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Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses say church's shunning caused too many suicides We are in a great position to be a source of strength and compassion for those younger people who are wandering out and stumbling into forums like this. They tell you that you need to follow these rules in order to receive salvation and so on. Those few born-in Jehovah's Witnesses who do stay in will pay an enormous price in that they will never have gotten to know who they really were. Im astonished at the totally creepy nature of the GB Videos I have seen lately. . Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Just imagine if the Ford Motor Company was still manufacturing and marketing the Ford Pinto. As she grew up as a third-generation Jehovah's Witness, there were certain things . Its the reason they emphasise the dangers and repercussions of searching for answers to faith-related questions in any place except their own literature, calling anything outside this apostasy. Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves. He grew up in a Strong JW family in the USA but now thinks most of it is BS and Nonsense, By the way he does love Sweden and I need to go visit him. It was these friends who became my support network and showed me that people from the world are just the same as people from the faith there were as many lovely people as there were horrible people, as many happy people as there were sad. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? She tried to push his friendship away, which meant pushing Cynthia away too. There is a question regarding the longevity of JW.org given the events of the past few years. Much like Kim Jong walking out and clapping his hands, the Watchtowers idea of motivating its people is to deliver talks denouncing college, Watchtower articles ridiculing those who disagree with them, and the repetitive promise that the end is just around the corner. Inside The Lost Jehovah's Witnesses Tunnels Under Brooklyn Heights The faith discourages more than the bare minimum education, advising that higher education is a waste of time that could be better dedicated to ministry (a practice that is deemed so important every individual is required to submit a report card of the amount of hours theyve spent preaching each month), and that it fosters a materialistic and selfishly ambitious attitude. And, I think the issue is much broader than what the simple statistics are showing. For Some Americans, Ukraine's Fight Feels Close to Home Mum, I havent died. However, it is too late because it is all laid bare for everybody to see online and it will never ever be erased or taken down. 1. I have seen many really good kids in the organization totally get neglected because they didnt have a father who was a Witness. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? Doomsday images from Jehovah's Witnesses publications. Shunning and the BITE Model of Mind Control in the Jehovah's Witnesses None of these religions are the true religion. While they may appear nice and friendly, once you get into the inner-workings of the organization, you quickly discover that the niceness and friendliness is very short lived unless you follow everything to the letter within the organization. Watch Tower was spending tens of thousands per year to New York City just to maintain their tunnel and air-bridge spaces between buildings. And at one time their teaching was that Jesus was like God or was a God.. In March 1997, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Jehovah's Witnesses, sent a letter to each of its . No other religion can do that. Jehovah's Witnesses do not provide a dignified resignation process for members who wish to leave. Last night, I was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the Watchtower. This just comes in a long line of brutal, evil statements that were made by the governing body over the years, and it also proves that this organization in no way is being backed, or supported by God in any way shape or form. Most Jehovah's Witnesses - roughly two-thirds (65%) - are . Andrea sat down. By the time many young Jehovah's Witnesses reach their teen years, not only have they been conditioned to associate worshipping Jehovah with great displeasure; but they still don't have any groups or programs tailored to them as teens, or which meet their needs. Jehovah's Witnesses will often turn away from any Bible discussion that challenges their beliefs, using the excuse that they cannot listen to apostates. Raymond Victor Franz (May 8, 1922 - June 2, 2010) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses from October 20, 1971, until his removal on May 22, 1980, and served at the organization's world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. When Andrea learned that the re-emergence of the Church Of Christ is clearly found in the Bible, she looked into the origins of JW and found that there was no Biblical proof to support JWs establishment. It is all about their money. Jehovah's Witnesses detained in inhumane conditions June 4, 2021 Number of Jehovah's Witnesses on trial in Lipetsk grows June 2, 2021 Christian attorney gives advice for staying on good side of law June 1, 2021 Crimean Pentecostals fined for violating Russia's anti-evangelism law May 31, 2021 American prayer breakfast figure feted by Ukrainian . In a recent private video for Bethel members only, this war against questionable pants, socks, and tights was restated, with Watch Tower doubling down on matters which would baffle Jesus himself were he to walk the earth today. The major damage has been done and it will only continue to spread throughout the organization as more and more proof of this religions terrible practices are leaked out and spread all over the Internet. She was convinced shed lost me and that Id be changed for ever now, no longer the daughter shed always loved and cherished. The establishment of Jehovahs Witnesses is not in the Bible. She met George, his family, and a few others from the Church Of Christ, including Brother Eddie San Gabriel, a Minister of the Gospel. And when youre a member of the Church Of Christ, the peace that you have in knowing that the promise that God has made to you will be fulfilled is everything. Not even Watchtowers huge lawyers can stop it. The reason for this is because theyre on the verge of going totally belly up, and they need money to be able to handle all of the child sex abuse cases that they have under their belts and so on. This was not a tax, it was a fee paid because New York owns the underground and the airspace. Statistically, two-thirds of born in members leave, and of those that leave on. It's already a small pool of potential friends and romantic interests in a KH. They adopted the name Jehovahs Witnesses in 1931. Their whole going out to knock on doors sounds commendable, but truth be known, the reason why they do it is because theyre trying to earn their own way into Jehovahs new world; paradise Earth. For Ali Millar, the experience of writing her difficult life story wasn't cathartic, it was traumatic. The Internet's most comprehensive resource for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, a community for support, recovery and a few laughs along the way. interesting topics> Beliefs. I knew the Bible back and forth. Truth Be Told Documentary This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. Inside the brutal world of the Jehovah's Witnesses - ABC News , Productivity Hacks for the Creative Christian, Three (Unexpected) Life Lessons from College, Dear Teenage Self: Finding God Changes You. I tried at all costs to avoid any discussions of faith with Jehovahs Witnesses with whom I was still in contact mostly because I didnt want to be forced into an argument with them over my anger and frustration at some of the doctrines. When commenting on the young people who leave the organization, another common tactic that the organization uses is to cynically compare them with the ungrateful Israelites who found Jehovahs manna to be undesirable. Many churches offer separate classes, services, or groups for children that are compatible with their maturity level and that get them acclimated to going to church. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. 2010 Elder's Book Jehovah's Witnesses, Hendricks said, "fundamentally disagree with the idea of the Holy Trinity." "We believe that Jehovah is the sovereign, the only eternal one, and that Jesus Christ is a created being perhaps living in the heavens for billions of years," Hendricks said. Sections: politics business autos jobs career education romance computers phones travel sports fashion health Jehovah's Witnesses believe these men are anointed as the voice of God on Earth. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. (Immediately prior to dates the end was specifically expected, such as 1914, 1925 and 1975, growth increased to as high as 20%.) Am I an Apostate? There simply isnt anything designed or built into the programs that work with the attention spans of young children. Reportedly, one of the rules is that unless a perpetrator confesses to committing a sin, two people must witness the commission of the sin. More than that, though, it infuriated me the way my most important reason for leaving was brushed aside because it was the most irrefutable: I simply did not believe in the Bible and God, and by extension any Christian belief. The. Russia's mysterious campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses - ABC News Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. Nov. 20, 2019, 9:49 AM PST. Have you lost your mind? How can anyone watch these buffoons and think theyre Gods voice. Two years later he founded Zion's Watch Tower and Tract Society, which was incorpo-rated in 1884 in Pennsylvania. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Today it has 252 members, with those who have been associated with Pentecostalism, the Anglican and Baptist churches and the Jehovah's Witnesses dominating the group. The organization of Jehovahs Witnesses is not Gods organization and never ever will be either. "Overseers of Jehovah's People", an article in the group's publication called the Watchtower . The Jehovah Witness religion is going through some tough times - Quora They rely upon the Watchtower more than they rely upon the Bible. Jehovah's Witness elders made teen listen recording of her rape for Watch Tower must pay these benefits. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor Additionally, it has been noted by many of us that when there is a family in which the father does not hold some kind of office, the family is often left out on the periphery without much social support. The following is just my opinion and observations based on events from the past year. Watch Tower is very upset and concerned about all the leaks coming from their headquarters. This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. The Jehovah's Witnesses - CULTWATCH I just want you to listen to the doctrines. BeyondJW - Timothy Campbell Watch Tower has taken over responsibility of all kingdom halls worldwide, but many sit in disrepair awaiting renovations in excess of what congregations can afford. Feeling deceived by the teachings of the Jehovahs Witnesses, she confronted her grandmother. News Bulletin: Watchtower tightens shunning rules to include "sinful "I would be sick. These elders are being retrained, and have been called disobedient by the branch. They really have no proof of God giving them this high and mighty position of being Gods only spoksperson on Earth. I dont think Ive ever seen my mum cry so much, so often. Found some information I thought you all might be interested in. In many countries, such meetings would be nothing unusual. Given the choice between what this media has to offer, versus reading a Kingdom Ministry insert, where do you think a bored and uninspired teenager is going to go? Are people REALLY leaving??? - Jehovah's Witness ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. These groups are designed to approach the young people where they are at right now not from where someone thinks they should be. Conflagration and Catastrophe: On Jehovah's Witnesses and the Doom of Its a great field service vehicle with four doors and plenty of ankle length dress room in the back! PDF The Jehovah's Witness Tradition - Advocate Health Leaked 'Branch' and 'Elders' Manuals Pull Back the Curtain of Inner To this day I search, I study, and I read. There are also members with experiences of Catholicism, Mormonism, the Exclusive Brethren, the Mennonites, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and the Falun Gong movement. Sawyer and many others like her are now denouncing the church's shunning practices in the wake of a recent murder-suicide in Keego Harbor that killed a family of four ex-Jehovah's Witnesses who . My Story of Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses - YouTube Watch Tower has made it clear these records are to be destroyed according to their new records management and destruction procedures. Jehovahs Witnesses can now be found in Birmingham city centre. And he [my dad] told me that, If you go to that Church, dont come back. Believers honor Jehovah, the God and Creator of all things. Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement it did not join because it does not have the institutional settings that result in children being separated from their parents, such as youth groups, choirs . In the spring of 2015, Stephen Lett asked for donations after stating that JW.org had more money going out than coming in. They worship the organization in which theyre a part of. Other churches give single parents some relief by offering activities and programs for their children to get involved in and bond with other young people. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a member of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation in Pierce County recently sued the organization. The more that they grit their teeth, lash out at dissenters, and shake their fists at the internet, the more they motivate their disenchanted young people to satisfy their curiosities about what is on the net. Identifying True Worship, Part 1: What Is Apostasy according to the . And you have no promise. 239) In this video I share the story of my transition from believing. 12 Outrageous Facts about Jehovah's Witnesses you need to Know Meanwhile, Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia have been imprisoned for following Governing Body directives. Andrea started to panic and pulled Cynthia aside. About the most exciting thing that most of the young people will get to do is hold up printed signs at conventions that say Please Be Seated, or turn knobs in the Kingdom Hall sound booth. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? With all of the new doccumentaries being produced about this organization, YouTube channels and other types of media being produced, Watchtower doesnt stand a chance at survival. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. But its a way of thinking that is ingrained in you by the faith, and its this mentality that makes it so difficult to leave. The more the doctrines made sense, the more she wanted to keep learning. Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Yet Governing Body members like Samuel Herd have publicly stated how beautiful their new surroundings are at Bethel how they hear the birds chirping as they observe the serene landscape of upstate New York. Jehovah's 'hiding money' - PressReader At death, that life-force leaves the body. While I tried to maintain the utmost respect for their beliefs and not attempt to preach my own, they refused to extend me the same courtesy, and many assumed Id left so I could experience more freedom for worldly things. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. It is law according to the Jehovahs Witness. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Nearly all WT published material does not hold up to even a freshman's college essay in terms of sources cited, strawman arguments, and avoidance of logical fallacies. However, the rate of growth has almost certainly also been dependent on child baptism for several years and, with the average age of the membership growing older and decades of discouragement from current members having children, there are also simply fewer children to indoctrinate. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. There is dissent in South Africa right now because of the fixed per capita amount assigned to each publisher who attends a circuit assembly. I have several observations to add to this. Andrea embraced its teachings and followed all of JWs beliefs to a T. She didnt celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holidays, and she avoided birthday celebrations. Religious fact, faith and delusion, home> Im grateful every day for my education and my desire to learn and think independently, a skill that fostered in me those initial doubts about Jehovahs Witnesses, and enabled me to have the strength to search for answers elsewhere in non-biased literature. Besides meetings and literature, what is the Watchtower doing, or even attempting to do to truly refresh, uplift, and inspire their young people? In Namibia, the government has denied Watch Towers plea to remove itself from employer status, since this forces Watch Tower to pay social security benefits to all full-time workers such as Bethelites. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson callously stated in 2015 before the Royal Commission in Australia that he had not even read the details of the victims who had testified before the Commission. Ali's account of leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses was traumatic to write She was especially close to her sister Cynthia. Tell your story. And even though it was a challenging journey, she doesnt regret it. It is the interpretation given those prophecies by men like Stephen Lett and the other members of the GB over the decades that has caused so many witnesses to lose their faith and even, in the case of many, to turn away from God entirely. Watch Tower is in the process of implementing a new records management program along with a destruction of documents procedure which is designed to ensure that no documents exist which would tie Watch Tower to any legal responsibility or repercussions. These doctrines made perfect sense to me!. "The minister who was teaching my Bible lessons (in the Church Of Christ) mentioned the "Let God Be True" book in my studies, and he asked me if I knew that the doctrines of the Jehovah's Witnesses had changed over the years. Its not hard to figure out why so many Jehovah's Witness children are conditioned from an early age to associate drudgery with the meetings and assemblies.