I am so glad I left when I was a teenager.
Good for you!
I am happy you got out when you did!!♥️♥️
You were very fortunate to leave at a young age. Good for you ❤!!! I wish you happiness and success
1:04 seconds in I can tell you guys he’s not lying. I too was unfortunately indoctrinated into this cult as an infant from both father and mother. I too got out as a teenager. I’ve seen it a million times as teenagers a lot of us go. Few stay, and those that stay become elite and elders. Pioneers and ministerial servants (Jehovah witnesses lingo). I’m 43 now
I’m glad you managed to get out. However, I would say that they aren’t ignorant at all. I think they know exactly what is going on within and outside of JW and use that knowledge to manipulate the vulnerable. Just like the cult of Scientology, there is a reason why those at the top have money and power. It is very sad that 8 million people on this planet have to suffer at their hands.
Any group or organization or religion or cult etc leaders ask you to hurt anyone even a single person is not worth to be in at least for me
4th generation disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witness here. I have rarely laughed so hardy and angrily at the statement 'We enjoy entirely normal lives in the community at large.' IMO, they're not seen as a cult because there's been no mass un-aliving attempts, and that's what people tend to associate cults with. If anyone you love has been caught, yes CAUGHT, by this organization, be patient but persistent in your attempts to bring them to the truth about 'the truth'. I think they know it, they know deep inside the part of them that can't be controlled by the overwhelming amount of propaganda that's thrown at them that there is something terribly wrong with the organizations idea of 'love'. As this brave gentleman said, there are good people there, lots of them. They genuinely think they're doing the right thing because they've been taught, many of them like me their entire life, that this is the right thing to do, that being whatever the organization tells them is the right thing to do.
You really cant prove the organization is wrong/incorrect.
I was raised in that cult and the day it folds for good, will be a blessed day!
Stop the 🧢
Continue wishing
I guess you will NEVER have a blessed day, only those who worship Jehovah will make it through the millennium.
@@djparsons7363 Ain't nobody making it thru the millennium bud. See you in the dirt.
@@djparsons7363why r u watching apostate material? i’m going to tell the elders on you
I can’t escape these guys. Even showing up in my feed lol
They are insane
I'm an exjw...this made me rotff
Demons are showing up in your feed Demon- icus.
This guy literally has demon in his name. If anyone is creeping, it's his evil ass. His simple-minded troll talk sounds very demon puppet to me
Thank you @vice and to this informant for speaking up on the truths of this disturbing cult. Tons of ex-jws share this same story and I’m glad our voices are being heard. ❤
So grateful to have made it out even at the cost of so many family relationships. I’m blessed my dad is an atheist and mom talks to me on the DL.
Former child witness here, I can’t tell you alienated this did to my childhood. Birthdays, parties, media, books and so many more restrictions.
Yup, no Christmas, no Halloween..can’t celebrate our own bdays - was horrible
Such a sad way of living, gotta stay away from all the religious fanatics and cults because they are in essence diabolical and want to keep you indoctrinated, obedient and confused.
That's how I felt. Looking back, those things are traumatic to a child.
@@BeyondEboand the trauma still follows me to this day. I still feel guilty doing normal things in everyday life because of the mental hold they had on me.
@@jasonafrifa1418 same. I'm 48 now and I'm realizing the effects it had on me. My grandmother has passed and my mom has severe dementia, and although I'm of age, I feel like I can finally talk about how miserable it was. I'm also starting to see my stepdad's (an elder) true colors.
Covering up abuse is common with all cults because the reputation of the cult is more important than the people in it- it's utterly psychopathic. Also common with all cults is extreme levels of control of members- who they can talk to, what they can read or watch and they are certainly not allowed to have doubts (or express those doubts). Escaping is a very brave decision and always the right one.
Look at every religion in the world, they all cover up abuse ,and most have way more dirt on their hands.
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
The Catholics do this, too.
I was robbed of my childhood. No birthdays, Christmas. Wasn't allowed in school assemblies because the school was C. Of. E.
Bullied until I was big enough to defend myself. Left at 16 years old after telling my dad it was the law that I could chose my own religion in the uk. I'm now 55 and atheist. I hate all beliefs.
❤
I’m so sorry that happened to you…
Christmas is a false pagan holiday. No person who claims to believe in christ should be celebrating it.
I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness yet I have never experienced anything like what yall are claiming. I was able to attend prom and do university activities. I am still able to enjoy life and do things. So i am very confused by these comments.
they are the reason my mother and i don’t have a good relationship. she would literally die for this god then to have a good relationship with her only daughter. i was in the cult from 7-21 i never got baptized bc i simply didn’t want to. i didn’t want to commit to that. i was forced to attend and participate by my mom. the elders would encourage me to do so as well. i finally lost complete interest and knew it was wrong when my best friend (in the cult still to this day) told me her little brother was SA by a ministerial servent, he didn’t have any kids of his own and was consistently hugging the little ones. HE HAD HIS MUG SHOT TAKEN AND WENT TO COURT NOTHING EVERY HAPPENED TO HIM NO ANNOUNCEMENT NOTHING !!!!! one of the elders covered it up for him. i told this all to my mom and she did in fact say that my friend and her brother made it up for attention. the brother that SA was super nice and was always around the little ones in service gave great talks and was super helpful to everyone. which he was !! on the outside he was this humble man that came from a bad place, unfortunately his heart was/is still bad. his name is Manuel Rocha
People who didn't grow up in the organization are often fooled by the reasonable front they present to the public, but it's all true. If your child needs a blood transfusion to save her life, they expect you to let her die instead.
When you're in it, you're made to feel shame for questioning. You're "relying on your own understanding," and "puffed up with pride." They strongly discourage independent thought, just obedience on pain of shunning by all your friends and family.
Some ideas do not deserve respect. The hate and destructive methods of this organization are great examples of such.
Ya know I never really thought that through until now. They were tying together "independent thought" and "pride". As if making a decision for yourself is self-congratulatory. That truly is madness. What did they have us passively believing?!?
@@PastaMaster115 and if there's still any question, ask if what they're asking is self serving. When you build a kingdom hall or contribute your money or spend more hours making disciples, are you ever getting anything back on that effort besides the "happiness," they tell you that you feel? They get a broad real estate portfolio that they liquidate at will, cash, and new brand ambassadors who give more of the above.
Yup I know a brother and sister who refused a blood transfusion for their 4 month old daughter. She died, sadly. But he told their experience in a comment. They’re actually PROUD of that decision. Their baby girl could have been alive today… Makes me sick
Many cults have a benign looking front (as well as many front groups) and spend a lot of resources on PR and reputation damage limitation- it's the ex members who really see the vile activities beneath the veneer. Any high control group will be full of abuse, it's a psychopath's playground.
Dude you are not in medical field to say that malicious statement. Witnesses has doctors and liason committees worldwide that contact major hospitals to discuss different medical strategies to save a witness both child and adult. Blood transfusion is just one of the strategy use in operation. Refusal to that procedure and accepting other medical procedure that can allow operation to push through is not as equal as letting a person just to die. Investigate further, based your reasoning on a solid proof not just on a mere statement that can be malicious in nature.
Every single word this man said is true.
At least I woke up in my 20's and only lost the first 20yrs of my life, not 50 like this gent and many others.
I lost 32 years inside that cult.
I lost 50
@@tammyg8031 - 😲😢
Same, I finally left in my early 20's. I was indoctrinated since the age of 5, baptised at 12. So glad my family and I left!
My mom had a friend who converted from catholic to JW and she changed for the worst. One example was that she distant herself from her husband and another is, her husband fell ill and he used to take care of his dog, she would neglect their dog and it almost starved to death.
There are three reasons for owning a sofa in your living room. One is something cosy to relax upon. Two is to hide behind when there's something scary on the telly.
And three... three is for when that dreaded knock on the door comes.
This religion broke up my family. I was abused by an elder, realized as adult the extent of this problem and when I stopped going everyone cancelled me immediately no questions asked.
Were you. What is his name? What is yours? Can you prove it? I mean, if you accuse someone of something publicly, you should be able to prove it, shouldn't you?
I'm so sorry you went through that. I'm hoping you heal from the trauma this cult has caused. I left 5 years ago after being abused for over 10 years. It's hard but I remember that I'm safer now and I actually have control over my life.
@@koreanhog5735 take a breath, I have no evidence, I was a child. The elder late went to prison for touching at least 9 others
@@BabyDoll-xx9rk thank you for the kind reply. I’m sorry you went thru your experience. Man we’ve really gone thru it. It takes real strength and courage to walk away. I know people in now, that are just too afraid so they choose to stay in and suffer. Hang in there survivor, I hope you are now thriving
@@koreanhog5735 Are you a lawyer? Why do you need a name?
My family are generational JWs. I am the only one in my immediate family that is not a JW. People don’t understand what this cult does to people.
Unfortunately, I do.
My in laws are witnesses and it’s definitely wild
Oh it’s wild because we don’t live in the same debauchery as you? Wild parties and living an immoral life? Because of this you are confused. Abuse may happen but does abuse not happen in every religion? 😂 wake up people Jehovahs witnesses are the true religion think about it why are they painted in such a bad light one answer Satan the devil. And he is blinding you
Not a cult
@@joraiders8o594 lies.. they are definitely a cult
As a former JW, I can tell that there are many good people still trapped in this cult. Thank God I have never suffered or heard about any case of sexual abuse, but I can't say the same about psychological manipulation and emotional abuse. If you stay in for too long, the sure consequence is pain and regret. I'm a member of a broken, resentful family and when I got out, I ended up hating God and myself. But His plans are perfect and He reached me. Now I understand His true principles, which has allowed me to build for myself a happy and loving family.
I believe that his experience of viewing himself and the two other Elders from the ceiling was not the result of anxiety but rather, a genuine Religious Experience, a Gift from God. Immediately, he was able to see the absurdity of his brainwashing.
ive been there. hearing a loved ones name being read out and then poof everyone around you forgets they existed :(
Im not a JW, but i dont think the critism of the organization is fair. I 100% agree with the shunning, stand for something or fall for anything. I only dont think the blood transfusion makes sense and no once cant tell me to buy people a birthday gift.
I also dont agree with baptism early. What does a 12 year old child know? Very rediculous.
Wait you don't believe in the baptism of a 12 year old, but the whole world accepts the baptism of a baby! Committing to faith in God is not the hardest decision in the world. You don't have to KNOW everything in order to look at the world around you (speaking for all people that should be capable of doing this) and saying this world was created, and I want to honor the creator. So that's a very basic understanding that anyone can accept. From there if you accept other basics a child may say they don't need more info.
@mazar420 - tho, sadly humans may at times choose to ignore what they are being shown from the Bible about their own personality. Some individuals do not look at others with humility. Therefore they may "forget someone existed" sadly they forget that Jesus holds out hope for all people.
But JWs do not accept that. They allow anyone to return to a relationship with God, and that person's sins are forgiven by God despite what any human may think or feel. But I do pray for individuals who do behave judgementally. That should not reflect how all JWs think.
Thank you for covering this. As someone who lost my family to this cult, this doesn't receive enough coverage.
Once a Jehovah Witness knocked on my door and handed me a Bible and some magazines which I used to wipe my butter hole since I had just run out of toilet paper.
Your comm is so funny I almost spilled my coffee hahaha
This man and his wife shunned his daughters for TEN years!? After their daughters were sexually abused. I would immediately have left the 'church'.
As someone who has half of their family in the Jehovah's Witnesses, none of this surprises me. Always something off about those people, always a feeling that they were being controlled.
They are. When after I left about 10 yrs later I went to a meeting to appease my grandfather featuring an Overseer.
I don't remember much about the meeting but one of the statements I recall is the Overseer literally saying to the congregation "Don't think for yourself. As humans were too dumb to think for ourselves without Jehovah."
The moment he said that I mentally noped the freak out and haven't returned to a meeting since.
It's a dangerous cult.
That governing body is the main culprit. They replaced themselves with god to the point a Jehovah's witnesses can literally read in the bible what it says, but yet follow the words of those men. Even if those words differ immensely from what the bible says. All Authority is in the hands of these men.
@@j3in725 Stephen Lett is the worst of them. He says things to the degree that "When he rises to heaven as an anointed he'll exercise judgement on the wicked" I paraphrase.
@@j3in725 - The words in a Watchtower magazine trump anything written in the Bible. That's how the J-Dubs think.
They will NEVER apologize to any of their victims EVER.
Because they believe that they are above everyone else.
Because there are no victims of theirs.
@@koreanhog5735 - Only a Jehovah's Witness would make an comment this arrogant.
@@koreanhog5735cowards…. Baseball bats work pretty god damn well for getting answers and the truth out
@koreanhog5735 Yes so the millions of testimonies are all false. It's all lies. No victims. Right. Too bad no one believes you. 😂
I was in this organization over 20 years. Saw a lot of stupidity and injustice, but I always thought it's just the local congregation that's getting it wrong.
Now I see the wickedness goes right to the top. The unempathetic men running the show have completely numb consciences.
The biggest highlight of this is that they got out and their family seems to be doing well. I hope they continue to prosper and be happy.
I grew up a JW. My parents still are. I will say this. It’s led to an outside looking in worldview that’s impossible to shake.
good! world is bad
@@harshitgarg419But the JW is worse.
Gave me a nihlist outlook. Nothing matters but Jah, not my family, not my friends, not education, not even my own life. From my first day of life until I left it was the main theme.
Armageddon is tomorrow, so no need to do anything other than preach the word so perhaps i can survive the ire of the Almighty.
My mother even used the threat of me dying at Armageddon and being totally forgotten about by her and Jehovah in the new system as a form of chastisement/punishment.
@@shadegreen5351look at it realistically. Who can save you but Jehovah. Who deserves worship. What have they given you, and is it the same as what Jehovah's given you.
@@lugi25screw jehovah
The fact that we get free videos from VICE on TH-cam is priceless, keeping the education and knowledge alive. 👍👍👍
🤷
Why’s this spammed every where in all the vice videos comments lolol
They just reinforce the idiotic fantasies of the ignorant haters of Jehovah.
Bot@@Mattieb_23
When he says he regrets a lot about not getting education nor going to the university, i feel it in my heart, cause it's my situation too, i feel so useless and behind other people, and now i just can opt for minimum wage works, and it ruins my confidence and self esteem, not to talk about my financial life, i just grow up with this sect mind set and with no support from my JW family
I just want to leave a comment to appreciate the sound and visual design of this video. For some reason it really keeps me focused on the message being conveyed. The music is calming, but also slightly unsettling. The background really draws your focus to the man and the beige color yet again brings forth this weird feeling. If anyone has seen Courage the Cowardly Dog this kind of reminds me of that. Great video!
this Informer series is great.
Keep on showing the world the truth
This is not the truth, it is a load of slanderous lies, and iam sick of it, the WT society as been saying for decades that " if you or ur family are a victim of a crime there are authorities you can all call YOU MAY WISH TOO CALL THE POLICE, written decades before any nasty vindictive apostates websites was very unfortunately spawned into existence, written even before TH-cam existed, this quote from the WATCHTOWER/Awake is from the 1983 and again in 1991, the nasty vindictive apostates wouldn't know the truth if it came up and kicked them all up the bums.
As a former Jehovah's Witness, I'm happy to see more people talking about this dark side of this organization, they ruin lives. To this day I suffer from several traumas that this cult caused me and my family, today I have to go to therapy to try to improve my life a little
Jesus Encounter Ministries TH-cam channel**
@@ronniebattle1310 yeah i think give the guy a break his life has already been ruined by one cult.... how many does he need in one lifetime?
@@DarkShroom Read Mark chapter 16:1-20. Ask yourself this question. Do you believe what it says? These signs will follow those who believe!
Bro be real to yourself, u might have been kicked out because you did something bad and you never changed, u might have been lead by pride and ego.
Now you are here talking bad about a family who loved you just because maybe one person wronged you in the congregation? That's cold brother
My father and stepmother are Jehovah's Witnesses, and he got called out in 2015 for his hypocritical behavior. I haven't spoken to any of them in years and most likely never will. They tried to get me to join, but did not feel comfortable in their Kingdom Hall. I would never join them and would suggest to my close friends not to either. Something is very wrong with an organization that allows these horrible things to happen.
Do you have the same energy for the catholic church??
@@allks88 I'm glad you asked. My father was born Catholic and became an even bigger hypocrite after he became a Jehovah's Witness. He's worse than a holy roller.
@@KhadijahSays83 Interesting, that is your dads issue not the issue of a whole relegious group of people. I was raised in the truth. I was protected from the world's influence and loved everyday of my childhood I never celebrated birthdays or any false holidays that directly go against Bible principles. I'm understand people have different experiences, however many people on here are stating falsehoods and claiming their lives were ruined but yet give no credit to the upbringing that helped them avoid the things young people fall victim to. You don't have friends who don't follow the laws of the land because they will end up getting you caught up in trouble. So why would you have unneeded association or friendship with those who do not follow God's Laws.
@@allks88 I had no choice as a kid. I was raised in an abusive household, and was not able to move out on my own until after age 21 due to disabilities, and my mom controlling all my funds. I couldn't leave with my infant in tow, this woman went out of her way to abuse me & others and then acted like she was innocent. I was 18 when she passed, but my mom was her power of attorney long before I turned 18. My mom did nothing to help me, even went after people I worked with years after the abuse stopped. She and my father are fake Christians, and I was told by the NYPD to back off & cut her loose (which I did). Long story for TH-cam, but she nearly beat me to death as a kid, to the point where 28 years later the scarring on the right side of my face has faded to something I can cover with makeup.
I grew up in this organization. So saying I escaped a cult is something I’d jokingly say but hearing him say it was so relatable. I’ve only met other Ex Witnesses in passing. Knowing someone else feels the same way is reassuring and sad.
I can confirm the policies and culture that this gentleman perfectly described. I was a third-generation JW who left after decades on the inside.
I believe him. I was raised in this cult myself. Working on physically leaving… It’s so hard. Knowing I’ll lose my family and friends sucks, but I deserve to be happy. If they come to your door, be nice to them but firm in telling them you’re NOT INTERESTED. This is a corrupt organization lead by delusional men. It gets more culty each year. Just say no!
Hang in there you got this! I left a few months age and best decision ever.
Leave. You won't regret it. Best decision of my life.
I tell Jehovah's Witnesses to go through the narrow gate that is on the cramped road leading to life.
.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road ** LEADING OFF INTO LIFE ** and few are the ones finding it.
.
I ask them to read what Jehovah said would happen at the time of the end that is in every Christians bible and yet, few are the ones finding it:
.
Isaiah 66:5
Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU men who are trembling at his word: “YOUR brothers that are hating YOU, that are excluding YOU by reason of my name, said, ‘May Jehovah be glorified!’ He must also appear with rejoicing on YOUR part, and they are the ones that will be put to shame.”
.
[Name of person] is no longer one of JEHOVAH's Witnesses ---->> "excluding YOU by reason of MY NAME"
.
I ask them if they can see Jehovah's promise to disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witnesses:
.
"He must also appear with rejoicing on YOUR part"!
.
I then warn them that, if they go through this narrow gate they will lose their family as a consequence of the Watchtower Societies shunning policies.
.
Then I ask them to read what Jesus Christ said about everlasting life:
.
Mark 10:29-30
Jesus said: “Truly I say to YOU men, No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news 30 who will not get a hundredfold now in this period of time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions, and in the coming system of things ** EVERLASTING LIFE **
.
I then ask them if they want to live forever.
.
I also tell them that they can leave the organization and their congregation with dignity by telling everybody that they believe Jehovah, Jesus Christ and everything else in the bible.
.
Walk out with your head held high and jump for joy when you do.
.
What Jehovah said would happen, is now really happening!
.
That's Good News ................... right!
.
Jesus said: “Truly I say to YOU men, No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS.
.
Leaving was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. It was the most important first step to self care and self love I ever took. You have to concentrate on those aspects to start if you want to heal. I hope that, if you decide to leave, you consider reaching out. There are tons of us out there. You are NOT ALONE… even though I know it’s going to feel so isolating. ♥️♥️♥️♥️
@@j3in725 Thank you. I genuinely like and care about these people. There are some good people trapped in this cult… The only thing holding me back right now is funds. Going to pay off my debts and continue saving… I’m glad you got out!!
I Grew up Jehovah witness , the thing I didn't like about the Kingdom Hall aka congregation where the power given to elders and them executing the punishments and judging you on behalf of Jehovah. It felt as if everyone was looking for flaws in others to go report to the elders. The shunning that is done when someone is caught doing something against what is considered bad. You are taken in a room confronted by the elders and made to come back while everyone ignores you, as if your a plague or ghost. I also was made to go with my mom to go knocking on door to door I enjoyed going to McDonald's afterwards and getting a happy meal. 😊 My mom got in trouble taking us trick or treating, a women from the congregation saw and reported her. I have always had a close relationship with Jehovah and didn't need the judgement of the people or elders to do so. We are no longer active members of the JW I married a Catholic man. I'm happy I'm able to celebrate holidays now I missed out alot I get so excited like a lil kid decorating. Bless my mom for trying her hardest to make us happy. She told me her aunt got her into the religion i believe at a vulnerable moment.
You got to be wary of a group who covers up sexual assault performed by minors but will kick out teenagers over simple infractions.
This. Big time. They will kick a teenager or adult out for not being repentant for doing a natural human thing. But yet, they give peso's a lot more breathing room to the point many cases were not reported to law enforcement, and abusers stayed in congregations for years.
On minors*
Barb was 21 years my senior, married, and a Jehovah's Witness; it was a "May-December" that I'll always remember.
Say what now? 😂 😉
You fucked a Pioneer? No way I will believe that without two witnesses.
3:47 Just a reminder: Watchtower Society sees no problem in a child making the life time decision of getting baptized and taking the future risks of getting shunned by his entire family.
A child can’t legally enter into a contract. How is a 10 year old allowed to be baptized and make a lifetime dedication or contract with God? They don’t have a fully developed brain to make that decision. They don’t understand the consequences of what happens when they default. I’ve always thought that children are manipulated into baptism. It’s so wrong.
not just his entire family but also his entire social circle
I remember going to their congregation and seeing this pregnant woman come in late 15 mins every Sunday after it started. I asked about her to one of the members. They told me she was being punished for having a baby out of wedlock. She had to be made an example while parading in front of everyone after the service started. I was really young at that time and it produced sort of a fear of doing anything wrong. I was not greeted by the elders when I left after a long hiatus and came back. I realized soon after it wasn't for me and haven't been back since.
This is BS in the highest degree
Jehovah's witnesses came to my place one afternoon. I was on the phone and wasnt paying much attentuon to them when i opened the door. They saw i was on the phone and got the hint im not really willing to talk, so they left.
After a couple mins something hit me, and for some reason i had strong feeling i just saw Napoleon Dynamite at my door. In hindsite dude looked EXACTLY like him. To this day i feel like i really rejected Napoleon at the door. Crazy
My mother is a Jehovah's Witness and not celebrating holidays & birthdays is a slap in the face. Another thing that pissed me off is dating as if you are dating a female in the congregation, you are supposed to have an elder accompany you (aka The 3rd Wheel).The religion in general is joke
Religions in general are joke
My aunts & uncle are Jh, I’m happy my 4 cousin seen the bs n left when they were 18 , stupid clut
Lol you’re not supposed to have an elder accompany you.. who told u that?
Having a third wheel isn’t just a jw practice lol that has been around since the 20’s or so you take someone else along the date so you don’t get have a baby lol but I never heard it had to be an elder but at least someone other then someone your age. And holidays and birthdays with out jw being connected and telling you no, if you look on the internet talk about how much paganism is involved in those but everyone only wants to see it’s the jw’s saying don’t do this or that hahaha
@@Rudom17 one of the Witnesses told me when I was there. Clearly I can tell he never been laid
I had a best friend named Sarahi in middle school. Such a beautiful and kind girl. Her mom got a boyfriend and soon after married him. He is a Jehovah Witness; converted their entire family. In high school, she was pulled out to be homeschooled and I lost contact with her. She even deleted all her socials. A few years ago I ran into her at a restaurant I used to work at and she asked to take a picture with me. It always made me so sad that she didn’t desire to switch numbers or anything of that sort. I’ve come to realize it was due to her restrictions within the Jehovah church. It’s really so sad. I hope she’s doing okay.
Trust me, she is doing great, too bad you don't want to investigate her beliefs.
"I hope she’s doing okay." in this cult NEVER BE "ok" if talk about LONG PERIOD of life.
Always begin cultish bullshit after a time and INCREASING crazyness
@@djparsons7363 too bad YOU don't want to investigate YOUR beliefs
@@djparsons7363 trust you why? How do YOU know how this random person on youtube is doing? How arrogant.
No, it wasn't. If you really want to learn about Jehovah's Witnesses, learn from them, please! There is no restrictions as to who you are friends with. But it's true that many follow the biblical advice not to be associated too much with people who do not follow the Bible's standards. If you want to know more ask Jehovah's Witnesses not people who are disgruntled because they failed to follow the God of the Bible.
I've met a few survivors who were trapped in a world of abuse and shame. I know people still who can not integrate very well and are very lonely.
Thank you for speaking out and good luck to everyone who's been sexually abused. If you can, find yourself a good therapist to help with the trauma!
God is the epitome of Holiness because He is sinlessly perfect, A sinner (liar, sexually immoral, taking the Lord’s Name in vain, thief etc) cannot be in the presence of God or else he will be utterly consumed therefore repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour to go to Heaven.
They Just say "Leave it in Jehovah's Hands" meaning "Shut Up"
Exactly!
@@EfrainRiveraJunior So I ask " how do you not know that Jehovah is not using this incident to handle this matter at this time?"
@@eyevanwillaims7368 - That's how I reasoned 30 years ago when Barbara Anderson exposed the CSA issues inside the cult. I eventually stopped lying to myself.
@@eyevanwillaims7368 Because things never get handled… because Armageddon keeps getting pushed back again and again… it’s all a bunch of lies. When you’re force fed lies all of your life, you eventually (hopefully) begin to pull the wool from your eyes. You stop believing the lies.
And to turn your head the other way
It just takes one incident caught on camera, and an organization could fall over time; they tend to hold on to survival mode for a while, and then they're done
They literally tell members not to record judicial meetings with elders. I remember thinking afterwards that I wish I had not listened and recorded the conversation because it showed just how truly clueless the elders in my congregation were to the damage abuse causes people and how they repeated a party line so to speak without actually realizing the information was not accurate.
We wont fall. Only getting bigger
@@lugi25yes. The delusion is getting greater.
I grew up JW but never followed their rules. I thought for myself amd they would tell everyone I was bad association. When I was 17 I wrote them a letter and disassociated myself!
Thank you for bringing light on this dark group. I pray to Jesus Christ every day to bring the revelation to people suffering in this cult that long to truly know and love Him. The cult must and will be stopped in Jesus Mighty Name!
Glad to see you're exposing cults.
Do one about right-wing evangelicals. That cult has caused so many people trauma and PTSD, myself included.
Every denomination of Christendom is a cult in the true sense of the word, JW's are the opposite of a cult.
A load of false accusation and slanderous lies.
@adrianthomas6244 as a former ministry servant that graduated from the Theocratic Ministry School, I can confirm everything here. Your theocratic warfare tactics of lies won't work here, chump.
@@adrianthomas6244 go pray to your suits in New York. Bunch of unchristian loons. Take pilgrimage to North Carolina and have a drink with Tony Morris. Might clear your head.
@@adrianthomas6244 You don't get to choose my experiences and memories for me, or for anyone else.
Grew up in this Cult, i see many family torn apart, including my family, shunning policy ruin my family & friend relationship. Many of my family including myself suffer from mental health issues.
I was approached by 2 young women Jehovah Witnesses today in the park. I spoke to them for about 20 minutes, trying to convince them that God loves them because God is love, not because of their righteous acts. That God is about relationship, not religion.
Jesus is for everybody, not just Jehovah Witnesses. They were very polite & nodded, but I could tell nothing I was saying was getting through & they saw me as decieved by Satan. In the end I told them "God has a freedom for you, and I pray one day you encounter His love because that is what real salvation is."
I pray something I said sticks with these yoing women. They seemed timid, polite, but that it was all part of an act. Not real love for others but an obligation they feel to God to avoid punishment of some type.
Im was raised a Jehovah's witness and strayed. Im back studying and i see Jehovah's power working in my life. I study the Bible intensely now and try to uphold gods commandments. Im no saint and ive done my share of dirt in the world but the world is far more worst. I don't expect all witnesses to be perfect and not have a past however we're here to serve God and to repent for our sins. All religious organizations have imperfections and issues but the mistakes of many don't cover the mistakes of all. I know many outstanding brothers and sisters young and old. I also know Satan is the great deciever. Im not backing down and ill take whatever level of scoffing and ridicule i must in the comment section. Jehovah is my salvation and refuge.
I am still a JW on paper. I walked away a decade ago while I was a ministerial servant and I promise you, though I am not up to date on their new beliefs if there are any or changes in their teachings but if I ever hear real true lies or etc. I will openly tell people they are lying or to stop talking bs. However if they are speaking truth I cannot deny it and to my knowledge and experience this man is sadly not lying he is telling the truth. He is not even bashing JWs
The funny thing they will say his lying he didn’t even explain all about them
@@jaebonjiya1275 he is simply talking about Disfellowshipping the shunning, the sad truth that the Watchtower org. Is not free of chold abuse and is just like most other religions, the fact that we are not part of the world and the things we can and cannot do as jws the fact that you cannot openly disagree with some of their teachings...literally in less than 7 mins said everything every former jw has experienced for the most part and he is not bitter he is not lying
Hi
I tell Jehovah's Witnesses to go through the narrow gate that is on the cramped road leading to life.
.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road ** LEADING OFF INTO LIFE ** and few are the ones finding it.
.
I ask them to read what Jehovah said would happen at the time of the end that is in every Christians bible and yet, few are the ones finding it:
.
Isaiah 66:5
Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU men who are trembling at his word: “YOUR brothers that are hating YOU, that are excluding YOU by reason of my name, said, ‘May Jehovah be glorified!’ He must also appear with rejoicing on YOUR part, and they are the ones that will be put to shame.”
.
[Name of person] is no longer one of JEHOVAH's Witnesses ---->> "excluding YOU by reason of MY NAME"
.
I ask them if they can see Jehovah's promise to disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witnesses:
.
"He must also appear with rejoicing on YOUR part"!
.
I then warn them that, if they go through this narrow gate they will lose their family as a consequence of the Watchtower Societies shunning policies.
.
Then I ask them to read what Jesus Christ said about everlasting life:
.
Mark 10:29-30
Jesus said: “Truly I say to YOU men, No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news 30 who will not get a hundredfold now in this period of time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions, and in the coming system of things ** EVERLASTING LIFE **
.
I then ask them if they want to live forever.
.
I also tell them that they can leave the organization and their congregation with dignity by telling everybody that they believe Jehovah, Jesus Christ and everything else in the bible.
.
Walk out with your head held high and jump for joy when you do.
.
What Jehovah said would happen, is now really happening!
.
That's Good News ................... right!
.
Jesus said: “Truly I say to YOU men, No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS.
.
Hope you realize your mistake and return. The policies on these things has changed but witnesses have always changed for the better. The light gets brighter as time moves
I was abused, a judicial committee was formed and I had to described in detail my abuse...they decided to privately reproved me. My family treated me like i had a disease. Also it was decided not to press charges against the abuser (decisions made by the elders and my mother) All this at the age of 12. Just typing this brings so much pain...
🫂 I'm so sorry
i'm so sorry
😢 wish you the best for the rest of your life ❤
I’m so sorry for your experiences!! Hopefully you have sought some counseling and or healing from this trauma!!
It's never too late to locate the abuser, then fix it.
Man you put words on what I experienced. My father is a Jehovah's witness and my mom is unfellowd, I haven't seen him for one and a half year now and the only thing he reaches to me for is to go to the annual national meeting and for the commemoration of the death of christ. I have not been sexually assaulted but I can say that where I went the two witnesses rule was very common too. What he could say too is the fact that the they blame you if you don't preach enough or if you don't make a statement that you are a jehovah's witness, be it at school (wich is an open door for bulliying) or at work. I hoped for quite some time that my father would get iut of it before going on my own last year. (I'm 17 by the way). I made peace with the fact that I was in the cult for so long and that my father still is a jehovah's witness but I think I can still see the effects of my education in the cult in my values and my subconscious way of thinking. And the fear of going against what others think of is a big thing too.
Damn I wrote alot, thanks if you read it all and if you are in my situation or if you are afraid to get out, I suggest you talk about it with people outside of the cult and your family and you will find a way out, you just have to go for it.
When he starts talking about the Elder that gets taken to court, listen to the key information, and google it...
Creepy.
One word “cult”
Took the words, or in this case, "WORD" right out of my mouth!!
1,000%!!
Cults are literally everywhere.. Technology companies are cults too. You get nothing across
Sect....
Correct
I'm 28,I was DF in 2018 and I haven't heard from my dad a single time. Or any of my friends or anyone I've known my whole life. It's like I just died. If I pass them at the store they just look at the ground or look at me like I'm a disgrace and do not speak. My mom had cancer and died years ago, she survived the surgery but lost alot of blood in the process and died later that night. She would have lived with a blood transfusion but unfortunately that's not allowed. I can't believe more people don't wake up from this bs
And yet Watchtower apologists want to argue that normal family relationships continue. That shunning is a choice.
My cousin hemorrhaged and lost her life after giving birth. Her child is very angry at her grandparents for allowing that to happen.
Wow, that's dark. My experience is different but has some small parallels with yours. Greetings from an "outcast", former Catholic and apostate Costa Rican.
Jehovah's command at Leviticus 17:11, that blood is to be used only for atonement and at Acts 15:20, 29, the command to "abstain from blood" meant nothing to you, in which Esau also did NOT "appreciate sacred things".(Heb 12:16) At Malachi 1:2, 3, it says: "Was not Eʹsau the brother of Jacob?” declares Jehovah. “But I loved Jacob (because he obeyed Jehovah), and Eʹsau I hated; and I made his mountains desolate and left his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness ".
@@EfrainRiveraJuniorit is a choice.
The fact that he needs to hide his identity for fear of being retaliated against by the cult members tells you all you need to know.
Scary knowing these crazies are all around us.. with laws making it illegal to question their motives..
Knocking on randome doors..
Children home alone..
Scary to think about..
the fact that he only refers to the person who both abused him and his daughter about "her" abuser really makes me realize that he hasnt really accepted the fact that hes also a victim. i hope him and his family are doing well
It can be really difficult to accept that reality. The mind has many ways of trying insulate itself from trauma.
Not a word from the family who raised me since 1980. Cult
They just destroy the very essence of us.
“WHOEVER ABANDONS HIS OR HER OWN FAMILY IS EQUIVALENT TO DENIAL OF FAITH AND WORSE THAN UNBELIEVERS.”
Letter to Corinthians
True. Sadly, unless the governing body says that this verse is for everyone (which it is), Jehovah's witnesses won't see that this contradicts with their shunning policy.
I was abused throughout my childhood from 4 years old growing up in that bloody cult. I hate the bastards. I was disfellowshipped for speaking out against them 30 years ago. The family have shunned me ever since. Yet still I cannot get justice. Like so many others who are the victims of abuse by Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Society, which has charitable status in the United Kingdom, they can get away with their crimes scott-free whilst victims like myself are left to pick up the pieces of a tortured childhood for the rest of my/our lives without compensation or any form of help.
This needs a billion views. This needs to be trending. Spread the word about Jehovahs witnesses.
Yes, yes, yes!!!! People need to be aware of what happens behind the closed doors of the congregations, especially when they come through your neighborhoods trying to lure you and your kids in. They need to be exposed for how utterly corrupt they are.
Sadly there's less than 200k views. I wish it had more. It seems the public doesn't care to much about Jehovah's witnesses right now. Maybe after the 2024 presidential elections the news will be looking for some new religious scandals
It would do a lot better if the audio were clearly understandable. Too distorted.
@@lyndylulu2 i though so as well. at least use someone that’s already fully out and wouldn’t mind the media coverage.
Grew up as a Jehovahs Witness. Since leaving (the whole family did) we find that our quality of life has improved greatly. Thank goodness I don't have to do no more 3 day conventions shiiii
Bro those where lo key my fave cus it was the closet to a holiday that we got, and at lunch break we’d get Burger King 😂😂😂😂
I liked the international conventions, but some of the venues would do a number on the cheeks from sitting so long.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
This comment section is breaking my heart. Prayers to all of you who suffered.
I had a weird co worker that was a JW. He talked so bad about them to me the whole time he worked there. He said he only stayed due to his wife. The amount of abuse he disclosed to me was so sad. He said he even went and file a report on an elder for sexually abusing a 12 year old that ended up pregnant. He said i could take that crap no more. Due to him working with kids he was a mandated reporter and he told it all. They opened a case thw family was investigated. They disfellowshiped him after that and 2 weeks later he no longer worked for our company.