"You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity" Video rating - Fucking good. Emotional state - Heartbroken.
*BUT ITS BAIT and SWITCH. JEHOVAH's WITNESS ARE CONSIDERED A CULT BY EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN GROUP ON EARTH. YOU DIDNT FIND IT ODD THAT HE PROPPED UP A CULT and then USED IT TO MAKE CRITICISMS of ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS EVEN THOUGH THEY HARDLY APPLY? YOU REALIZE THAT IS A FALLACY? IT IS A LOGICAL FALLACY TO PROVIE A FRINGE IDEA or CONCEPT and then USE YOUR CRITICISMS of that FRINGE CONCEPT or GROUP or IDEA to CRITICIZE a MAINSTREAM BODY of IDEAS only LOOSELY ASSOCIATED? YA. THIS ENTIRE VIDEO WAS A BRAIN WASHING EXERCISE. I WEEP for the WEAK MINDED*
Those who make accusations are the ones who have something to prove. Quote where this video (or this comment) said that all religious groups are abusive in these ways or that only religious groups commit these abuses. Truth does not exist because one simply presents words. I would also ask, is there a reason for being overly sensitive in this specific matter to where we cannot first care about the victims or about opposing the abusive systems described? Does this mirror reflect uncomfortably?
Try Darkmatter2525 and maybe Alley 43 That other guy who uses simplistic MS paint art for God's menu or order and Noah's Ark where Noah's kids had lice living in their hair
@@hughjanus2781 I mean, would you condemn a child for being indoctrinated into a cult? It’s not exactly related to this conversation, but I’d like to get your opinion.
My family acted as a miniature cult, homeschooling me and allowing me to socialise for the most part exclusively in evangelical church settings. When I was 23 years old, they tried to convince me that the world as-we-know-it was going to end in October 2015. I was mortified by their view of the world and began questioning why they didn't believe God would take care of us, and why I had to participate in their end-of-the-world prepping, which would seclude my family further and further from the world. They began to scapegoat me and emotionally shun me. I had neither a car nor a life outside of my family and church (I even worked at the church), but eventually was able to get a car and stand my ground re: the prepping, and did not help them. The intense scapegoating stopped when the end-of-the-world date came and went and they pretended as if nothing had ever happened and expected me to allow them to sweep everything under the rug. There are many reasons why my narcissistic mother and enabling father decided to use isolationist and controlling methods to keep her children from ever individuating or leaving home, and I have broken away and am creating my own life at age 27... but it still stings. Why do people behave like this and eat their own young?
We are human beings, flawed creatures but that does not mean parents should be allowed to put their own insecurities on the children's life. Human beings can be cruel if given power on everything. I wish you best of luck in your life, career, you will create a beautiful family and heal from the trauma.
Mental health issues. Delusional ideas of world's ending. My parents have that as well. Constantly fearing about how the world is going to end soon and only looking at things that confirm that view such as the recent fires in california and covid spread. They'd hear all of this stuff on the news and go see, we are getting closer towards god's return days. While completing ignoring the fact that shit like this has been around for thousands of years and yet we are still here. Some days are bad while others are good. These two conditions are constantly present. The economy collapses yet there are people out there who are in the process of buying a brand new house and car. Some people just can't see that reality and only focus on one process that confirms their religious biases.
As a former Jehovah's Witness of 31 years who's had his family ripped from him, I want to thank you. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your work sir!
In out family its divided by more popular baptist pentecostal and fringe 7adventist apoligetics... o dear i push them to reason with this channels and now they stop talkin... the wedge strategy is ugly ugly monster
Storytime: A 9 year old was abused in my church by her stepfather. It was the secular aunt that called the cops because the mom said it was the devil using her daughter as a temptation for her husband. I’m serious. Edit: I’m no longer a religious person.
Yes, and orthodox atheists act just the same, "Whew, I'm glad my politics, "ethics" and P$Yence are like that" while they are. I do love many atheists because they are good caring people who seek and see all the similarities throughout the whole mess. I guess it's just that 95% of atheists make all the rest look bad? Pfuh Q, and yer lil dogma too.
@@Questioner365 be careful tho to not get into tribal mentality. Its not just athiests vs theists or whatever other combination of groups. if kids where given the choice to learn about other religions, choose what they support, and let them ask questions, the vast majority, in my opinion, would not be supporting their religion the way most people do now. sorry this would be a more relevant comment if i noticed earlier that you said atheists, instead of theists, that make others look bad. i always though theists condemn atheists (atleast those that are fanatic about their religion) is because of the fact itself that they are atheist
"She told elders unless they did something sheld call the police" "in the following police investigation" It's funny that he just skips over the fact that they did nothing cause its just that obvious they didn't.
Dianna Cryder I know what you mean. It is so painful to realise the extent of the deception that exist to mislead...and so much damage done to those children, many who were brave enough to come forward, only to be betrayed. Shine the light of the truth on them, that is what we can do, and that is what TheraminTrees is doing. So many don't want to know...
We already know this is the real deal... But god, does it feel comfortable to wash it back in the corners of our minds.... Usually his videos restore my hopes for humanity because he's such a swell guy... but this one, he's talking about a reality so grimm that almost does the opposite...
The Church got away with a lot, because no one wanted to believe a priest - a man of God - would, I mean Could abuse children in their care. And then there is the cover up which for awhile worked.
TheraminTrees Wanted to make sure you know about YT channel “Jakke Control” that has all the video of the ARC case study 29. (Edited to correct case study number)
Very important issue. It is happening in far too many faiths too. They set up obstructions, and protections for abusers. It's happening in the Mormon church right now too. They refuse to change their policy of allowing bishops to ask sexually explicit questions to minors behind closed doors. Their response? To excommunicate the member shining a light on this practice.
Actually, it was 45 minutes of atheist stupidity. Institutions of all types tend to do this self-protection thing, but it is repeatedly asserted that the religious nature of these institutions is what made this happen. The fact that an institution and the bureaucrats that run it had a rather small scandal (blown way up by a hateful media) says absolutely nothing about the religious nature of the institution. These sanctimonious atheists couldn't care less about the kids. To them, it's all about using this small thing to discredit the church. Given the scale of the Catholic Church and the scale of it's involvement with children, it was remarkably small.
tarstarkusz He never said religion itself inherently propagates this type of behavior. Quite the contrary, he explained very specific rules in groups like these that its members must follow else they be outcast, shunned, or punished, which leads to systematic abuse. It just so happens that religious groups, which are necessarily based on deception of members, employ these tactics at large in order to achieve that goal. The Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Children of God are all groups that have rules which lead to concealment of abuse like this, and if you have an argument regarding why they aren't, I would be glad to hear it.
Come on tarstarkusz"But these other institutions do it too!" Is not a good defense. Other institutions doing horrible things does not absolve these religions, and their totalitarian systems of their own wrong doing. Stop making this terrible argument. And yes, many of us "atheists" do care about the kids being harmed by this. We want it to stop so they will stop being harmed, we get nothing from that personally. It's called human empathy. Try it, you might like it.
I was a jehovahs witness from age 11 to 15. I left(slowly faded away) on grounds that I felt smothered and my time and energy was becoming more and more dominated by them. In 2010 i did a google research on them and that was the beginning of my path to becoming atheist(I studied many religions as well, but took 4 years). You are the best at examining topics!!!! You put such care, effort, and consideration into it. On top of that, you treat us with animation! Thermin Trees I am so thankful to have found your channel. I have been watching over a year now. I have shared multiple videos of yours. You are a MAJOR positive effect on so many lives even if you are not able to see it everyday. #powerful
I went to school with a number of JW kids and the one word that best describes them all is joyless. Never smiling, never laughing, never involved in anything.
This is sadly ironic, as Jehovah's Witnesses frequently describe themselves as the "happiest people on earth". It's VERY clear that the reality couldn't be further from the truth... 😞😓
@@SonicGamerGirl2006 Even Sisyphus who is eternally damned to move a boulder up a mountain is happier than Jehovah's witnesses. One must imagine Sisyphus happy, TO NOT HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED BY THOSE BASTARDS! Funny how the Jehovah's witnesses try to silence witnesses of abuse.
Thank you all for this accurate portrayal of the JW culture. Having escaped after over 50 plus years I recognise more day by day what a corrupt misguided and deceptive organisation it really is, despite the painful fact of still having many family members trapped inside their 'walls'. Thank you, this work is so useful for any who are starting to question the policies of this cult.
@@Lugo428 Primarily the answer to that question would be yes. According to the definition when something or someone is holy its dedicated to God. Therefore anyone who has not dedicated their life through baptism to Jehovah God would not qualify. Therefore any who are outside of that arrangement or who have been expelled from the Jehovahs Witnesse religion and I would likely think any who after getting baptised and then have left the religion would be classified as un holy.
@chocobonita For me personally it's not the shame that has effected me but more so the anger that comes with the discovery of fraudulent claims. When ones whole life has been dominated by such a controlling organisation the recalibration of one's morals , ethics and being overide any feelings of shame that may of been experienced as a practicing JW.
@chocobonita For sure there is shame involved particularly when one is disfellowshiped and outed in public to the congregation that you are an unrepentant sinner. It's a particularly powerful tool to use on younger ones who will loose close friends and family , right through to older ones too who have built up a long period of 'faithful service'.
I'm sad to hear you weren't looked after. I hope more abuse cover ups will be given substantial media exposure and wake people up to the true nature of these groups.
Thank you for speaking in a calm, reasonable tone. I usually can’t listen to other people’s accounts of sexual abuse, because of my own. I feel enraged, and violated all over again, even decades later, I feel the shame and powerless weakness. Your content is a balm, and I’ve gained some insight from your videos, and that’s led me back to counseling with my support group at the VA. I don’t know why I thought it would be so hard to go back, but they welcomed me like a brother. Again: Thank you.
NY Times Aug. 14, 2018 Bishops and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over a period of 70 years, persuading victims not to report the abuse and law enforcement not to investigate it, according to a searing report issued by a grand jury on Tuesday. The report, which covered six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1,000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The report said there are likely thousands more victims whose records were lost or who were too afraid to come forward. It catalogs horrific instances of abuse: a priest who raped a young girl in the hospital after she had her tonsils out; a victim tied up and whipped with leather straps by a priest; and another priest who was allowed to stay in ministry after impregnating a young girl and arranging for her to have an abortion. The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for more than 15 years, ever since explosive allegations emerged out of Boston in 2002. But even after paying billions of dollars in settlements and adding new prevention programs, the church has been dogged by a scandal that is now reaching its highest ranks. The Pennsylvania report comes soon after the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors. “Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability,” the grand jury wrote. “Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades.” The report is unlikely to lead to new criminal charges or civil lawsuits under the current law because the statute of limitations has expired. Only two of the cases in the report so far have led to criminal charges. End of article. While religious people roleplay about magic, superstition and invisible Jewish zombie overlords, their churches keep molesting children and accumulating material wealth. If you are a xtian, you are responsible for supporting your parasitic priests and your evil church. Civil society isn't pleased to see you. You superstitions are not needed and your invisible friends are false and ridiculous. You are obtuse, arrogant, ignorant and should be ashamed to be a facilitator for those who hurt children. Religion is disgusting and dangerous. STOP NOW.
+Sithis The Void: There was one case where a priest was looking for a hitman to kill off someone. I forgot the details as to why but the hitman he contacted was an undercover cop. I can understand that there is no "You should not abuse children, You should not have sex with underage kids" in the Bible, but the bible does state "You shall not kill". Did he skip over that one?
Another fantastic video. I'm an ExJW and used to be an elder. Everything you said about the JW organization was extremely accurate and true. Thank you for shining this honest light on such a cruel organization. Also, 'preserving the flaws in the formaldehyde of faith'... That is a line I will not forget! I love your work as a whole, but this struck home particularly hard. Cheers from Canada
I've been in a crisis of belief this year. I almost reimbraced religion and god. Thank you TT. Your videos helped get away from those thoughts. They reminded me of the problems I have with religion. And they allowed me to systematize my own thoughts on religon and thereby improve my own arguments and increase my repertoire with arguments you provide.
+JPG: Good. You have built a filter to block out garbage from entering your mind. This is what I wrote as a reply to someone else: I recommend developing a filter. The scientific domain has its own filter. They don't just let anything through the door and into the books. New research has to go through peer review. Anyone should be able to access the research at anytime: today, tomorrow, in 1000 y. Frauds are eventually detected and filtered out. There are no authority figures in science. We don't care if the information comes from Edward Teller or Stephen Hawking. If you DON'T develop a filter for your mind, then any MIND VIRUS can pass through by using the key "faith" and "fear". They will utilize your emotions to their advantage and start asking for money. ~~~~atheism: we will shove logic into your brains.
All is well. TY. Say Hi to Q from the Caribbean. Showed your video to a dear friend who is JW and was an elder. He didn't deny anything but said your books have been deprecated and new books and policy have been implemented. I did not press the matter further since he is a dear friend, but I think he is deluded in his believe.
Had to listen to the whole thing twice. My family was just like this only on an individual family level. On almost every point I can remember a time when one of my parents or siblings did that or something very similar. We lived isolated in rural Missouri. We were taught that the outside authorities were not God's authorities and we thought that at any point the police might come in like Nazis and split us up because we were following God. I didn't find out until I was an adult that my three sisters had been molested and that my mother knew everything and covered it up. Anything that my parents couldn't dominate was forced out of their little hoarding world. Looking back I believe that my parents were loosely associated with other child abusers. I remember them being vehemently opposed to more organized religions such as JW's and Catholics saying that they were 100% satanic. Now it looks suspiciously like they had some knowledge of what went on inside those organizations and didn't want to be associated with them in order to avoid suspicion of their own activities, can't prove it but it makes a lot of pieces fit. I believe that there are a lot of groups like my family that are almost impossible to infiltrate due to small size and paranoia of the outside world but who are connected through unseen networks. The FBI can't do anything with the old information I have and won't even take a report from me. If I had the money for private investigators I bet that I could turn up some recent child abuse without much trouble.
Maybe you could get funding from the ACLU? Maybe you could fund it from the American Humanist Association? How about crowdfunding - www.google.com/search?&q=open+source+crowdfunding+platform ?
Moriarty Vivaldi My father died in 98 and I didn't learn of the sexual abuse until around 2000-2001. At that time I didn't know that someone who has molested a child has most likely molested dozens of children. All his victims and everyone who knew what he was protected him for his whole life, that is still something I don't understand. My mother might still be alive. I haven't talked to her in 17 years or so. The last time I Googled her I didn't find an obituary. She's very old. I never want to be in the same room or even the same city with her again if I can avoid it.
Moriarty Vivaldi He's gone but I fear his legacy lives on in my siblings and in private religious schools and in impenetrable networks of everyday monsters. Being the rejected black sheep turned out to be the luckiest position in the whole family.
The fact that so much abuse can be kept hidden for the most hypocritical, self-serving reasons makes my blood boil. But the fact that someone in the world took the time and effort to make a video exposing these hypocritical, self-righteous predators gives me some hope again for the future. Please never stop your good work, Theremin Trees. 👍
When I told my aunts and mom about my grandfather trying to rape me they sided with him. It was easier for them to hate me for bringing it up, than to expel him from the family.
@@69eddieD did you tell your parents and the authorities now? if not, well depends on the type of parents you have but most of the time you should be able to tell them, but you should always tell the authorities
You had me in tears with this brilliant and extremely powerful video. You absolutely nailed it! I will be forever grateful for your work as it helped me to realise the absurdity and cruelty of JW and biblical beliefs.
"of JW and biblical beliefs." *WELL, AT LEAST YOU UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS ALL ABOUT BAIT and SWITCH even THOUGH IT PROBABLY NEVER REGISTERED that JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE NOT A BIBLE BASED FAITH in the FIRST PLACE*
I'm being shunned by a jovo mother sister and nephew who I brought up. I watched your video and yesterday, after 3 years of absolutely no contact whatsoever , I reached out I received the message don't call again. Heart breaking but least I tried.
I have found that war refugee's need a new extended family as much as I do. Not many people have room in their lives for taking on new people to create new family networks and support because they are too busy with their own families. Also other's who have been shunned might be willing and able to build new structures of support that are similar to family. I find friendships are so earnt and each step is so full of reciprocity and family-like relationships are a bit more excepting of the bad with the good and loving you anyway. All the best. The emotional pain of shunning is intense and the life consequences of having only yourself to turn to (or friends that you have to owe if you ask for a favour) can make life less secure if life hits you with something big.
It's pretty sickening to see what's going on, isn't it. I'll be doing something dedicated to the Australian Royal Commission too. There's so much that needs to be exposed.
TheraminTrees Can’t wait to see it. Hard to deny their own members, on video, saying what they say. Love the “Bending Truth” video. Breaks it down for all to see. Keep up the good work!!
TheraminTrees Also a point I’ve wanted to make to a Jw that relies on “the two witness rule” is if they would also play that card IF their child was abused by a next door neighbor that wasn’t a Jw. What if it was the local pastor that abused their child. Would they use that rule in this case? I think asking this question to a Jw would allow them to see that it’s the perceived clean image they are trying to protect as the cost of their child’s sanity. Also shouldn’t the Jws apologize for condemning the Catholics publicly in their publications since the majority of cases would also not have had two witnesses?
To date, his video on double binds has alerted about 5 of my friends to the narcissists in their family or relationship. These videos have genuinely saved lives. As a youth worker, I send these as resources constantly. Its honestly quite a worry that I use these for people in their early 20s as much as I do. This generation has experienced so much abuse, and are irrevocably mentally changed for life.
A lot of trauma is generational. Things just get past down. Some people have healthy upbringings with loving and accepting families, and those people *need* to know how good they have it, because some people are just another link in a loooooong chain that shackles them to age old traumas.
Had to watch this in two halves with a long break in between, due to how upsetting and infuriating the subject matter is. Thank you for making this video. The more this deep-seated aspect of human behavior is called out and exposed, the greater chance we have of minimizing its power over innocent lives. After finally confronting my own abuse recently (and realizing how my abuser was protected and enabled by the Catholic Church where I was born) I'm realizing how important it is to engage with abuse and fight it. It's unfortunate it takes many years to fully understand the consequences of concealing your own abuse as a victim, but better late than never.
So thorough, accurate, brutally honest and heartbreaking, and yet so visually appealing and pleasant to listen to. I can't escape the thought that there isn't any one (organized) religion where children are safe. The battering of their minds and identities is evident in each and every one, the imprinted fear of an invisible agent, the obligatory attendance, the corporal punishments.
Thanks, fabulous work. I was in the COG for 15 years, and was a whistleblower after leaving. You're totally correct in what you're saying. Again, thanks.
Thank you for sharing that confirmation Sandy. I'm glad you made it out. I know whistleblowers - especially in cases of such extreme abuse - often have the roughest time of all. The abusive group doesn't want to hear - and outsiders don't want to know. I hope you were listened to. Peace.
That whole Children of God cult should be a warning to *anyone* stupid enough to exalt "faith" as a virtue. These people had utmost faith. In their church leaders, and in their god. They were told not to question, so they didn't. *Atrocities so horrible I can barely stand to keep listening ensued.* To quote a great philosopher of our time, "if someone's trying to touch you in a place that makes you uncomfortable, *that's no good!* First, you say no! Then you get outta there!" -S. The H.
I agree with everything you said! (Also, I see that you have watched the Adventures of Sonic and Tails. I have too and I love them.) Nice Sonic Says reference! :)
If I ever become famous, I will shout the name of your channel from the rooftops of the Internet, good sir. Every human being on the planet needs to hear this information. My mother is very religious, never to the extent where she would have covered up child abuse, but enough that she will rationalize immorality in the Bible (slavery, rampant death penalties) with such ease that it's almost shocking to hear. She never addresses my concerns, but instead tells me that I'm rebellious, that I'm too young to understand everything, that I'm arrogant, I just want to sin, that I'll understand once I have a child or experience terrible tragedy. Endless diversions. I asked her to check out your channel, but I'm sure she never will. I've also gone to the websites of the organizations you mention in this video and read through their 'history' pages. It is almost more than I can take to see how they have sanitized their own histories. Not a single mention of the hideous things they have done (all while supposedly getting perfect information from a perfect God), and the way TFI talks about David Berg you would never suspect he did anything other than love Jesus and preach the Bible. Makes me sick, literally sick. Humanity has so far to go still... but maybe we're finally dragging ourselves out of the pit. Can't lose hope, no matter what happens.
I grew up in the children of god. Thank uou for doing such an indepth look into it. Everything about the sexual abuse is true however the physical abuse was even worse. They sent us to camps fir re-education .....
Thank you so much for making these videos! Growing up a JW really messed with my thought processes and these really help me understand and explain why things like this are so wrong. And reinforce why I left and will never look back
"grannylauncher4 days ago @The Truth Channel entertain me with your elaboration" *Because the dispersal of the seeds of knowledge are wasted and indeed go to rot among the sod of fools I shall leave you as I found you... Ignorant, Blind and FOOLISH*
I’ve watched you for years and You’ve been a large part of my personal recovery. I wish you we’ll and I thank you for putting this information out there.
@44:16 "You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity." Hear ye, hear ye! That hit me deep right there. No benevolent group conceals abuse.
"Religion now comes to us in this smiley-faced, ingratiating way because it's had to give so much ground, and because we know so much more. But you have no right to forget the way it behaved when it was strong, and when it really did believe that it had god on its side." -Hitchens
Also, love those little touches. David Berg appears to be standing on an iceberg (lol), the JWs are standing in darkness, and the Pope is standing on an island of gold.
It also turns people into push overs, because they can't defend themselves when someone actually wrongs them. I've seen this happen to loved ones and it makes me cringe.
Theramin, you have done us all a tremendous service here. I have little doubt but that there are some who think that child abuse is the province of the Roman Catholic Church. Your thorough and detailed research shows that wherever there is implacable authority and the expectation of rigid conformity, abuse of children and adults both is more than possible; it is downright LIKELY. Thank you, sir ... very, very much!
Cheers Troubleshooter - yes, there appears to be a distinctive pattern, doesn't there. A pattern of holier-than-thou false image, demanding the denial of abuse, leading to the further abuse of the abused.
You deserve the cheers, my friend. I especially appreciate your thorough list of citations of source and research materials. A doyen police detective could not have asked for better. NOW ... can we PLEASE start seeing some arrests and more - see those arrests fully and blatantly PUBLICIZED?!?
"You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate Humanity." -- this is SO TRUE!!!!! is this quote from you TheraminTrees?
Every time I watch this, the descriptions are positively hellish. Well done, quite simply for making it through the script with a straight voice. I wouldn't be able to.
All religion molest children. The prophet of Islam himself had sex with a child of 9 when he was 55. It is a shame how the regressive left and feminists address Islam.
@@secularvalue1114 it’s not a surprise religion is like this since all religion is made from men and they make the rules that benefit pedophiles and abusers
@@secularvalue1114 try Hinduism There's no child molestation I have found so far in my But I did remember that Lord Shiva was pervertedly spied on his wife, Parvati So there's that ... A god being a perverted annoying prick/Asshole Then there's Judaism which happens to be an ancestor of Christianity Maybe there used to be prostitution back then, there could be a story when man's wife became a prostitute after her 2 previous husbands DIED after doing anal sex which probably pissed off Yahweh
There's a episode of House M.D. (S3 E13, A Needle in a Haystack) where a teenager from a Romani family is brought in, and has to deny an internship at the prestigious hospital he received treatment at, merely because he can't leave his family, the romani commune, as they'd likely reject and separate from him if he did. The family is largely distrustful of the outside world, and he provided many lies before eventually letting on pertinent details. The whole episode, my mind was blaring with red flags and concern for the teenager. It's not clear whether abuse was actually happening, but the ability for it to be covered up, seen as 'okay', and hidden from the world at large was insane.
"Silence restriction" That gave me a lot of flashbacks to when I was a "student" of the troubled teen industry, and the school/cult I was in called that "Intro" or "Introversion." Basically, you had a set amount of time where you were not allowed to talk to other students at all and could only talk to staff members for necessary things. I knew someone who was put on intro for a month as punishment for something that was never reveled, and I was put on it as part of a training. Mine was only for 5-8 hours(I honestly don't remember the exact amount, as I was blindfolded for the majority for it), but it was traumatizing nonetheless.
“...flaws are preserved in the formaldehyde of faith.” Excellent line. I shall use that one if/when I find myself in this conversation with my family member believers.
Then I watched this video I could feel my pulse rising. I have known basically all that was mentioned from other websites newsmedia and TH-cam Videos. But never have I seen so well demonstrated how systematic all the manipulation works in the watchtower society. Thank you so much for your excellent research on this topic.
Excellent! I was a 3 generation jw. First time I have heard your TH-cam presentation. I am now a subscriber. Everything you said was exactly correct. I wish this could be on national television as is the abuse recently in headlines involving priests in Catholic Church. The order of comparison was brilliant!
As an ex-Mormon, when I saw the part about healthy families and manipulative groups, my jaw dropped as I realized that is exactly how Mormonism operates. I only wish I had seen this sooner.
These actions by those who claim to be "the voice of god" angers me to no end. Anyone who still protects these foul and wicked institution are no better than the S.O.B.s who do this. Beware who you stand with!
I have no problem talking to JW or other religious people who try to convert me. Unfortunately they get so offended by my straight talking that they avoided me altogether after only one encounter. Few months ago, a Christian pastor could not last a 45 minutes talk with me. He find excuses to get away. I love talking to these people but they do not like talking to me.
"Few months ago, a Christian pastor could not last a 45 minutes talk with me." *OH, WOW. YOU MUST BE SO INTIMIDATING.I CANT IMAGINE the SHUTTERS YOU GIVE*
Another great and well researched and presented video. It makes me sick that i have family members who are still active JWs and inactive JWs who protect this disgusting group.
listening to this was absolutely gut-wrenching. I have a newfound respect for why my friend in high school that sort of disappeared on me and so frequently seem to be struggling with meeting me at all ended up Vanishing from the school. listening to this really made me worry and wonder where they are now and if they have ever escaped.
I worked with the Cult Awareness Network for over 15 years and recall that ex-members of Berg's Children of God cult were among the most heartbreakingly damaged I'd encountered. I remember one young woman describing how she had tried to starve herself to death when she believed that escape from the cult was impossible. The abominations creatures such as Berg are able to perpetrate on others under the hypnotic influence of religious dogma are truly horrifying.
We need you in the world. Your channel is more relevant in these times of social media now more than ever. Thank you for such amazing and helpful videos.
In a case recently brought to trial, these types of practices have been shown to extend to infantilized adults as well. The Mormon (LDS) church has been brought to trial related to an accusation of rape circa 1985 in their Provo Missionary training center committed by an individual called Joseph Bishop, (ironic surname) who was the president of the Missionary Training Center at the time. He admitted to wrongdoing (conveniently forgetting details and remembering a lesser series of wrongdoings) on tape in an interview with the accuser, who was posing as a reporter doing a story on the church. The church's response and inaction against the accused, as well as attempts to smear the accuser have been telling. The Mormon church has also threatened Sam *Young* (thanks for pointing out my error!) with excommunication for attempting to bring to light the problems of the church's practice of priesthood interviews with children behind closed doors in order to determine the child's sexual purity.
@@TanishaMartin Ha. A Fruedian slip, one could surmise . Here is the link regarding the lawsuit for any curious. www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/us/lds-church-lawsuit-joseph-bishop.html
Unfortunately I could not finish the video. The description of the cult was sick and I cannot imagine anyone living that kind of life. But TheraminTrees is such a great channel.
I often rewatch your videos as a way to keep my head clear and stay aware of people that may try to abuse myself or the people I care for, but I find myself unable to finish rewatching watching this one, hearing the harrowing accounts of abuse within 'The Family'.
I've been watching as many of your videos as I can and every one of them is great, but this one was especially good to me because my aunt is one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I feel really bad for her the more I learn about the organization, it's just plain despicable! Another great job TT!
Thank you for using so much time detailing the situatuon faced by a large number of current and former Jehovah's Witnesses! I know you've briefly alluded to the organisation in earlier videos, and I often wondered if you had much more to say about my former Cult Of Birth. I and most of your current followers are most certainly deeply interested in the subjects that you report on. But I'm curious if you also take any action to promote your channel or the information and references you've compiled to (the unfortunately large majority of) people and organisations who seem content to insulate religious groups from any kind of scrutiny. ... "You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity." I might use a derivation of that in future discussions if you don't mind.
The human animal has had issues with things like human trafficking/ slavery and abuse sadly. Though some would be apologist or find it part of their culture. Also there are odd laws such as forced child marriage being legal , but then having sex with children and human trafficking illegal in the US many places. These things are issues world wide ignored however, and many conspiracy nuts are a problem. Sad thing really that such cults and abuse is something ignored.
40:40 - 41:20 shunning to get loved ones to 'come to their senses' vs. giving the silent treatment to get them to do your bidding and emotional blackmail.
Man I love your videos so much. Thanks so much for putting all this together. I'm sure this method of video production doesn't result in very much pay, but it means a lot to me and many others.
I don't know what to write because this is such a personal issue for me. None of the religions your video listed were the name the religion that did this to me but, still, you described the pattern of what happened to me. Thank you for your work
WOW! This is one of the best videos about JW / ORG I've ever seen. It's right on the money and spoken in a loving way. If a JW can watch this and still defend their faith, they don't have God, humanity, or a functioning brain.
My strong impression is that the organisation is filled with many decent, well-intentioned human beings who've had their humanity crushed down to a fraction of its natural size, and had the resulting vacuum filled with horrible dehumanising scripts by an extremely corrupt leadership. I think unfortunately the pain and depression many of these people experience as a consequence of this suppression of their humanity becomes gradually normalised, so that they no longer question it. But it's a joy to see the transformation that often takes place when people exit this oppressive high-control group, and their humanity re-inflates to its natural size - bringing back an individual who exudes love and kindness - the latter of which is, for me, one of the most conspicuous things to go in malignant environments.
![copying enemies | the after-effects of abuse [cc]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YIQocoxv5tg/mqdefault.jpg)
![copying enemies | the after-effects of abuse [cc]](/img/tr.png)
![creating sickness | recovering from religion [cc]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QRbnws-zITg/mqdefault.jpg)
![letting go of fixing people [cc]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mdDAHekq9yc/mqdefault.jpg)
![losing faith | my departure from theism [cc]](/img/n.gif)
"And only male same-sex couples were forbidden"
Oooooof course...
It's Lot and his daughters, not Lot and his sons, after all.
@@alexanderfo3886 Ah yes I see well that's alright then WAAAAAIT A MINUTE.
He probably didn't want any male members of his congregation asking to sleep with him...
Reminds me of society as a whole
Benjamin Sneyd-Utting he prob just liked to watch lesbians
"People in glass watchtowers shouldn't throw stones."
Incredible.
Aye
@@nesbo7578 signed, thank you for getting the word out!
@@aybee8888 Thank you!
@@nesbo7578 Done !
Yes that cult aka w/t very reserved throwing stones now Internet has been a game changer it's provided rocks to throw back
"You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity"
Video rating - Fucking good. Emotional state - Heartbroken.
*BUT ITS BAIT and SWITCH. JEHOVAH's WITNESS ARE CONSIDERED A CULT BY EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN GROUP ON EARTH. YOU DIDNT FIND IT ODD THAT HE PROPPED UP A CULT and then USED IT TO MAKE CRITICISMS of ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS EVEN THOUGH THEY HARDLY APPLY? YOU REALIZE THAT IS A FALLACY? IT IS A LOGICAL FALLACY TO PROVIE A FRINGE IDEA or CONCEPT and then USE YOUR CRITICISMS of that FRINGE CONCEPT or GROUP or IDEA to CRITICIZE a MAINSTREAM BODY of IDEAS only LOOSELY ASSOCIATED? YA. THIS ENTIRE VIDEO WAS A BRAIN WASHING EXERCISE. I WEEP for the WEAK MINDED*
@@thetruthchannel349 is your keyboard broken?
@@thetruthchannel349 you think that someone would take you seriously, when you even don't know how to behave in public forum;)
*Then PROVE ME WRONG*
Those who make accusations are the ones who have something to prove. Quote where this video (or this comment) said that all religious groups are abusive in these ways or that only religious groups commit these abuses. Truth does not exist because one simply presents words.
I would also ask, is there a reason for being overly sensitive in this specific matter to where we cannot first care about the victims or about opposing the abusive systems described? Does this mirror reflect uncomfortably?
This guy is criminally underrated. He's got more class than any other atheist channel I've seen and twice the quality. Subscribing ASAP
Thank GOD for therimin trees
Yes, I've seen quite a few atheist channels just be hateful, mockful, with no humanity
Try Darkmatter2525 and maybe Alley 43
That other guy who uses simplistic MS paint art for God's menu or order and Noah's Ark where Noah's kids had lice living in their hair
@@bathombre9739 So, what’s wrong with that.
@@hughjanus2781 I mean, would you condemn a child for being indoctrinated into a cult? It’s not exactly related to this conversation, but I’d like to get your opinion.
My family acted as a miniature cult, homeschooling me and allowing me to socialise for the most part exclusively in evangelical church settings. When I was 23 years old, they tried to convince me that the world as-we-know-it was going to end in October 2015. I was mortified by their view of the world and began questioning why they didn't believe God would take care of us, and why I had to participate in their end-of-the-world prepping, which would seclude my family further and further from the world. They began to scapegoat me and emotionally shun me. I had neither a car nor a life outside of my family and church (I even worked at the church), but eventually was able to get a car and stand my ground re: the prepping, and did not help them. The intense scapegoating stopped when the end-of-the-world date came and went and they pretended as if nothing had ever happened and expected me to allow them to sweep everything under the rug. There are many reasons why my narcissistic mother and enabling father decided to use isolationist and controlling methods to keep her children from ever individuating or leaving home, and I have broken away and am creating my own life at age 27... but it still stings. Why do people behave like this and eat their own young?
We are human beings, flawed creatures but that does not mean parents should be allowed to put their own insecurities on the children's life. Human beings can be cruel if given power on everything. I wish you best of luck in your life, career, you will create a beautiful family and heal from the trauma.
Did you have any soccer parents? Maybe a Soccer mom ...
Mental health issues. Delusional ideas of world's ending. My parents have that as well. Constantly fearing about how the world is going to end soon and only looking at things that confirm that view such as the recent fires in california and covid spread. They'd hear all of this stuff on the news and go see, we are getting closer towards god's return days. While completing ignoring the fact that shit like this has been around for thousands of years and yet we are still here. Some days are bad while others are good. These two conditions are constantly present. The economy collapses yet there are people out there who are in the process of buying a brand new house and car. Some people just can't see that reality and only focus on one process that confirms their religious biases.
Because they're stupid, literally.
sounds exactly like my situation but with Pentecostal Christian
“Have you heard the word of jehovah?” “Didn’t you guys die in 1975?”
Underrated lol
@吴有训 One-hundred sixty nine.
256, byte limit
368, apparently a Leyland number
As a former Jehovah's Witness of 31 years who's had his family ripped from him, I want to thank you. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your work sir!
The Pale Emperor. you lost 31 years and lost your family to the JWs, but you have the rest of your life to live an authentic life.
Great job on getting out!
Best of luck to you.
He's just doing his job
Unlike any God he's a REAL Hero
31 years too long mate. Seriously
In out family its divided by more popular baptist pentecostal and fringe 7adventist apoligetics... o dear i push them to reason with this channels and now they stop talkin... the wedge strategy is ugly ugly monster
Storytime: A 9 year old was abused in my church by her stepfather. It was the secular aunt that called the cops because the mom said it was the devil using her daughter as a temptation for her husband. I’m serious. Edit: I’m no longer a religious person.
Horrific
I'm sorry to hear that. It's a shame that not all stories get to have happy endings...
At least, not immediately...
the worst part is that any religious people watching this will say "phew, i'm glad my religion doesn't do that! Mine is the good one!"
Yes, and orthodox atheists act just the same, "Whew, I'm glad my politics, "ethics" and P$Yence are like that" while they are. I do love many atheists because they are good caring people who seek and see all the similarities throughout the whole mess. I guess it's just that 95% of atheists make all the rest look bad? Pfuh Q, and yer lil dogma too.
@@Questioner365 be careful tho to not get into tribal mentality. Its not just athiests vs theists or whatever other combination of groups. if kids where given the choice to learn about other religions, choose what they support, and let them ask questions, the vast majority, in my opinion, would not be supporting their religion the way most people do now. sorry this would be a more relevant comment if i noticed earlier that you said atheists, instead of theists, that make others look bad. i always though theists condemn atheists (atleast those that are fanatic about their religion) is because of the fact itself that they are atheist
@@kirtil5177 He not only misspelled "science", but used a dollar sign. Do not engage in good faith with idiots.
Lunathemoon you’re right my religion is better than your ha ha ❤
@@Questioner365"$cicne"
"She told elders unless they did something sheld call the police"
"in the following police investigation"
It's funny that he just skips over the fact that they did nothing cause its just that obvious they didn't.
I'm sorry. I can't do this. It just hurts too much. Maybe later. Don't stop. Keep trying. Do what you can do.
Dianna Cryder
I know what you mean. It is so painful to realise the extent of the deception that exist to mislead...and so much damage done to those children, many who were brave enough to come forward, only to be betrayed. Shine the light of the truth on them, that is what we can do, and that is what TheraminTrees is doing.
So many don't want to know...
We already know this is the real deal... But god, does it feel comfortable to wash it back in the corners of our minds....
Usually his videos restore my hopes for humanity because he's such a swell guy... but this one, he's talking about a reality so grimm that almost does the opposite...
The Church got away with a lot, because no one wanted to believe a priest - a man of God - would, I mean Could abuse children in their care.
And then there is the cover up which for awhile worked.
Hugs.
It took me almost two hours to get through this…
Simply wonderful. Your observations were, as always, ruthlessly accurate. Thank you for shining a bright light on this important issue!
TheraminTrees Wanted to make sure you know about YT channel “Jakke Control” that has all the video of the ARC case study 29. (Edited to correct case study number)
Very important issue. It is happening in far too many faiths too. They set up obstructions, and protections for abusers. It's happening in the Mormon church right now too. They refuse to change their policy of allowing bishops to ask sexually explicit questions to minors behind closed doors. Their response? To excommunicate the member shining a light on this practice.
Actually, it was 45 minutes of atheist stupidity. Institutions of all types tend to do this self-protection thing, but it is repeatedly asserted that the religious nature of these institutions is what made this happen.
The fact that an institution and the bureaucrats that run it had a rather small scandal (blown way up by a hateful media) says absolutely nothing about the religious nature of the institution.
These sanctimonious atheists couldn't care less about the kids. To them, it's all about using this small thing to discredit the church. Given the scale of the Catholic Church and the scale of it's involvement with children, it was remarkably small.
tarstarkusz He never said religion itself inherently propagates this type of behavior. Quite the contrary, he explained very specific rules in groups like these that its members must follow else they be outcast, shunned, or punished, which leads to systematic abuse. It just so happens that religious groups, which are necessarily based on deception of members, employ these tactics at large in order to achieve that goal.
The Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Children of God are all groups that have rules which lead to concealment of abuse like this, and if you have an argument regarding why they aren't, I would be glad to hear it.
Come on tarstarkusz"But these other institutions do it too!" Is not a good defense. Other institutions doing horrible things does not absolve these religions, and their totalitarian systems of their own wrong doing. Stop making this terrible argument. And yes, many of us "atheists" do care about the kids being harmed by this. We want it to stop so they will stop being harmed, we get nothing from that personally. It's called human empathy. Try it, you might like it.
I was a jehovahs witness from age 11 to 15. I left(slowly faded away) on grounds that I felt smothered and my time and energy was becoming more and more dominated by them. In 2010 i did a google research on them and that was the beginning of my path to becoming atheist(I studied many religions as well, but took 4 years). You are the best at examining topics!!!! You put such care, effort, and consideration into it. On top of that, you treat us with animation! Thermin Trees I am so thankful to have found your channel. I have been watching over a year now. I have shared multiple videos of yours. You are a MAJOR positive effect on so many lives even if you are not able to see it everyday. #powerful
@Epic They might be talking about agnostic atheism.
@Epic is it relevant?
@@Depressed_Spider I love seeing responses to an obviously trolling account and clicking their name to see they've been banned 😂
@@FishyBoi1337 You mean to tell me someone would bait me on the internet? Nah, that would be mean.
I went to school with a number of JW kids and the one word that best describes them all is joyless. Never smiling, never laughing, never involved in anything.
I was that kid, and that describes me exactly
This is sadly ironic, as Jehovah's Witnesses frequently describe themselves as the "happiest people on earth". It's VERY clear that the reality couldn't be further from the truth... 😞😓
@@SonicGamerGirl2006 Even Sisyphus who is eternally damned to move a boulder up a mountain is happier than Jehovah's witnesses. One must imagine Sisyphus happy, TO NOT HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED BY THOSE BASTARDS! Funny how the Jehovah's witnesses try to silence witnesses of abuse.
As an ex-jw, you're exactly right
Thank you all for this accurate portrayal of the JW culture. Having escaped after over 50 plus years I recognise more day by day what a corrupt misguided and deceptive organisation it really is, despite the painful fact of still having many family members trapped inside their 'walls'. Thank you, this work is so useful for any who are starting to question the policies of this cult.
Question. Is it true that JWs think of those outside the organization as unholy?
@@Lugo428 Primarily the answer to that question would be yes. According to the definition when something or someone is holy its dedicated to God. Therefore anyone who has not dedicated their life through baptism to Jehovah God would not qualify. Therefore any who are outside of that arrangement or who have been expelled from the Jehovahs Witnesse religion and I would likely think any who after getting baptised and then have left the religion would be classified as un holy.
@chocobonita For me personally it's not the shame that has effected me but more so the anger that comes with the discovery of fraudulent claims. When ones whole life has been dominated by such a controlling organisation the recalibration of one's morals , ethics and being overide any feelings of shame that may of been experienced as a practicing JW.
@chocobonita For sure there is shame involved particularly when one is disfellowshiped and outed in public to the congregation that you are an unrepentant sinner. It's a particularly powerful tool to use on younger ones who will loose close friends and family , right through to older ones too who have built up a long period of 'faithful service'.
Hurdy Gurdy wouldn’t an elder leader leaving and criticizing be a critical blow, regardless of dismissal?
"In groups that claim timeless divine authority, flaws are preserved in the formaldehyde of faith. " Hot damn... Hot damn that is the truth...
Thank you. As a victim of abuse that was covered up, I appreciate all the time and research you put into this.
I'm sad to hear you weren't looked after. I hope more abuse cover ups will be given substantial media exposure and wake people up to the true nature of these groups.
Thank you for speaking in a calm, reasonable tone. I usually can’t listen to other people’s accounts of sexual abuse, because of my own. I feel enraged, and violated all over again, even decades later, I feel the shame and powerless weakness.
Your content is a balm, and I’ve gained some insight from your videos, and that’s led me back to counseling with my support group at the VA.
I don’t know why I thought it would be so hard to go back, but they welcomed me like a brother.
Again: Thank you.
I'm glad the content has helped. Great that you've got a good support group there.
NY Times Aug. 14, 2018
Bishops and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over a period of 70 years, persuading victims not to report the abuse and law enforcement not to investigate it, according to a searing report issued by a grand jury on Tuesday.
The report, which covered six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1,000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The report said there are likely thousands more victims whose records were lost or who were too afraid to come forward.
It catalogs horrific instances of abuse: a priest who raped a young girl in the hospital after she had her tonsils out; a victim tied up and whipped with leather straps by a priest; and another priest who was allowed to stay in ministry after impregnating a young girl and arranging for her to have an abortion.
The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for more than 15 years, ever since explosive allegations emerged out of Boston in 2002. But even after paying billions of dollars in settlements and adding new prevention programs, the church has been dogged by a scandal that is now reaching its highest ranks. The Pennsylvania report comes soon after the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors.
“Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability,” the grand jury wrote. “Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades.”
The report is unlikely to lead to new criminal charges or civil lawsuits under the current law because the statute of limitations has expired. Only two of the cases in the report so far have led to criminal charges. End of article.
While religious people roleplay about magic, superstition and invisible Jewish zombie overlords, their churches keep molesting children and accumulating material wealth.
If you are a xtian, you are responsible for supporting your parasitic priests and your evil church. Civil society isn't pleased to see you. You superstitions are not needed and your invisible friends are false and ridiculous. You are obtuse, arrogant, ignorant and should be ashamed to be a facilitator for those who hurt children.
Religion is disgusting and dangerous. STOP NOW.
+Sithis The Void:
There was one case where a priest was looking for a hitman to kill off someone. I forgot the details as to why but the hitman he contacted was an undercover cop.
I can understand that there is no "You should not abuse children, You should not have sex with underage kids" in the Bible, but the bible does state "You shall not kill". Did he skip over that one?
Another fantastic video. I'm an ExJW and used to be an elder. Everything you said about the JW organization was extremely accurate and true. Thank you for shining this honest light on such a cruel organization. Also, 'preserving the flaws in the formaldehyde of faith'... That is a line I will not forget!
I love your work as a whole, but this struck home particularly hard.
Cheers from Canada
glad to see you got out, mate
I've been in a crisis of belief this year. I almost reimbraced religion and god.
Thank you TT. Your videos helped get away from those thoughts. They reminded me of the problems I have with religion.
And they allowed me to systematize my own thoughts on religon and thereby improve my own arguments and increase my repertoire with arguments you provide.
+JPG:
Good. You have built a filter to block out garbage from entering your mind.
This is what I wrote as a reply to someone else:
I recommend developing a filter.
The scientific domain has its own filter. They don't just let anything through the door and into the books. New research has to go through peer review. Anyone should be able to access the research at anytime: today, tomorrow, in 1000 y. Frauds are eventually detected and filtered out. There are no authority figures in science. We don't care if the information comes from Edward Teller or Stephen Hawking.
If you DON'T develop a filter for your mind, then any MIND VIRUS can pass through by using the key "faith" and "fear". They will utilize your emotions to their advantage and start asking for money.
~~~~atheism: we will shove logic into your brains.
Understand how your brain was programmed at a young age to have these crisis of belief.
Excellence among excellence. Is a privilege and honor to have you in youtube disseminating knowledge and reason. Thank You!
You're very kind J. I hope you're well.
All is well. TY. Say Hi to Q from the Caribbean.
Showed your video to a dear friend who is JW and was an elder. He didn't deny anything but said your books have been deprecated and new books and policy have been implemented. I did not press the matter further since he is a dear friend, but I think he is deluded in his believe.
That was tough to listen to, hearing about people being as grotesque as possible.
Had to listen to the whole thing twice. My family was just like this only on an individual family level. On almost every point I can remember a time when one of my parents or siblings did that or something very similar. We lived isolated in rural Missouri. We were taught that the outside authorities were not God's authorities and we thought that at any point the police might come in like Nazis and split us up because we were following God. I didn't find out until I was an adult that my three sisters had been molested and that my mother knew everything and covered it up. Anything that my parents couldn't dominate was forced out of their little hoarding world.
Looking back I believe that my parents were loosely associated with other child abusers. I remember them being vehemently opposed to more organized religions such as JW's and Catholics saying that they were 100% satanic. Now it looks suspiciously like they had some knowledge of what went on inside those organizations and didn't want to be associated with them in order to avoid suspicion of their own activities, can't prove it but it makes a lot of pieces fit. I believe that there are a lot of groups like my family that are almost impossible to infiltrate due to small size and paranoia of the outside world but who are connected through unseen networks. The FBI can't do anything with the old information I have and won't even take a report from me. If I had the money for private investigators I bet that I could turn up some recent child abuse without much trouble.
Maybe you could get funding from the ACLU? Maybe you could fund it from the American Humanist Association? How about crowdfunding - www.google.com/search?&q=open+source+crowdfunding+platform ?
Drogo Baggins Are your parents alive?
farvision
I don't see how it would work. I've never heard of those organizations doing anything like what I need.
Moriarty Vivaldi
My father died in 98 and I didn't learn of the sexual abuse until around 2000-2001. At that time I didn't know that someone who has molested a child has most likely molested dozens of children. All his victims and everyone who knew what he was protected him for his whole life, that is still something I don't understand.
My mother might still be alive. I haven't talked to her in 17 years or so. The last time I Googled her I didn't find an obituary. She's very old. I never want to be in the same room or even the same city with her again if I can avoid it.
Moriarty Vivaldi
He's gone but I fear his legacy lives on in my siblings and in private religious schools and in impenetrable networks of everyday monsters. Being the rejected black sheep turned out to be the luckiest position in the whole family.
The fact that so much abuse can be kept hidden for the most hypocritical, self-serving reasons makes my blood boil.
But the fact that someone in the world took the time and effort to make a video exposing these hypocritical, self-righteous predators gives me some hope again for the future.
Please never stop your good work, Theremin Trees. 👍
Hello FTD tutorial man
When I told my aunts and mom about my grandfather trying to rape me they sided with him. It was easier for them to hate me for bringing it up, than to expel him from the family.
I already knew that I couldn't talk about sexual abuse with my parents or any authorities, so I just dealt with it.
@@69eddieD did you tell your parents and the authorities now? if not, well depends on the type of parents you have but most of the time you should be able to tell them, but you should always tell the authorities
This is very insightful, but god, it's dark.... I need some cat videos now...
Yeah... I took a break to play Drawception during this - that restored my resolve and (I hesitate to use the phrase) faith in humanity :)
I just decided to not watch two TheraminTrees videos in a row. I know, I’m looking away...
…and include a #Zamboni
@@stepexgd6628 It just means you're human
I recommend ChipFlake, Planet Dolan and Katzun
Maybe that Christmas Cat music video
As Calvin said, "It's hard to be religious when certain people aren't struck by lightning." David Berg, I'm looking at you.
This hits too close to home. Thank you so much.
You had me in tears with this brilliant and extremely powerful video. You absolutely nailed it! I will be forever grateful for your work as it helped me to realise the absurdity and cruelty of JW and biblical beliefs.
haha nailed
"of JW and biblical beliefs."
*WELL, AT LEAST YOU UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS ALL ABOUT BAIT and SWITCH even THOUGH IT PROBABLY NEVER REGISTERED that JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE NOT A BIBLE BASED FAITH in the FIRST PLACE*
@@thetruthchannel349 The Catholic Church is. Plenty of child molestation there. I assume that's different, though?
@@JamesiaInc "I assume that's different, though?" *'ARE NOT A BIBLE BASED FAITH in the FIRST PLACE"*
@@thetruthchannel349 Right, so the bible-based Catholic religion is not bible-based.
What's it like, having a Teflon religion?
I'm being shunned by a jovo mother sister and nephew who I brought up. I watched your video and yesterday, after 3 years of absolutely no contact whatsoever , I reached out I received the message don't call again. Heart breaking but least I tried.
I have found that war refugee's need a new extended family as much as I do. Not many people have room in their lives for taking on new people to create new family networks and support because they are too busy with their own families. Also other's who have been shunned might be willing and able to build new structures of support that are similar to family. I find friendships are so earnt and each step is so full of reciprocity and family-like relationships are a bit more excepting of the bad with the good and loving you anyway. All the best. The emotional pain of shunning is intense and the life consequences of having only yourself to turn to (or friends that you have to owe if you ask for a favour) can make life less secure if life hits you with something big.
I am so sorry, I hope you are better these days, you aren't at fault at all and I respect you for your strength
they're trash. dont feel so bad
It's for the better.
Thank you for directing some attention to this problem.
It's pretty sickening to see what's going on, isn't it. I'll be doing something dedicated to the Australian Royal Commission too. There's so much that needs to be exposed.
TheraminTrees Can’t wait to see it. Hard to deny their own members, on video, saying what they say.
Love the “Bending Truth” video. Breaks it down for all to see. Keep up the good work!!
TheraminTrees Also a point I’ve wanted to make to a Jw that relies on “the two witness rule” is if they would also play that card IF their child was abused by a next door neighbor that wasn’t a Jw. What if it was the local pastor that abused their child. Would they use that rule in this case? I think asking this question to a Jw would allow them to see that it’s the perceived clean image they are trying to protect as the cost of their child’s sanity.
Also shouldn’t the Jws apologize for condemning the Catholics publicly in their publications since the majority of cases would also not have had two witnesses?
To date, his video on double binds has alerted about 5 of my friends to the narcissists in their family or relationship. These videos have genuinely saved lives. As a youth worker, I send these as resources constantly. Its honestly quite a worry that I use these for people in their early 20s as much as I do. This generation has experienced so much abuse, and are irrevocably mentally changed for life.
A lot of trauma is generational. Things just get past down.
Some people have healthy upbringings with loving and accepting families, and those people *need* to know how good they have it, because some people are just another link in a loooooong chain that shackles them to age old traumas.
Had to watch this in two halves with a long break in between, due to how upsetting and infuriating the subject matter is. Thank you for making this video. The more this deep-seated aspect of human behavior is called out and exposed, the greater chance we have of minimizing its power over innocent lives. After finally confronting my own abuse recently (and realizing how my abuser was protected and enabled by the Catholic Church where I was born) I'm realizing how important it is to engage with abuse and fight it. It's unfortunate it takes many years to fully understand the consequences of concealing your own abuse as a victim, but better late than never.
So thorough, accurate, brutally honest and heartbreaking, and yet so visually appealing and pleasant to listen to.
I can't escape the thought that there isn't any one (organized) religion where children are safe. The battering of their minds and identities is evident in each and every one, the imprinted fear of an invisible agent, the obligatory attendance, the corporal punishments.
This was the video that woke me up from the JW mind control.
Thank you.
Thanks, fabulous work. I was in the COG for 15 years, and was a whistleblower after leaving. You're totally correct in what you're saying. Again, thanks.
Thank you for sharing that confirmation Sandy. I'm glad you made it out. I know whistleblowers - especially in cases of such extreme abuse - often have the roughest time of all. The abusive group doesn't want to hear - and outsiders don't want to know. I hope you were listened to. Peace.
That whole Children of God cult should be a warning to *anyone* stupid enough to exalt "faith" as a virtue. These people had utmost faith. In their church leaders, and in their god. They were told not to question, so they didn't. *Atrocities so horrible I can barely stand to keep listening ensued.*
To quote a great philosopher of our time, "if someone's trying to touch you in a place that makes you uncomfortable, *that's no good!* First, you say no! Then you get outta there!" -S. The H.
I agree with everything you said! (Also, I see that you have watched the Adventures of Sonic and Tails. I have too and I love them.) Nice Sonic Says reference! :)
If I ever become famous, I will shout the name of your channel from the rooftops of the Internet, good sir. Every human being on the planet needs to hear this information. My mother is very religious, never to the extent where she would have covered up child abuse, but enough that she will rationalize immorality in the Bible (slavery, rampant death penalties) with such ease that it's almost shocking to hear. She never addresses my concerns, but instead tells me that I'm rebellious, that I'm too young to understand everything, that I'm arrogant, I just want to sin, that I'll understand once I have a child or experience terrible tragedy. Endless diversions. I asked her to check out your channel, but I'm sure she never will.
I've also gone to the websites of the organizations you mention in this video and read through their 'history' pages. It is almost more than I can take to see how they have sanitized their own histories. Not a single mention of the hideous things they have done (all while supposedly getting perfect information from a perfect God), and the way TFI talks about David Berg you would never suspect he did anything other than love Jesus and preach the Bible. Makes me sick, literally sick. Humanity has so far to go still... but maybe we're finally dragging ourselves out of the pit. Can't lose hope, no matter what happens.
I grew up in the children of god. Thank uou for doing such an indepth look into it. Everything about the sexual abuse is true however the physical abuse was even worse. They sent us to camps fir re-education .....
Always top tier content from one of the veterans of Old TH-cam
Yaaaas! I've been waiting so long for another video. I love this channel so much!
Thank you so much for making these videos! Growing up a JW really messed with my thought processes and these really help me understand and explain why things like this are so wrong. And reinforce why I left and will never look back
God, this is really heavy stuff...
*ONLY IF YOURE NOT SHARP ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS HES ATTEMPTING TO DO which VERY DISHONEST*
@@thetruthchannel349 entertain me with your elaboration
@@thetruthchannel349 oh so you are one of those that knows mind of God, very interesting:)
"tgstudio8515 minutes ago
@The Truth Channel oh so you are one of those that knows mind of God"
*Actually, Yes. I am*
"grannylauncher4 days ago
@The Truth Channel entertain me with your elaboration"
*Because the dispersal of the seeds of knowledge are wasted and indeed go to rot among the sod of fools I shall leave you as I found you... Ignorant, Blind and FOOLISH*
Can't reiterate enough how good these videos are. But so depressing that there is so much misery and evil in the world.
I’ve watched you for years and You’ve been a large part of my personal recovery. I wish you we’ll and I thank you for putting this information out there.
Hats off !! Not five or ten stars, it's a 100 stars merit. Best video of August
@44:16 "You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity."
Hear ye, hear ye!
That hit me deep right there. No benevolent group conceals abuse.
"Religion now comes to us in this smiley-faced, ingratiating way because it's had to give so much ground, and because we know so much more. But you have no right to forget the way it behaved when it was strong, and when it really did believe that it had god on its side." -Hitchens
Also, love those little touches. David Berg appears to be standing on an iceberg (lol), the JWs are standing in darkness, and the Pope is standing on an island of gold.
I'm getting addicted to this channel. Thanks for being our voice!
holy frick really unexpected to see you here, hello fellow classical music fan
It also turns people into push overs, because they can't defend themselves when someone actually wrongs them. I've seen this happen to loved ones and it makes me cringe.
Learned helplessness
its strange how something based in percieved holyness, can turn so obviously unholy.
Theramin, you have done us all a tremendous service here. I have little doubt but that there are some who think that child abuse is the province of the Roman Catholic Church. Your thorough and detailed research shows that wherever there is implacable authority and the expectation of rigid conformity, abuse of children and adults both is more than possible; it is downright LIKELY.
Thank you, sir ... very, very much!
Cheers Troubleshooter - yes, there appears to be a distinctive pattern, doesn't there. A pattern of holier-than-thou false image, demanding the denial of abuse, leading to the further abuse of the abused.
You deserve the cheers, my friend. I especially appreciate your thorough list of citations of source and research materials. A doyen police detective could not have asked for better. NOW ... can we PLEASE start seeing some arrests and more - see those arrests fully and blatantly PUBLICIZED?!?
"You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate Humanity." -- this is SO TRUE!!!!!
is this quote from you TheraminTrees?
Always happy to see TheraminTrees! :)
Every time I watch this, the descriptions are positively hellish.
Well done, quite simply for making it through the script with a straight voice. I wouldn't be able to.
Not enough words in the English language to express the extreme gratitude I feel just want to say THANK YOU! ❤ your video saved me million time over
Just out of curiosity, do you know of any large Christian groups that AREN'T covering up widespread child molestation?
All religion molest children. The prophet of Islam himself had sex with a child of 9 when he was 55. It is a shame how the regressive left and feminists address Islam.
@@secularvalue1114 it’s not a surprise religion is like this since all religion is made from men and they make the rules that benefit pedophiles and abusers
Try the Middle East or Mexico
Maybe Brazil
@@secularvalue1114 try Hinduism
There's no child molestation I have found so far in my
But I did remember that Lord Shiva was pervertedly spied on his wife, Parvati
So there's that ...
A god being a perverted annoying prick/Asshole
Then there's Judaism which happens to be an ancestor of Christianity
Maybe there used to be prostitution back then, there could be a story when man's wife became a prostitute after her 2 previous husbands DIED after doing anal sex which probably pissed off Yahweh
@@nyu-chan3138 true
I thought that it was made by wives in order to control men
There's a episode of House M.D. (S3 E13, A Needle in a Haystack) where a teenager from a Romani family is brought in, and has to deny an internship at the prestigious hospital he received treatment at, merely because he can't leave his family, the romani commune, as they'd likely reject and separate from him if he did. The family is largely distrustful of the outside world, and he provided many lies before eventually letting on pertinent details.
The whole episode, my mind was blaring with red flags and concern for the teenager. It's not clear whether abuse was actually happening, but the ability for it to be covered up, seen as 'okay', and hidden from the world at large was insane.
"Silence restriction"
That gave me a lot of flashbacks to when I was a "student" of the troubled teen industry, and the school/cult I was in called that "Intro" or "Introversion." Basically, you had a set amount of time where you were not allowed to talk to other students at all and could only talk to staff members for necessary things. I knew someone who was put on intro for a month as punishment for something that was never reveled, and I was put on it as part of a training. Mine was only for 5-8 hours(I honestly don't remember the exact amount, as I was blindfolded for the majority for it), but it was traumatizing nonetheless.
This man could read the dictionary then the phone book to me and I would be invested because you have a amazing voice
It's obvious that a lot of research went into this video. Thank you for a very informative report on the subject.
What an excellent video! Thank you so much for putting this together.
Cheers Susan
all i can say is thank you for this and every other video you've made. thank you. your videos hit home.
your channel blew my mind. this might sound dramatic but thank you for saving me.
“...flaws are preserved in the formaldehyde of faith.” Excellent line. I shall use that one if/when I find myself in this conversation with my family member believers.
"Silence does not imply peace and harmony."
Then I watched this video I could feel my pulse rising. I have known basically all that was mentioned from other websites newsmedia and TH-cam Videos. But never have I seen so well demonstrated how systematic all the manipulation works in the watchtower society. Thank you so much for your excellent research on this topic.
Thank you... The best video I have seen all year
Excellent! I was a 3 generation jw. First time I have heard your TH-cam presentation. I am now a subscriber. Everything you said was exactly correct. I wish this could be on national television as is the abuse recently in headlines involving priests in Catholic Church. The order of comparison was brilliant!
As an ex-Mormon, when I saw the part about healthy families and manipulative groups, my jaw dropped as I realized that is exactly how Mormonism operates. I only wish I had seen this sooner.
These actions by those who claim to be "the voice of god" angers me to no end.
Anyone who still protects these foul and wicked institution are no better than the S.O.B.s who do this. Beware who you stand with!
Despite how calmly you laid all this information out, I just kept getting more and more pissed off
Fantastic as usual. The "formaldehyde of faith" line was brilliant.
I have no problem talking to JW or other religious people who try to convert me. Unfortunately they get so offended by my straight talking that they avoided me altogether after only one encounter. Few months ago, a Christian pastor could not last a 45 minutes talk with me. He find excuses to get away. I love talking to these people but they do not like talking to me.
"Few months ago, a Christian pastor could not last a 45 minutes talk with me."
*OH, WOW. YOU MUST BE SO INTIMIDATING.I CANT IMAGINE the SHUTTERS YOU GIVE*
*You people and youre made up bullshit is actually funnier than the crud in the videos*
@@thetruthchannel349
"Shudders," not "shutters."
@The Truth Channel
Kylie isn’t a window seller.
Another great and well researched and presented video. It makes me sick that i have family members who are still active JWs and inactive JWs who protect this disgusting group.
listening to this was absolutely gut-wrenching. I have a newfound respect for why my friend in high school that sort of disappeared on me and so frequently seem to be struggling with meeting me at all ended up Vanishing from the school. listening to this really made me worry and wonder where they are now and if they have ever escaped.
I worked with the Cult Awareness Network for over 15 years and recall that ex-members of Berg's Children of God cult were among the most heartbreakingly damaged I'd encountered. I remember one young woman describing how she had tried to starve herself to death when she believed that escape from the cult was impossible. The abominations creatures such as Berg are able to perpetrate on others under the hypnotic influence of religious dogma are truly horrifying.
Profound, uplifting, beautiful, powerful, graceful, brilliant, remarkable level of insight. Thank you for sharing.
We need you in the world. Your channel is more relevant in these times of social media now more than ever. Thank you for such amazing and helpful videos.
A wonderful video as always!
Cheers Nemo!
WOW ,WOW ! PERFECT AND 110% ON THE CULTS AND THE ONE I WAS IN WATCHTOWER !
In a case recently brought to trial, these types of practices have been shown to extend to infantilized adults as well. The Mormon (LDS) church has been brought to trial related to an accusation of rape circa 1985 in their Provo Missionary training center committed by an individual called Joseph Bishop, (ironic surname) who was the president of the Missionary Training Center at the time. He admitted to wrongdoing (conveniently forgetting details and remembering a lesser series of wrongdoings) on tape in an interview with the accuser, who was posing as a reporter doing a story on the church. The church's response and inaction against the accused, as well as attempts to smear the accuser have been telling. The Mormon church has also threatened Sam *Young* (thanks for pointing out my error!) with excommunication for attempting to bring to light the problems of the church's practice of priesthood interviews with children behind closed doors in order to determine the child's sexual purity.
Sam *Young, but yes, thank you for pointing this out!
@@TanishaMartin Ha. A Fruedian slip, one could surmise . Here is the link regarding the lawsuit for any curious. www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/us/lds-church-lawsuit-joseph-bishop.html
Unfortunately I could not finish the video. The description of the cult was sick and I cannot imagine anyone living that kind of life. But TheraminTrees is such a great channel.
I often rewatch your videos as a way to keep my head clear and stay aware of people that may try to abuse myself or the people I care for, but I find myself unable to finish rewatching watching this one, hearing the harrowing accounts of abuse within 'The Family'.
I've been watching as many of your videos as I can and every one of them is great, but this one was especially good to me because my aunt is one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I feel really bad for her the more I learn about the organization, it's just plain despicable! Another great job TT!
Thank you for using so much time detailing the situatuon faced by a large number of current and former Jehovah's Witnesses! I know you've briefly alluded to the organisation in earlier videos, and I often wondered if you had much more to say about my former Cult Of Birth.
I and most of your current followers are most certainly deeply interested in the subjects that you report on. But I'm curious if you also take any action to promote your channel or the information and references you've compiled to (the unfortunately large majority of) people and organisations who seem content to insulate religious groups from any kind of scrutiny. ...
"You know there's something wrong when a group that claims divinity can't even demonstrate humanity."
I might use a derivation of that in future discussions if you don't mind.
Wow, thanks a lot. It will be another great video.
The human animal has had issues with things like human trafficking/ slavery and abuse sadly. Though some would be apologist or find it part of their culture. Also there are odd laws such as forced child marriage being legal , but then having sex with children and human trafficking illegal in the US many places. These things are issues world wide ignored however, and many conspiracy nuts are a problem. Sad thing really that such cults and abuse is something ignored.
40:40 - 41:20 shunning to get loved ones to 'come to their senses' vs. giving the silent treatment to get them to do your bidding and emotional blackmail.
Looking forward to your video on the Australian Royal Commission
I reported my abuse and got SHUNNED.
32:52 I love how you gloss over the fact that they didn't do anything, prompting the police investigation. It's pretty much a foregone conclusion.
That was THE BEST video portraying and hitting home the message of how sick the JW cult is.
Man I love your videos so much. Thanks so much for putting all this together. I'm sure this method of video production doesn't result in very much pay, but it means a lot to me and many others.
Thank you! Cant thumbs up this enough times!
I don't know what to write because this is such a personal issue for me. None of the religions your video listed were the name the religion that did this to me but, still, you described the pattern of what happened to me. Thank you for your work
WOW! This is one of the best videos about JW / ORG I've ever seen. It's right on the money and spoken in a loving way. If a JW can watch this and still defend their faith, they don't have God, humanity, or a functioning brain.
My strong impression is that the organisation is filled with many decent, well-intentioned human beings who've had their humanity crushed down to a fraction of its natural size, and had the resulting vacuum filled with horrible dehumanising scripts by an extremely corrupt leadership. I think unfortunately the pain and depression many of these people experience as a consequence of this suppression of their humanity becomes gradually normalised, so that they no longer question it. But it's a joy to see the transformation that often takes place when people exit this oppressive high-control group, and their humanity re-inflates to its natural size - bringing back an individual who exudes love and kindness - the latter of which is, for me, one of the most conspicuous things to go in malignant environments.
+TheraminTrees. Thank-you for the time and thought you put into this presentation. God Bless.
Your intelligence is seriously comforting. I think pretty much the same as you do; except that you demonstrate it eloquently.