I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. Why are you doing this? Andrea was upset. JW News: Misleading Jehovah's Witnesses, Stephen Lett's 2021 Convention Steps 1 Do personal research. Once more and more world wide governments either ban Watchtower from their nations, or make them pay for all the evil that they have done through their evil practice of shunning and other terrible things not mentioned here, the Watchtower organization may be forced to shut its doors. Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love. Found some information I thought you all might be interested in. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Supreme Court has revived a woman's lawsuit alleging she was forced to listen to a recording of her own rape. Sparlock Warrior Wizard The Internet is what is really hurting the Watchtower organization bigtime because in the past, information could be controlled and managed. Jehovahs Witnesses can now be found in Birmingham city centre. However, none of that is really working and people are still waking up from this brutal North Korean type religion. How many schools do you know of, that stick preschoolers, high school students, and graduate students all into the same classroom together? 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. Animal Suffering I made a concentrated effort to stop using the word, because I knew it wasnt the truth to me, and that its use was just a very 1984 Newspeak method of subtle control. He [the minister] handed me the Bible, and he told me, From now on, when we look up a scripture, I want you to look it up, and I want you to read it. And that was the biggest help for me in reaffirming me that what he was telling me was the truth. Jehovah's Witnesses' bad blood with COVID-19 vaccines Its what we dont post. An organization that has established itself as the sole possessor of truth and the single place of refuge from the coming apocalypse cannot divert time and resources to anything that is not related to its recruitment activities. Jehovah's Witness Sexual Abuse Lawsuit | Rosenfeld Injury Law Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. Every time I . 'Leaving The Witness': Amber Scorah Reflects On Losing Her Faith - NPR.org interesting topics> Change in teachings? Jehovah's Witness settlement: Are you eligible to file a claim? The 11 Beliefs You Should Know about Jehovah's Witnesses When They Brummies happily shopping and going. I was lucky enough to have parents who brought me up more loosely than most Jehovahs Witnesses. Getty Images 08 . Jehovah's Witnesses with 1.3 million members in the U.S. who hand out brochures on sidewalks and subway platforms and ring doorbells are one of the most visible religious groups in the . This is why Jehovah's Witnesses have stopped knocking on your door How long will all of this take? But she realized she couldnt help her sister if she remained at a distance. 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. In more recent news concerning the Watchtower organization, Steven Lett made a really shocking and quite frankly damning statement concerning babies. A key factor to the growth in number of Jehovah's Witnesses is the promise that this system will end at any moment. To this day I search, I study, and I read. The "soul" is simply the life-force within a person. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? Watchtower Caught Dumping Chemicals Are people REALLY leaving??? - Jehovah's Witness 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 . Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned in Russia since 2017. You know I couldnt see my life any other way. That our faith is true. Marriage to an unbeliever starts to look a little inevitable. 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? Website powered & protected by Jehovah's holy spirit. They worship the organization in which theyre a part of. This raises the issue of whether any benefits will ever be paid to other full-time JWs across the globe, who deserve them equally. The Secret Jehovah's Witness Database of Child Molesters - The Atlantic As a result, most young Witnesses grow up sequestered in their homes and their congregations, fearful of anything outside those boundaries. Brother Eddie San Gabriel challenged Andreas beliefs, and in the process she learned two powerful things that peeled her away from remaining a Jehovahs Witness. Updated at 12:25 p.m. "I would be sick. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? Its this picture of the world the word they use to refer to anything outside the faith that was painted for me as a child, and I was warned away from cultivating any close friendships with non-Jehovahs Witnesses for this reason. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor says. But it's a way of thinking that is ingrained in you by the faith, and it's this mentality that makes it so difficult to leave. Am I an Apostate? But in another respect, its quite sad, when considering the young people in the organization who desperately need and yearn for something more. There's a limit on how long you can tell people that the world is about to end for so long before they get sceptical. A moment that changed me: quitting the Jehovah's Witnesses Meanwhile, Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia have been imprisoned for following Governing Body directives. That takes us to 27. *my Opinion * / Nostradamus Predictions For World War in 2020 . 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. They may think they do, but we have seen, we have seen the proof that our God is real. And its peppy acceleration will get you far and away from Zeb and his feisty cart crashes!. 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. Jehovah's Witnesses and Covid-19 Something went wrong, please try again later. 13 Black Celebrities Who Are Or Were Jehovah's Witnesses . The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. 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. When you take a look at many of the mega-churches for example, it is very impressive how much they put into creating support groups and programs for their young people. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson It there is a large turn-over in the congregation, it must mean that Satan is working overtime; not that that anything could ever be wrong with the organization itself. Realistically, though, its a threat to the organisation because education could broaden an individuals mind and open them up to a world of opinions outside the faith. How can anyone watch these buffoons and think theyre Gods voice. How to Leave Jehovah's Witnesses: 4 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they have the one and only true religion and that their Governing Body is appointed by God himself. For Some Americans, Ukraine's Fight Feels Close to Home And the more she embraced the truth, the more her family tried to stop her. Can baptism be Annulled? Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? This is another religion. None of these religions are the true religion. At 18 I turned my back on the cloistered isolation of my familys faith and began a life where I was free to question ideas and beliefs. If id seen in the 70s or 80s morons like Lett rambling or the arrogance of Tony Morrison or the incredulous lies that Geoffrey Jackson spews, id saved alot of years of headache. If the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. My parents chose my brother, my abuser, over me. Beside simple boredom, what we also see in the Watchtower organization are many emotionally troubled people and single parent families who join the religion for the promises of relief that it holds out for them. The family of Jehovah's Witnesses is writing letters instead of knocking on doors to spread their faith. She met George, his family, and a few others from the Church Of Christ, including Brother Eddie San Gabriel, a Minister of the Gospel. You can get shunned just by reading literature from another church, and you can even get shunned for smoking a cigarette. 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. Answer (1 of 10): Well, it's resulted in them having to resort to baptizing children to keep their numbers up (something they used to criticize the Catholic church for). it is one to really be avoided at all costs and it is really dangerous. 1. With all of the publically displayed lies and deceptions that this organization has dished out over the years, people are finally waking up to the real truth about the Watchtower organization and its agenda. I believe this with my whole heart. / The Real Cause Of Chukwuemeka Akachi, UNN Student Death. And, as is human nature, it is much easier for Watchtower leaders to put all of the blame for this on invisible metaphysical characters such as Satan, instead of dealing with the elephant in their own living room. Spare the rod, spoil the child. After completing her Bible studies, Andrea was baptized into the Church Of Christ in 1981. Their lackluster growth will only continue; and they will find it harder and harder to recruit new members. The new Toyota Drove! It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. 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. Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. You know what its like to have no hope. A moment that changed me: dropping out of university | Anne T Donaghue, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely., remember that first year after Id left the, Former Jehovah's Witness elders call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, MPsdemand action over Jehovahs Witness abuse allegations, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of silencing victims of child abuse, Child sexual abuse inquiry considers Jehovah's Witnesses UK investigation, Jehovahs Witnesses criticised over handling of child abuse case, Jehovah's Witnesses charity drops attempts to block abuse inquiry, Jehovah's Witnesses did not protect children from abuse, inquiry finds, Jehovah's Witnesses under pressure over handling of sexual abuse claims, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of damaging Otomi religious site in Mexico. We have far more than they realize we have, and there is nothing they can do to stop the flow of information outside of headquarters. Like Stockholm Syndrome victims, Jehovah's Witnesses continue to support the only organization they think has the answers, identifying with and revering their captors - men who have little sympathy for the victims of child abuse, shunning, or death by blood policy. 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. 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. I would love it if the young ones were leaving in droves, and I believe because of the Internet this will happen, but I don't see a great deal of evidence at present. This is human nature. Followers famously wont accept blood donations - nor do they celebrate birthdays, claiming such celebrations displease God. Andrea sat down. Yet, ironically, its clear that their growth is already suffering due in part to this stubbornness. They are told to just go and pioneer.). Many will have had to cover over passions and talents that would have given their lives much greater meaning. On top of this, many Jehovah's Witness adults expect children to silently sit still through long convention talks on Daniels prophecies or the nuances of the word parousia. In many countries, such meetings would be nothing unusual. [1] People are waking up and leaving in droves. I remember I was getting ready to leave [for worship service in the Church Of Christ], it was early in the morning and it was on a Saturday. It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. 100 years is a pretty long time to wait. A closer look at Jehovah's Witnesses living in the U.S. Inside the brutal world of the Jehovah's Witnesses - ABC News And now with other countries finding out the harshness of their rules and their inhumane practices of shunning, and not turning child sex abuse cases over to the police is really causing a huge problem for Watchtower. Within ten years, a They still teach that everybody else is doomed except for them. Id been treated badly by as many people who were Witnesses as I had non-Witnesses. There are also members with experiences of Catholicism, Mormonism, the Exclusive Brethren, the Mennonites, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and the Falun Gong movement. Tony Morris declared on multiple occasions that he was incensed with European trousers for men, designed by the homosexuals he hates so passionately and followed this tirade by producing a side by side photo of what proper trousers look like versus tight pants. , Productivity Hacks for the Creative Christian, Three (Unexpected) Life Lessons from College, Dear Teenage Self: Finding God Changes You. Jehovah's Witnesses Abandon Key Tenet - Los Angeles Times And then from that day, I never looked back. 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. 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. -65% of JWs are women, compared to only 35% men. Many of them had some very deep emotional issues that never got resolved. Witnesses are being approached and asked hard-hitting questions about child abuse, shunning, and other matters. Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely. Nothing can be allowed to take any time away from the Watchtowers sole purpose of existence: proselytizing. Find some books which are truthful and sincere and share them. AND I'm going to do the most non-Jehovah's Witness-y thing ever and, instead of just making up any shit I please, I will actually supply sources for my data so you can look it up for yourself: - 52% of Jehovah's Witnesses are 50 years of age or older, - Only 29% of Jehovah's Witnesses are parents to children under 18 - a decrease of 8% over the past 7 years. Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. We feel the use of carts allows us to reach people we perhaps wouldnt meet at home due to their work schedules or other factors, said spokesperson Andrew Schofield. The carts also provide the public with the choice of approaching us or not, which some people appreciate. Find some websites which you believe are honest and accurate and share them. Once that happens, shunning will have very little power over JWs. - 63% of current Jehovah's Witnesses are a high school education or less. Why Are People Leaving The Jehovah's Witness In Droves. Currently, in the US, JW.org has just 40% of their publishers registered in the JW.org database system. They are not allowed to question the Watchtower leadership or teaching. If the religion continues to have to pay out millions of dollars to the victems of child abuse, and it they continue to loose new converts simply because theyre finding out the real truth about the religion, then theres no way that it will be able to remain standing. 6 months later in a private seminar, branch officials announced that Letts plea resulted in 30 million extra dollars in donations, but this would not stem their financial issues and would continue with layoffs and cutbacks. (Translation they are on their own: no health care, no jobs, no training. She learned she couldnt get that from being a Jehovahs Witness. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Watch Tower is watching its assets in Russia vanish while paying settlements in the US and elsewhere for child abuse mishandling and other legal cases. The Jehovah's Witness Religion is Literally Dying Off : r/exjw - reddit Meanwhile, Watch Tower purchased four $8,000.00 scanners. In the book, they [JW] taught that Jesus Christ is a Mighty God. Press J to jump to the feed. Photo courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses Public Information Desk Mandee Reid and her son, Charles Reid, of Kansas City, Mo., like Jehovah's . All the books in the Bible.. When these programs do address the children directly, it usually only entails an assembly drama about Samuel, or the promise that very soon, they will be able to play with tigers and elephants. You know what its like to not have the spiritual substance that you can grab on to. People are finally not afraid to talk, and the very massive Ex-JW community is really having a huge affect on Watchtower and on those still inside of it. The modern-day organisation began at the end of the 19th century. Not even Watchtowers huge lawyers can stop it. . 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 Jehovahs Witnesses had changed over the years. All Witnesses are expected to obey instructions and doctrines that influence every aspect of life: Women are considered subservient to men, higher education is discouraged and homosexuality is not permitted. 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. I just want you to listen to the doctrines. It is all about the rules and their governing body. Watch Tower has made it clear these records are to be destroyed according to their new records management and destruction procedures. Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. 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. No other religion can do that. The Jackson family was raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith, but several of the family members, including sister Janet, no longer practice the religion. In the spring of 2015, Stephen Lett asked for donations after stating that JW.org had more money going out than coming in. At death, that life-force leaves the body. Leaked 'Branch' and 'Elders' Manuals Pull Back the Curtain of Inner At what point do they begin to ask themselves if there is something that THEY are doing wrong? Originally from Kent, Laetitia says her parents became Jehovah's Witnesses about four years before she was born. Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes. Jehovah's Witnesses news & latest pictures from Newsweek.com Jehovah's Witness Child Abuse Lawsuit - Class Action All rights Reserved. Well, the reason for the recent increase is simply due to a change in tactics, according to our sister title the Chronicle. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. 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. Now if they all say this, surely not all of them could be the truth huh? Attending My Father's Funeral However, today, information is in the form of aTsunami which cant be stopped. No religion can claim that. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The Jehovah Witness religion is going through some tough times. 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. Authorities have also been accused of failing to look into allegations by whistleblowers that Jehovah's Witnesses may be hiding its money . Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. The rules just keep right on getting tighter and tighter due to the fact that theyre in full damage control, and they want to keep as many people in the organization as they possibly can.